We're glad to hear you're considering the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program at the CSU. Here you'll find information on prerequisites for applying, financial aid and where to find help to make the application process faster and smoother.
To start, visit the website of the program you want to attend to find details about that program’s admission requirements, including letters of recommendation, transcripts and exam scores. The application period for the 2025-26 academic year will open in October 2024. Deadlines for applications to all programs can be found on their websites:
When you are ready, complete the Graduate application on Cal State Apply.
Below are answers to some common questions:
How many students will be admitted each year?
Please contact the CSU DNP program you are interested in for details on the size of that program’s cohorts for the admission dateyou wish to apply.
Is there a distance education/online option?
Fresno State and San José post-master’s programs are online with executive sessions; CSU Fullerton post-master’s program offers hybrid and asynchronous online instruction; and CSU Bakersfield post-master’s program uses hybrid and synchronous and asynchronous teaching methods. Clinical patient-care requirements for these programs are described in their campus websites.
The Post-baccalaureate to DNP programs at CSU Long Beach, Bakersfield, and San Diego core courses are taught using a mixture of face-to-face and hybrid courses. The CSU Fullerton DNP Nurse Anesthesia program is a mixture of hybrid and face-to-face core courses.
What types of financial aid can I apply for?
Various types of
financial aid may be available to graduate students who qualify and demonstrate a need for these resources. Financial aid programs—which come in a variety of forms, including
grants,
scholarships and
loan programs—are available to assist students in meeting their educational expenses.
Contact the financial aid office at the campus you are interested in attending for information about assistance available to students enrolled in DNP programs. Information about policies and regulations governing financial assistance programs is available through the every campus’s financial aid office. Due to limited funding, meeting the application deadline for financial assistance is critical; be sure to ask your campus financial aid contact about deadlines.
The Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program
DNP students may want to consider applying for the
Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP). This CSU program provides student loans to a limited number of students pursuing full-time doctoral degrees at accredited universities throughout the U.S.
Once a participant receives their doctoral degree through the CDIP program and obtains a qualifying instructional position in the CSU, a portion of the loan from this program may be forgiven every year.
Prerequisites
Prospective students interested in the post-master's DNP program must be a licensed registered nurse and have an acceptable master's degree in nursing or a healthcare field and either certification in, or eligibility for certification in, advanced nursing practice.
Applicants seeking admission to the CSU Fullerton and KPSA partnership post-baccalaureate-to-DNP program with a specialty in nurse anesthesia must have a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree and meet additional criteria related to nursing practice experience and science coursework. Applicants to the CSU Bakersfield, Long Beach, and San Diego State post-baccalaureate in nursing-to-DNP programs must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and meet additional criteria related to science coursework. Clinical practice experience may also be required. Admission and enrollment in CSU DNP programs are contingent on an applicant’s possession of an active, unrestricted, California RN license with no disciplinary action pending or imposed.
Admission requirements, course descriptions and clinical specialties can be found at the campus websites below: