Virginia Commonwealth University FNP Programs

School of Nursing • Richmond, VA • Hybrid • $827–$1,572/credit

Virginia Commonwealth University offers a BSN-DNP Family Nurse Practitioner track.

Program Tracks Overview

ProgramEst. TuitionEst. DurationCredit Hours
BSN-DNP$54.3K / $102.8K3.5 years (10 semesters)65

Tuition estimates use VCU’s 2026–27 doctoral per-credit tuition plus per-credit and per-semester mandatory fees (in-state / out-of-state).

VCU built its FNP doctorate for nurses who live near Richmond and keep working. Every term stays at 5 to 8 credits, campus sessions fall on set weekdays, and VCU matches each student with preceptors.

The trade-off is the commute. Seven of the ten semesters include in-person class days on the MCV Campus, and the program takes 3.5 years with no faster option and one fall start each year.

Quick Facts

FeatureDetails
Program TypesBSN-DNP with FNP concentration
FormatHybrid: weekday campus sessions in 7 of 10 semesters
Clinical Hours810 direct care plus 540 DNP project hours (1,350 total)
Clinical PlacementVCU matches preceptors each semester; site requests considered, not guaranteed
PopulationFamily/individual across the lifespan
Distinctive CourseworkPrimary Care of Special Populations; Management of Complex Patients Across the Lifespan
RN License RequirementsUnrestricted Virginia or multistate RN license; no experience minimum stated
Tuition$827/credit in-state, $1,572 out-of-state (derived, fees included)
AccreditationCCNE (DNP nurse practitioner pathway); SACSCOC institutional
PacePart-time only, 5 to 8 credits per semester
Start TermFall only; enrollment capped

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration

The estimated tuition for the D.N.P. with a concentration in family nurse practitioner at VCU is approximately $54,325 in-state or $102,750 out-of-state (65 credits at $827 or $1,572/credit, plus $57 per semester in fees). The program can generally be completed in about 3.5 years (10 consecutive semesters) of part-time study, including summers.

BSN-DNP Curriculum

Sequencing. The first semester is fully online: two asynchronous DNP core courses. Advanced pathophysiology and pharmacology are split into two 2-credit parts each (I and II), taught in back-to-back spring and summer terms on the same weekday. Health assessment follows in term 4, and the three primary care courses (adult and geriatric, pediatric, special populations) run in terms 5 through 7.

Clinical integration. Practicum starts in term 6 and continues for five straight semesters. The DNP project overlaps the last two practicums, so the final year carries direct care and project work at the same time.

Competency checkpoints. Two 1-credit synthesis courses act as gates: NURS 708 before the clinical sequence and NURS 733 for the DNP core. Most FNP programs assess readiness inside clinical courses; VCU gives it dedicated credit.

  • NURS 654/723: Advanced Pathophysiology I and II
  • NURS 655/724: Advanced Pharmacology I and II
  • NURS 726: Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (4 credits)
  • NURS 673: Primary Care of Adolescent, Adult, and Geriatric Populations
  • NURS 692: Primary Care of Pediatric Populations
  • NURS 714: Primary Care of Special Populations
  • NURS 754: Management of Complex Patients Across the Lifespan
  • NURS 735–763: Family Primary Care Practicum I–V
  • NURS 794/795: DNP Project I and II

More curriculum details are available here.

BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements

  • Direct care: 810 hours across five practicums (90 + 180 + 180 + 180 + 180), at 90 hours per credit
  • DNP project residency: 540 hours (270 each in NURS 794 and 795)
  • Total practice hours: 1,350
  • Placement: VCU matches students with preceptors each semester; students may request sites, but requests are not guaranteed
  • Supervision: course faculty plus assigned preceptors; practicums graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory
  • DNP project may be done at your employer, with an organizational sponsor who is not your direct supervisor
  • Heaviest term: summer of year 3, with 450 hours (180 practicum + 270 project)

810 direct-care hours sit above the 600 to 700 hours common in FNP programs and well above the 500-hour floor. Spread across five clinical terms, that averages about 11 hours a week. School-matched preceptors remove the biggest stressor in most FNP programs, but students take the sites VCU assigns.

You Should Know
  • The catalog cites a 750-hour direct-care requirement. The plan of study totals 810. Plan around 810.
  • The term-9 load (450 hours in one summer session) works out to roughly 30 to 38 hours a week over 12 to 15 weeks (derived). Part of it is project work, but full-time employment that term will be difficult.
  • VCU does not say where placements are located or whether students outside the Richmond area are placed near home.
  • A criminal history record may block access to some clinical sites.

