University of Victoria (UVic) Nurse Practitioner Masters Program - Fall 2025

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What Members Are Saying (AI-Generated Summary)

Members are discussing their application statuses for a program, with some receiving acceptance emails, others still waiting for updates, and some being waitlisted or rejected. There is also talk about creating a Facebook group for those who have been accepted and sharing tips on improving applications for future cycles.

Hi NP hopefuls! Starting a thread for those applying to the UVic NP Program for fall 2025. I am an RN who graduated from U of C in 2020 and have been working in cardiology in Calgary since.

They really do need program for nurses with experience. I've been a nurse for 15 years now and can't imagine not being able to advance into a NP Program because I have those years of experience? My experience has far exceeded any professional program or degree I've taken. I've wanted to be an NP since I started my career and even wrote in my LOI why I decided to work 5 years in Primary Care to prepare myself better for the NP Program, now I've just shoot myself in the foot. I can't imagine continuing to reapply as many times as you all have. I think I'll likely just give up, and even find a new career for the next 30 years. Very frustrated doesn't even compare to the disappointment of get rejected by all three schools this year. 

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Specializes in pediatric critical care, PAR, community health.

@StormTrooper, I think it may be worth some investigation. I'm going to reach out to some people that are higher up in the NP world and get some advice. But I would definitely like some transparency on admission criteria and I think it may be worth communicating with the College if admission criteria is discriminatory (age).

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Specializes in LTC, palliative care,adult-senior care,leadership.

From this point of view, it seems that there is no transparency to their decision making process and it appears arbitrary. It would be good to have proper selection criteria to measure against. 

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It would take some work, but I'm curious, would anyone here who was tentatively accepted be willing to disclose their general application details: 

Years in practice as nurse:

Age:

Undergrad GPA:

Education: bscn,msn,etc

 

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Specializes in Perinatal Registered Nurse.

Is anyone seeing anything besides 'under review' or 'recommended by department'? 

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Specializes in pediatric critical care, PAR, community health.

I'm pretty sure Uvic has to share the data on admitted applicants if requested. This should give us age, GPA etc

 

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Hi Guys,

Mine still says "under review by department" but I wanted to share I was waitlisted at UVIC the past 2 years. The first year I was #12 on the list and got up to #4. Last year I was #20 and moved up to #14. So I think if you are in the top 10 on the list you have a good chance. 

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Hey Lyndsay, thanks that's super helpful to know!

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Specializes in ICU/Sexual Health/PICC.

Hi guys,

I got accepted this year after being waitlisted last year at UVic and rejected everywhere else. I have 11 years nursing experience, critical care advanced nursing certificate, certified practice in contraceptive management, picc clinician... and I got rejected hardcore last year. I asked every school for feedback and the only one who did was UVic, so UVic was the only place I applied again this year. I was so bitter.

They (UVic) told me (when I was waitlisted) that I had a competitive GPA, strong references, strong work experience, and a strong admissions essay. They had MINIMAL constructive feedback for me as to how I could be more competitive next time (ie this year) except they did tell me:

-Shadow an NP and write about it in your admissions essay

-Explain the role of the NP more clearly

AND THAT IS IT. I was absolutely devastated last year because I happened to know some of the nurses who made it in and I did not understand what they had that I did not. Things that I did in addition that I was able to highlight in the "reapplication letter" that they ask you to do if you've applied before- I took a couple of continuing education courses through coursera and UBC CPD to beef up my cultural awareness, and I went to NNPBC conferences with my partner (an NP) anytime I had the chance/guests were invited. 

It seems to be a crapshoot. I am grateful that I got in this year... but I do believe it was luck. Unpopular opinion, I am sure. Make sure to ask them for feedback on what you could have done to be more competitive.

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Lyndsay Lombardi said:

Hi Guys,

Mine still says "under review by department" but I wanted to share I was waitlisted at UVIC the past 2 years. The first year I was #12 on the list and got up to #4. Last year I was #20 and moved up to #14. So I think if you are in the top 10 on the list you have a good chance. 

Wow, I admire your tenacity! Way to go trying again! I hope you get better news this year! I wish they had of given preference to those reapplying. 

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Specializes in pediatric critical care, PAR, community health.
jodi4903 said:

Hi guys,

I got accepted this year after being waitlisted last year at UVic and rejected everywhere else. I have 11 years nursing experience, critical care advanced nursing certificate, certified practice in contraceptive management, picc clinician... and I got rejected hardcore last year. I asked every school for feedback and the only one who did was UVic, so UVic was the only place I applied again this year. I was so bitter.

They (UVic) told me (when I was waitlisted) that I had a competitive GPA, strong references, strong work experience, and a strong admissions essay. They had MINIMAL constructive feedback for me as to how I could be more competitive next time (ie this year) except they did tell me:

-Shadow an NP and write about it in your admissions essay

-Explain the role of the NP more clearly

AND THAT IS IT. I was absolutely devastated last year because I happened to know some of the nurses who made it in and I did not understand what they had that I did not. Things that I did in addition that I was able to highlight in the "reapplication letter" that they ask you to do if you've applied before- I took a couple of continuing education courses through coursera and UBC CPD to beef up my cultural awareness, and I went to NNPBC conferences with my partner (an NP) anytime I had the chance/guests were invited. 

It seems to be a crapshoot. I am grateful that I got in this year... but I do believe it was luck. Unpopular opinion, I am sure. Make sure to ask them for feedback on what you could have done to be more competitive.

Thank you so much for that info. It's very helpful. And congratulations!

 

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Thanks for the info Jodi! Congrats on getting in! I giggled at the UVic request to write that 2 page letter if you're a reapplicant...thinking along the lines of how would I do that!? ...but your points about shadowing an NP and other suggestions is some good food for thought 

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