UMass Chan Medical School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, national origin, covered veteran status, disability, ancestry or any other characteristic protected by law in employment, admissions, participation in its programs, services and activities, and selection of vendors who provide services or products to UMass Chan Medical School. Further, UMass Chan Medical School is firmly committed to ensuring that all who work, study, visit or seek treatment here may do so in an environment free of harassment and/or discrimination. 

Further information is available on the Diversity and Inclusion website. 

Questions concerning this notice can be directed to the Vice Chancellor of Diversity and Inclusion. Questions concerning Title IX may be directed to the designated campus Title IX Officer. Either can be reached at: 

UMass Chan Medical School 
55 Lake Avenue North (S1-710)   
Worcester, MA 01655 
Phone: 508 856-2179 
Fax: 508 856-1810 

All students applying to the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing must complete an online application with NursingCAS.  NursingCAS is a service that allows applicants to use a single online application and one set of materials to apply to multiple nursing programs at participating schools. Application stauts notifications will be sent to the email provided by the applicant on the NursingCAS application. 

Admissions Criteria

Applications must be complete and submitted by to the completed application deadline to be considered. A completed application entails the following:

• All required items are uploaded into NursingCAS by the specific application deadline
• NursingCAS fee paid
• The completion of the supplemental application, which includes a Proof of Residency Form and Criminal Background Checks Authorization Form
  • The supplemental application is completed outside of NursingCAS. Applicants will gain access via email only once they submit their NursingCAS Application and pay the NursingCAS fee.
• Supplemental Admissions Application Fee paid
  • The Supplemental Admissions Application Fee is in addition to the fee paid to NursingCAS.
  • NOTE: No refunds will be issued for any application fees. Even in the event an applicant receives a discount code, or an approved fee waiver, once an applicant pays the Supplemental Application Fee, there will be no refunds permitted.
  • A full supplemental application fee waiver is available on a case-by-case basis through our waiver request form. 

If you have any questions please e-mail gsnadmissions@umassmed.edu

Graduate Entry Pathway (GEP) Program 

• Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher
• Bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field
• The following courses must be completed within 5 years of application with a B- or higher preferred. If these prerequisites were taken between 5 to 7 years prior, you may be accepted with a condition to complete course N590H Human Physiology online at Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing in the summer prior to matriculation: 
  • Anatomy & Physiology 1 with Lab 
  • Anatomy & Physiology 2 with Lab 
• The following courses must be completed within 7 years of application with a B- or higher preferred, however, Statistics does not have a time limit: 
  • Microbiology with lab 
  • Nutrition 
  • Human Growth & Development across the lifespan 
  • Statistics 

Master of Science (MS) in Nursing and Interprofessional Leadership

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher
• Evidence of unrestricted Massachusetts licensure as a registered nurse (RN)
• BLS certification for Health Care Providers by the American Heart Association
• College level statistics course

Post-Graduate Certificate Program

• Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher
• Unrestricted MA licensure as a Nurse Practitioner; Eligible out of state applicants must live or plan to relocate to one of the following states: MA, RI, CT, NH, VT, ME
• BLS certification for Health Care Providers by the American Heart Association
• Prerequisites Required with a B- or higher preferred:
  • Statistics
  • Advanced Pathophysiology
  • Advanced Pharmacology
  • Advanced Health Assessment      

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing for BSN to DNP
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher
• Evidence of unrestricted Massachusetts licensure as an RN 
• BLS certification for Health Care Providers by the American Heart Association.
• College level statistics course

Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

•  Master's degree in nursing
• Certification as a nurse practitioner (NP), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), or Certified Midwife (CNM) or  
• Master’s degree in nursing or a health related field for nurse administrators
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher
• Evidence of unrestricted Massachusetts licensure as an RN 
• BLS certification for Health Care Providers by the American Heart Association.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program

• Master’s degree in Nursing or related health field (for post-graduate option) or a registered nurse with bachelor's degree (for the BS to PhD option) 
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher
• College level statistics course
• Interview with 2 PhD faculty

Post-DNP to PhD Program

• DNP degree
• Graduate course in statistics/data analysis
• Graduate course in Health Policy
• Graduate course in Biomedical Informatics
• Proficiency in SPSS or other data analysis software

There are no admission deferrals in the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing.

Students in the MS, DNP and PhD programs may transfer up to 9 credits into their plan of study.  The minimum grade requirement for all transferred courses is B.  In all cases involving transfer of credits from another school, students receive credit for the transfer courses, but the grades are not calculated in the UMass Chan Medical School GPA.

