Study Nursing Courses in USA: Top Colleges, Costs, Requirements & Career Prospects

Before we start our discussion, let us know about the benefits of studying nursing in USA for international students.

• Growth: In the coming few years, the estimated growth rate of nursing professionals in USA is 9 percent, indicating it is expanding at a rapid pace as fast as average. The US healthcare sector attracts nursing professionals, whether they are a licensed nurse or a practitioner, who want to expand their skills and knowledge.
• Academic Curriculum: The nursing colleges in USA offer a wide variety of programs and specialisations in nursing. Some of the most popular specialisations include clinical services operations, nursing informatics, anaesthesia, adult gerontology, acute care nursing, and paediatric nursing.
• Job Flexibility: Completing higher education in nursing can invite you to a good pay package offered by the top medicals in the USA. However, nursing as a profession offers you a lot of flexibility in the USA. A nursing professional has the flexibility to choose their working hours, whether they want a part time or a full time working schedule.

Suggested: Bachelors in Nursing in USA

Top universities for nursing in the USA are very delicate regarding the calibre, dedication and intentions of a student and to assess these factors, they have established certain eligibility criteria for the nursing courses in USA. You must meet these requirements to get a seat in one of the nursing universities. Let's take a look at these requirements:

Academic Qualifications

The academic qualifications for admission to nursing courses will differ as per the program you choose.

• If you are looking to get into a Bachelor Nursing, you must have completed your higher secondary with at least B grade in a relevant subject from a recognised university.
• For a masters degree in Nursing, students are required to have an undergraduate degree in Nursing with a minimum of B grade. A GPA score of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 is needed by some colleges.
• And to apply for a PhD in Nursing in USA for Indian students, then you must have a masters degree in nursing or a related field. A minimum of 3.0 GPA (or 4.0 scale) for the last 90 graded quarter credits.

However, if applying for clinical nursing programs you must have a RN licensure to get into nursing in USA for international students.

Suggested: Masters in Nursing in USA

English Language Proficiency

If your native language is not English and you want to take admission in Nursing colleges in USA, you will have to clear the language test. The minimum test scores of two popular ones are

• IELTS: 6.0 - 7.0
• TOEFL: 79 - 100

GRE or GMAT

If you have completed bachelors requirements and also cleared your language test. The next step is to appear in the GRE test to confirm your admission. However, some universities do not require it as a mandatory test score.

Student Visa

A valid copy of passport and a US student visa is a must for every international student to study at any course in US universities. However, you must keep in mind to apply for the student visa at least three months before the date of travel to the country.

Suggested: F-1 Student Visa for USA

There are some additional documents that must be sent to nursing colleges in USA for international students. These documents may enhance your admission application and will add value in your application.

• Official Academic Records
• Updated CV or Resume
• English Language Test Scorecard
• Letter of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose
• Two Reference Letters
• Proof of Financial Resources
• Copy of Your Passport

Now that you are aware of the admission requirements and the essential documents, let us have a quick look at the application process of nursing courses:

Although each university has their own timeline for the program application process. To complete your admission process in any one of the universities for nursing in USA, you need to be prepared with the above mentioned documents. Here are the steps you can follow for the admission process:

• Check the university official website to confirm whether you match the eligibility requirements for the course.
• Fill the application form and pay the application fees.
• After successfully submitting your application. You can log in the portal to check for any updates.
• You can also collect all the paperwork which is needed for a USA study permit.
• Once your application gets accepted, respond to the admission officer letter.
• To confirm your seat, pay the depositary fees agreeing to all the terms and conditions.

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Now we know all the admission requirements and admission process for the program. Let's take a look at some top nursing schools in USA.

There are many top nursing colleges in USA offering different courses in nursing programs. However, it is important for you to know certain factors of each university i.e. fees, rankings, programs offered etc. Here we have curated a list of some best universities for nursing in USA:

• University of Pennsylvania
• Johns Hopkins University
• University of Washington
• Yale University
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Let's discuss each nursing university in USA in detail:

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania Nursing is ranked as the best nursing schools in the world. Its nursing advances the entire profession, from research & education to practice & policy. The School of Nursing at the university offers different levels of nursing programs from certificate to doctorate level. Its nursing courses offer an opportunity to their students to step in the forefront of nursing science and practice a wide range of specialities.

Johns Hopkins University

The Nursing programs at John Hopkins University are designed to fit the needs of a diverse student population. From its pre-license programs to masters, DNP and PhD programs, online options and the post degree opportunities, the School of Nursing offers more nursing possibilities in a variety of formats. Adult gerontology, family primary care, paediatrics dual primary, psychiatric mental health, clinical care nurse practitioner are some of the concentrations of nursing courses.

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University of Washington

University of Washington offers admissions to a wide range of nursing programs under different levels from a certificate, graduate certificate to a bachelor's and doctorate degree. As a nursing student at the university, you get the opportunity to learn from nationally acclaimed faculty using the interactive scenarios in the learning lab, allowing you to practice nursing skills in a safe environment before performing it in a supervised clinical setting.

Yale University

The university provides a range of graduate nursing programs to educate each generation of nurse leaders, scholars, and practitioners transforming the healthcare practice and advancing science. Its masters of science in nursing is recognised across the world. The nursing program at Yale is offered in several specialties such as adult acute care, gerontology, family nurse practitioner, nurse midwifery, paediatric nurse practitioner, etc.

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University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

UNC Chapel Hill school of nursing is the ranked public school of nursing in the world, dedicated to advancing the health for all. Provides admissions to various levels of nursing programs in bachelor, masters and PhD courses. The course content of nursing includes foundation of clinical relationship centre nursing, clinical nursing skills, family nurse practitioner, nursing care of adults, psychiatric care of nursing and many more.

The cost of studying nursing in USA for international students depends on various factors. Broadly speaking, it can be divided into two categories i.e. tuition fees and cost of living.

Tuition Fees

The nursing course fees in USA may vary in accordance with the program level and the university you choose. On an average the course fees of nursing in US universities ranges from 12,930 USD to 61,156 USD per academic year.

Cost of Living

Apart from the nursing course fees in USA, the living costs may depend on your lifestyle and preferences. An estimated cost for international students to live in US states is 1,250 USD to 2,600 USD per month. It includes all basic amenities like food, housing, transport, stationary, recreational expenses etc.

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Once getting recommendation from the academic department of programs and the outstanding committee, scholarship for nursing in USA assists you in managing your study expenses. You must follow the university guidelines to obtain the scholarships.

Suggested: Scholarships for Indian Students in USA

To study Nursing in USA for international students equips you with all the skills required to work as a healthcare professional in the field. The career opportunities or nursing scope in USA is immense. You can get the opportunities to work as an assistant, registered nursing, clinician etc.

The average salary after completing nursing courses in USA for international students is around 75,300 USD. Some other job profiles for nursing graduates are:

Suggested: Highest Paying Jobs in USA

The nurse practitioner course in USA offers great chances for international students to achieve the required skills to be a professional in the field. It is one of the most popular courses and highest in demand in US. The work of a registered nurse demands an utmost exposure with a broad range of skills. If you are looking forward to studying nursing courses in USA, connect with our Yocket Professionals for more information.