Doctor of Nursing Practice with a Concentration in Nursing Anesthesia

Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum overall graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on all work attempted. 

Completion of a prelicensure nursing program leading to either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited program at an accredited college or university. To be used to satisfy degree requirements, evaluation of foreign educational transcripts must show degrees earned that are the U.S. equivalency of degrees required by the program. 

Applicants with degrees earned from pass/fail pre-licensure nursing programs MUST complete the following:

• Take the GRE
• Achieve an "A" in at least (3) hours of graduate-level science coursework from an accredited college or university

Official transcripts are required from all universities and colleges attended. Only in the case of transcripts from international colleges/universities will an official course-by-course transcript evaluation be accepted in lieu of an official transcript. Official transcripts should be sent to NursingCAS. To remain official, all transcripts must remain in the original, unopened, sealed and stamped/signed envelope from the Registrar's office of the issuing institution. Alternatively, NursingCAS will accept official electronic transcripts from the registrar's office at your prior institution. Applicants should submit their transcripts via the process provided in the NursingCAS Help Center. ALL transcripts must be sent to NursingCAS. If you send them directly to AU, they cannot be loaded into NursingCAS. Transcripts not submitted directly to NursingCAS cannot be verified and will not be reviewed or considered.

An official, professional course-by-course evaluation based on official transcripts and documents is required for all foreign educational transcripts and documents from one of the following three credentials evaluation services: Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., World Education Services (WES), and Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). Silny and WES are recommended. Official transcript evaluations based on unofficial transcripts, documents or copies will not fulfill this requirement.

Please be advised that processing international transcripts takes significantly longer due to additional verification requirements. To avoid delays in the review of your application, we strongly encourage you to submit your application and all required documents as early as possible.

 If you have also completed coursework at U.S. institutions, your GPA will be calculated by combining both your international and U.S. academic courses.

Plan to ensure your application receives full consideration.

Applicants must submit the names and current email addresses of three individuals they have requested to serve as references.

References should be able to speak to their academic, professional, and/or clinical performance. One reference must be from a supervisor (e.g., charge nurse, unit manager, etc.).

Once the online application is submitted, each referee will receive an email notification directing them to the online site where they can complete the reference form and submit a letter of recommendation.

The GRE is required for applicants who meet either of the following criteria:

• Have an overall GPA below 3.6 from their prelicensure program.
• Earned their prelicensure degree (e.g., BSN, MSN, etc.) at a Pass/Fail institution.

All GRE scores must meet the following requirements:

• Must be official
• Must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to Augusta University’s Office of Academic Admissions.
  • Use institution code 5406 when submitting scores.
  • Do not select a department code.
• Scores must be no more than five years old.

A competitive GRE score is considered to be 300 or higher.

English proficiency exam scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English and who do not qualify for an English proficiency exam waiver per the criteria listed below. Augusta University will accept official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Test (IELTS) exam scores. Official exam scores must be taken within 2 years of the date of application. The Augusta University institution code for submission of TOEFL or IELTS scores is 5406. Please do not select a department code.

• TOEFL Minimum Overall Score: 79 internet based or 213 computer based
• IELTS Minimum Overall Band Score: 6.5

English Proficiency Exam Waiver Criteria: The English proficiency exam requirement will be waived for applicants who meet either of the following criteria:

• Submit proof of earning a Baccalaureate, Master’s, or Doctoral degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. The requirement will be waived upon receipt of an official transcript verifying the degree.
• Are citizens of countries on the approved waiver list

Please visit the International Student webpage for more information.

Applicants must have completed the following with a grade of “B” or higher:

• A 3-credit hour undergraduate or graduate chemistry course with a lab component.
• A 3-credit hour course in statistics or biostatistics.

Applicants must submit a CV or résumé that meets the following criteria:

• Must include the date of the most recent revision.
• Must be uploaded directly into NursingCAS.

As part of the application process, applicants must complete all required essay prompts within the NursingCAS application. All responses must reflect the applicant’s own original thoughts and experiences. While it is acceptable to use tools such as spell check or artificial intelligence (AI) to support revision, editing, or idea refinement, the use of AI to generate entire responses is not permitted. Essays should authentically represent your voice, goals, and qualifications.

Applicants must complete a minimum of 24 shadowing hours with a CRNA prior to their interview.

• Shadowing hours must be documented on the Augusta University Nursing Anesthesia Program Shadow Hour Log.
• The log must be signed by the applicant before submission
  
  Shadow Hour Log

AACN Certification (adult, pediatrics, or neonatal) preferred, but not required.

Applicants must submit proof of an unencumbered RN license from the state where they are practicing at the time of application. Proof of current unencumbered Georgia RN or multi-state RN license is required before enrollment. Proofs of licensure should be uploaded directly into NursingCAS.

Critical Care Experience Requirement:

• A minimum of one year of full-time critical care nursing experience is preferred at the time of application and required by the time of matriculation.
• This experience must have been completed within the past three years.

Examples of qualifying critical care settings include (but are not limited to):

• Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
• Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU)
• Coronary Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
• Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Additional Experience Consideration:

Applicants with experience in other clinical areas may be considered if they can demonstrate competence in the following:

• Managing unstable patients
• Utilizing invasive monitoring
• Operating mechanical ventilators
• Applying critical care pharmacology

Please note: Experience in step-down units, pre-operative, or post-operative care does not qualify as critical care experience.

All applicants who meet the minimum admission requirements will be reviewed by the Augusta University Nursing Anesthesia Program (NAP) Admissions Committee, which is composed of NAP faculty and administrators.

• Phase 1: Members of the Admissions Committee conduct a detailed review of all applications that meet the stated admission requirements. Based on this comprehensive evaluation, selected applicants will be invited to advance to Phase 2.
• Phase 2: Applicants invited to the second round will participate in an on-campus interview. A virtual interview is available to candidates residing more than 500 miles from the Augusta University Health Sciences Campus. Interviews are a weighted component of the total application score. Candidates are assessed on their professional background, clinical experience, and overall preparedness for the nursing anesthesia profession.