10 Online FNP Programs Without a GRE Requirement in 2027

If you’ve been putting off applying to a family nurse practitioner (FNP) program because of the entrance exam, you can stop. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) has quietly disappeared from most graduate nursing admissions, and the programs below admit registered nurses (RNs) without a score. 

What hasn’t disappeared is everything else schools use to evaluate you — grade point average (GPA) floors, clinical experience minimums, interviews, and in several cases required trips to campus. Knowing which of those applies to you matters far more than the test ever did.

Do FNP Programs Require the GRE?

Most no longer do. Over the past several years the test has largely vanished from graduate nursing admissions, to the point that programs still asking for a score are now the exception rather than the rule. That shift is genuine, but the phrase “no GRE” gets used loosely, and the differences are worth your attention before you spend an application fee. Across FNP programs, it tends to mean one of three things.

• Not required at all: The program never asks for a score, regardless of your GPA or background. Every school below falls in this category.
• Waived if you clear a GPA bar: The requirement is still on the books and applies to the applicants most likely to be searching for a way around it. Jacksonville University asks for a GRE score of 290 or higher but waives it for applicants with a 3.0 undergraduate nursing GPA. Carson-Newman University follows the same pattern. The University of Houston requires a GRE or Miller Analogies Test score from applicants in the 2.75 to 2.9 GPA range who want conditional admission, and the University of Texas at Arlington publishes minimum GRE scores specifically for probationary admission.
• Required only on request: George Mason University lists, among the additional requirements for its FNP concentration, the Graduate Record Exam “only upon request.” Plenty of roundups file Mason under no-GRE programs anyway.

10 Online FNP Programs That Don’t Require the GRE

The schools below are public or private nonprofit institutions, regionally accredited, with nursing programs accredited by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). They appear in alphabetical order rather than ranked order, since the right fit depends on where you live and how much clinical experience you’ve logged.

1. Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Commonwealth states the policy as plainly as any school in the country: the GRE is not required for admission. The nurse practitioner master’s offers a Family/Individual Across the Lifespan concentration delivered fully online, with core courses asynchronous so you can fit them around shifts. 

You’ll need a 3.0 GPA and a year of current clinical RN practice to apply, and the program draws a useful distinction — no acute care experience is needed at the application stage, but you’ll need a year of acute primary care experience before clinical rotations begin. Admission runs on a rolling basis and includes an interview with the graduate nursing admissions committee. Confirm the credit total with the department, since published figures vary.

2. Frontier Nursing University

Frontier is worth a look if your GPA is the thing holding you back. The school doesn’t list the GRE among its admission criteria, and applicants with a cumulative GPA between 2.80 and 2.99 can submit a supporting statement plus up to three references rather than being turned away outright — the most forgiving GPA door among the programs here. Frontier trains graduate nurses exclusively, and its FNP certification pass rate sits in the mid-90s. 

One year of RN experience is expected, though the admissions committee will weigh other significant health care experience, including doula, childbirth educator, and lactation consultant work. Plan for two required campus sessions and clinicals within the continental U.S. or Hawaii.

3. Goodwin University

Goodwin addresses the question head-on, noting that unlike many online nursing master’s programs, it doesn’t require GRE scores. The Connecticut nonprofit builds its FNP track for working nurses and advertises completion in as few as 27 months, which puts it among the faster options available. 

You’ll need a college-level statistics course and an upper-division research course before you apply, along with an essay explaining how the degree fits the role you want to step into. The application fee is waived for Goodwin graduates. Because Goodwin publishes admission details on a separate FNP page from its general nursing master’s page, check both before assembling your materials.

4. Indiana State University

Indiana State earns its place here for a reason no other program on the roster can claim: it states outright that on-campus visits are not required. For a nurse working rotating shifts three states away, that single sentence settles more than any ranking would. The program is accredited by ACEN, which has held continuous accreditation of Indiana State’s graduate nursing program since 1989 and qualifies graduates for national certification exactly as CCNE does. 

You’ll need a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and an unencumbered RN license in your state of residence, and a video or in-person interview may still be part of the review. Check the state eligibility page first, since availability varies.

5. Ohio University

Ohio University says no GRE or GMAT is required and keeps its master’s at 40 credit hours across 11 courses, with two start dates a year and transfer credit accepted for up to a quarter of the program. The catch is experience: you’ll need the equivalent of two full-time years working as an RN within the past five, which makes this a poor fit straight out of a bachelor’s program and a strong one if you’ve been on the floor a while. 

Expect three recommendation letters, a web-based interview with faculty, and residency in an approved state. Coursework is online, but you’ll attend two on-campus intensives plus short clinical skills workshops.

