masters personal statement nursing

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• Nursing Masters Personal Statement Sample

Written by Sarah Hastings-Woodhouse

This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in Nursing. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement .

As a qualified nurse with over three years’ professional experience, I was immediately drawn to your MSc in Advanced Nursing, as I believe it will not only enable me to enhance my own clinical practice, but also to acquire the skills necessary to improve patient care on a wider scale.

I graduated with my Bachelors in Adult Nursing in 2018, and quickly secured a role as a Practice Nurse at a GP surgery. I very much enjoyed delivering care in a community setting and developed a deep interest in the long-term management of chronic conditions.

This course’s optional module in diabetes prevention and care particularly sparked my interest – having witnessed the impact of diabetes on countless patients and their families, I would be especially eager to develop and understanding of how it can be better managed, both at level of individual practice in and in terms of wider health policy frameworks.

I believe that my willingness to meet the challenges posed by Covid-19 has demonstrated that I am well-placed to train for a more senior role in my field. Over the past two years, I have been keen to deploy my skills at the frontline of our battle against the virus. In April 2020, was among the first health professionals in my trust to staff the newly-constructed Nightingale Hospital at London’s ExCel centre, where I would later deliver vaccinations to hundreds of people in early 2021. That summer, I decided to join my local Rapid Response and Treatment Team, where I responded to urgent referrals for seriously ill care home residents and helped to create treatment plans that would prevent hospital admission.

Since 2020, then, I have demonstrated my versatility by working in primary, secondary and social care settings. I have an in-depth understanding of how various branches of the NHS interact, which I believe would be invaluable when studying Nursing at Masters level.

Working as a registered nurse throughout the coronavirus pandemic has solidified my resolve to advance in a field that showcases the best of human resilience and compassion. However, it has also made clear to me an ever-growing need for structural change within the healthcare sector. For this reason, I was particularly drawn to the opportunities within this course to develop my management and leadership skills. I believe this will equip me with the skills needed to instate positive change and improve patient care at both an organisation and regional level.

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Nursing personal statement

If you would like to pursue a career as a registered nurse there are a number of pre-registration Masters courses available, that give you eligibility to qualify in two years

To apply for these courses, you will need to write a personal statement setting out:

• your interest in nursing, specifically within the NHS
• an understanding of the work environment
• knowledge of current challenges facing the profession
• previous relevant experience
• skills including teamwork, communication, problem solving and your capacity for leadership.

Relevant work experience is a requirement of study, but this can be gained in a variety of ways from hospitals to community healthcare settings. You may also include additional experience gained from other non-related areas. Wherever you have built your experience you will need to focus on demonstrating the practical and transferable skills you have developed.

When you write your personal statement it is also important to reflect the core values of working as a nurse in the NHS. These include working together for patients, respect and dignity, commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving lives and everyone counts. You also need to adopt a person-centred approach to healthcare.

This example should be used for guidance only. Copying any of this text could significantly harm your chances of securing a place on a course.

Nursing personal statement example

I have always been passionate about working in health and social care and chose to study this field at undergraduate level. I particularly enjoyed modules in 'Global Issues Within Social Care' and 'Working with Adults' and was delighted to take up a position after graduating in a social care role within my local council. This exposed me to working in a community-based adult residential care setting, where I saw how adopting a person-centred approach made a genuine difference to the experiences of our residents, empowering them to make care-related decisions and with an emphasis on compassionate care. I began to realise that my skills in communication, teamworking and problem solving, alongside my values of empowering vulnerable people to make choices, would make me an excellent candidate to train as an adult nurse.

To continue to build relevant experience, alongside my social care role, I volunteered in my local hospital where I worked on several wards including A&E, the maternity ward and within the diabetes clinic. I used this opportunity to further develop my skills in patient care, empathy and communication and have received positive feedback from the ward sister praising my communication, excellent time management and my high levels of motivation. Patient feedback was similarly positive, noting my calm demeanour and cheerful manner. Volunteering gave me the opportunity to speak with nurses from a variety of clinical areas about their roles and to explore the many routes a career in nursing presents for professional development and growth. The most important thing I learned from this valuable experience was the profound impact nurses make on individuals' lives and it was this knowledge that firmly cemented my ambition to pursue a career in nursing.

Nursing as a profession demands many core skills, including displaying a professional attitude at times of high pressure, excellent attention to detail, communicating clearly and with confidence, teamworking and being able to work independently. I first developed my professional behaviour while working as part of the waiting team in a busy restaurant where I prioritised excellent customer service. I continued to improve my leadership skills by captaining my high school hockey team and the second XI team at university. My university course demanded a clear focus on detail, and I believe the research I conducted for my dissertation on 'Demystifying drug abuse' is a clear and relevant example. Working in the residential home has always been rewarding  but has, at times, had  challenging moments when my skills in keeping calm and defusing tension through clear and open communication have been valuable. I believe these professional skills would enable me to be a calm and patient nurse, able to handle the difficult situations and conflicting demands inherent in the role.

I have chosen to apply for the MSc Nursing at X University due to the focus on person-centred care and the holistic approach on caring for both the patient and their wider family. I appreciate the combination of theoretical and placement-based modules within your partner NHS Foundation and am eager to learn from both the academic team at the university and from the staff who work within the NHS. I am particularly interested in studying the core module 'Improving Safety and Quality of Care', which would give me a greater understanding of person-centred care in practise. Experiencing a variety of practical placements also greatly appeals, and while I have developed some ward-based experience through volunteering, I look forward to discovering nursing in a range of different settings to better inform me of potential career options.

My academic skills, as demonstrated by my 2:1 degree in social care from the University of Y, alongside my strong A-level performance are a clear indicator of my ability to cope with the intellectual challenge of studying at Masters level. I enjoy both research and writing academically and my grounding in biology and chemistry from A-level studies will be of great benefit. I have always been a proactive student, volunteering to be a class representative in my undergraduate studies and taking an active role in both the hockey team and the student film society. I intend to become a proactive member of the student body if I’m  offered a place on this programme and would be interested in becoming a class rep, something I see from your website that the university values greatly.

The MSc Nursing from X University represents an exciting step towards my professional goal of nursing and I believe my practical and academic skills combined with my passion for delivering excellent patient care make me an outstanding candidate for your consideration.

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• Search postgraduate courses in nursing .
• Gain an insight into the healthcare sector .
• Learn more about personal statements for postgraduate applications .
• Discover more about applying for a Masters .

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How to write a personal statement for nursing school.

Reviewed by:

Jonathan Preminger

Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine

Reviewed: 6/19/23

Writing a personal statement for nursing school can be a daunting task, but we’re here to help! Here’s everything you need to know about writing a personal statement for nursing school.

Writing your personal statement is a nerve-wracking experience, no matter what program you’re applying for . You may be wondering: “what are nursing schools looking for in a personal statement?” or, “how can I make my personal statement for nursing school stand out?” Lucky for you, we’ve got some answers. 

Here we’ll cover everything you need to know about writing a personal statement for nursing school. We’ve included a breakdown of the components to include, examples of nursing school personal statements, and tips to improve your own. 

Let’s get started!

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

What Is a Nursing School Personal Statement?

When applying to nursing schools , you’ll most likely notice that most applications require a personal statement. A personal statement is a short essay, typically no longer than two pages, that tells your target schools a little bit about who you are. 

Each school has different expectations for the length and contents of your personal statement, so make sure to check the specific requirements of your target schools. Some common topics include your personal goals for nursing school and why you want to become a nurse.

Nursing School Personal Statement Format

Before writing your personal statement for nursing school, you should plan out what you want to include. If your school does not ask you to answer a specific question with your essay, here is a list of what you should include in your nursing school personal statement.

An Introduction

The introductory paragraph should focus on what brought you to this point. Your school primarily wants to get to know you as a candidate through your personal statement. Your intro should include things like:

• How you first became interested in nursing
• What inspires you about becoming a nurse
• What you intend to achieve through a nursing degree

In this paragraph, your main goal is to introduce yourself and give the admissions committee a bit of background on your passion for nursing. Perhaps you have a family member who inspired you to pursue nursing, you grew up near a hospital, or you’ve struggled with health issues yourself - these are all great examples of an origin story. 

Think to yourself: “If my journey into nursing school was a movie, how would it begin?”

Body Paragraph(s)

In the body paragraph(s) of your nursing school personal statement, you can include a bit about your achievements. However, this isn’t the place to simply list your achievements. 

Think about how your experiences helped you to develop skills for nursing school . Include things like:

• How you’ve furthered your interest in nursing through experience (both in and out of school)
• How your achievements make you a good fit for the program
• Specific things about the program that interests you

The body portion of your essay should contain the majority of the information you want to include. Make sure to only include accomplishments if they help to explain how you’ll contribute to the program. Your CV will list any other achievements that don’t come into play here.

A Strong Conclusion

Your personal statement should end on a positive note. Think about summarizing your statement by looking toward the future. Include things like:

• Your future ambitions following nursing school
• What you’ll be able to contribute to the program 

The end of your body paragraph(s) should mention what you hope to achieve in the future with your nursing degree and lead into your conclusion. The final sentences of your personal statement should further state your passion for your program and how you’ll be a great fit at your target school. 

What Not to Write in a Personal Statement for Nursing School

Before getting into our tips and examples, let’s go over what not to include in your personal statement for nursing school. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when crafting your personal statement. 

Keep it Simple

Your personal statement should be authentic and genuine, but make sure to keep the brief in mind while you’re writing. As mentioned above, a personal statement is typically no longer than two pages in length. 

You should absolutely include some personal anecdotes; in fact, we encourage it! Just make sure to stick to the relevant parts of your story and not to elaborate too much on areas that are not relevant to your application. 

Do Not Reiterate Your CV

Your personal statement is an essay, not a resume. Keep in mind that your application already contains all of your achievements on your CV, transcripts, and other application materials. 

Your personal statement is about understanding your passion and motivations. You can use examples from your CV to further assert your interest in the program, but only if you can elaborate on how they’ve specifically helped you on your journey to nursing school. 

Tips for Writing a Stellar Nursing Personal Statement

Let’s go over a few tips on how you can improve your personal statement. Using these tips can help to make your personal statement and essays for your nursing school application stand out while remaining authentic and genuine. 

Create A Timeline

When writing your personal statement, your focus should be on telling your story. Creating a clear timeline of events can help to effectively tell the story of how you decided to apply for nursing. 

Start with how you became interested in nursing, develop your story with experiences that have cultivated your knowledge, and conclude by talking about your program and your future goals. A timeline will make your essay easy to read and give the admissions committee a good idea of your journey so far.

Stick To the Brief

If your target school(s) give you a specific prompt for your personal statement, make sure to refer back to the prompt while writing your essay to ensure you’re staying on track. 

For example, if your prompt asks you a question, be sure to answer the question at the beginning, the end, and throughout your essay. Your personal statement shouldn’t be vague or veer too far off course. 

Speak From the Heart

It is crucial in your nursing personal statement to share what makes you unique . This is your chance to show the admissions committee why you’d be a perfect fit in their program and demonstrate what you bring to the table. 

Include genuine experiences that have pushed you toward nursing throughout your life. Conveying your passions and motivations is critical in your personal statement for nursing school.

Do Your Research 

One great way to make your nursing personal statement stand out is to do thorough research on your program and include it in your piece. Showing your passion for the specific program. you’re applying to can give you an edge over others and impress the admissions committee. 

When you include your research, be sure to add it organically into your writing. Use your research as a way to connect your personal experiences to the program rather than simply listing information.

