As a University of Phoenix student, you can earn your associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from the largest private university in North America—and sooner than you may think. Best of all, you can earn your degree while still having time for your job, family and other commitments.
Following are the admission requirements for University of Phoenix. Contact us today about starting your degree program. Or click here for Transfer Information.
For easy-to-read information about the University, see our Quick Start Guide to Becoming a Student. The guide includes details on applying to the University and applying for federal financial aid, as well as an overview of our learning approach and frequently asked questions.
Associate and Bachelor Admission Requirements
Graduate Admission Requirements
Doctoral Admission Requirements
Associate and Bachelor Admission Requirements
To enter an associate or bachelor degree program, you must:
- have earned a high school diploma, GED, California High School Proficiency Examination certificate, or foreign secondary school equivalent.
- be currently employed. If you are not employed, you must have access to an organizational environment that allows you to apply the concepts you learn in our courses. Selected undergraduate programs require applicants entering with less than 24 transferable credits to have current employment or access to an organizational environment and one year of full-time work experience.
- be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold an approved, valid visa if attending a campus located in the United States.
- complete all required forms for admission, submit high school graduation documentation if you are a resident of Nevada or South Carolina, and submit official test scores and official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
- submit immunization documentation if you are a resident of Oklahoma enrolling in a campus-based program.
- pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English as an International Communication (TOEIC), the Berlitz® Online English Proficiency Exam or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if a non-native speaker of English.
As part of your admission, and depending upon your grades and/or scores, prior coursework from regionally accredited or nationally accredited degree-granting institutions, or the credit earned through a national testing program such as CLEP, DANTES or Advanced Placement may be evaluated and considered for academic credit. If you have had professional training or served in the military, you may be able to convert your training into academic credits.
LPN or LVN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Admissions Requirements
To enter the Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, you must:
- have earned a high school diploma, GED, California High School Proficiency Examination certificate, or foreign secondary school equivalent.
- have completed an LPN or LVN nursing program.
- have a valid, unrestricted, unencumbered LPN or LVN license from the United States.
- have six months of full-time, post- LPN or LVN work experience in the health care industry within the last three years.
- have current employment or have access to a health care organizational environment that allows you to apply the concepts you learn in our courses if you are not employed.
- be a legal and permanent resident of the United States or hold an approved, valid visa.
- complete all required forms for admission, submit high school graduation documentation if you are a resident of Nevada or South Carolina, and submit official test scores and official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
- have a signed Criminal Background Check Disclosure.
- pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English as an International Communication (TOEIC), the Berlitz® Online English Proficiency Exam or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if a non-native speaker of English.
As part of your admission, and depending upon your grades and/or scores, prior coursework from regionally accredited or nationally accredited degree-granting institutions, or the credit earned through a national testing program such as CLEP, DANTES or Advanced Placement may be evaluated and considered for academic credit. If you have had professional training or served in the military, you may be able to convert your training into academic credits.
RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Admission Requirements
To enter the RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, you must:
- have earned a high school diploma, GED, California High School Proficiency Examination certificate, or foreign secondary school equivalent.
- have earned an associate's degree in nursing from a regionally or nationally accredited institution or diploma in nursing from a hospital school of nursing.
- have a valid, unrestricted, unencumbered RN license from the United States.
- have one year of full-time, post-high school work experience in the health care industry.
- have current employment as an RN or have access to a health care organizational environment that allows you to apply the concepts you learn in our courses if you are not employed.
- be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold an approved, valid visa if attending a campus located in the United States.
- complete all required forms for admission, and submit official test scores and official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
- pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), the Berlitz® Online English Proficiency Exam or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if a non-native speaker of English.
As part of your admission, and depending upon your grades and/or scores, prior coursework from regionally accredited or nationally accredited degree-granting institutions, or the credit earned through a national testing program such as CLEP, DANTES or Advanced Placement may be evaluated and considered for academic credit. If you have had professional training or served in the military, you may be able to convert your training into academic credits.
Graduate Admission Requirements
To enter a graduate degree program, you must:
- have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited, or candidate for accreditation, or approved nationally accredited college or university, or a comparable degree from a recognized institution outside the United States, and a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) as shown on the undergraduate degree posted transcript.
- provide verification of a minimum of three years of significant full-time, post-high school work experience. Note: A year of health care experience is required for the Master in Health Administration degree program.
- be currently employed. If you are not currently employed, you must have access to an organizational environment that allows you to apply the concepts you learn in our courses.
- be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold an approved, valid visa if attending a campus located in the United States.
- complete all required forms for admission and submit an official undergraduate degree posted transcript.
- submit immunization documentation if you are a resident of Oklahoma enrolling in a campus-based program.
- pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English as an International Communication (TOEIC), the Berlitz® Online English Proficiency Exam or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if a non-native speaker of English.
