University of Connecticut FNP Programs

Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing • Storrs, CT • Mostly Online • $1,200/credit

The University of Connecticut offers 3 Family Nurse Practitioner Tracks:

  • MS
  • BS-DNP
  • Post-Graduate APRN Certificate

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. TuitionEst. DurationCredit Hours
MS~$57.6KNot stated48
BS-DNP~$93.6K–$96KNot stated78–80
Certificate~$36K+Not stated30+ (variable)

UConn’s defining advantage is flagship-university credentials at one flat price: every online FNP student pays $1,200 per credit regardless of state residency, in a program U.S. News ranked #4 among online nursing master’s programs (2026) with a 94% first-attempt certification pass rate (2020–2024). The trade-off is access — one summer start per year, a January 15 deadline, and a 2,080-hour RN experience requirement.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
Program TypesMS (48 cr), BS-DNP (78–80 cr), Post-Grad APRN Certificate (30+ cr)
FormatOnline — 100% online coursework; clinicals completed locally
Clinical HoursDNP: minimum 1,000 supervised post-baccalaureate hours. MS: not clearly stated
Clinical PlacementNot clearly stated
PopulationPrimary care across the lifespan, within family and community context
Distinctive CourseworkManagement of Childbearing Women and Children; DNP “Scholarship of Application” core
RN License RequirementsRN license; 2,080 verified direct patient care hours (MS applicants)
Admissions CycleSingle summer intake; applications September 9–January 15
Enrollment RestrictionsNot open to students residing outside the U.S.; state approval varies — verify your state
Tuition$1,200/credit flat comprehensive fee — same for all residencies
AccreditationCCNE (MS, DNP, post-grad APRN certificate); NECHE institutional

MS — Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the FNP Master of Science at UConn is approximately $57,600 (48 credits at $1,200/credit). Program length is not clearly stated; students enroll part-time or full-time with a single summer-semester start each year.

MS Curriculum

The MS curriculum is built around a four-course clinical management sequence that escalates in complexity — from common health problems (Practice I–II) through common-and-comorbid (Practice III) to complex-and-comorbid conditions (Practice IV) — with three practicums threaded alongside. This staged progression means clinical hours track the didactic difficulty curve rather than front-loading or back-loading patient care.

A dedicated course in childbearing women and children is a genuine differentiator: many FNP programs fold pediatrics and obstetrics into general lifespan courses rather than giving them standalone treatment.

Representative courses:

  • NURS 5060 – Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan (3 cr)
  • NURS 5062 – Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (3 cr)
  • NURS 5470 – Advanced Pharmacology for ANP PC Focus (3 cr)
  • NURS 5410 – Common and Comorbid Health Problems in APN Primary Care Practice III (3 cr)
  • NURS 5420 – Complex and Comorbid Health Problems in APN Primary Care Practice IV (3 cr)
  • NURS 5430 – Management of Childbearing Women and Children (3 cr)
  • NURS 5409 – APN Clinical Practicum I (3 cr)
  • NURS 5439 – FNP Primary Care Practicum II (3 cr)
  • NURS 5449 – FNP Primary Care Practicum III (3 cr)

MS Clinical Requirements

  • Total clinical hours: not clearly stated for the MS track
  • Three sequenced practicum courses (Practicum I–III) integrated with the management course sequence
  • Placement model: not clearly stated
  • Students must meet clinical practice competency standards (motor, sensory, communication, behavior, critical thinking) from admission through graduation

UConn does not publish a clinical hour total for the MS on the program page — a notable gap, since FNP programs range from the 500-hour certification floor to 700+ hours and that difference materially affects workload planning.

The 94% first-attempt AANP/ANCC pass rate (2020–2024) suggests the clinical preparation is sound, but confirm the hour total and placement policy with the school before applying, especially if you live outside Connecticut, where state-by-state practicum approval varies.

MS Admissions

Admissions are more gated than most online FNP programs: one intake per year, a documented RN experience requirement, and unusually specific reference rules.

  • BSN or higher from a regionally accredited institution; minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
  • Verified minimum of 2,080 direct patient care hours as an RN (roughly one year full-time)
  • Three letters: one academic (faculty/advisor — nurse educators and coworkers do not qualify), one from a clinical supervisor or nurse manager, one from an APRN or physician mentor
  • Written responses on career goals, specialty choice, and reasons for choosing UConn; current resume; unofficial transcripts
  • No GRE; no residence affidavit
  • Applications accepted September 9, 2026–January 15, 2027 for the following summer start; reviewed in order received; late applications considered only space-available or deferred a year
  • $1,000 non-refundable deposit (applied to tuition) upon acceptance
  • TOEFL 79 (internet) / 550 (paper) or Duolingo 100 if applicable; program not approved for students residing outside the U.S.

BS-DNP — Family Nurse Practitioner

The estimated tuition for the FNP BS-to-DNP at UConn is approximately $93,600–$96,000 (78–80 credits at $1,200/credit). Program length is not clearly stated; students complete both a BS-to-MS and an MS-to-DNP plan of study, starting in summer.

The FNP program page lists the BS-DNP at 78–80 credits, while the graduate catalog states BS-DNP options range from 64–70 credits depending on concentration. Verify the current FNP-specific credit total with the school before budgeting.

BS-DNP Curriculum

Structure. The BS-DNP stacks the full FNP MS sequence with a doctoral core UConn brands the “Scholarship of Application” — eight courses covering statistics and research methods, evidence-based practice, quality and systems leadership, informatics, health policy, and leadership. Graduation requires a scholarly portfolio, a general exam, and a DNP project — a heavier capstone load than many DNP programs, which typically require the project alone.