Students wishing to transfer into the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing must officially apply to the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing.

Students must follow course withdrawal policies and procedures and notify in writing their academic program coordinator, director, faculty advisor, and the registrar of their intention to withdraw from the program.  Students who withdraw without notifying the registrar of their status will be considered withdrawn as of the last recorded
date of class attendance as documented by the University.

Some clinical sites require a drug urine screening prior to placement at the clinical site.

Students are conditionally accepted, in part, pending a satisfactory background check.  If the school receives a positive response, the matter will be referred to the Committee to Review Criminal Background Checks according to the school’s “Procedure for Reviewing and Acting Upon Criminal Background Checks.”   Once enrolled, some clinical sites where students do rotations may require an updated criminal background check as a condition for doing the rotation there. 

The Technical Standards refer to the academic and clinical practice requirements that are necessary for admission to, continuation in, and graduation from the programs of the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing. These requirements are essential for achieving the expected academic and clinical competencies of the curriculum. Candidates who are offered admission to the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing are required to acknowledge that they understand and meet these Technical Standards.

A student must possess aptitude, functional abilities and skills in the five areas listed below:

1. observation;
2. communication;
3. sensorimotor coordination and function;
4. intellectual-conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities; and
5. professional, behavioral, and social attributes. Students must be able to perform independently in these areas.

GEP Program

1. Who is eligible to apply to the Graduate Entry Pathway (GEP) Program?

Applicants are eligible to apply to the GEP to DNP program  if they have a bachelor’s degree or higher degree in a field other than nursing.

2. When I apply to the GEP Program, do I have to choose which type of advance practice role I want or do I wait?

You need to choose a program including a nurse practitioner track during your initial application process.  We recommend that GEP to DNP applicants shadow or interview a nurse practitioner to determine which tract you would like to apply to.

3. Can I take a specialty such as cardiac care, cancer care, emergency care or nurse educator? 

Opportunities are available to consider a specialty upon completing the NP clinical course work in Year 3 of the program.  You will need to discuss this possibility with your faculty advisor.

4. Is the GEP to DNP program a full-time program or can I go part-time? 

he pre-licensure component of the GEP Program requires full-time study.

5. Does the GEP Program award a BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing)?

The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing only awards master’s and doctoral degrees; there are no baccalaureate programs offered at UMass Chan Medical School.  At the completion of the pre-licensure year, students are awarded a Certificate of Completion allowing them to take the National Council Licensure Exam in Nursing (NCLEX).

6. Is there financial aid or scholarship funding available?

Financial aid is available for students in the GEP Program.  The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing does not have scholarships available for first year GEP students; however, there are scholarship monies available for the remaining years of study.

MS Program

1. What is the difference between the accelerated and traditional master’s program?

The accelerated GEP Program prepares individuals with bachelordegrees in a field other than nursing to become professional nurses for generalist entry-level practice through initial RN licensure followed by completion of an NP track area in the master’s program.

2. Can an RN with a diploma or associate’s degree in nursing apply to the master’s program?

The Pre-Graduate Pathway into the MS Program is designed for applicant’s who are RNs with an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing and a bachelor’s degree or higher degree in a field other than nursing.  This pathway offers alternative means of qualifying for admission to the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing based on transfer of academic courses and course enrollment.

3. Can an RN with non-nursing master’s degree apply to the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing? 

An RN applicant must have a master’s degree in science to apply to the program.

4. Can an RN with a master’s degree in nursing apply to be a nurse practitioner? 

An RN with a master’s degree in nursing can apply to become a nurse practitioner.

Doctoral Programs

1. What is the difference between a doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) and a PhD in nursing? 

The DNP is a practice doctorate while the PhD is a research-focused doctorate.  DNPs are committed to a career in practice and/or service leadership.  DNP students complete practice-oriented scholary projects.  PhD students complete dissertations.

2. Who is eligible to apply to the Post-Masters to DNP Program? 

Applicants are eligible to apply to the Post-MS program if they hold a master’s degree in nursing and are certified as NPs, CNSs, CRNAs, or CNMs or hold a master’s degree in nursing or a health-related field for nurse practitioners.

3. Can I take courses prior to becoming a student? 

Applicants can take up to nine credits at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing (or transfer 9 credits from a graduate-level nursing program upon faculty approval) prior to becoming a matriculated student at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing.