PMHNP Application Requirements

NURSING@SIMMONS

At Simmons, we take a holistic approach to reviewing applications. We consider your personal, professional, and academic experiences as a whole in order to evaluate your preparedness and potential for success in our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) programs.

Below you will find eligibility criteria and a detailed list of materials you will need to submit to apply to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN-PMHNP) program and the Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner(PGC) program.

The following deadlines are the same for the MSN and post-graduate certificate program.

To be considered for admission to the Nursing@Simmons MSN-PMHNP program, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have:

To be considered for admission to the Nursing@Simmons Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) in PMHNP program, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have:

To apply to either of the online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs (MSN or PGC), you will need to submit the following materials:

The General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required, but if you feel GRE scores will strengthen your application, please contact an admission counselor at 1-855-461-7466.

See below for details on each of the required application materials.

A $50 nonrefundable application fee is required to apply to Nursing@Simmons. Those who apply before the priority application deadline will receive a reduced application fee of $30. Application fee waivers are available for applicants affiliated with non-profit organizations such as: City Year, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and Teach for America, and military personnel, veterans, and their spouses. Please contact your admission counselor to request the fee waiver.

Your résumé should include:

Essay prompt: Address each of the questions below in a two-page, double-spaced essay using 12-point font. Please label each section of your essay with the corresponding prompts.

Simmons School of Nursing Core Values

Short answer prompts: Answer the following two short answer prompts (250 words or less per prompt). 

Essay prompt: Address each of the questions below in a two-page, double-spaced essay using 12-point font. Please label each section of your essay with the corresponding prompts.

Simmons School of Nursing Core Values

Short answer prompt: Answer the following prompt in 250 words or less.

Describe your plan for academic success, detailing how you will carve out sufficient time to dedicate to your graduate education. (Full-time study requires a commitment of at least 40 hours per week while the part-time program of study requires at least 30 hours per week on average. During the clinical portion of the program, students will be in the clinical setting for an average of 16–20 hours per week depending on plan of study.)

If your academic record does not accurately reflect your abilities, please provide an explanation, clarifying any gaps in your educational history, and discuss how you intend to be successful in future coursework. The optional statement should be 250–500 words and can be uploaded directly into the “Essays & Uploads” section of the application.

Sealed, official academic transcripts must be received from all postsecondary institutions you have attended, regardless of whether a degree was earned. This includes community colleges, institutions you may have attended as a non-degree student, or schools where you enrolled but withdrew from classes. If you have any questions when determining if you need to submit a transcript as part of your application, please reach out to your admission counselor. Failure to submit transcripts from all postsecondary institutions can result in dismissal from the program.

Note for Nursing@Simmons alumni: If you are applying to the Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program and earned your MSN and/or DNP from Simmons, you do not need to provide transcripts for any education completed prior to earning your degree(s) from Simmons. However, you will still need to provide transcripts for any education completed after earning your degree(s) from Simmons.

Most schools issue transcripts electronically, either through their own web services or through vendors. If this option is available through the institutions you attended, please specify that your transcript(s) be sent to Application Services or select Simmons University — Nursing@Simmons if listed as an option through the vendor. This will expedite the delivery of your transcript(s) and the completion of your application.

All coursework from non-U.S. institutions must be evaluated by an approved evaluation service such as World Education Services, International Education Research Foundation, or Educational Credential Evaluators. Be sure to request a course-by-course evaluation and allot additional time in the application process for the evaluation to be completed.

Please have official transcripts and other official application materials mailed to:

Simmons University
Application Processing Center
Nursing@Simmons
PO Box 30096 [015-002]
College Station, TX 77842

Please note: To be considered an official transcript, the transcript must be sent directly from your institution(s) or through an electronic transcript vendor retained by that institution. Transcripts submitted by enrolled or prospective students are considered unofficial documents, even if they are in a sealed envelope provided to you by the issuing university.

Two letters of recommendation are required, and all must be written within one year of the date of submission. Letters must be submitted by two of the following individuals:

Note for Nursing@Simmons alumni: If you are applying to the Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program and earned your MSN and/or DNP from Simmons, you will only need to request one letter of recommendation.

Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit official English language proficiency scores. This requirement is based on primary language, not citizenship. Exam results must be from a test taken within two years of the application deadline. We accept scores from the following sources:

The English language proficiency exam requirement is waived for applicants who meet either of the following criteria: 

NOTE: Nursing@Simmons is in the process of receiving approval from some states. An admission counselor can help you determine the program’s status in your state.

Request more information to learn more about our program or speak with an admission counselor at 1-855-461-7466.