Nursing School Personal Statement Examples

Here are two nursing personal statement examples that were written successfully. We’ve also included explanations of how they are good examples to help you improve your own personal statement. 

*Important note: Do not use our samples in your nursing school application. These examples are meant to serve as a guide when crafting your own original personal statement for nursing school. 

Example #1: Indeed ’s Nursing School Personal Statement Sample

“I walked backward down the hill, my arms supporting the weight of the wheelchair as its wheels rolled slowly in reverse. Sunlight danced through the trees around us and shone in my grandmother's hair as she sat inside the wheelchair. I couldn't see my grandmother's face from that angle, but I could hear her laughing with joy as she enjoyed the outdoors for the first time in weeks. My grandmother came to live with my family two years ago after breaking her hip. Although she completed much of her recovery at our home, Nurse George came by every day to perform my grandmother's personal care tasks, monitor her vital signs and assist with her physical therapy exercises. George also taught me some basic patient care practices, such as how to support a wheelchair correctly while going downhill. I had never considered a career in nursing before, but George helped me see the rewards of helping people with their medical conditions and injuries. I am excited by this opportunity to apply to Fern Hill's College of Nursing because I appreciate your program's specialization in rehabilitation nursing. Being a part of my grandmother's recovery team has inspired me to pursue a nursing career that helps patients recover from injuries or medical conditions. I believe that your school's emphasis on assisting patients in regaining their independent skills can help me achieve these professional aspirations. Since realizing that I want to become a nurse, I have become a regular volunteer at Jefferson Rehabilitation Center. I mentor young people struggling with drug addictions and provide childcare for the children of rehabilitation patients. There is no feeling comparable to when a mentee or outgoing patient offers you a sincere "thank you." I can no longer imagine pursuing a career where I do not get to help people overcome their challenges and navigate their way to recovery. My experiences helping my grandmother and patients at Jefferson have taught me the value of empathy and communication. Frequently, my mentees simply want someone to listen to them. I do my best to give them a judgment-free space in which to share their stories. Whether the medical issue is emotional or physical, patients appreciate working with flexible and considerate people. I believe I embody these qualities by actively listening and letting patients talk at their own pace. I am ready to pursue a nursing career and learn about helping patients in a more professional and technical capacity. Fern Hill's College of Nursing is the ideal place to prepare for my future nursing career.”

Why this is a good example: In this example, the writer has done an excellent job of telling the story of how they became interested in nursing. They also develop a clear timeline of events from when they first thought about nursing to how they began developing their skills through volunteering. 

Most importantly, the candidate mentions specific reasons why they’re interested in the program and how they feel they can contribute to the school and field. 

Example #2: Johns Hopkins University Nursing Personal Statement Sample

“I grew up close to a hospital, where I watched patients go through the double doors for a variety of ailments. From a young age, this drove me to develop a strong interest in the field of medicine. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the future that would allow me to take care of those in need. Through my courses in the natural sciences as well as social studies, I have continued to develop my knowledge in the field in order to be ready to continue my education. Now, I am ready to take the next step in my education by applying for the Nursing program at Johns Hopkins University.  Three years ago I completed a nursing shadowing internship that opened my eyes to many of the daily struggles of being a nurse. During my time in the clinic and on the wards, I had the opportunity to work In the critical care and trauma ward as well as In obstetrics and geriatrics. These various experiences showed me the diverse role that nurses play in a healthcare setting, and emphasized the importance of empathy and dedication to patient care.  Johns Hopkins University Is known worldwide for its focus on patient wellness and medical research. As a nursing student at Hopkins, I hope to not only further the institution's goal of providing exceptional patient care, but also to assist with the many clinical trials ongoing at the hospital that pave the way for new treatments. Through hands-on training with knowledgeable staff, I know that I will be able to make the most of my nursing training at Johns Hopkins and become a nursing professional that is capable of enhancing patient wellness in a healthcare setting.”

Why this is a good example: In this example, the writer develops a clear timeline and clearly defines their relevant information. The writer covers when they first became interested in nursing, courses they’ve taken, and what experiences have made them get serious about the profession. 

Finally, they include why they are specifically interested in the program at Johns Hopkins and conclude by adding what they will add to the program as a student.

FAQs: How to Write a Personal Statement for Nursing School

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about nursing school personal statements. 

1. Do All Nursing Schools Require A Personal Statement?

Almost all nursing schools require a personal statement, which can typically be described as a short essay (2 pages or less) that explains who you are and why you want to attend the school’s nursing program.

2. Is a Personal Statement for Nursing School an Essay?

Yes, a personal statement is a short essay that briefly describes your past, present, and future experiences in relation to nursing.

3. How Long Should A Nursing Personal Statement Be?

Each nursing school has different length requirements, which can typically be found in the prompt. If no length is specified, two pages or less is recommended. 

4. What Should I Include In My Nursing School Personal Statement?

Your nursing personal statement should include:

• Why you want to become a nurse
• What inspires you about nursing
• Elaborate on the experiences you’ve had that have taught you about nursing
• Program-specific reasons for your interest in the school
• How you intend to contribute to the program and the field of nursing

If your school’s personal statement asks a specific question, that question should be answered throughout your essay. 

5. Does Nursing Require Essays?

Yes, most nursing program applications require personal statement essays, and some require secondary (or supplemental) essays as well.

6. When Should I Write My Personal Statement for Nursing School?

You should begin writing your personal statement(s) for nursing school as soon as you receive the prompt. Make sure to give yourself an adequate amount of time to complete all sections of your application before the deadline.

7. How do you Start a Personal Statement for Nursing School?

To start a compelling nursing personal statement, there are a few different writing techniques you can use. You can start by introducing yourself, start by talking about how you became interested in nursing, or you can start “in the action” by cutting right into your story. 

Final Thoughts

Your personal statement for nursing school should be genuine, heartfelt, and express how you will make an excellent addition to your target school’s nursing program through a series of examples. 

Each personal statement you write should be adjusted to suit the individual program you are applying for. Sending a general personal statement with every application you submit is impersonal and not recommended. Make sure to follow your brief closely and map out your essay before writing it to ensure you include all of the relevant information. 

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Graduate Application Guide for Nurses

• Prerequisites
• GRE and MAT
• Application Requirements
• How to Apply

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Earning a graduate degree in nursing allows nurses to apply for higher leadership positions, earn higher salaries, and further specialize in nursing. If a nurse wants to become a nurse practitioner or researcher, they need more experience and skills to provide the best care to patients.

Aspiring or prospective nursing students should know exactly what’s required when applying for graduate programs. This guide covers graduate program admission requirements and what applicants should expect to provide with the applications.

Learn what really matters when applying to nursing graduate programs and the requirements for application.

Nursing Graduate Program Prerequisites

While these prerequisites apply to most graduate schools, keep in mind that different schools have different requirements. You can find graduate nursing school requirements on your preferred school’s website or talk to the school’s graduate admissions counselors.

Do I Need a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing to Earn a Nursing Graduate Degree?

While some graduate programs require applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, other programs are designed for RNs without a bachelor’s degree. Many graduate nursing schools also offer accelerated or bridge programs for those who have a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing.

An RN-to-MSN program offers a pathway for nurses who have an associate degree in nursing rather than a bachelor’s degree. Some schools may also offer a direct-entry MSN which is designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing.

Since bridge programs take longer to complete than BSN-to-MSN programs and are only offered by some schools, a BSN can reduce the amount of time spent in graduate school.

What Prerequisite Classes are Required for Graduate Nursing Programs?

Nursing graduate students must complete certain prerequisites to prepare for graduate-level coursework.

Prerequisites typically include:

Students who have completed these courses at accredited schools can typically transfer the credits into their graduate program. Private, for-profit schools sometimes do not hold accreditation or hold national rather than regional accreditation.

Students who attended an undergraduate school without regional accreditation should research the transfer policy of their prospective graduate school to ensure the institution will accept their degree and credits. If the graduate program does not offer the required prerequisite courses and the student either has not completed the courses previously or cannot transfer them, the learner may be able to complete prerequisites through another accredited college.

Is Work Experience a Prerequisite to a Nursing Graduate Program?

Nursing is a complicated and ever-changing field. Even after years of school and clinical, graduates sometimes need more time to become comfortable in their roles. That’s why many programs require applicants to submit a resume with their nursing graduate school application and may require a certain amount of relevant experience.

These programs are designed for nurses who want to specialize in a certain area. Applicants to RN-to-MSN programs , which do not require a bachelor’s degree, may need additional experience. Students with professional experience closely related to their field of study are often the most competitive applicants. For example, applicants to a nurse anesthetist program may benefit from experience working in the operating room or ICU. Students who plan to pursue graduate education directly after earning their bachelor’s degree should look for programs that do not require work experience.

Do I Have to Take the GRE or the MAT to Apply to Nursing School?

Many institutions require applicants to submit GRE or MAT scores. If a school accepts scores from either entrance exam , the applicant should choose the exam that best suits their unique situation, considering the subjects, costs, dates, and locations of each test.

The GRE tests students on analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. The mathematical section is high-school level and below, and all sections require critical-thinking skills. The MAT comprises 100 semantic analogy questions, which assess the test-taker’s understanding of a variety of topics.

The GRE takes four hours to complete, and the MAT only takes one hour. The GRE costs $205, and students may incur additional fees for registering late or sending scores after the test. The cost of the MAT varies by location, with most testing centers charging about $100. Some schools require no entrance exam, while others waive the requirement for certain students.

MAT/GRE Waiver

Some students get nervous at the very thought of taking an entrance exam because they know they do not test well. Working nurses may also not have the time to study for an exam like this. Applicants with these concerns may be able to skip the tests with waivers.

Higher learning institutions may waive the requirement for GRE or MAT scores if a student has:

• High enough undergraduate GPA
• Specified number of years of experience or
• Previous graduate degree in any subject

Many schools make these exceptions because applicants with those qualifications have already proven they can excel at the graduate level or in nursing. To apply for a waiver, candidates should contact the admissions offices at their chosen schools. Each school has a different process, but they all require waiver candidates to fill out applications and provide proof of their eligibility.

Breakdown of MAT Scores

Pearson, the organization that oversees the MAT, scores each test digitally . Test-takers receive unofficial results immediately after completing the exam. Pearson sends official scores to each student’s choice of three institutions. Test-takers also receive official scores, including scaled scores and percentiles.

To calculate a scaled score, Pearson begins with the student’s raw score, which represents the number of questions missed, then uses statistical analysis to account for variations between tests. Each scaled score is between 200 and 600. The percentile illustrates how well the student performed compared to other test-takers. Students receive a percentile score between one and 99, which represents the percentage of learners who earned the same score or lower. For example, a student who scores in the 80th percentile did as well as or better than 80% of all MAT test-takers.

Nursing graduate schools evaluate exam scores differently. Many programs have a minimum score requirement of about 410. However, some universities have no minimum requirement and use the applicant’s MAT score in context with the rest of the application when making admissions decisions.

Sometimes a test-taker recognizes a poor performance before completing the exam. When that happens, the student can take advantage of Pearson’s no score option. The test-taker selects “do not process this score” on screen, and although the student does not receive a refund, Pearson will not send the suboptimal score to institutions.

Breakdown of GRE Scores

GREs have three sections: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. Scoring is fairly straightforward . The verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections are multiple choice and scores range from 130-170 with one-point increments.

The analytical writing section is scored from 0-6, with half-point increments. This section comprises two essay questions. Two readers will score your entrance essay for the nursing program, and if their responses vary by more than one point, a third reader will also score your results. You receive the average of the scores.