6. Old Dominion University

Old Dominion is the most accessible option here for nurses early in their careers. Its graduate catalog lists no GRE requirement and no waiver conditions attached to it, and it describes at least one year of recent clinical practice as preferred rather than required — language almost no other FNP program uses. 

The concentration runs 47 credits in an online and hybrid format. You’ll need a 3.0 GPA, an undergraduate health assessment course, and an undergraduate statistics or research course, and those prerequisites have teeth: applications without them completed by the deadline aren’t reviewed. Plan on three letters, including one from former faculty and one from an RN-role employer, plus a short goals essay. Applications close March 1.

7. San Diego State University

San Diego State’s FNP sits inside a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) rather than a master’s, so it’s a longer commitment than most options here, and the program states clearly that the GRE is not required for admission. Graduates finish prepared to sit for either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) family exam, so neither credential route closes off. 

Admission asks for an acceptable nursing bachelor’s or master’s from an accredited program and two recommendation letters from professionals who can speak to your practice. One requirement narrows the field sharply: you’ll need a current, unencumbered California RN license with no disciplinary action pending.

8. Texas State University

Texas State’s School of Nursing confirms the GRE is not required and runs a 43-credit master’s built around one-on-one preceptor work. Two restrictions shape who can realistically apply. You must reside in Texas — compact licenses count only if Texas is your home state — and you’ll travel to the Round Rock campus for required learning experiences two weekends per semester. 

Admission is fall only, with no spring or summer entry, and the application window runs August 1 to January 25. You’ll need a year of full-time RN experience dated from licensure, a 3.0 GPA in nursing coursework and across your last 60 undergraduate hours, three letters, and an interview. Note that Texas State’s separate online marketing site lists a higher GPA minimum than the nursing school does.

9. University of Nevada, Las Vegas

UNLV answers the question directly in its master’s admissions materials: the GRE is not a requirement. Most course content across both tracks is taught online and asynchronously, and the school keeps its FNP cohort small. The requirement to weigh carefully is campus attendance — FNP students come to campus seven times over the program for orientation, skills labs, and final objective structured clinical examination pass-offs. 

That’s the highest visit count among the programs here, and it makes UNLV a better fit for nurses in or near Nevada than for someone across the country. You’ll need a 3.0 cumulative GPA and an active license where you’ll complete clinical hours. Applications are due February 1.

10. University of South Carolina

South Carolina states that the GRE is not required and delivers all didactic coursework online at a distance, with some courses including on-campus immersion. Students complete 784 direct clinical hours. The barrier here isn’t the test or the 3.0 GPA — it’s practice hours. 

You’ll need a minimum of 2,400 hours of nursing experience within the past 24 months, with acute care experience in intensive care, critical care, medical-surgical, or emergency settings preferred. Stated in hours rather than years, it’s a steeper requirement than it first appears. Admitted students also submit a nonrefundable seat deposit that applies toward tuition, and applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents licensed in an approved state.

How We Rank Schools

To create this list, we review data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), along with program-level details published by each university.

Programs were evaluated against criteria built for nurses who need a realistic path into advanced practice, not the highest-profile name. The following factors carried the most weight.

• Verified GRE policy: Every program was confirmed on the school’s own nursing department or catalog page. Marketing microsites run by outside enrollment partners were treated as leads only, because several contradicted the academic department on GPA minimums, delivery format, and campus requirements.
• Institutional type and accreditation: Only public and private nonprofit institutions with regional accreditation and CCNE or ACEN nursing accreditation were considered.
• Transparency about what replaced the test: Programs that publish their experience requirements, campus obligations, and state limits scored higher than those that leave you to discover them after applying.
• Realistic access for working nurses: Asynchronous coursework, local clinical placement, and multiple start dates were weighed alongside the admission requirements themselves.

What Replaces the GRE in FNP Admissions

Dropping the test didn’t make these programs easier to enter. It shifted the weight onto four other factors, and the spread among them is wide enough to determine where you should apply.

• Clinical experience: This is the real gate, and it’s the detail most program roundups skip. Requirements range from none stated at Indiana State and UNLV, through Old Dominion’s “preferred but not required,” to one year at Commonwealth, Frontier, and Texas State, two years at Ohio University, and South Carolina’s 2,400 hours inside a 24-month window.
• GPA: A 3.0 minimum is close to universal, but how schools measure it differs. Texas State looks at nursing coursework and your last 60 hours separately, and Frontier will consider applicants slightly below 3.0 with supporting materials.
• Interviews: Now standard rather than exceptional. Commonwealth, Texas State, and Ohio University all build one into the process, and Indiana State may request one.
• State eligibility: Online nursing programs are limited by where they’re authorized to place students in clinicals. Texas State takes Texas residents only, George Mason excludes seven states and territories, and Ohio University, South Carolina, and Indiana State all maintain approved-state lists.

