St. Margaret School of Nursing, UPMC St. Margaret, UPMC | University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA USA

UPMC St. Margaret

St. Margaret School of Nursing Admissions and Financial Aid

Financial Aid
Academic Credits and Transfers

Admission

Application for RN program (pdf file)
Evaluation for RN applicants (pdf file)

Graduation from an accredited high school or a general equivalency diploma is required. Applicants must complete algebra with a grade of C or better. The school has a rolling admissions policy - that is, applicants may submit an application anytime throughout the year. The nursing program begins every February and June.

For more information about the admission process and to request a catalog with an application and reference forms, call 412-784-4980 or e-mail us at smhsonrninfo@upmc.edu. Please note that applications and references will not be accepted via e-mail.

The Admission Process

Fill out the application and mail to St. Margaret School of Nursing, including a typewritten essay in 500 words or less that addresses what becoming a nurse means to you.
Submit the (non-refundable) $40 application fee.
Send two reference forms completed by individuals who have known you in an academic or employment relationship.
Send your official high school and college transcripts to St. Margaret School of Nursing.
Pre-admission testing is required of all applicants. When the documents noted above are received, the applicant will be notified to schedule preadmission testing. The Test of Essential Academic Skills, by Assessment Technologies, Inc., is scheduled as part of the admission process.
Once the preadmission testing is successfully completed, the applicant's file will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

Financial Aid
The school participates in programs that offer:

Pell grants
PHEAA grants
federal Stafford and PLUS loans
Veterans Administration (VA) and OVR funds
other state and federal programs

UPMC Full-Tuition Loan Program
The highlights:

UPMC St. Margaret is providing tuition coverage in the form of the Tuition Loan Forgiveness Program in exchange for their commitment to work at UPMC for a two-year period.
The loan includes full tuition and fees, with the exception of the graduation fee, for the nursing careers.
Students will still be responsible for books, uniforms, graduation fee, and other costs.

The application process:

Complete the admission process for admission into the St. Margaret School of Nursing. This includes paying the $40 application fee. If participating in the UPMC St. Margaret Tuition Loan Forgiveness Program, applicants must first be admitted to the UPMC St. Margaret School of Nursing. UPMC will conduct a prior employment check within the health system to verify eligibility for hire.
Completion of the loan promissory note will occur during the first week of enrollment.

The admission criteria for Tuition Loan Forgiveness Program:

meet all published admission criteria
express the willingness to commit to an intensive academic program

The Tuition Loan Forgiveness Program is designed to support a student throughout the entire program pending successful academic performance. Students are required to pass each course in the program.

Students who fail a course forfeit their Tuition Loan Forgiveness support. They must follow the normal guidelines for re-admission if they wish to reapply. If they reapply, are readmitted, they must pay for the next course and successfully complete the course. They will then have their Tuition Loan Forgiveness status returned.

Students who voluntarily leave the program in good standing may reapply to the School and continue their Loan Forgiveness benefits.

Terms of Agreement

Recipients of the UPMC St. Margaret Tuition Loan Forgiveness Program must sign a promissory note that includes the above admission criteria and ongoing criteria stipulations. In addition, recipients must agree to:

Be willing to accept employment within the UPMC system upon graduation and if an available position is offered, fulfilling a minimum of two-year, full time, employment obligation for the support received. Recipients understand that this is not a promise of employment by UPMC, but if a position is offered to them, they are obligated to accept that position to the best of their ability to do so for the time period as designated above.

Outline of Program Costs

Costs to be paid by UPMC St. Margaret Tuition Loan Forgiveness Program include the tuition and fee costs for all UPMC St. Margaret School of Nursing courses, pending ongoing successful academic performance. Face value of Tuition Loan Forgiveness Program = $11,120

Costs to be paid by student to the school:

Application fee $40
Acceptance fee $150
Books, uniforms and supplies (estimate) $1,550
Graduation fee $250

Total costs to be paid by student: $1,985

Other expenses the student can incur:

Transportation/Parking
Required health insurance coverage
Health exams, clearances, CPR recertification

These are the currently known costs based upon the 2009-2010 academic budget year. Costs are subject to change.

Academic Credits and Transfers

The required college courses must be taken at an accredited college or university. Required college pre-requisites include: Anatomy and Physiology I, English composition, and Introduction to Psychology.

Courses in Anatomy and Physiology II, Nutrition, Microbiology with lab, Human Growth and Development, and Introduction to Sociology can be completed during the nursing curriculum. The following college science courses must be taken within seven years prior to the start of the program: Anatomy and Physiology, I and II, Microbiology, and Nutrition.

The St. Margaret School of Nursing accepts the transfer of credits for courses taken at other accredited colleges prior to entering the St. Margaret program. The nursing school maintains agreements with several area colleges and universities. These agreements allow nursing school graduates to pursue a baccalaureate degree in nursing (a bachelor's in the science of nursing, or BSN).

Advanced placement is available to LPNs or students who transfer from other nursing programs.