The average/mean scores for each section are:

150.37 Verbal Reasoning

153.66 Quantitative Reasoning

3.6 Analytical Writing

In addition to your raw score, you receive a report that indicates your percentile, as described below.

GRE Scores and Percentiles

Percentiles indicate how your scores compare to other test-takers’ scores. The tables below show how raw scores convert into percentiles. For example, a scaled score of 170 on the verbal reasoning section means that you scored in the 99th percentile. In other words, you scored higher than 99% of all other test-takers. A 170 for quantitative reasoning means you scored higher than 96% of all test-takers.

Nursing School Application Requirements

Graduate nursing school requirements ensure you can succeed in the program and as a nurse. This is why they include measurements of your academic achievements, such as your GPA for nursing school or other undergraduate degree, as well as letters of recommendation and a personal essay or statement. These indicate whether you have the personal characteristics required for nursing.

Transcripts

Almost all nursing master’s programs require applicants to submit undergraduate transcripts, which must be official and unopened. In most cases, the undergraduate institution sends these official documents directly to the graduate school.

Admissions boards use transcripts to ensure the applicant holds the required degree, typically an ADN or BSN. Transcripts also reveal whether the applicant has taken prerequisite courses and provide insight into the academic areas in which the applicant excels. Many schools consider each applicant’s overall GPA and nursing GPA separately.

Some schools have no minimum GPA, except for applicants who wish to waive the GRE or MAT requirement. Most schools that set minimum GPAs require at least a 3.0 GPA, but some selective universities require a minimum 3.5 GPA.

Test Scores

When submitting a nursing graduate school application, a strong resume is important, especially if the program requires professional experience.

Resumes should be concise and easy to read. Students should accurately describe each of their previous positions while emphasizing skills applicable to advanced nursing practice. Important items to include are:

• Education and training
• Licensure and Certification
• Awards and accomplishments
• Volunteer work

Applicants who lack experience or who have gaps in their work history can strengthen their resume by adding volunteer or clinical experience. Applicants should be ready to explain any gaps in employment during an interview if required.

Essays and Personal Statements

Graduate nursing school applicants may need to submit a personal statement, an essay, or both. For applicants, understanding how to write a personal statement for nursing school can provide you with an important advantage.

Because the essay or personal statement is an opportunity to explain or compensate for gaps or issues in the rest of the application, students should devote significant time and energy to this piece of writing. Applicants should ensure the essay is free of grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. While a few misplaced commas may not result in a rejection, incoherent writing can ruin an application.

Each institution provides different prompts, but most essays focus on the applicant’s strengths and future plans to illustrate why the school should accept them. Admissions officials look for essays and statements conveying the applicant’s ambitions and motivations. Perhaps most importantly, the essay should be authentic and reflect the applicant’s true feelings about the nursing profession .

Letters of Recommendation

While the essay or personal statement allows applicants to explain themselves, letters of recommendation provide the perspective of the candidate’s colleagues and mentors. Recommenders should have experience with the applicant in an academic or professional setting. Some schools also ask applicants to provide letters of recommendation that speak to the student’s moral character.

Candidates should avoid choosing family members as recommenders and instead ask current or previous professors and employers. Applicants should approach potential recommenders early and give them plenty of time to write letters, ideally a few months.

Near the beginning of the letter, the writer should clearly state their intention to endorse the applicant. The writers should then highlight the applicant’s professional or academic prowess, dedication to nursing, and achievements. Like in essays, admissions boards prefer specific examples in letters of recommendation. UC Berkeley provides an example of an effective letter of recommendation.

English Proficiency Tests

International applicants from non-English-speaking countries must typically complete an English proficiency exam. These standardized tests demonstrate an applicant’s ability to understand English-speaking teachers and succeed in courses taught in English.

Many schools will not issue the required visa documentation without English proficiency scores. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are both commonly accepted. Students should check with their prospective institution to learn about score requirements and which exams the school accepts.

Background Check and Drug Screening

How do you apply to nursing graduate school.

Nurses can advance their careers by applying to graduate school, but because the application process can take a year or longer, prospective students should begin researching early. Candidates should apply as soon as the documents are ready and the desired schools are accepting applications. Waiting until a week or two before the application deadline can be stressful, and even a minor setback can ruin the student’s chances of acceptance.

The steps for applying to graduate nursing school are:

• Complete required prerequisites for nursing school
• Collect necessary applications materials
• Prepare for and take the GRE or MAT
• Apply to programs
• Prepare for nursing program interviews
• Receive acceptance or rejection letters

NursingCAS provides a simple application process for students applying to participating schools. The system is operated by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and allows students to apply to many schools at once. NursingCAS charges graduate students $70 for the first school and $40 for each additional institution to which they apply; this fee is comparable to individual schools’ application fees. Both NursingCAS and individual schools may waive these fees for applicants who demonstrate financial need.

Rolling Admissions

Some graduate schools have a rolling admissions policy, which means they have no firm application deadline. Instead, they accept applications all year. Online schools often provide rolling admissions because of their scheduling flexibility. Prospective students who meet graduate school requirements can apply immediately. The school places applications in line for review as soon as they receive them and immediately notifies the student upon reaching a decision.

Because these schools process applications on a first-come, first-served basis, candidates can benefit from applying during less competitive seasons. The time between acceptance and enrollment depends on the number of available spots. The earlier students apply, the sooner they typically begin classes. The start date also depends on the program format. Students attending traditional universities generally wait until the end of the semester. Accelerated programs may offer classes lasting 5-8 weeks and usually offer more start dates per year.

Rounds Admissions

Some nursing programs may provide rounds admissions in order to better accommodate clinical schedules. Schools with this type of admissions policy have application deadlines throughout the year. Most schools offer deadlines in the fall, spring, and summer. Each deadline corresponds with a start date. For example, students who apply by September of 2021 may begin courses in January or August of 2022.

While undergraduate students may benefit from applying for spring and summer start dates, which often have less competition, this is not necessarily true for nursing graduate programs. Because many applicants are current professionals and are not on an academic schedule, some nursing graduate schools may receive applications throughout the year. Instead of waiting for a time with less competition, candidates should apply at a time that fits their schedule.

Waiting for Acceptance Letters

After applying, students should receive a confirmation that the university has received the application. Since most candidates submit online, this confirmation often comes in the form of an email containing instructions on how to check the status of the application and how long the applicant should expect to wait for a decision. Long wait times do not indicate acceptance or rejection. After waiting, applicants receive a letter with an acceptance, rejection, or placement on a waitlist.

Students who are admitted to more than one program should carefully evaluate their options before enrolling. Learners should consider cost, time, distance, and available specialties. Those who are placed on a waitlist may be admitted when accepted students choose other schools. Candidates who receive rejection letters can review their applications and talk to admissions specialists. After improving their applications, they may apply again and receive an acceptance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Applying to Graduate Nursing School

What gpa do you need for nursing grad school.

Graduate nursing schools typically require a 2.75 GPA, and highly competitive schools require a 3.5 GPA minimum. With this in mind, other factors determine acceptance or rejection. A graduate program takes all of a student’s test scores, letters of recommendation, and leadership roles into account. GPA is just one indicator of how well a student would fit into the nursing program.

Does nursing require graduate school?

Not all nursing jobs require a graduate degree to apply. However, nurses that earn an MSN benefit from higher salaries , more job opportunities, and better experience to help care for patients. Some graduate programs even prefer applicants that have already worked in the nursing field.

Is it hard to get into nursing grad school?

Some of the most rigorous nursing graduate programs require high test scores and various top-ranking qualifications, but not every program fits each student’s goals. Each program varies and suits the needs of their respective nursing students.

How long does it take to get an MSN?

The fastest way to earn an MSN is to enroll in an accelerated BSN-to-MSN program that turns the typical six years of undergraduate and graduate classes into 4-5 years.

Whether you’re looking to get your pre-licensure degree or taking the next step in your career, the education you need could be more affordable than you think. Find the right nursing program for you.

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Nursing School Personal Statement: 5 Best Examples

Read our top 5 sample statements.

These outstanding nursing school personal statement examples have been approved by our admission experts who have helped countless students get into their top choice nursing programs. Whether you are at the beginning stages of a nursing career looking to apply to nursing school or wanting to further your career by becoming a nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist, you will probably have to write a nursing school personal statement to gain admission to your program of choice. Your nursing school personal statement is one of the best ways to stand out in a nursing school application . In this blog, we are going to guide you in the process of crafting a strong personal statement that highlights your skills as well as the characteristics you possess that make you a good fit for the program.

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Article Contents 20 min read

Nursing school personal statement examples, nursing school personal statement sample 1.

I stood there not knowing what to do and being completely sure I had made the biggest mistake of my life. My decision to travel to a remote area of the Amazon jungle in Colombia to work as an elementary school tutor felt like the right one at first, but as soon as I got there, I regretted it. Being faced with the harsh reality of a struggling community made me feel completely out of place. It was heart breaking to witness such a palpable scarcity of resources and realize that there was not much that I could do. It took a lot of determination and adaptability to overcome the shock. Eventually, I learned to navigate this new world and embrace my role in the community. I planned lessons for the children and used all my free time to teach their parents to read and write. I developed teaching materials adapting them to my students’ context in order to make them meaningful. In the end, I realized I had become part of their lives, and I was humbled to have met such an amazing group of people. This experience taught me the true meaning of altruism and the value of hard work. This, alongside the cultural sensitivity that I developed, is what I am bringing with me to this new step in my life.

Becoming a nurse has been my goal for a long time. As a child, due to an unfortunate kitchen accident, I burned my arms with hot water and had to stay in the hospital for serval days. I remember being very scared and in pain, but there was a lady in a white uniform who would come to visit me every afternoon. I always enjoyed seeing her because she spoke to me in a way that almost seemed like she was telling me a story, and that put me at ease. One day, I asked her why she always wore white, and she said she was a nurse. ‘A nurse’, I said to myself, thinking that was exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. She was kind and compassionate, and she knew how to explain things. Those traits that I learned from her are the same skills that I have been honing ever since, as I know they will be essential in my future profession.

I could see my breath crystalize in the air as I exhaled, dribbling and dodging the opposing players on my way to the goal. “I’m open,” shouted my teammate, poised right in front of the penalty box, waving his arms. Two more players stood between me and the goal. I hesitated, wondering if I should trust my teammate or try to score the winning point. Turning, I launched the ball into the air with a swift kick, and watched nervously as my teammate stopped it and sent it soaring above the goalie’s head. As the crowd erupted in celebratory cheers, the game time buzzer rang out across the field and I knew I had done the right thing. Every team victory that season was a personal victory, sparking a feeling of elation that I seek to replicate as a member of whichever health care team I have the privilege of joining.

My biggest soccer fan was always my grandmother, who even brought orange slices for the team to practices, claiming, “The little things are the most important!” Several winters ago, my grandmother unknowingly exposed me to nursing when she was hospitalized with pneumonia so severe that we were unsure if she would survive. Though her whole care team was dedicated, her nurse, Jackie, always went above and beyond to make sure my grandmother was comfortable and happy. Every day, Jackie would pop her head into the room and say “How’s my girl today?” or stop what she was doing to run a cool cloth over my grandmother’s feverish forehead. Each time I had to leave the hospital was gut-wrenching, but I felt better knowing that nurse Jackie treated my grandmother with such empathy. I remember being in awe of her kindness when I found out she left my grandmother sticky notes filled with encouraging messages while she was sleeping. When my grandmother asked her why she spent so much time on such little things when she had so many patients to attend to, Jackie winked and whispered, “The little things are the most important!” While I did not know I wanted to be a nurse in that moment, observing the profound impact Jackie made on my grandmother sparked a strong desire to explore the medical field.

