How to Apply

Admission Requirements

Doctor of Nursing (DN) applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Nursing Science’s additional admission requirements stated below:

• Must be a registered nurse holding current registration in at least one jurisdiction
• Must have a master’s degree in nursing or a closely related field
• Have a minimum B+ standing from a recognized University in their master’s degree in nursing or a related field
• Have a minimum of two years of relevant healthcare leadership experience or advanced nursing education teaching experience
• Have strong letters of support from one academic and two work-related referees
• Consistent with the SGS General Regulation level three ​English-Language Proficiency, applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not in English must demonstrate proficiency in English. An interview may be required.

Mandatory Applicant Screening

To be competitive for admission into the DN program, Bloomberg Nursing at the University of Toronto expects applicants to have significant leadership and/or education experience.

This screening will check if you meet the minimum academic and experience admissions requirements and if your area of interest matches with a potential supervisor’s area of expertise.

The screening may involve some correspondence with potential supervisors. Note that if you pass the initial screening, it does not mean that you will be admitted to the program, only that you meet the minimum requirements and there may be a supervisor available for your proposed project. The admissions decision can only be made after your application is officially submitted and reviewed. 

Screening requirements must be sent to connect.nursing@utoronto.ca:

Screening requirements must be sent to connect.nursing@utoronto.ca:

• Unofficial transcripts from each post-secondary institution you have attended: these can be screenshots or unofficial digital versions but must include the transcript “legend” which is usually printed on the last page. You can include a one-page letter to support your application if you believe the marks you received do not reflect your performance due to extenuating circumstances. Applicants must hold a master’s degree or its equivalent in nursing or related field with at least a B+ standing from a recognized university.
• Proof of English Facility: Applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of their application.
• Curriculum Vitae – View Application Guidelines for support
• Potential supervisor: View the Find a DN Supervisor for more information on how to select potential supervisors, For each faculty member you identify, please provide a paragraph explaining why you see a potential match with them as a supervisor.

What if I don’t pass the applicant screening?

If you do not pass your applicant screening you will be provided with direction on other ways to pursue your academic goals.

What if I meet the admission requirements but cannot find a supervisor?

If you do meet the requirements of the program and match with a supervisor but the faculty member isn’t available to take on additional PhD students, you may be advised to apply in a future academic cycle.

Application Guide

School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Online Admissions Application

To be completed after you have passed the mandatory applicant screening and you have an agreement with your supervisor.

Ready to Apply? Submit you application through School of Graduate Studies (SGS) application portal.

Steps for completing the application:

1. If you are a first-time applicant, click Create an Account to begin your application. You will receive a verification code via email. Enter your verification code and create a password for your account. If you have previously submitted an application to SGS, please log into your account and Start New Application.
2. Download the Doctoral Supervisor Agreement Form. Applicants will complete the form and have their potential DN supervisor sign off before uploading the form to the SGS application site.
3. Submit all application requirements including essays about your area of interest and career plans and upload required documents including CV, unofficial transcripts, writing sample, English Proficiency Test Results (if applicable), and the Doctoral Supervisor Agreement Form through your application portal.
4. Enter information for referees. Referees will automatically receive a notification email to complete a reference for your application, along with instructions to submit their reference letter in the application system. If you need to change your referees, please contact nursing@utoronto.ca(Subject line: Change referees for new applicant). Please provide your first and last name and U of T applicant number.
5. Pay the mandatory application fee through the applicant portal. Your application will not be processed until the application fee is received.
6. You may send an email reminder to existing referees through your applicant portal after submitting your application.
7. Arrange for submission of official transcripts (See Required Documents)
8. You may view your application status, including outstanding requirements, by logging in to your account and selecting view applicant status portal.