To be eligible for enrollment into the program of anesthesia, an applicant must:
- be a graduate from an N.L.N or A.A.C.N. accredited baccalaureate program in nursing or have an alternate, science-related baccalaureate degree (biology, chemistry, etc.), from an accredited school, which must be completed at the time of application. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for consideration.
- have a current, valid, professional nursing license in one of the 50 states, which satisfies the requirements of the applicable state board(s) of nursing.
- have a minimum of one year of critical care experience (~2,000 hours) at the time of application in which the applicant has had the opportunity to develop independent decision making, demonstrate psychomotor skills and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring, based on a knowledge of physiologic and pharmacologic principles. Clinical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories or a U.S. military hospital outside of the United States.
- have a current certification in basic life support, ACLS, CCRN and PALS.
- have completed in their undergraduate preparation two 4 credit courses in chemistry (this must include inorganic/general and organic chemistry or biochemistry), two 4 credit courses in anatomy and physiology and one course in microbiology. Although not explicitly required, coursework in statistics, pharmacology and research methods is strongly encouraged. Candidates who have completed any to all of these courses will be given preference during the application process. The science GPA must be no lower than 3.0 at a minimum. Please note that science prerequisite courses must be less than 10 years old.
- have completed the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), within the past 5 years. Composite score of greater than or equal to 300 and 4.0/6.0 analytical writing score is highly recommended. Please send GRE scores to program code 1420.
- submit a narrative statement which delineates career goals, reason for pursuing the doctorate and life/work experiences and capabilities relevant to the pursuit of the advanced degree (400 word max).
Applicants for admission to the program are reviewed by the School of Nurse Anesthesia admissions committee.
The application deadline for entry level applicants is Oct. 15. Personal interviews are by invitation and must be scheduled before Nov. 15.
The application deadline for post-Master's completion applicants is June 1.
Applicants will not be considered if they have been rejected twice previously by the admissions committee. Appointments to the program are recommended by the admissions committee and approved by the Directors of the School of Nurse Anesthesia. Notification of admission is done in late November for entry to practice applicants. Post-Master’s CRNA applicants will be notified of admission in late June.
Factors considered in the selection process are academic achievement; (a minimum 3.00 grade point average is required with a strong performance in the sciences), clinical experience, career motivation, character and other personal traits indicative of success in the program, and dedication to a career in nurse anesthesia. Acceptance is contingent upon satisfactory evidence of the above requirements, as well as three letters of recommendation:
- from a current supervisor;
- from a non-related physician, peer or other member of the healthcare team who can speak to the applicant’s clinical acumen and personal attributes;
- from the office of the Dean of the nursing program attended (for entry to practice candidates) OR from the Program Director of the nurse anesthesia program attended (for post-Master’s completion degree CRNA candidates).
Early action may be considered by the admissions committee at the request of the applicant. Applicants for early action consideration must have a GPA of 3.5 or greater, a core science GPA of 3.3 or greater and a strong desire to attend the Yale New Haven Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia as their first choice. Admission notification will be no later than two weeks from the time of the personal interview. Upon acceptance, the applicant will be required to pay the $3,500 non-refundable commitment fee within a week of notification. If the admissions committee does not approve the early action, the candidate will have their application reviewed with the other candidates at the regular admissions meeting.
International applicants are required to submit additional documentation. Please refer to the University graduate catalog. A catalog is available from:
Central Connecticut State University
1615 Stanley Street
New Britain, CT 06050
860-832-CCSU (2278)
A $60 application fee is required at the time of submission.
Students are admitted during the academic year in May. It is the policy of the School to select students on the basis of personal merit and capabilities without discrimination as to race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation or national origin. Transfer students are not accepted. Upon acceptance a $3,500 (non-refundable) commitment fee is due. This fee will be applied to the $18,000 clinical fee, due at the start of clinical rotations for the entry to practice candidates. Post-Master’s CRNA candidates will be required to remit a non-refundable administrative fee of $1040 upon acceptance to the program.
Upon acceptance to the nurse anesthesia program, a separate application must be made to our academic affiliate, Central Connecticut State University.