Inspired by Jackie’s compassion for patients like my grandmother, I aimed to make the same difference when I signed up to volunteer at Riverview Hospital. With lofty goals of becoming a physician, I threw myself into my volunteering efforts, often coming in early or staying late to help stock supplies. Whenever I had a spare moment, I would chat with a patient, rearrange their pillows, or a myriad of other small things. One of the most striking aspects of my volunteering experience was how little time Riverview doctors were able to spend with their patients due to the sheer number of people to whom they had to attend. Nurses, on the other hand, had near constant interaction with longer-term patients: assisting them to the bathroom, administering medications, or changing IV fluid bags while chatting with them about how they were feeling. I was reminded of Jackie when I watched how tenderly one of the nurses changed their wincing patient’s bandages, all while trying to distract them with friendly conversation. Even aside from the comforting gestures I witnessed so frequently, it was the little things that made such a huge difference in patients’ wellbeing. Without nurses there to help execute the game play, the team would never score! Always a team-player, I knew I wanted to be a nurse.

Though my time spent on the soccer field is less and less these days, I am thrilled about the possibility of joining a new team and working hard to bring us to victory. My introduction to nursing through nurse Jackie could not have been better. Seeing the relief she brought to my grandmother in her most vulnerable state inspired me to do the same for others. Watching the nurses at Riverview Hospital expertly fulfill their duties while treating each patient as an individual cemented my desire to become a nurse who remembers that the little things are the most important. I want to be there with the assist right before the buzzer, helping my patients win, because every victory on a care team will be personal. (Word count: 719)

Nursing School Personal Statement Sample 3

“Help!” my friend Jack screamed as his faced swelled up due to an extreme allergic reaction to a candy bar he had just eaten. At the time, I did not know what to do, except to call for an ambulance. As we arrived at the hospital, I stayed by my friend’s side to offer my support. I saw the physicians and nurses swarmed around him, ready to take action. After my friend’s condition had been stabilized, he was left with the fear of another anaphylactic episode. It was his nurse that was able to calm his fears as she educated him on anaphylaxis and how to make the appropriate dietary changes. While I did not know how to respond with medical attention when my friend needed me, I gained a new purpose. I was inspired to become a nurse and to guide patients in times of uncertainty through compassion and education.  

To build my understanding of the nursing profession, I pursued experiences that would allow me to gain first-hand experience in the healthcare field. I secured a volunteer position at a children’s hospital where I was responsible for checking patients in and ensuring they were comfortable as they waited for their appointments. I was eager to practice helping calm patient nerves, just as the nurse had done for my friend Jack. Through consoling a memorable patient, named ‘Ryan,’ I learned the importance of working in a team of professionals. ‘Ryan’ was crying as he waited for his appointment since he was experiencing pain due to a broken leg. I talked to Ryan in an attempt to calm him down, but I was initially unsuccessful. To hone my approach, I asked a nurse on staff at the hospital how she approached children that are in pain. She shared with me that it is helpful to try to get their mind off the pain, for example by distracting them with an entertaining story. The next time I saw a patient crying like ‘Ryan’ had been, I was armed with funny jokes and engaging stories from my own childhood that I could share to take their mind off of the pain they were experiencing. From my time as a hospital volunteer, I learned that feedback from a team is critical to advancing professionally and providing optimal patient care. I look forward to becoming a nurse myself and working with my team of healthcare professionals to achieve this common goal. 

In my final year of university, I became involved with clinical research; as a research assistant, I approached patients in the same children’s hospital in which I had earlier been a volunteer, but now I worked to enroll patients in our research study. My purpose was to explain the goal of the study to families in the hospital, educating them on its potential impact and answering any questions they had about enrolling. This task was challenging because I was approaching families that I had not yet built a rapport with, and I needed to establish trust before asking if they wanted to enroll their child in our study. This required empathy for the hardship they were experiencing with a sick child, as well as an understanding of how to relay complex information in a way that was approachable to a variety of audiences. I learned that it is best to first ask the patient, or their family, what their understanding of a topic is to establish a baseline from which to build a conversation. In the future, as a nurse, I hope to apply what I have learned to build rapport with patients and their families for greater healthcare outcomes while ensuring that my patients are comfortable under my care. 

Since my friend Jack’s anaphylactic episode, I have taken the initiative to explore the field of nursing and to build the teamwork and communication skills needed to be a successful future nurse. I look forward to my first day of nursing school where I will be surrounded by peers that share the same vision for the future as me: to train as a nurse in order to provide outstanding care to those in distress alongside a team of dedicated professionals. (696 words)

Nursing School Personal Statement Sample 4

Nursing school personal statement sample 5.

The process of creating a strong nursing personal statement starts even before you begin writing. There is a certain amount of preparation that should take place to identify the specific information you want to include in your essay. So, make sure you take all the necessary steps before you are faced with the daunting, but fun, task of writing your first draft. Remember to give yourself between 6 to 8 weeks to write your statement. Be prepared to write several drafts as you edit and change your essay!

The Brainstorming Stage

The first step is what we call the brainstorming stage. You will need to do some soul searching and write many ideas as they come to you. Working on this step can take you anywhere between a couple of hours to a whole week. It really depends on you and how much you can actually remember from your personal history. There are two types of information that you will need to focus on at this stage: 

#1 Personal experiences

The goal behind this step is to start gathering information about your personal story and about any experiences that you have had from which you learned something valuable. The lessons you learned should relate directly to nursing or have contributed to your decision to become a nurse . You want to answer the question: “ Why do you want to be a nurse? ”

In order to do this, think about your life as a child, the characteristics of the place where you were born and raised, any meaningful experiences that may have sparked your interest in the nursing field, any contact that you had with the healthcare world, or any healthcare workers in your family that had some influence on you. Then consider your high school and teenage years and any events that may have increased your interest in becoming a nurse. How did you finalize your decision to apply to nursing school? Did you have an ‘a-ha’ moment, or was it a more gradual process? Whatever the answers to these questions may be, be sure to identify these key moments because they will be useful for addressing the thesis of your essay, which is why you decided to devote your life to a career in nursing.

Here are some examples of meaningful experiences that can potentially spark, or validate, an individual’s interest to become a nurse or what nursing means to you :

• Being raised in a rural area with limited access to health care and wanting to do something about it in the future;
• Growing up in an urban setting where great social disparity is evident and identifying opportunities to contribute to levelling up these differences;
• Experiencing a personal injury or diagnosis that created opportunities to interact with nurses in a clinical setting;
• Watching the illness of a loved one and seeing the impact that nurses have on a patient’s journey;
• Volunteering at something related to the health sciences or an unrelated field with plenty of opportunities for helping others and interacting with them;
• Conducting research in something related to the field;
• Being involved in extracurricular activities that can lead to reaching a high level of compassion or maturity

Remember to always follow show, don’t tell in any personal statement you write:

#2 Nursing school research

Gather as much information as you can about the program so you can identify the specific things you like about it. It is very important to know the reason, or reasons, why you want to apply to a specific program.

In order to do this, you can look at the program’s website and pinpoint two or three specific aspects that interest you. Do you like the program’s curriculum? If so, what do you like about it? Do you like the research lab? Why do you like it? Have you done research in the past? Has this prepared you to make good use of this lab and contribute to whatever research they do here? Do you like the extracurricular initiatives the program offers? Do these align with any extracurricular activities you did in the past? Do you like the opportunities for patient interaction that the program provides? Why? Have you had patient interactions before? What did you learn from them that you can use moving forward? Knowing the specific reasons why you have chosen this program in particular is essential to write a strong essay later on.

Remember that besides telling universities what you hope to get from them, you will also need to show how you can complement their program. Showing what you can bring to the table, by referencing specific experiences you have had in these areas of interest, is the best way for programs to know that you will be successful if you are admitted. 

Look at these skills that are essential in the nursing field, and which are highly valued by nursing schools. You have probably already developed many of these throughout your life and through your experiences. Try to match these values and traits directly to your personal experiences in your essay.

As previously mentioned, the main goal of the brainstorming stage is to identify your reason for wanting to become a nurse as well as the relevant personal experiences that you can reference to support this decision. We suggest you make a list of five to seven experiences that you could potentially include in your essay. This list is going to be significantly reduced later to one or two, but it is good to have a good amount to start with.

As soon as you identify these meaningful experiences, be sure to also identify what you learned from them; that is, the skills you developed, the characteristics you refined, or any learning that resulted from going through these events in your life. Think about this carefully and select those skills that align with the ones your program of choice values. The information collected here is going to be essential later on when you start writing your essay.

Like any other academic essay, your nursing school personal statement should follow an academic structure and be organized in three major sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. See below for information on what each of these sections should include:

1. Introduction

This is your opening paragraph and, as such, it is the first impression you are going to cause on your readers; that is, the members of the admission committee. The purpose of an introduction is to act as a road map that allows the reader to understand where your story is going.

Important to remember here is the fact that an introduction can make or break your essay, so you need to come up with a very good opening sentence. This is the one that will draw the reader in and make them want to keep reading. Your opening sentence can be a quote, an anecdote, an event, or any idea that is captivating and enticing.

For example:

• “It was three in the morning, and I was sitting in an empty room trying to think how my life had come to this.”
• “He did not need to say anything; I knew something was wrong just by looking at him.”

Sentences such as these ones will leave the reader wanting to know more. There is a reason opening sentences are also called ‘hook’ sentences. Can you think of a good hook sentence to open your essay with? 

2. Body Paragraphs

The body of your essay is where you elaborate on the ideas introduced in your opening by providing personal examples. Remember all the brainstorming we asked you to do? This is where that information comes in handy. Your body paragraphs should include information about those meaningful experiences that you have gone through that have sparked and solidified you interest in pursuing a career in nursing.

Depending on the word limit required by your program, you will decide how many of these experiences to include. We asked you to come up with five to seven during the brainstorming stage of the writing process. Now, since our recommendation is quality over quantity, you should plan to include maximum two or three experiences and present one experience in each paragraph. Of course, one experience per paragraph is not all it takes. Besides presenting the experience, you need to include what skills or characteristics you developed because of this event and how you will be able to apply these skills moving forward in your nursing profession.

In case the program provided a specific question or prompt to be addressed, add a fourth paragraph where you answer this question. It is important to tell the program what they want to know, so do not forget to include this information as part of your body paragraphs.

Mention how your skills can be drawn upon in the future in order to give the admissions committee a glimpse of the type of nurse and professional you are going to be. Remember some of the essential skills in the nursing profession that we mentioned above and see how they connect to your past experiences. 

3. Conclusion

The same way we place great importance on the introduction of a nursing school personal statement, we also want to emphasize the big role that your concluding paragraph has on your entire text. The most important thing we can tell you is that a conclusion should not be a summary. It should, instead, be a place to emphasize some of the major ideas you previously discussed and, when possible, it should circle back to the introduction.

Conclusions have to be insightful and captivating. They should convey a sense of closure and an invitation to keep reflecting on the ideas that were presented in the essay. Think that this is the very last thing that the admissions committee will read from you. What is the last impression that you want to leave on these people? Be creative! 

Here are some more nursing school personal statement examples to help you!

