Application Information

Fall 2026 (Enrollment Term)
Applications Available: September 1, 2025
Application Deadline: October 31, 2025 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

The Graduate Entry Program in Nursing (GEPN) uses a regular admission process by reviewing all applications after the application deadline (listed above).

Applicants interested in the GEPN Program will need to submit their application and all transcripts prior to the application deadline (listed above) to be considered for the fall term. Applicants must submit fully completed applications containing all requirements for both the UH Manoa Graduate Division and the Department of Nursing (DON) via the Nursing Centralized Application Service (NCAS) to be reviewed for admission to the program. Incomplete/late applications will not be reviewed and cannot be re-submitted. Applicants can apply only once per annual admission cycle, and must meet the requirements of both the UH Manoa Graduate Division and the DON for admission to the program.

Each applicant is evaluated on the merit of their individual application. Notifications about decisions occur following review of the completed application and expect to be completed by the end of January.

Please check with the Nursing Centralized Admission Service (CAS) and the UH Manoa Graduate Division for a full listing of admission requirements.

Two-Step Application Process

Application requirements are found on the websites listed below.

Step 1 – Apply to UH Manoa Graduate Division

https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/how-to-apply/
Select your desired Nursing advanced degree:
- “Nursing–MS” for Nursing Education & Leadership
- “Nursing–MS” for Online Advanced Population Health Nursing
- “Nursing Practice–DNP” for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- “Nursing Practice–DNP” for Family Nurse Practitioner
- “Nursing Practice–DNP” for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Application Fee: $100
Official transcript(s)

Step 2 – Apply to Nursing’s Centralized Application Service

Application deadlines for NCAS are set to Eastern Standard Time (EST) and will close at midnight EST the date of the deadline.

http://www.nursingcas.org
Select your desired GEPN Nursing program/specialty track:
- “GEPN–MS–NEL” for Nursing Education & Leadership
- “GEPN–MS–APHN” for Online Advanced Population Health Nursing
- “GEPN–DNP–AGPCNP” for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- “GEPN–DNP–FNP” for Family Nurse Practitioner
- “GEPN–DNP–PMH” for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Application Fee: $80
Unofficial or official transcript(s)
Personal Statement (maximum 500 words per essay prompt)
Resume/CV
Prerequisite Matching

Admission Requirements

Education

Non-nursing baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university earned by July 15, 2026.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Cumulative undergraduate GPA 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale (80 or higher on a 100 point scale).

Prerequisite Requirements

Courses

The GEPN program requires the completion of the six (6) prerequisite courses listed below within 7 years of enrollment in the program. (These prerequisite courses are in semester credit hours.) For the cohort entering in August 2026, the prerequisites must be taken between August 1, 2019 and August 15, 2026 from a regionally accredited college or university.

Prerequisite to Apply

Of the six (6) required prerequisite courses, 2 of the 3 science prerequisites listed below (in semester credit hours) must be completed by the program’s application deadline (October 31^st). Note: If you’ve taken these courses from a quarter system school, see the “Transfer Equivalencies” section below.

Anatomy & Physiology I lecture with lab (4 semester credits)
Anatomy & Physiology II lecture with lab (4 semester credits)
General Microbiology lecture (3 semester credits)

Prerequisite to Enroll

The offer of admission is conditional on the applicant completing all of the six (6) required prerequisites listed below (in semester credit hours) by August 15^th of the enrollment year. Note: If you’ve taken these courses from a quarter system school, see the “Transfer Equivalencies” section below.

Anatomy & Physiology I lecture with lab (4 semester credits)
Anatomy & Physiology II lecture with lab (4 semester credits)
General Microbiology lecture (3 semester credits)
Introduction to Research (3 semester credits)
Human Growth and Development (3 semester credits)
Applied Human Nutrition (3 semester credits)

Grades

All prerequisite courses (lecture and lab) must be completed with a grade of B- or better.

Transfer Equivalencies

Prerequisites taken at other universities must match the credit hour totals in the table below. A course completed in a quarter system is transferred as 66% of one semester credit hour. To verify course equivalencies from institutions outside of the UH system, please visit UH Course Transfer Database website.

Courses offered at UH Manoa or within the UH System that fulfill the prerequisite requirement include:

Prerequisite Credits	Course Examples	Campuses Offering Courses
Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab (Lectures are 3 credits and the lab is 1 credit) 8 credits	PHYL 141/141L PHYL 142/142L	Hawaii CC Honolulu CC Kauai CC Kapiolani CC Leeward CC UH Manoa UH Maui College UH West Oahu Windward CC
	BIO 243/243L BIO 244/244L PHYL 301/301L PHYL 302/302L	UH Hilo UH Manoa
General Microbiology lecture (No lab required) 3 credits	MICRO 130	Hawaii CC Honolulu CC Kauai CC Kapiolani CC Leeward CC UH Manoa UH Maui College UH West Oahu Windward CC
	BIO 275	UH Hilo
*Introduction to Research Course (see description below)** 3 credits	PSY 212	Honolulu CC Kapiolani CC Leeward CC UH Manoa UH Maui College UH West Oahu Windward CC
	PSY 214	UH Hilo Hawaii CC
	NURS 363	UH Manoa UH Maui College
	HDSF 380	UH Manoa
	PUBA 310	UH West Oahu
Human Growth and Development 3 credits	HDFS 230	Honolulu CC Kauai CC Kapiolani CC Leeward CC UH Manoa UH Maui College Windward CC
	PSY 240	Honolulu CC Kauai CC Kapiolani CC Leeward CC UH Manoa UH Maui College UH West Oahu Windward CC
	PSY 320	UH Hilo
Applied Human Nutrition 3 credits	FSHN 185	Honolulu CC Leeward CC UH Manoa UH Maui College UH West Oahu Windward CC

* The Introduction to Research Course must focus on human subjects research and include the following content: Developing a Problem Statement, Research Question, Hypothesis, Research Ethics, Literature Review, Sampling, Research Design, Institutional Review Board, Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, Data Collection, Reliability, Validity, and Data Analysis. Courses that fulfill this prerequisite are offered in the health sciences and social sciences departments at many 4-year colleges. The title of the course usually includes the words “Research Methods.” Introduction to Statistics or Epidemiology does not fulfill this requirement.

English Language Proficiency

If an applicant’s native language is not English or has not obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an English speaking college, then the applicant must submit official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores with a minimum score of 600/100 (paper/internet) and subtest scores of 25 for listening and 25 for speaking or Grad International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum score of 7.00.

International Students

Can international students apply for GEPN?

International applicants must be a U.S. Permanent Resident (green card holder) and have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) at the time of application to be eligible for GEPN admission. Applicants without a green card and valid SSN may not be eligible to participate in clinical assignments or take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. These factors will impact employment eligibility after completing the GEPN Pre-Licensure Year.

Can students who attended a recognized foreign institution apply for GEPN?

Individuals who graduated with a baccalaureate degree or higher from a recognized foreign institution may be accepted if they have a green card and valid SSN. The University’s Graduate Division Division determines if foreign degrees are recognized and acceptable for admissions into the university.

Can the GEPN prerequisite courses be taken from a foreign institution?

The required prerequisite courses must be taken from a U.S. regionally accredited institution and meet the same “Admissions Requirements” stated above.

Where can international students find other services at the University?

International students who meet the eligibility requirements above may connect with the UH Manoa Office of International Student Services for other services. They can be reached via email (issmanoa@hawaii.edu) or phone (808-956-8613).