BSN-DNP Admissions

Admission is fall only and capped: once seats fill, remaining applicants are reviewed on a space-available basis.

  • BSN or higher from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or CNEA-accredited nursing program
  • Current unrestricted Virginia or multistate RN license
  • NursingCAS application ($90) and CAS Residency Form ($75)
  • Official transcripts, personal statement, resume or CV, RN license
  • Proof of English proficiency, if applicable
  • No admissions test
  • Fall 2027 cycle: applications open September 1, 2026; early decision deadline November 1, 2026 (notification December 10); regular deadline July 1, 2027
  • VCU BSN and entry-to-practice MSN graduates are guaranteed admission if they meet requirements and space remains

No minimum GPA or RN experience requirement is published. With a capacity cap and a July deadline, early decision is the safer route for applicants set on a fall 2027 start.

You Should Know
  • The catalog lists “rolling admissions,” while the program page sets fixed deadlines and a capacity cap. Treat the deadlines as binding.
  • Nurses holding a single-state license from a non-compact state must obtain a Virginia license before applying.
  • VCU’s Post-M.S. to D.N.P. is a leadership doctorate. It does not lead to FNP certification.

Tuition

VCU bills the FNP DNP at its graduate doctoral rate: $827 per credit for Virginia residents and $1,572 for non-residents in 2026–27, with per-credit mandatory fees included. These rates are derived from VCU’s Board of Visitors tuition and fee schedule, and $57 per semester in additional fees applies.

Component (2026–27)In-StateOut-of-State
Doctoral tuition, MCV Campus (per credit)$672$1,387
University, technology, library, health fees (per credit)$155$155
Capital outlay fee (per credit)$0$30
Per-credit total$827$1,572
Student activity and academic support fees (per semester)$57$57
Program total (65 credits, 10 semesters)$54,325$102,750
  • Tuition only: $43,680 in-state, $90,155 out-of-state
  • Mandatory fees over the program: $10,645 in-state, $12,595 out-of-state
  • Annual cost by plan year: about $15,900–$17,500 in-state and $30,000–$33,200 out-of-state (derived)
  • Application costs: $165 ($90 NursingCAS + $75 residency form)

Official rates: VCU 2026–27 tuition and fee schedule and the VCU tuition calculator.

Be aware that:

  • All totals are derived. VCU publishes no FNP program total.
  • Per-credit billing applies because every planned semester stays under 9 credits. A term at 9 to 15 credits switches to the flat full-time rate (about $7,977 per semester in-state).
  • VCU’s “Masters Cost of Attendance” table ($9,264/$16,873 per semester) does not apply. It assumes full-time master’s enrollment.
  • No School of Nursing program, course, or clinical fees appear in the university schedule. Lab kits, compliance tracking, and testing costs are not clearly stated.
  • Rates rise yearly. Doctoral tuition went up $25 per credit from 2025–26 to 2026–27.
  • VCU caps federal Direct Unsubsidized loans at $20,500 a year for the DNP. Out-of-state annual costs exceed that cap.
  • Graduate teaching assistantships cover tuition but require 9 or more credits per term. The FNP plan never reaches 9.

For Virginians, the all-in cost of about $54,000 buys a doctorate at a per-credit price $143 below VCU’s own master’s rate ($970). Non-residents pay nearly double, and the $20,500 loan cap leaves a gap of roughly $9,500 to $12,700 a year that must be covered another way.

Why Choose This FNP Program?

Best suited for Richmond-area nurses who plan to keep working, want a structured in-person component, and would rather not hunt for their own preceptors.

Predictable part-time workload. No term exceeds 8 credits. Campus sessions are scheduled on fixed weekdays (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday), so a nurse can block one shift day per semester in advance. The first semester is fully online, which eases the transition back to school.

Clinical training with less legwork. VCU matches preceptors every semester, and 810 direct-care hours give more patient time than many FNP programs require. The program sits on the MCV Campus alongside VCU Medical Center, and VCU reports an 87% first-time certification pass rate for 2025 FNP graduates.

Where it falls short. The 3.5-year timeline cannot be shortened, the single fall intake is capacity-capped, and seven semesters require regular trips to Richmond. Nurses who want a fully online FNP or a master’s-level exit point will not find either here. The summer of year 3, with 450 practice hours, is the term most likely to force a cut in work hours.

Accreditation

VCU School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The 2021 renewal, granted for 10 years, covers the nurse practitioner pathway of the DNP, along with the school’s baccalaureate, master’s, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs.

Virginia Commonwealth University holds institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Institutional accreditation supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.

Graduates of the FNP concentration are prepared to sit for the national FNP certification exam (AANP or ANCC).

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