Here are some other aspects about drafting your personal statement to be considered:

Besides all the information that you brainstormed from your own personal history and from the programs\u2019 websites regarding the areas that interest you, there is something else that should be part of the content of your essay, and that is the prompt. You need to be aware of the prompt of the essay provided to you by the program, and you always want to address it. Some programs will ask for a general essay describing your motivations to become a nurse, in which case the information you gathered during the brainstorming stage will suffice, while others will give you a specific question to answer, in which case one paragraph of your essay should be devoted to answering said question.  ","label":"Content","title":"Content"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

No matter how much effort and time you put in writing your personal statement, there is a high probability that the committee members will not spend too much time reading it. Do not take this personally. They go through many application documents from many applicants like you and do not want to waste too much time reading one single essay, especially if it is not interesting enough. They want, instead, to be able to identify in a few minutes whether you are the person they are looking for.

This, of course, creates the need for applicants to write essays that have great content, great structure, and that have that ‘it’ factor that will make them stand out in a nursing school application . Your essay should be easy to read and have a great narrative. It should not read like a nursing school application resume or list every single experience you have had in chronological order. As we mentioned before, quality is better than quantity, and your nursing school personal essay should have precisely that: quality.

What experiences should end up in your body paragraphs? That is up to you. What we can suggest is that you diversify the content by highlighting experiences from different dimensions of your life. Having one of the paragraphs address a personal experience, the second address a research or academic experience, and the third address a volunteering or extracurricular activity is much better than including three experiences related to only research, for instance. Be strategic in how you showcase your skills!

Follow these steps to start drafting you essay: 

• Remember all the information you brainstormed earlier? The first thing you need to do is identify the top three experiences from your life that you want to include. 
• Once you have them, write them in bullet points. Create one bullet point for each that mentions what the experience is. 
• Then, expand each bullet point into sentences and these sentences into paragraphs. 
• As we mentioned above, each paragraph should have three essential elements: what the experience was (i.e., the meaningful experience), the main takeaways you got from it (i.e., skills you developed, characteristics you enhanced, etc.), and future applications (i.e., how you can apply this learning moving forward). 
• Once you have your paragraphs ready to go, make sure you start each one of them with a good opening sentence. Each paragraph should follow the same structure of the general essay. This will create flow and cohesion between ideas.
• You can look at sample medical school personal statements and think how these medical school essays could be applied to the nursing field.

Ok, so you finished writing your first draft. Good job! However, this is only the beginning. Once you are happy with your first draft, you will need to receive expert feedback on it. Having a professional like a nursing school admissions consulting service look at your essay and suggest changes to enhance what you have written is vital to create a strong product. You will see that, more often than not, these experts will be able to identify weak areas and ineffective ideas that you will not perceive.

Once someone else looks at your essay, be sure to incorporate their suggestions, work on editing and polishing up your document, and do another revision. Crafting the perfect essay that will grant you admission to your dream program is a process that should be done carefully and conscientiously. That means multiple revisions and edits are essential. In general, writing a strong competitive essay does not happen overnight. The whole process can take several weeks. So, be prepared to put in the effort and remember to do some happy writing!

The nursing school personal statement should highlight some of your most meaningful personal experiences and the skills you gained through them that will make you a great nursing professional. It should provide a good narrative that will help the admissions committee know more about you as a person and about your chance to be successful in their program. By showing that you possess certain skills that are important in the nursing profession, the committee members will see that you are a good fit.

Writing your personal essay is not an easy task and should not be taken lightly, but when you finally finish writing and look at the amazing essay you have created, you will feel satisfied with the job you did and will be able to show your program of choice why they need to have you.

No. Essays may or may not be required, depending on the program. You can check this portal and this portal to learn more.

No. There are a few steps that you wan to follow before you actually start writing. One of those is the brainstorming stage, and it will help you come up with all the ideas and information that you will need to write a good essay.

Personal information and information about the program or the areas that interest you.

Personal experiences that have been meaningful enough and that have allowed you to develop different skills that are important in the nursing field.

You need to identify the two or three areas of the program that attract you the most and see how those relate to your own experiences.

To identify the reasons that have led you to pursue a career in nursing.

It should have an academic structure and include an introduction, three or four body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Yes, it is! You need to stay within the limit in order to show that you can be concise and also follow instructions.

Then you make sure you address it. Do not leave this information out, as it is essential to provide the program with the information they want to know.

Because it is the first impression that you are going to have on your readers.

It should begin with a captivating opening sentence in the introduction. A statement, quote, or anecdote that is creative and that sparks curiosity on the reader.

You want to describe one meaningful experience per paragraph (i.e., personal example), include the main takeaways from this experience, and how this learning can be applied in the future.

You need to have an expert give you feedback on it. You may think it is already perfect, but personal essays usually require lots of revisions before they can be at the competitive stage.

It depends on the writer, but it is usually something that does not happen overnight. It usually takes several weeks. It depends on how much access you have to professionals who can provide good feedback and how much time you devote to incorporating their suggestions.

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How to Write a Nursing School Personal Statement: What to Include, Examples, and Mistakes to Avoid

So, you have decided to go to nursing school, or advance your nursing career by furthering your education. Now is the time to become familiar with the application process, get your transcripts and letters of recommendation in order and compose the, in some cases dreaded personal statement. Writing a personal statement is a common part of the application process when working to advance your education. However, the term "Personal Statement" is a bit of a misnomer. The universities and colleges asking for this essay are not looking for your life story. Instead, they want you to demonstrate what makes you uniquely qualified as a candidate for their program. In this post you will find the information necessary to make you stand out among hundreds of other applicants, create a personal statement tailored to your personal goals as well as to your potential institutions, and find out what common mistakes are made and how to avoid them.

Although some institutions will give you a specific prompt to discuss when applying to the program, many will request a general personal statement (aka a statement of purpose). There are some commonalities among all of these essays for which you will find appropriate advice here, to different degrees, depending on the program application requirements. Each of these essays should be written for the specific program you are applying to, so be wary of differences not only in essay type or topic but also appropriate formatting and length. Above all, be aware that you are writing to present yourself as a professional capable of caring for the lives of others; following their provided guidelines and avoiding familiar language (such as contractions and common word abbreviations) will allow you to present yourself in the best possible light.

General guidelines

The personal statement.

Although you want to refrain from telling the story of your life, you still want to make it personal. Be sure to illustrate with specific and unique examples why you are cut out for this career and the specific program you are applying to. There are many things that can be included in this category, not all of them will be right for each applicant to discuss or appropriate for the prompts that each individual provides. However, this list should give you an idea of what the evaluators are looking for in a strong candidate:

Educational background

• Did you take advanced biology classes in high school? If so, you may want to highlight this background and how it demonstrates your devotion to health care.
• Have you gone out of your way to learn relevant skills? Perhaps you can discuss your CPR certification training.
• Have you been administering insulin to a diabetic cat for years? This demonstrates a devotion to health care and the ability to learn transferable skills. In fact, my long history of doing this has come up in highly successful interviews in the past, which was the inspiration for this particular example. Although I was medicating a different species than I would be working with, this history demonstrates the ability to regulate insulin levels, properly store medication, fill a syringe safely, and correctly administer a subcutaneous injection.

Volunteer work

• Volunteer work at a hospital is likely a common point of discussion for aspiring nurses. e sure to tell a story about a situation that makes you stand out which solidified your certainty that this is the right field for you.
• Assisted living facilities, caring for special needs children, working at animal shelters, or volunteering at homeless shelters (among other things) may also be sources of inspiration that allow you to highlight why you should be accepted into the program.
• Supervisors in these types of positions may also be great resources for recommendation letters or potential proofreaders for the initial draft of your personal statement.

Work experience

• If you have worked in a related field in a paid position, this should definitely be not only included in your essay, but considered a potential source of a particularly persuasive letter of recommendation.
• Your employer may also be an excellent resource to ask for feedback regarding rough drafts of your personal statement.

Personal motivation

• Do you have a unique story that has compelled you to want to pursue the field of nursing; perhaps you helped care for a family member? These personal motivations are also excellent ways to set yourself apart.

Relevant acquired skills

• Have you acquired a particular skill set relevant to nursing outside of traditional means? This is the time to highlight that achievement. Perhaps you have experience working in a pharmacy or have proven yourself in high-stress situations; these characteristics translate well into the field of nursing.
• Another asset that you might find to be in your favor is fluency in a foreign language, or ASL. This unique skill set might make you a valuable candidate as well as a more highly sought after employee once you graduate.

Unique traits that make you stand out

• Thousands of applicants to nursing programs write that they have "always wanted to go into nursing", sometimes even in their opening line. Find a way to stand out.
• For example, in my personal statement, I wrote about how I actually did not have a traditional story that culminated in my pursuit of higher education. I found my way from grill cook and karate instructor to medical research science. Embrace the fact that you may not be conventional. Letting your personality, background and voice come through in your personal statement will help the admissions committee determine if you are a great fit for their program.

The right fit

As with any educational program, fit is important when looking into pursuing a nursing degree. Demonstrating that you have researched the program, and illustrating in your essay why it is the place for you, will set you apart from other applicants. Additionally, if your long term goal is to be an ER nurse, for example, and you are applying to a program known for a different type of nursing, application reviewers will see this in a negative light.

Essay topics

In some cases, colleges and universities will give you a specific prompt for this essay or ask for a series of short essays addressing particular questions. In these cases, be sure to answer their questions thoroughly and be aware of formatting guidelines and word count limitations. Equally important, be sure to demonstrate ways in which you are a good fit for not only the program, but also the nursing profession. This is a position that is both incredibly personal and physically demanding, but also a situation where you need to be cool under fire and fastidious with your work. Use any opportunity you can to demonstrate that you possess these characteristics in a way that makes you a highly competitive candidate and a potential star in your chosen field.

If you have applied for continued education in the past and have written this kind of essay before, you may have noticed that applying to nursing programs is a bit unique. Particularly, there is a more empathic slant to writing these essays. As personal statements go, writing one for a nursing program is much more 'personal' than preparing one for academic study. To put this all in context, below are some sample essay prompts used by nursing schools in the past. Following this, some advice from successful career nurses will lend an additional perspective from professionals directly working in the field you aspire to join.

Sample prompts

The Vanderbilt University website currently gives the following information regarding the personal statement portion of the application process:

Your Statement of Purpose should reflect your understanding of the role of the advanced practice nurse and your interest in a particular patient population. Before writing your statement of purpose, please carefully review information about the specialty on our web site so that you clearly indicate to the faculty that your career goals are a fit with the specialty. If you are applying to a dual specialty, be sure to address the scope of practice in each specialty area. Students are offered admission to their selected specialty; it is not possible to enter the program undecided about your specialty area. Vanderbilt University

As you can see, this program focuses on your understanding of what it takes to work in the nursing field and puts a particular emphasis on the patient population you want to work with and the reason behind this decision. They also focus on familiarity with the program, as discussed above. These are points that likely generalize to numerous programs and to personal statements for this field in general.

Yale University has the following requirements, according to a website which generates advice specific to nursing personal statements. This site offers the following advice, which echoes the focal points found here, and may offer further information as you pursue your continued education and refine your personal statement. As you can see, Yale differs in its requirements and constrains the length of the personal statement considerably.

