Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the program, applicants must possess the following:

• An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or international equivalent in Nursing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher or a master’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• A personal interview may be requested of all applicants.
• Successful completion of Basic Pathophysiology or the equivalent.
• Successful completion of Health Assessment with Lab or the equivalent.
• Currently active U.S. RN license.

*Minimum of 1-year experience as a Registered Nurse is preferred.

Applicants with a degree from outside the United States

To be admitted to the program, applicants must submit the following:

• Official transcripts for a bachelor’s degree.
• Degrees from outside the U.S. must be equivalent to a U.S. 4-year degree*, and be submitted with an international credential evaluation report that includes a course-by-course analysis indicating the type of degree received, the U.S. equivalency of the degree (if applicable), the graduation date, and a cumulative grade point average from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
• Both complete transcripts/degree certification in original language and official English translation. If translated within the U.S., must be done by a member of the American Translators Association (ATA), a certified court interpreter or translator, or staff of a foreign consulate.
• One complete set (front and back) of legible photocopies of the above documentation (official transcript/degree certification, evaluation report, English translation). Note, if you are submitting sealed official documentation, the photocopy requirement is waived.

* If you prefer to submit your original international transcript/degree certification in person, email collexl@csun.edu to schedule an appointment.

English Proficiency Requirements

The English language tests and minimum scores listed in the table below are accepted by CSUN Master of Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program.

Test Name and Website	Minimum Score Required for Graduate Students	Send Score Directly To CSUN
Cambridge C1 Advanced English (formerly CAE)	180	Email “Confirmation of Entry” page to intladm@csun.edu.
DET – Duolingo English Test	105	Online through your Duolingo Account. See Sending Your Results.
EIKEN CSE – Common Scale for English	2630 (1)	Contact EIKEN online; they will send the score directly to us.
GTEC CBT – Global Test of English Communication Computer-Based Test	1200	Have GTEC send a copy of your "Official Score Certificate" to CSUN.
IELTS - International English Language Test System	6.5	Have IELTS send a copy of your "Test Report Form" to CSUN.
iTEP Academic - International Test of English Proficiency	4.0	Have iTEP send your score to CSUN.
PTE Academic - Pearson’s Test of English	58	Online through your PTE Academic Account
TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language	— Internet Based score: 80 — Paper-based score: 550 We do not accept TOEFL ITP.	Use CSUN School Code 4707.

Exception: If a graduate applicant has earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., the TOEFL or other English language proficiency exam is not required.

If a graduate applicant has earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a college or university outside the U.S. where English is the principal language of instruction, the TOEFL or other English language proficiency exam is not required. Please note:

• CSUN interprets "where English is the principal language of instruction" to mean that a school is located in a country where English is the daily medium of communication for the majority of residents, and that students receive academic instruction in English at all levels of education.
• Countries currently meeting the above requirement are: Australia, Belize, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, plus a few nations in the Commonwealth Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago).

International students, please note:

Currently, students on F-1 visas are not authorized to participate in the MSN program.

No I-20s are available for the MSN program at this time.

Admission to the University

Students must submit an online application to the program and be admitted prior to taking the first class in the program. Students are required to provide official transcripts from the required institutions of higher education.

Before submitting your application, please ensure you meet all University admission requirements, including a minimum GPA of 2.5.