**Please read carefully, as the application process has changed.**

New cohorts for the SNC program only begin in the spring semester. We do not admit in the fall semester. The application window to apply for Spring 2027 is July 1 – Aug. 31, 2026, with a priority deadline of Aug. 15. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by the Office of Graduate Studies during the fall semester. 

If you are applying between July 2025 and August 2026, you may be eligible for the High Road School Nurse Residency Partnership Implementation Grant. In order to receive the grant, your district must have an MOU with CSNO. For more information, please visit the CSNO website here.

Application Process

Applying to the School Nurse Credential program entails a two-part process:

1. Submit the SNC Application online during the application window of July 1 - Aug. 31, 2026, with a priority deadline of Aug. 15. A $50 Application-processing fee will be collected after eligibility has been determined.    

2. Submit a CSU Apply application between July 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. CSU Apply application and supporting documentation listed below must be submitted by Aug. 31, with a priority deadline of Aug. 15.

All applicants who have not earned an MSN degree must apply as Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students. Even if you’re unsure you will be continuing to complete the MSN after completing the credential, you must apply as an MSN student. You will not be penalized in any way if you do not continue into the MSN program. MSN students may qualify for financial aid, depending on need, in the form of student loans. If you already have an MSN degree, you will need to apply as a Credential Only student. Credential Only students are not eligible for financial aid.

Please follow the steps below when submitting the CSU Apply Application:

• Visit the CSU Apply website, click on the drop-down box, and select Spring 2027 as the term to apply for. Then click “Apply Now.”
• Click “Create an Account” or sign in using your current account, if one already exists.
• Select “Don’t Copy, Start a New Application” then click “Next.”

For Educational Goals:

i. Select Second Bachelor’s Degree and Beyond (e.g., Master’s, Teaching Credential, Certificate, Doctoral)

ii. Select Graduate (e.g., Master’s, Doctoral) or Professional’s Degree. If you already have an MSN degree, you must apply as Credential Only. You will select Teaching and Service Credential Only (e.g., Single or Multiple Subject, Special Education, PPS, Librarian, Admin, CalStateTEACH)

• Answer questions 1a – 3 as appropriate.
• Click “Save Changes”
• Add Programs
• In the filters area, select campus as “Sacramento State.” Under Sacramento Extension, select “MS Nursing with School Nurse Cred – CCE”. If applying as Credential only, under Sacramento Credential, select “School Nurse.”
• Click “Continue.”
• Review your program selections. Please make sure you selected the correct track. You will not be able to change the track you are on once you submit your application.
•  Click “Continue To My Application.”

You will then move forward to complete the rest of the application. Please answer the questions to the best of your ability.

The following materials will need to be uploaded via CSU Apply:

• Letter of Purpose. This one-page, single-spaced letter will be evaluated for proper grammar and spelling, and should include: 

  • Why you want to get your school nurse credential
  • How do your previous academic and professional experiences contribute to your success in a rigorous credential program
  • What are your future goals for improving and expanding your school nursing role
• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your academic record and professional capabilities.
  • Letters should be from two current or previous supervisors or professors from previous academic programs. These letters may not be written by colleagues. The letters should be current (dated within the last two months) and include specific examples supporting the applicant’s academic skills or school nursing strengths. 
  • For confidentiality, letters of recommendation must be submitted directly by the persons of reference. Applicants will be prompted to provide the email addresses of their persons of reference when filling out the CSU Apply application. The two persons of reference whose emails are entered in the application will receive a link to upload the letter of recommendation for the applicant once the application has been submitted. Letters should be submitted by the deadline of August 31. The CSU Apply application will close Aug. 31 and cannot be reopened.
  • Please address letters to Kirsten Munk, SNC Faculty Coordinator.
• Updated resume
   
• Proof of RN licensure: This can include a copy of the BRN Licensure Details document, a screenshot from the BRN licensure verification webpage or a copy of RN license.
   
• Official Transcripts: Official transcripts will be submitted directly to the Office of Graduate Studies. Keep in mind, transfer credit listed on one transcript does not suffice, and you will need to submit official transcripts from EACH school attended after high school. Your official transcripts must show a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university (required by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing).  
  • ​Official transcripts can be submitted electronically (preferred method) to gradtranscripts@csus.edu
    or by mail to:
    California State University, Sacramento
    Office of Graduate Studies
    Riverfront Center 215, MS 6112
    6000 J St Sacramento, CA 95819
• $70 non-refundable application-processing fee for the University

Applicants with Foreign Documents

If you have completed any coursework or have a degree from an international institution outside of the U.S., you are required to:

• Submit an educational evaluation from World Education Services (WES), Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI), or Educational Credentials Evaluators, Inc. (ECE), directly to the Office of Graduate Studies upon submission of a CSU Apply application.
• Students who earned a degree from an Institution located in a nation where English is not the official Language must take TOEFL or IELTS or PTE (www.toefl.org or http://www.ielts.org or www.pearsonpte.com).
• Please refer to the Office of Graduate Studies website under  ”Applicants with Foreign Documents” for specific guidelines on submitting documents.