Yale University nursing requires you to write a 250-word essay with free choice of your subject. In writing your essay, it is important that this provides you the advantage to stay ahead of your competition. You should be able to include intellectual development, skills, interests, potential contribution to the progress of National University nursing and among many others. It is important to note that Yale University school of nursing utilizes strict admission process so you should be able to comply with top-notch standards. Do not compromise your admission simply by sending out a poorly written personal statement. To improve your chances in Yale University school of nursing, your essay should be able to reflect your dedication, excellence, commitment, and genuine interest to belong to Yale. In your Yale University nursing personal statement, you should also be able to highlight components of your background from academic to personal that will provide the admissions committee an overview of who you are and what you can deliver. To guarantee your admission in National University Nursing, you should be able to provide your readers with information that is unique and interesting that is not shown in any part of your application. Yale University

The essay requested in this case is considerably short, however, it allows you to write about the topic of your choice. This gives you the opportunity to present yourself as a unique candidate. In this personal statement, it is still important to choose a topic that allows you to address all of their listed points of concern to the best of your ability within the constraints of the allotted space. This excerpt also stresses the focus on compliance to high standards necessary to successfully complete the nursing program. Although this is a very short essay, it is emphasized how important it is to ensure that this work is well composed. Writing a rushed essay will be obvious to those reviewing applications and reflects poorly on your ability to perform at a high level, both academically and as a potential future nurse. Additionally, it is re-emphasized in this piece that it is important to understand the program to which you are applying. As they state, it is important to demonstrate a "genuine interest in belonging to Yale"; this is true of all program applications. Always focus a portion of your essay on demonstrating why this particular program is right for you and what unique skills you bring to the table that other applicants do not. Finally, always remember not to simply reiterate information that already has been included elsewhere in your application; be sure to tell the committee something new and interesting that gives you a competitive edge.

This differs from Fairfield University's DNP program , which requires that the applicant:

• Discuss a practice problem in your field that, in your experience, has a broad impact on patient care outcomes.
• State professional goals for the next 5-10 years.
• Explain how a DNP will help you reach your goals.

As you can see, depending on the institution and level of degree program that you are interested in, the requirements for application can vary greatly. In the case of the Doctor of Nursing Program offered at this university, the personal statement is more focused on the background of the applicant directly relating to their previous experience in their nursing careers. There is also a focus on the ability to think critically about the field, its shortcomings, and how they can be amended. This institution also has an interest in your long-term career development and plans for up to the next 10 years. Remember that reflecting on this in your personal statement allows you to demonstrate your potential to raise the reputation of the university in the long term, a topic that they have a demonstrated interest in learning about you as an applicant. Planning your long term career goals will also assist you in deciding which programs are the best fit for you and will allow you to gain the appropriate background to reach these goals over your career.

What degree program is right for you?

It is important to know that there are a variety of nursing degrees that can be applied for, even within a single university. Each of these offers a different career path, and potential for further education or future job promotion. Before you decide which program you want to attend, you should research the many options available within the nursing field. An example of the options that should be considered can be found at the University of Rochester website :

• Accelerated Programs for Non-Nurses (BS & MS) for students with a non-nursing bachelor's degree and want to become a nurse in just 12 months.
• RN to BS program: for students who want to earn a bachelor's degree in as little as 16 months with part-time coursework.
• Clinical Nurse Leader (MS) for licensed registered nurses who already hold a bachelor's degree in nursing.
• Health Care Organization Management and Leadership (MS) for all applicants with a bachelor's degree.
• Nursing Education (MS) for nurses who aspire to teach at either a college of nursing or within a clinical setting.
• Nurse Practitioner program (MS) for nurses who want to provide another level of care for their patients.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) for nurses entering at the post-baccalaureate or post-master's level.
• PhD in Nursing & Health Practice program for all licensed health professionals who already hold a master's degree.
• Legal Nurse Consultant Course for registered nurses or advanced practice nurses.
• Care Manager Education program for nurses or other health professionals currently working in a care manager capacity, or entering this growing field.
• RN First Assistant program for CNOR or APRN's.

This may not be a comprehensive list, but it gives you an idea of the level of diversity available to you. Become familiar with the programs at each institution you apply to and ensure that they will give you the appropriate foundation to achieve your long-term goals, both in your career and in potentially continuing your education further.

What do nurses say?

Discussions with successful nurses who have completed this process have revealed that, unlike personal statements for academic programs, this essay has a more personal bent. Revealing your altruism and desire to help people, as well as your motivation toward expanding your knowledge and personal growth are appropriate in these essays. You should also highlight how your increased knowledge and growth will allow you to help your patients and become a more effective practitioner. Emphasizing these things while telling an anecdotal story about volunteer work, an aid job, or other experiences will allow you the ability to express these things while demonstrating your unique skills and understanding of the field. Another point often made by individuals who have been successful in furthering their education, and therefore in writing these letters, is that it is sometimes appropriate to discuss your background disadvantages; perhaps you did not achieve top grades because you also had to work full time, for example. Communicating this to reviewers demonstrates that you can persevere in times of hardship and remained committed to your education.

Recapitulation of key points:

• Emphasize what makes you a unique applicant.
• Discuss why you want to be a nurse, and in what field, in a way that conveys your personality and sets you apart.
• Remember that this is a professional document; use formal language, not contractions.
• Do not start your personal statement essay with "I have always wanted to be a nurse." or "I have always wanted to help people." These, and similar sentiments, are common in these essays. An intriguing opening statement will get the attention of the application review committee and make you more memorable. Remember, the reviewers are reading hundreds of these a day, if not more.
• Refrain from reiterating the information that can be found in your application. Not only is this redundant, but you will be forfeiting the opportunity to demonstrate to the review panel how you stand apart from the other applicants.
• Research each program and write a letter that demonstrates why the program is a good fit for you.
• Remember to showcase any skills you have developed that will make you a successful student as well as a long-term asset to the program.

These techniques will allow you to compose a more competitive personal statement for any program you choose. A well-researched and written essay will give you an edge during the application process. Make yourself stand out from the rather large crowd of applicants with a compelling introductory statement and remember to be your (professional) self. This will help to ensure that you get accepted into a program that is a good fit for you, your education, and your career goals. Apply to multiple programs at a variety of levels of competitiveness, you will not get admitted into every program you apply to, but hopefully you will get into the right one.

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20 Powerful Personal Statement Examples Nursing Graduate School

Do you search for personal statement examples nursing graduate school ? You’re lucky to visit this page. From here on, we’ll discuss the nursing personal statement. For anyone out there who can’t write a nursing personal statement, don’t worry. Read the article we made for you.

What Is A Nursing Personal Statement and How It Will Be Used?

A nursing personal statement is writing that represents your will to be a nursing student. In the statement, you need to show what makes you’re personally interested in nursing studies. You also need to express your statement about nursing things. And last, why you worth to be a student at the school you’re applying.

Before you start registration on a particular nursing graduate school, they will ask you to make a personal statement. Then, they will use it as one of the considerations of whether to accept you or not.

Why The Nursing Graduate Schools Need A Personal Statement and Will It Affect Your Acceptance?

Nowadays, almost every school – especially graduate schools – asks their pre-student to make a personal statement. It’s just the same with nursing schools. What’s the point of the personal statement, then?

First, a personal statement is the tool for school selectors to know you as instantly. In fact, the curriculum vitae only gives a summary of you. Meanwhile, a personal statement could reflect your characters.

Second, a personal statement could be the most important (and maybe the one) to decide whether you’re accepted or not.

How To Write A Personal Statement for Nursing Graduate School and Make It Successful (Including The Writing Tips)

Smart question. According to the data, most graduate applicants failed because of the personal statement they write. They could write it too long, too short, or without specifying things they want to get from the school. Make sure you apply these.

The Composition

From the composition, make sure you’ve arranged it as structured as possible. If you’re confused to write directly, make the outline first. Plan things you want to include in your personal statement. You can check its personal statement examples nursing graduate school in the last part of this article.

The Language

The language matters the most. Hence, you need to manage your language when writing a nursing personal statement.

The overall personal statement uses formal language. It means you must have good phrasing. Write as decent as you can but remember to show your quality.

A personal statement is different from the motivational letter. If you write a motivational letter, you must talk about your study plan and future research you’ll do. Conversely, a personal statement is a letter to “sell” yourself. Since it’s made to persuade the school selectors, you must ensure they’re attracted to you from the introduction.

Nursing Graduate School Personal Statement Writing Hacks

Are there any tips to ensure you’ll be enrolled in the nursing school you desire? Sorry, we don’t have one. However, we have some hacks to make your personal statement looks better.

Tell The Most Impressing Story You Have

You can start the introduction by telling a compelling story about your life. For example, you had a major depression years ago and how you nearly did a suicide.

Show How You Moved On From The Problem

You could have a problem, but show how you face it. One of the qualifications considered by selectors is your problem-solving ability. Make sure to harness it.

Be Honest With Your Goals

Don’t be too imaginative. Yet, don’t be a pragmatic one. When it comes to your life goals, be realistic. Then put only the realistic goals on your personal statement.

Personal Statement Examples Nursing Graduate School

In this section, we’ll give you some personal statement examples nursing graduate school, It is included some personal statement nursing graduate school templates. If you want to have a hard version, you could choose the personal statement nursing graduate school printable we’ve provided. Here they are.

It is all about personal statement examples nursing graduate school. Be prepared to be a nursing student at your dream nursing school!

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How to write a great application for a masters in nursing

By the university of cumbria nursing team.

Applying to study for a master's in nursing at university is a wise career choice for individuals at any stage in their lives. One of the most important selling points in your application will be the personal statement made in support of your application. Writing a nursing personal statement can be challenging, so the tips below could prove extremely useful for a variety of top-rated nursing degree courses.

GETTING STARTED

Before sitting down to draft your personal statement for a master's in nursing it's a good idea to create a bulleted list of all areas you plan to include. Ordering your list in terms of importance can help ensure the main thrust of your personal statement is in the first couple of sections.

Your masters in nursing personal statement is an individual piece of work that can really make a difference to course leaders and influence the decision-making process. So, it is important you take care when writing the statement and give yourself plenty of time to create a personal statement that makes an impact on readers. You should aim to provide a concise statement that gives a real insight into your values and the reasons behind your choice of a nursing career (adult or mental health). The factors influencing your specialism choice will also be important to course leaders and you should highlight the particular qualities that make you an ideal candidate for the area of nursing you have chosen. You may not have direct nursing expertise, however, it's highly likely that some of your past experiences will be highly relevant to your future nursing roles, such as leadership and teamworking experiences. Ensuring all this detail is included in your personal statement is also recommended.

HOW TO DEMONSTRATE A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE YOU WANT

One of the main areas in which applicant statements tend to fall down is not fully understanding the role of the nurse. You need to demonstrate that you have reached a real appreciation of what an Adult Nurse or a Mental Health Nurse does, where they might work, typical responsibilities, and role progression. Additionally, most nursing roles involve 24-hour care or on-call duties and will entail shifts of some kind. You should discuss your own care experience and the roles you have undertaken thus far and how these might underpin a career in nursing.

HOW TO INCLUDE SPECIFICS FOR THE DIFFERENT FIELDS

Your personal statement for a master's in nursing should be a demonstration of individual passion and drive, showing the ways in which, you can make a difference and contribute in meaningful ways when you're in post.

When it comes to personal statement specifics for different fields of nursing, it's advisable to explain the inspiration behind your choice, and the sort of qualities you have that suit this course, and you should also show a very real understanding of the way the course is structured and the differences between practical and theoretical instruction.

The following tips may also prove useful.

ADULT NURSING SPECIFICS

If you're applying for adult nursing you need to be able to demonstrate your ability to interact on a professional basis with adults from diverse backgrounds and ethnic groups, from young adults through to the older person and the acutely ill in hospital care, community care and end of life. You need to demonstrate your knowledge of nursing in the adult field. You should be able to evidence a wide range of personal and social interactions that support your application and highlight your particular qualities and strengths to the full.