Certain graduate programs have additional admission requirements. Please contact a University of Phoenix Enrollment Representative for information.
Master of Arts in Education Admission Requirements
To enter a Master of Arts in Education program, you must:
- have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited, or candidate for accreditation, college or university, or a comparable degree from a recognized institution outside the United States, and a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) as shown on the undergraduate degree posted transcript. The following programs will accept an undergraduate degree from a nationally accredited college or university: Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Training, Master of Arts in Education/Early Childhood Education (non-certification) program.
- provide verification of a minimum of three years of significant full-time, post-high school work experience.
- be currently employed. If you are not currently employed, you must have access to an organizational environment that allows you to apply the concepts you learn in our courses. Note: The Master of Arts in Education/Early Childhood Education program requires that work experience includes nine months of instructional experience in a P-12 setting. The Master of Arts in Education/Administration and Supervision program requires that work experience includes 18 months of instructional experience in a P-12 setting. No previous instructional experience is required for Master of Arts in Education programs in Curriculum and Instruction, Adult Education and Training, Elementary Teacher Education, and Secondary Teacher Education.
- be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold an approved, valid visa if attending a campus located in the United States.
- complete all required forms for admission and submit an official undergraduate degree posted transcript.
- pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), the Berlitz® Online English Proficiency Exam or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if a non-native speaker of English.
Master of Science in Nursing Admission Requirements
To enter a Master of Science in Nursing degree program, you must:
- have earned an undergraduate degree in a nursing program with an upper division major in nursing from a regionally accredited, or candidate for accreditation, college or university or a comparable degree from a recognized institution outside the United States. Nurses who hold baccalaureate degrees in non-nursing programs from a regionally accredited college or university must meet the BSN equivalency by successfully completing the University of Phoenix MSN Bridge Program. This program enables nurses with bachelor's degrees in areas other than nursing to complete three courses at the BSN level, then move directly into the MSN curriculum.
- complete all required forms for admission and submit an official undergraduate degree posted transcript.
- have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) as shown on the undergraduate degree posted transcript.
- provide verification of a minimum of three years of significant full-time, post-high school work experience within the past 10 years, of which one year must be as a practicing RN (one year as a practicing NP for applicants of the Master of Science in Nursing/Nurse Practitioner program, a graduate degree completion option for nurse practitioners), and one year must be of other health care experience.
- be currently employed. If you are not currently employed, you must have access to an organizational environment that allows you to apply the concepts you learn in our courses.
- be able to meet minimal mental and physical qualifications to complete clinical course requirements.
- have a valid, unrestricted, unencumbered RN license (a valid, unrestricted, unencumbered NP license for applicants of the Master of Science in Nursing/Nurse Practitioner program, a graduate degree completion option for nurse practitioners) from the United States.
- be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold an approved, valid visa if attending a campus located in the United States.
- pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), the Berlitz® Online English Proficiency Exam or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if a non-native speaker of English.
Additional admission requirements for the Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner program:
- have a signed Professional Non-Academic Disclosure Agreement.
- complete an Advanced Practice Role Essay. Criteria are provided to guide applicants in completing this requirement.
- have a signed Criminal Background Check Disclosure.
- have a 3.0 GPA.
- provide verification of a minimum of three years of significant full-time, post-high school work experience within the past 10 years, of which two years must be as a practicing RN, and one year must be of other health care experience.
Doctoral Admission Requirements
To enter a doctoral degree program, you must:
- have a master's degree from a regionally accredited, or candidate for accreditation, or approved nationally accredited college or university, or a comparable degree from a recognized institution outside the United States.
- have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on graduate degree posted transcripts.
- have three years of professional work experience with current or a record of past employment in a leadership position. NOTE; For the Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration applicant, admission requires two years of professional experience in a higher education setting or two years of experience in a professional supervisory role within an equivalent (business, social services) setting.
- have a laptop computer with Internet access. Laptops must be brought to residencies.
- have a membership in a research library.
- have a signed University hardware/software agreement.
Additional admission requirements for international applicants to doctoral programs:
- have a comparable graduate degree earned at a recognized foreign institution that is regionally or nationally accredited, or a candidate for accreditation, or an equivalent institution. Copies of official transcripts from the university will be required, as well as translations if the transcripts are not in English.
- have a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL®) test score of 213 or minimum Berlitz® score of 550 if your native language is not English. Either of these tests must have been taken within two years of applying to University of Phoenix. Click here to take the test. Alternatively, you may have a letter from the issuing institution's registrar or equivalent school official sent directly to University of Phoenix stating that English is the sole instructional language used in the foreign institution from which you received or plan to receive your degree. The letter must be on the institution's letterhead.
TOEFL is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Services. Berlitz is a registered trademark of Berlitz International Inc.