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How To Apply - Post Graduate Advanced Certificate

 Fall 2024 Admissions - Apply by July 1, 2024

How To Apply

1. Complete the SUNY Upstate application

Take your first step by completing the online application. The application takes approximately 40 minutes to complete. As a first time applicant, you will be prompted to set up an account. You can always take a break and come back to your application.

SUNY Upstate is proud to waive the Upstate application fee for US Veterans and/or Active Duty Military! Instructions on how to submit a waiver are provided within the application. If you have any questions regarding this waiver, please email apply@upstate.edu and indicate your program of interest.

There is an application fee of $65.

2. Submit Three Letters of Recommendation

Letters should come from nursing professionals who can comment on your clinical expertise and academic abilities (faculty, supervisor, and/or preceptor/mentor). At least one of the letters should be from a doctorally prepared person. Applicants will submit their reference's information when filling out their application for admission. Upon submission of the application, the references will receive instructions on how to submit them through MyUpstate.

3. Submit Official Transcripts

Request to have your transcripts sent directly to Upstate Medical University from each educational institution you attended. Official transcripts must be mailed directly to the Admissions Office by the records office of the issuing institution. Official transcripts delivered by hand will be accepted only if they are sealed in the original envelope provided by the community college or university and bear the university seal and the signature of the registrar of the issuing institution. Please have your previous academic institutions mail your official transcripts here:

SUNY Upstate Medical University
750 East Adams Street
Admissions and Financial Aid
1213 Weiskotten Hall
Syracuse, NY 13210

Official transcripts delivered electronically should be sent to apply@upstate.edu.

* Note: If your college transcripts are not in English, or are not in the same grading system as the United States, you will need to get a translation and a course-by-course educational credential evaluation completed by an approved agency.  While we are most familiar with World Education Services (WES), we will accept any evaluation service that is accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

* Note: If you have completed an associate degree or higher, you will not need to send a high school transcript

4. Current National Board Certification:

APRN must have current National Board Certification in their designated specialty and upload it to the application: Family NP, Family Psychiatric Mental Health, Pediatrics NP, Adult,  Adult Gerontology or Clinical Nurse Specialist

5. Writing Sample:

Essay guidelines are included in the SUNY Upstate Application.


The Application Process

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Pre-Applying

Before applying, applicants are encouraged to review the Admission Requirements for their intended program of study and GPA requirement.

Official transcripts showing a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

We encourage prospective students to learn more about their program of interest by attending an Open House or any of our Virtual Events. We also offer Individual meetings with an Admissions Advisor to discuss transfer credits, program requirements, etc.

Application Deadlines

 Fall 2024 Admissions - Apply by July 1, 2024

Post Graduate Advanced Certificate programs: Family, Pediatrics, Family Psychiatric Mental Health, and Adult Geriatric Primary Care

Applications are accepted for fall semester. Admission is rolling until the program is full.

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Once Your Application is Complete

After all admission required items are submitted, your application will change the status to complete. The admissions office will review and bring to the Admissions Committee for decision. All transfer credit will be evaluated in Admissions Committee. Decisions are sent out via e-mail. See the acceptance letter for the deadline to submit a deposit to secure a place in the class.

Accepted students will be required to submit their unencumbered U.S. registered nurse license and current CPR certification through the Incoming Student Checklist. We also require a background check after being offered admission, and prior to the start of the program at SUNY Upstate. All admitted students are admitted conditionally until background check results are obtained and reviewed by SUNY Upstate.

Checking Your Application Status

The Admissions Office will be communicating application status changes via email.  You can also check the application status by login back to the application you have submitted. Your checklist is updated live as our application processing team receives your documents.

Reapplication Process

We encourage applicants who have previously applied to SUNY Upstate, and who were not admitted, to reach out to our admissions office for a post-advisement session to learn how to strengthen their application for re-applying. You can request an appointment by calling our office at 315-464-4570 or by emailing admiss@upstate.edu (please be sure to include the name and year of the program in the subject of your email). 

The application process is still the same for reapplying, as outlined below, but we do hope to see an improvement in the quality of an application from one year to the next. 

Those reapplying will need to submit:

  • A new College of Nursing Application
    (please indicate the year of the previous application)
  • Three new Letters of Recommendation
  • Updated transcripts. Official college transcripts are required for any course work completed since the previous application. Previously submitted final college transcripts are transferable from the earlier application.
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