Be clear and concise in your writing and show how your previous experiences demonstrate your suitability for the role of the adult nurse by using real examples. Do not worry if your experiences are not all health-related as many skills are transferable to the nursing role. Be specific as to how your experiences have affected your decision to apply for adult nursing and give examples of the qualities you say you have.

MENTAL HEALTH NURSING  SPECIFICS

Mental health nursing is a totally different challenge and nurses will work with patients/clients across the lifespan, across all ethnicities, and from all sectors of society. Mental health nurses might work with clients with drug or alcohol abuse issues, eating disorders, dementia, or a whole range of other types of mental illness. You must address your experience to date of working with individuals with mental health issues in your personal statement and why these experiences make you suitable for the course. Mental health nursing is a growing field in the UK and offers a range of opportunities, including crisis care and follow-up community psychiatric nursing opportunities. Make sure you research this area well before writing your individual statement in full.

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Sample Personal Statement in Nursing

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

The following essay was written by an applicant who was admitted to top MSN (Masters of Science in Nursing) programs in the US. Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Duke, UPenn, and Ohio State.

This personal statement is intended to provide an example of successful graduate nursing school essays for a top MSN program.

Sample Personal Statement for Nursing (MSN)

I had never been an early riser. But at my first clinical rotation at various hospitals, I had to wake up at dawn, dress in my scrubs, and change two local buses to reach the first hospital by 5 am, followed by a one-hour journey to another public hospital in rural Nepal. After working shifts, I boarded another crowded train in the afternoon to get back, determined to make a difference in my patients’ lives. I cursed my stars.

Ensuing months proved how wrong I was.

That initial experience tested my resolve and commitment to nursing and healthcare. Learning the intricacies of patient care and communicating medical protocols to patients, most of whom were unaware of their medical needs, was challenging. But it opened a new perspective for me. For the first time, I was exposed to the realities of healthcare delivery and how it can affect people’s lives. Then, I started taking nursing not just as a job but as a sacred trust and responsibility.

For me, each experience and activity has brought some value addition. I was exposed to strict regulations and tough competition during my nursing training. That brought out the best in me. I excelled in my studies with honors and medals, but more importantly, I explored avenues beyond that. Volunteering in hospitals, providing care to the elderly, and participating in disaster relief efforts helped me understand the actual value of nursing. During a clinical rotation at a long-term care facility, I was exposed to the daily struggles of the elderly and disabled. It was a humbling experience that taught me compassion and patience in patient care. My clinical rotation at a children’s hospital was equally transformative. Caring for pediatric patients helped me connect with children and their families on an emotional level.

Duke University – where I did my BSN – was a continuation. With academics, I was lured by the thrill of participating in medical outreach programs. As the President of the Duke Nursing Society (AAMN), I had the opportunity to train aspiring nurses through workshops and sessions. This was more of a learning experience for me. The communication, advocacy, and care skills learned during those years have proved vital in my professional nursing career. This training enabled me to secure the first position in the entire state in my interviews for the posts of Nursing Assistant and later Head Nurse.

As I started my nursing career, I would always look for an impact and lasting impression on my patients. However, at times I felt the desire to extend my reach beyond the confines of the hospital. The aspiration became a reality as I got the opportunity to work as Research Associate for a major hospital. Tasked to work in the patient care and advocacy sector, the experience opened a world of possibilities for outreach and dissemination. It instilled an understanding of healthcare as an integrated concept. Formulating and implementing initiatives in providing quality healthcare services to vulnerable populations helped me progress in the dynamic field of healthcare practice. Juggling nursing with community outreach stretched me to my limits. That six years of experience was worth the long hours of hassle and impossible timelines.

Now that I look back and ponder over my journey through academic corridors and professional portals, I see it as a quest to make an impact as a leader in the field of nursing. This yearning has motivated me to contribute, and in turn, it has enriched my being. My overriding passion for expanding the scope of my target audience has never ceased. For this purpose, nursing is the avenue through which I can effectively utilize my experience, potential, and aspirations to make a meaningful, broad-based, and sustainable contribution. For these reasons, I am eager to join the Masters of Science in Nursing at the Ohio State University.

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Postgraduate adult nursing studies personal statement example.

Nursing is a profession I have always looked upon with respect. I believe that the role of a nurse can be very challenging and hectic at times, as well as rewarding and fulfilling. In my opinion a person who is willing to become a nurse need to have very good interpersonal skills, be a good listener, empathetic, eager to learn and strive to improve themselves.

An understanding for other people's needs without prejudice is also important. I believe I possess all of the above qualities and will endeavour to maintain and improve on them whenever possible. My mum has been the main influencer for my desire to study MSc. Nursing Studies, Adult Pre-registration. She is also a nurse and she never come home from work complaining as she loves her job. I visited her ward often times and their staff were friendly in answering my questions. I got my first work placement at a nursing home where I later acquired a paid job as a Nursing assistant in Yombo Hospital and Maternity, Lagos Nigeria.

During my time at the nursing home, I enjoyed talking to and caring for residents and developing relationships with them and this is something that really attracts me to nursing. My experience working in the nursing home also taught me how to work well in team with other professionals and made me appreciate how important it is to follow instructions given to me from senior staff. It was at the nursing home that I discovered my talent of providing reassurance to people who may be feeling anxious or confused and I think this is an important skill to have as a nurse.

As part of my course, I undertook a second work placement at a day centre for adults with disabilities. The service users there had various conditions and needs, and I learnt how to balance their needs and meet them which demonstrates my use of initiative. My desire to become a nurse has been enhanced further by my time in Yombo Hospital and Maternity, Lagos Nigeria; where I have developed first aid and people skills.

Since I joined Yombo Hospital and Maternity, I have risen to the level of Advanced First Aider (AFA). As an AFA with Yombo Hospital and Maternity, I am able to administer medical gases. I provide first aid support alongside other first aiders at various sports events. It is from these experiences that I have developed an interest in working in an Accident & Emergency department. I enjoy the challenge of working under pressure and I find it very satisfying to successfully treat people and reassure them when they are in need and this is another reason why

I want to become a nurse. Ever since I took up Biology for Senior Leaving Certificate, I have been fascinated with the body; have always wondered why certain instances can have a positive/negative effect. I would like to broaden my studies in this area.

At university I look forward to discovering more about how the human body works and how it can be treated when it becomes damaged. By becoming a nurse, I look forward to playing a positive role in healthcare sector for the future by attending nursing conferences so I can learn from other nurses and contribute to innovation so the quality of patient care may be improved.

I have been my class representative for two different occasions: student council, and graduation committee. These roles involve meetings that involve both students and staff and I try my best to speak my opinions and try to implement changes. These responsibilities have refined and strengthened my time management and organizational skills.

I want to study MSc. Adult Nursing Studies in University of Cumbria - Fuse hill Street Campus, Carlisle because it offers many more opportunities. Graduate Prospects for Nursing students are impressively high and the profession is in demand whether private or National Health Scheme. University of Cumbria offers practical skills which will help me understand the course more. It will give me a chance to learn in practical rather than theory and further help in advancement of my career.

I believe that I am an ideal candidate to study nursing because I embrace the 6 C’s of nursing and am compassionate and caring as an individual. I can also practice in different assessment methods which include coursework, exam, presentations and group work. The ability to adapt to these situations and get good results makes me feel competent in coping with the academic side of nursing and I hope my application will be considered.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

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How To Write A Personal Statement For A Nursing Course Application

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Writing your personal statement will take time, effort and several revisions before you can submit it, so don’t leave it right up until the deadline to start work on it.

Putting together a high quality nursing personal statement can be difficult, but we’ve broken it down into manageable sections below to give you some ideas of how to get started., start with who you are.

Your personal statement is your chance to talk directly to the course admissions officer about who you are, what motivates you, and why you should be chosen for a place in the branch of nursing you’ve applied for.

If you've worked in healthcare previously, you can definitely give details of your experiences to back up your reasons for applying.

Be specific about how your work has affected your decision to apply and why you feel suited to progressing your career in nursing .

Give practical examples of your interactions with nurses, and how they may have influenced your decision to apply.

Check out Eniola's advice on applying to university for a student nursing degree course  - she talks about applying through UCAS and interviews!

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Relevant experience and skills

Everyone has skills and experience that can be applied in a nursing environment, even if they weren’t acquired in a healthcare setting.

Here are some examples of skills and qualities that can be applied in nursing:

1. Communication - it is a vital skill that every nurse must possess. The ability to convey information in a concise and clear manner with both colleagues, patients and their family.

You could use examples from previous work to demonstrate this; maybe a difficult situation with a customer while working in a retail job that you managed to diffuse and resolve.

2. Organisation - another essential skill is to maintain an organised routine in a very busy environment, and often under pressure. Think of another situation where you worked under pressure in a logical fashion.

Here you could maybe talk about your time management of juggling a-levels with a part-time job, or your access to nursing course with a family.

• Applying to university for a student nursing degree course

• How to get into nursing schools in the UK

• How to get into Nursing at University

3. Advocacy - this is the active support of those in your care. It’s a specific point in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code and you should address how you will be an advocate for your patients when you become a nurse in your personal statement.

Your ambitions and career goals in nursing

The competition for nursing course places in every branch at every university is fierce, and consequently they want to ensure the places go to candidates who genuinely want to become a nurse, and are motivated to pursue their career in nursing.

Even if you don’t have a specific nursing role you would like to attain in your career, you should go into some detail about what sort of environment you could see yourself working in.

Upload or create your CV on Nurses.co.uk. Our CV building tool is designed specifically for UK healthcare. Use it to apply for jobs and get hired.

Things to watch out for

Check any documentation from the university to see if there is a word limit set for a personal statement.

You don’t want to risk your application not being considered because your personal statement is too long.

If you’re applying through UCAS, they set their own character limit, so make sure you stick to it.

Send your application in before the deadline; the earlier the better. This means you need to start work on your personal statement as soon as you decide to apply.

Some courses will close applications before the given deadline if they’ve filled all their places, so you don’t want to miss out because you procrastinated.

It’s by far the most time consuming part of the application process, and it will undoubtedly require revisions prior to submission.

Don’t feel you have to write in a ‘forced’ way. It’s easy to feel insecure if you don’t feel you can write well, but it’s worse if you feel you have to write in an unfamiliar way just to sound more academic.

It’s important it comes from you and your experiences, and if you can get the reader interested in you as a person from the very beginning, you’ll be in with a better chance of getting an interview.

A personal statement should be just that - personal.

Any employer, or university in particular, could check your statement using specialist plagiarism software that detects whether or not you’ve directly lifted text from someone else.

If they discover you have copied someone else’s work, you could be rejected by that university or employer for this or any future place.

So, the message is, make it personal to you.

About the author

I qualified as a Mental Health Nurse (RMN) in August of 2018 and started as a newly qualified nurse shortly after. On top of nursing I juggle creating content for both my YouTube channel and blog.

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Nursing personal statements

On this page you'll find a collection of real personal statements written by students applying to study nursing and related courses at university.

These personal statements are written by real students - don't expect them all to be perfect! But by reading through a few of these samples, you'll be able to get some ideas and inspiration for your own personal statement. 

Nursing personal statement examples

More help with your personal statement.

You can find personal statement examples for other courses by using this subject list, or by returning to our personal statements by subject page.

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The Office of Admissions is available to help you whether you are just beginning to consider the right university or already have a focused plan and are ready to apply.

