• Appropriate references are from those who have worked with you in a supervisory or leadership capacity in a professional setting.
• References from peer-level co-workers, close friends, or relatives are not appropriate.

You will enter your reference contact information into the application. Please use professional emails (not personal - i.e. Gmail, Yahoo) and include the reference's job title. Electronic evaluation requests will be sent to your references once you submit their information into the application. (Note: You do not have to wait until you have all items of the application complete and ready to submit - if the application deadline is nearing, we recommend submitting your evaluation requests ASAP to give your references adequate time to respond while you work on completing the other components of the application.)

Be sure to return to your application to verify that your references have submitted their evaluation - it is your responsibility to ensure that you have two evaluations by the application deadline. Applications must be complete by the application deadline in order to be forwarded to faculty for review.

Your resume or CV should include, if applicable:

• RN experience—be sure to include employment dates (month & year) and include details such as role and unit
• Other healthcare-related work experience
• Significant prior careers
• National certifications (please spell out certification & organization names - do not use acronyms)
• Professional development
• Leadership and/or committee roles in your place of employment (examples: charge nurse, shift leader, nurse manager, committee member, committee chair)
• Awards, nominations, or other recognition with the field of healthcare or academics
• Preceptor and/or teaching experience
• Research experience
• Healthcare-related volunteer experience
• Membership to nursing organizations—be sure to denote any committee service or leadership roles held

There is no page limit—please feel free to use as much space as you need to in order to convey to the admission committee who you are as a nurse and potential graduate student. IUSON does not provide a resume template. You may use whatever resume format you prefer.

DNP applicants are required to show evidence of the capacity for success in the DNP program by completing focused essays within the online application. Each essay should be 300 words or less, and is your opportunity to highlight your writing ability and to convey how a DNP will enhance and support your career path.

The essays will ask you address the following topics:

• Describe your career goals and how a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree will help you achieve those goals.
• Describe your academic challenges and strengths.
• Describe the unique contributions you will bring to the DNP program (can be your skills, experiences, etc.)
• Describe any past and present roles in which you have served as a formal or informal leader. What challenges did you face? How did that experience help you envision your future leadership goals?

In order to apply to the DNP program, you must complete the Indiana University online graduate program application. The application for August 2025 admission will open January 1, 2025, and the priority deadline to apply is April 1, 2025. Late applications will be accepted on a space available basis through June 1, 2024.

• Create account or login to existing account
• Enter “Nursing” into search bar, and filter by campus, selecting IU Indianapolis. Select the correct DNP track application:
  • Nursing DNP: Post-MSN Executive Leadership track
  • Nursing DNP: Post MSN Advanced Clinical track

There is a $70 fee associated with this application.

Request official transcripts from ALL colleges or universities outside of the IU system that you have previously attended. You do not need to submit an official transcript from coursework and/or degrees completed at IU (any campus). You do not need to upload unofficial transcripts to your application.

In order to be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to the IU School of Nursing from the issuing college or university. Electronic transcripts are strongly preferred. Please have transcripts sent to nuadmit@iu.edu. If an electronic transcript is not available, please have your transcript mailed to:

Indiana University School of Nursing
600 Barnhill Drive, NU 112C
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Attn: Admission Coordinator

Some transcript request systems will offer default options to send transcripts to the IU Indianapolis Office of Admissions or the IU Indianapolis Graduate School. Please be sure to bypass these default selections and enter the email or mailing address for the School of Nursing listed above. Transcripts sent to other offices may not reach the School of Nursing, or may be significantly delayed. Applications are not considered complete until official transcripts are received by the School of Nursing.