Graduate Program Application

Please read all the application procedures carefully prior to commencing with your application. You may want to print a copy for your reference.

Application Deadlines

MHS and MN: Gen Program Deadlines:

• November 1 for Spring admission
• March 1 for Fall admission
• July 1 for Winter admission

MN: NP and PMD:NP Program Deadlines:

• April 1 for Fall admission
• August 1 for Winter admission
• December 1 for Spring admission

Incomplete or late application packages will not be assessed nor retained for consideration for admission the following year.

Letter of Reference

Letters of reference for all Centre of Nursing and Health Studies programs are submitted within the online application. Each applicant is required to provide three official letters of reference. The references must be completed with the application form by providing the email address of each referee. Paper copies will not be accepted. At least one of the letters of reference should come from someone familiar with your academic skills. If an academic reference is not provided, you will be asked to explain within the application why you were unable to meet this requirement. All referees must be able to provide an objective assessment of your background and capabilities with respect to the prospective graduate program. Letters from friends, family members, clients, colleagues, or people currently registered in a CNHS graduate program, or general reference letters (letters that are not written in support of the person's application to the particular graduate program) are not acceptable. For professional or employment references, please select individuals who are familiar with your work, preferably if they have supervised you in some way. If you have previously applied to one of our program, you will need to resubmit current letters of reference with each new application.

Application Procedures for ALL CNHS Graduate Programs – 4 Steps

STEP 1:

Complete the Graduate Application through the AU Office of the Registrar Online Services.

IMPORTANT: Are you a current/returning AU student or new to AU?

Current/Returning Students:

1. Click here and login by clicking the "login" on the left-hand side, under the "General" heading.
2. Click on the "Graduate Application" and complete the required steps.
3. Be sure to select the appropriate Graduate Program.

New to AU:

1. Click here, and click on "Apply Now" under the Graduate Application heading in the middle of the screen.
2. Throughout the process you will be assigned an AU student ID number, which will be used to access all AU services and resources.
3. Be sure to select the appropriate Graduate Program.

STEP 2:

Following submission of your application in Step 1 and payment of your online application fee (non-refundable), proceed to the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies Graduate Student Admission System.

Be sure to select the same program as you did in Step 1:

• Post-Masters Diploma: Nurse Practitioner (PMD:NP)
• Master of Nursing: Nurse Practitioner (MN:NP)
• Master of Nursing: Generalist (MN:GEN)
• Master of Health Studies (MHS)

Complete all components of the online Graduate Program Application which includes the following:

• Academic background
• Work experience
• Rationale for applying to the program and other pertinent information
• Three referee email addresses

You can make changes or additions to your application at any time prior to the application deadline (and prior to submitting your application for review). You will be able to track completion on various components of the online application through an online Application Checklist.

After all components have been completed and submitted, click on the "Proceed to Final Review" button in the check list. At that point you will no longer have access to view or modify your application.

To check your application status, return to the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies Graduate Student Admissions System.

NOTE: Once you have submitted your online application, you will NOT be able to make changes to it. If you have made an error in the Reference section and require changes to be made after submission (i.e. modification of referee email address, change or referee, etc.) contact gsas-cnhs@athabascau.ca for assistance. If your referee does not receive the emailed link due to a transmission difficulty, please contact cnhsgradapply@athabascau.ca to have the link resent to the referee.

Application for admission must be submitted electronically using the online system mentioned above. Applications will not be accepted by mail or fax.

STEP 3:

Mail or courier the completed hardcopy application package to:

Graduate Programs
Centre for Nursing and Health Studies
Athabasca University
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3
Canada

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS in Hardcopy Application Package:

1. Transcripts – submit an official transcript from all post-secondary educational institutions attended (including Athabasca University, if applicable), regardless of the number of courses taken or the amount of time spent there. Do not include transcripts from high school.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS in Hardcopy Application Package:

1. For applicants with International credit (if required): World Education Services (WES) document (preferred) or International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS).
2. For applications without Canadian citizenship, a photocopy of either permanent resident documentation or study authorization/permit will need to be provided.
3. For applicants who are requesting transfer credit, review the Application for Transfer Credit procedures and follow instruction (not required for graduate course completed at AU).
4. For Post-Masters Diploma: Nurse Practitioner and Master of Nursing: Nurse Practitioner applicants only:
   • Photocopy of Nursing Registration and copy of current Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate.
   • Photocopy of Nursing Practitioner (NP) licence if available.
   • Letter of verification (from employer or College of Registered Nurses) confirming 4,500 hours of recent clinical practice as a Registered Nurse.

Do not send the package until you have collected all required documents.

Email attachments, photocopies, unofficial transcripts, and faxed documents are considered unofficial and will not be accepted.

The assembled Hardcopy Application Materials Package must be received by our Program Office on or prior to the application deadline.

Note: All transcripts, references, test scores, and other documents become the property of Athabasca University and will not be returned to the applicants or forwarded to another program or institute.

STEP 4:

You can track receipt of hardcopy documents and the status of your application online through the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies Graduate Student Admissions System. It is your responsibility to ensure that all components of your application package have been received by the application deadline. Allow sufficient time prior to the deadline for the assembled package containing transcripts, etc. to be received.

Once the file has been reviewed the status of your application will be updated. The CNHS office is unable to provide information on the status of your application beyond what is noted in the online Status section of the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies Graduate Student Admissions System.