Office of Admissions General Inquiries:

Email: [email protected] Phone: 877-415-3853 Physical Address: 307 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710 Mailing Address: DUMC 3322, Durham, NC 27710

For technical assistance with your application, email [email protected] .

Application Deadline

Applications are being accepted for the MSN, BSN-DNP, and PGC programs currently. Contact your admissions officer with questions about which term will be appropriate for you.

• Applications received between September and December 1st receive priority consideration for the next available Fall term.
• Applications received after December 1 are reviewed on a space available basis.
• Applications received between January – May 1st receive priority consideration for the next available Spring term.
• Applications received after May 1st are reviewed on a space available basis.

Holistic Admissions

Duke School of Nursing is committed to holistic admissions.

A holistic review is a university admissions strategy that considers a candidate's unique experiences alongside their academic performance, such as grades and test scores.

Duke School of Nursing considers a range of factors, including academic readiness, contribution to the incoming class, and potential for success as a professional.

Program Admission Requirements

It is recommended, but not required that applicants have one year of nursing experience before applying. Note: Some Programs have additional experience requirments.

• Prerequisite: General Statistics or Introductory Statistics with a grade of C or better is required. 3 credit course required.
• Transcripts:  All post-secondary transcripts from every school where college credit was earned, not just degree-granting institutions.
• Recommendations:  Using our secure, personalized form, three (3) professional recommendations that attest to the applicant's academic ability, professional competency, and personal character must be submitted electronically by each recommender during the application process. If NP applicant, the maximum weight will be given if at least one letter is from a provider (MD, DO, PA, NP) in the major in which you are applying.
• Personal Statement:  Three comprehensive written essays are required with your application. Use the text boxes in the Personal Statements section of the application. Text responses have a character limit of 2000. All prompts are required to be answered.
• Resume/CV : Resume and/or CV must be uploaded to the application.
• Official GRE Scores:  The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required.
• GPA: Preferential admissions consideration will be given to applicants with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
• Degree: Earned bachelor of science in nursing from an accredited Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education School of Nursing, or an earned associate's degree in nursing from an accredited school in addition to a bachelor's degree in any field.
• Licensure: Current licensure as a registered nurse in the state in which practice will occur.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

Each program has specific admission requirements in addition to the application materials above.

• Post-Graduate Certificate
• Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program  - ANCC PMH Nurse Generalist Certification is recommended prior to applying.

Students with International Credits

If you are applying for admission to the ABSN, MSN, DNP or certificate programs, please review our Requirements for International Applicants.

Duke University's Annual Clery Security Report as Mandated by Federal Statute 20 USC § 1092

The Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report include institutional policies concerning campus safety and security, as well as statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Duke University property and on public property adjacent to campus and fires that have occurred in residence halls. A copy of this Report can be obtained by contacting the Duke Police Department at 684-4602 or writing to 502 Oregon Street, Durham, NC 27708, or by accessing: The Annual Clery Security Report

Accreditation and State Authorization

In addition to maintaining national educational and nursing accreditation, each state’s higher education and nursing governance boards may set unique requirements for online or distance-based clinical MSN programs that lead to licensure in their state. Please note that these requirements only apply if you are a prospective online or distance-based clinical MSN student. If you are a non-clinical MSN student, state authorization requirements do not apply to the Duke University School of Nursing application. If you are a prospective clinical MSN student, view Accreditation and State Authorization to learn the status of your state regarding the potential for obtaining a nursing license

Technical Standards

All Duke University School of Nursing Students should review the Technical Standards required of them.

Students with Disabilities

Duke University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, don't hesitate to contact the Duke Student Disability Access Office before your participation or visit.

To complete your application:

• Answer all required questions and submit the form.
• Pay the application fee.
• Upload final versions of all required documents.  NOTE: Once uploaded, they cannot be changed.
• Send electronic recommendation forms using our secure portal.
• An unofficial copy of all post-secondary educational transcripts can be uploaded to your self-service portal only for the review process. An official copy of all post-secondary educational transcripts will be required for enrollment and can be either mailed or sent electronically to [email protected]  or in a sealed envelope to:

Duke School of Nursing Office of Admissions DUMC 3322 307 Trent Dr. Durham, NC 27710

When your application is complete, it will be submitted and held for review by the program’s admission committee. If any information is missing, your application will not be considered.

Frequently Asked Questions

General faqs.

Office of Admissions and Student Services Box 102400 307 Trent Drive Durham, NC 27710

Yes, electronic transcripts can be emailed to [email protected] .

Transcripts may be faxed for an unofficial transcript receipt. The fax number is (919) 668-4693.

Yes. The prerequisite courses can be completed at any regionally accredited college/university or community college. Online courses are acceptable if the institution is accredited.

Interviews are by invitation only. If selected for an interview, applicants will be contacted via email to schedule. We recommend adding [email protected] to your contacts so as not to miss any critical communications. If you would like to schedule a campus visit, please get in touch with the admissions office to schedule an appointment at [email protected] .

As a general rule, the School of Nursing does not permit deferrals unless there are extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control that would prevent them from enrolling in the term they were admitted. If you are concerned about your ability to start the semester admitted, please don't hesitate to contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services.

MSN & Post-Graduate Certificate Program FAQs

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required.

R5156 It typically takes 10 to 15 days for a score to reflect in the Duke system once the testing agency releases it.

It is recommended, but not required that applicants have one year of nursing experience before applying.

• Applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia Program are required to have at least one year of acute care RN experience.
• All Neonatal Nurse Practitioner applicants need two years of clinical experience before starting clinical courses.
• Applicants for the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program must have at least one year of acute care pediatric nursing experience.
• Applicants for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program must have at least one year of acute care nursing experience.

Each applicant and DUSON student is unique, but there are some features that many successful students share. In addition to demonstrating academic excellence and aptitude for demanding graduate coursework, successful candidates can clearly articulate the role for which they are applying and demonstrate an understanding of the daily responsibilities and prominent issues for the field.

The admissions committee reviews each application, including the personal statement. It considers the applicant's potential success in a graduate program that requires critical thought and the ability to form logical arguments in writing.

The admissions committee also considers the applicant’s potential for leadership and advancing practice, service, research, or teaching in the chosen field.

Duke University and Duke University School of Nursing respect and appreciate diversity in all its forms . The personal statement provides an opportunity for applicants to share, if you wish, a perspective you bring or experiences you've had to help us understand you better.

Every applicant is unique, and we recognize that individuals have a variety of work and educational experiences and personal circumstances.

Three professional letters of reference are required. The letters of reference should address your academic ability as well as your abilities, character, and accomplishments in nursing. Successful applicants typically have at least one reference letter from a professor or teacher and one reference letter from a work supervisor.

If you are applying to a nurse practitioner program, at least one of your references should be from a medical provider (MD, DO. NP, PA).

Individuals providing letters of reference should have had recent (within the last five years) educational or professional relationships with the applicant. Letters from current work supervisors are particularly helpful to the MSN Admissions Committee.

In addition, letters of reference from individuals with the degree/credential from the program the applicant is applying for can be used to demonstrate that the applicant understands the role they are seeking, which is an essential admissions consideration.

Yes, Duke University School of Nursing's MSN program curriculum meets the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification as a nurse practitioner in all U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

If you are a board-certified Nurse Practitioner who is actively practicing in a population outside your certification and have been practicing full-time for at least one year, you may qualify for our Certification Alignment Postgraduate Certificate program.

This is a competency-based program that recognizes expertise in your practice area and applies it to the course of study. The purpose of this program is to support and expand Nurse Practitioner scope of practice.

Please email [email protected] to collaborate with faculty and confirm your eligibility as a Certificate Alignment Postgraduate applicant.

• Statement of Purpose, Personal Statement, and Writing Sample

Details about submitting a statement of purpose, personal statement, and a writing sample as part of your degree program application

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Statement of Purpose 

The statement of purpose is very important to programs when deciding whether to admit a candidate. Your statement should be focused, informative, and convey your research interests and qualifications. You should describe your reasons and motivations for pursuing a graduate degree in your chosen degree program, noting the experiences that shaped your research ambitions, indicating briefly your career objectives, and concisely stating your past work in your intended field of study and in related fields. Your degree program of interest may have specific guidance or requirements for the statement of purpose, so be sure to review the degree program page for more information. Unless otherwise noted, your statement should not exceed 1,000 words. 

Personal Statement

Please describe the personal experiences that led you to pursue graduate education and how these experiences will contribute to the academic environment and/or community in your program or Harvard Griffin GSAS. These may include social and cultural experiences, leadership positions, community engagement, equity and inclusion efforts, other opportunities, or challenges. Your statement should be no longer than 500 words.

Please note that there is no expectation to share detailed sensitive information and you should refrain from including anything that you would not feel at ease sharing. Please also note that the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content provided in the Statement of Purpose. 

Visit Degree Programs and navigate to your degree program of interest to determine if a Personal Statement is required. The degree program pages will be updated by early September indicating if the Personal Statement is required for your program.

Writing Sample 

Please visit Degree Programs and navigate to your degree program of interest to determine if a writing sample is required. When preparing your writing sample, be sure to follow program requirements, which may include format, topic, or length. 

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College of Nursing

Passion, purpose, and public health: the career of dr. yamnia cortés.

For many, the nursing journey combines personal experiences and academic pursuits. The path Yamnia I. Cortés, PhD, MPH, FNP-BC, FAHA, FAAN took to become a nurse and researcher was no different, shaped by a mix of early interests in public health and social justice and a few key nudges along the way.  

Cortés earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in L atino/a s tudies from Williams College. After completing her undergraduate degree, Cortés was already leaning towards a career in public health, particularly fascinated by epidemiology and intervention research.  

She then went on to complete her Master of Public Health at Columbia University. During her first year, she also worked as an asthma educator, a job that exposed her to numerous clinical questions from concerned parents. It was during this time, at various asthma conferences, that not one but two separate nurses suggested she consider nursing.   

"I took that as a sign," Cortés laughs. "I realized how much I did like understanding how health impacted families and communities, and I did want to educate families and communities, so I decided to apply to a nursing program."  

Cortés earned her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing, as well as her PhD, from Columbia University School of Nursing. She later completed postdoctoral training in cardiovascular epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.  

During her training as a family nurse practitioner, Cortés completed rotations at a community clinic in the Bronx, which doubled as an HIV and substance abuse clinic. There, Cortés saw a large amount of cardiovascular disease, particularly in midlife women, and the intersection between the disease, HIV and menopause, became her dissertation and research niche.  

Fast forward to today, and Cortés is deep into research that continues to tackle critical health issues for underserved populations. One of her current studies looks at the stress Latina women experience during menopause and how it's linked to cardiovascular disease. She's not just focusing on the risk factors, though—she's also on the hunt for protective factors like social support, family cohesion, and spirituality that might help mitigate these risks.  

"It's great when we know positive things that people already have in their lives that we can maybe strengthen, and then that can help prevent cardiovascular disease," Cortés says.   

Beyond her research, Cortés loves the variety her role at the College of Nursing offers. She's passionate about community work, building partnerships, and sharing resources with those in need. Mentoring students is another highlight, as she enjoys guiding them through their research and seeing them flourish.  

"I really enjoy mentoring," Cortés laughs. "Teaching students about the research process, seeing them get it and then start to launch into their areas, I love it all."   

In less than a year at the College of Nursing, Cortés has grown to appreciate the supportive and collaborative atmosphere. "The people here are so nice; everyone has been very welcoming," she says. "Everyone is willing to collaborate."  

When she's not immersed in her professional life, Cortés enjoys volunteering, finding new places to eat with her family, playing video games, and watching anime.