Doctoral sequence. Representative courses:

  • NURS 5845 – Health Services Statistics & Research Methods (3 cr)
  • NURS 5855 – Evidence-Based Practice for the Scholarship of Application (3 cr)
  • NURS 5860 – Quality & Organizational/Systems Leadership (3 cr)
  • NURS 5865 – Information Systems for the Scholarship of Application (3 cr)
  • NURS 5870 – Health Policy & Populations-based Advocacy (3 cr)
  • NURS 5869/5879/5889 – DNP Residency & Seminar I–III (1–6 cr each)
  • NURS 5895 – DNP Seminar Series for the DNP Project (1 cr)
  • GRAD 5910 – Responsible Conduct in Research (1 cr)

More curriculum details are available here.

BS-DNP Clinical Requirements

  • Minimum 1,000 supervised clinical hours post-baccalaureate, documented as a graduation requirement
  • Three DNP Residency & Seminar courses structure the doctoral practice hours
  • Cumulative 3.0 GPA required; “B” or better in all NURS-prefix graduate courses
  • Placement model: not clearly stated

The 1,000-hour minimum is the national DNP standard, not a UConn add-on — but it doubles the 500-hour FNP certification floor, and the residency seminar structure spreads those hours across three supervised phases rather than leaving students to log them independently. If you plan to earn a DNP eventually, entering the BS-DNP directly avoids reapplying later; UConn also offers a post-MS DNP path (minimum 25 credits) for those who complete the MS first.

BS-DNP Admissions

Requirements largely mirror the MS track (see above). BS-DNP-specific details:

  • Apply under Levels of Study: PhD/Doctoral; Program: Nursing BS-DNP
  • Same January 15 deadline and summer-only start
  • Same 2,080-hour direct patient care verification and reference structure

Post-Graduate APRN Certificate — FNP

The estimated tuition for the FNP Post-Graduate Certificate at UConn is approximately $36,000 and up (30+ credits at $1,200/credit, variable by prior coursework). Program length is not clearly stated and depends on how much of the nurse’s master’s coursework transfers.

Certificate Curriculum

The certificate uses a gap analysis model: credits above the 30-credit floor are assigned based on what the applicant already completed in their master’s degree. Nurses whose MSN covered the 3 Ps recently will sit closer to 30 credits; those with older or non-APRN master’s degrees should expect more. At $1,200/credit, each added course costs $3,600 — ask for a written gap analysis before enrolling, because the true price of this certificate varies by thousands of dollars per student.

Certificate Clinical Requirements

  • Total clinical hours: not clearly stated
  • Applicants must verify clinical hours completed during their initial APRN program
  • Same clinical practice competency standards apply

The requirement to document hours from your original APRN program signals this certificate is designed for practicing APRNs adding the family population focus, with new clinical hours scoped to fill gaps rather than repeat training.

Certificate Admissions

  • Master’s degree in nursing required
  • Verification of clinical hours from initial APRN program (in place of the 2,080-hour RN form)
  • Same references, essays, resume, transcripts, January 15 deadline, and summer start as the degree tracks
  • Apply under Levels of Study: Certificate; Concentration: Family Nurse Practitioner – Grad Certificate

Tuition

Total estimated tuition: approximately $57,600 for the MS (48 credits × $1,200), $93,600–$96,000 for the BS-DNP (78–80 credits × $1,200), and $36,000+ for the certificate (30+ credits × $1,200).

Per a 2024 Board of Trustees decision, all online FNP students — MS, certificate, and DNP — pay a comprehensive fee of $1,200 per credit ($3,600 per 3-credit course) beginning Fall 2024.

  • The rate is identical for Connecticut residents, out-of-state students, and international students — no residency premium
  • The comprehensive fee replaces the general university tuition-and-fee schedule; UConn’s standard bursar tables (in-state ~$1,084/credit plus itemized fees) do not apply to online FNP students
  • A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required at acceptance and applies toward tuition
  • Certificate cost varies with the individualized credit total; degree-track totals are estimates derived from published credits × rate

The flat rate matters most for out-of-state nurses: at public universities, non-resident graduate tuition often runs roughly double the resident rate, so UConn’s single price effectively gives every applicant in an approved state the in-state deal. 

Official tuition information is available here.

Why Choose This FNP Program?

This program fits nurses who want top-ranked public university credentials online, will still be practicing as an RN long enough to clear the experience gate, and can plan around a once-a-year start.

The value case is unusually clean: a #4-ranked online nursing master’s (U.S. News 2026), a 94% first-attempt AANP/ANCC pass rate across 2020–2024, and one flat $1,200/credit price for every U.S. student. Out-of-state nurses gain the most — they pay the same as Connecticut residents at a flagship state university, which is rare. Graduates have certified through both AANP (FNP-C) and ANCC (FNP-BC), so both credential paths are realistic outcomes.

The honest trade-offs are access and transparency. Admission runs once a year with a January 15 deadline; miss it and you wait a full cycle or hope for space-available review. The 2,080-hour RN experience requirement excludes new graduates that direct-entry-friendly programs would accept. The reference rules are strict enough to require planning (a true academic reference plus an APRN or physician mentor).

And two facts a careful applicant needs — MS clinical hour totals and the placement model — are not clearly stated on the program page, while state-by-state practicum approval means nurses outside Connecticut must verify eligibility for their state through UConn’s Distance Learning & Experiential Learning Requirements page before applying.

Accreditation

The master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at the University of Connecticut Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), as verified from the school’s accreditation statement. The University of Connecticut is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). UConn states that graduates are prepared to seek FNP primary care certification, and reports its 94% first-attempt pass rate across both the AANP and ANCC examinations — meaning graduates are positioned for either the FNP-C or FNP-BC credential.

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