Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Leadership Online

The College of Nursing and Health Professions School of Nursing requires a high level of proficiency in English so that all students will be able to fully meet academic and clinical objectives as well as meet criteria for professional licensure.

Applicants whose primary language is not English or did not attend K-12 in the United States must demonstrate English language proficiency through the following tests: 

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 4.5 on the preferred internet-based test (iBT), 570 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test
  • For exams taken before January 21, 2026:
    We require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 86
  • For exams taken on or after January 21, 2026:
    We require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 4.5
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a score of at least 7 and a spoken band score of 7
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) with a score of 63
• Accuplacer Exit ESL with a score of 109

The TOEFL and Exit ESL are available at the Testing Center. When taking the exam off campus, the report code for A-State is 6011. All test scores are valid for two (2) years.

 Exemptions may apply: See A-State's international undergraduate and graduate admission pages for more information. 

Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.

1. When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
2. Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
3. Submit all official college transcripts. Save time by requesting transcripts be sent electronically.

While not needed to render an admissions decision, the following information is required to be completed prior to starting the first course (or the applicable course):

• Satisfactory background check completed through Verified Credentials
• Completion of the Verification of Clinical Practice by the institution where you earned your MSN (applies to non-Arkansas State MSN graduates)

Also, the following information is required to be completed by the completion of your first semester:

• Current CPR Records
• Current TB Skin Test
• Hep B Vaccinations
• MMR 1 and 2
• Professional Liability Insurance

If you have any questions along the way, call us at 866-621-8096, and we'll be happy to help answer questions.

Submit all documents to:

Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]

For non-US postal mail overnight delivery only:

Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. Transfer credit will be evaluated by the Director of the Program. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.

Transfer work will be entered on the student’s permanent academic record when an official transcript is presented to the University from a regionally accredited institution. Any transfer work received from a non-accredited institution is evaluated and considered on a case by case basis in the Office of the Registrar in conjunction with Academic Affairs and the Office of International Programs (as applicable). Please note that Sophia Learning and Straighterline have previously been reviewed and are NOT accepted as transfer work.