Learn more about our ranking methodology. 

Online, Asynchronous, and No Travel Are Three Different Claims

A program described as online may still expect you on campus, and one with no campus requirement may still expect you logged in at a scheduled hour. The three claims get used interchangeably in program marketing, and separating them will save you a painful surprise in your second semester.

Indiana State is the only program here that states campus visits aren’t required. At the other end, UNLV brings FNP students to campus seven times and Texas State requires two weekends every semester. Ohio University describes coursework as fully online while scheduling two intensives plus skills workshops, and Frontier requires a three-day orientation and a five-day session before clinical practicum.

Asynchronous delivery is a separate question. Commonwealth and Ohio University build their coursework for nurses who study after shifts, while other programs embed live sessions at fixed times. If you work nights or rotating shifts, confirm that distinction before you enroll, not after.

Clinical placement is the third variable, and arguably the most consequential. Some schools secure your preceptor, some help, and some leave it largely to you. Frontier and Texas State both advertise placement support; other programs warn that you may need to travel outside your area and cover transportation yourself.

Paying for Your FNP Degree

Public universities on the roster generally charge less per credit than the private nonprofits, and several hold out-of-state students to rates closer to in-state than you’d expect for an online program. Because tuition changes annually, treat any figure you find on a third-party site as a starting point and confirm the current rate with the school.

A few costs sit outside tuition and catch applicants off guard. South Carolina requires a nonrefundable seat deposit from admitted students, applied toward tuition but due well before your first class. Most programs also require student liability insurance, background checks and drug screening, immunization documentation, Basic Life Support certification, and proof of health insurance each semester. Texas State spells out a laptop requirement. If campus visits are part of your program, budget travel and lodging for every one of them — Frontier houses students on campus for both required sessions, and seven trips to Las Vegas add up quickly.

Federal aid is available for degree-seeking students in these programs, and several schools participate in the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. Nurses employed by hospitals and health systems should check employer tuition assistance before borrowing, since many systems fund advanced practice degrees for staff who commit to staying on.

FAQs About No-GRE Online FNP Programs

A few questions come up repeatedly from nurses weighing these programs.

Do Employers Care Whether Your Program Required the GRE?

No. Employers and credentialing bodies look at your degree, your national certification, and your state APRN licensure. Admission testing policy isn’t part of credentialing and doesn’t appear on your transcript. What does matter is that your program holds CCNE or ACEN accreditation, since that’s what makes you eligible to sit for certification in the first place.

Can a Low GPA Be Offset Without a Test Score?

Sometimes, though the mechanism varies. Frontier allows applicants between 2.80 and 2.99 to submit a supporting statement and additional references. Other schools offer provisional or conditional admission that lets you start while proving yourself across early coursework. Be careful with programs advertising a GRE waiver tied to a 3.0 GPA — if your GPA falls below that line, the test is still required of you specifically.

Who Arranges Your Clinical Placement?

It depends entirely on the school, and you should ask before you deposit. Some programs have dedicated placement staff who secure your site and preceptor, some verify sites you identify, and some expect you to find all of them yourself. Published student accounts from nurses in these programs describe finding several of their own sites even at schools advertising support, so ask how many placements the school has secured for students in your state recently.

Is an ACEN-Accredited Program as Good as a CCNE One?

Yes, for certification and licensure purposes. Both ACEN and CCNE are recognized nursing accreditors, and graduates of programs accredited by either are eligible for ANCC and AANPCB family certification. Nurses often screen for CCNE out of habit and overlook strong ACEN programs as a result, which is part of why Indiana State flies under the radar.

How Do You Find Out Whether a Program Accepts Students in Your State?

Every school maintains a state authorization page, usually linked from the nursing program’s admissions section. Check it before anything else, because authorization governs whether the school can place you in clinicals where you live. A program may be authorized to deliver coursework in your state while being unable to arrange your practicum there, and some exclude specific states outright or require residency in a short list.

Can RN Experience Requirements Be Waived?

Rarely, and you shouldn’t plan on it. Experience minimums tied to clinical readiness are usually firm, since programs need you prepared for a preceptor’s caseload. The more productive approach is to apply where the requirement already matches your record. If you’re newly licensed, Old Dominion, Indiana State, and UNLV are the realistic starting points; if you’ve logged several years, Ohio University and South Carolina open up.

Explore Graduate Nursing Programs

The GRE is no longer the thing standing between you and advanced practice. Your clinical hours, your GPA, where you’re licensed, and how far you can travel will decide where you get in, and those vary enough across the programs here that the right move is to match your own record against each school’s stated requirements rather than applying broadly and hoping. Nurses comparing FNP programs alongside other advanced practice routes will find Learn.org’s nursing coverage useful for working out which specialty and degree level fit the career you’re building.