UNH School of Nursing Closes Enrollment Early as Program Reaches Capacity
Overwhelming interest in the University of New Hampshire’s newly established School of Nursing led to an unprecedented early closing of undergraduate enrollments in the program, school officials announced.
While UNH’s deposit deadline for fall semester was May 1, deposits for nursing programs reached capacity the week prior. More than 2,000 students applied for the 120 projected spots – a 20% increase from last year and the largest-ever first year class for UNH’s School of Nursing.
“We are thrilled at the strong interest in UNH’s nursing programs,” says Kirsten Corazzini, dean of the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS). “These are not only wonderful, rewarding career paths for students, but they will also help the Granite State address its growing health care workforce needs.”
UNH established a unified School of Nursing last year within CHHS. With approximately 800 students enrolled in pre-licensure through clinical doctoral programs, including multiple nurse practitioner tracks, programming is delivered both at the Durham campus and online, providing students with broad access to hands-on clinical experience, interprofessional learning, and community-based health initiatives. In 2021, UNH opened the Health Sciences Simulation Center; since then, undergraduate nursing enrollment has increased by approximately 50%.
The school’s establishment comes at a critical time, as New Hampshire faces a significant shortage of nurses and increasing demand for highly trained healthcare professionals. The School of Nursing, the largest nursing program in the state, plays a vital role in addressing those challenges by expanding access to nursing education, strengthening clinical partnerships, and preparing practice-ready graduates who are equipped to serve communities across the state — particularly in rural and underserved areas. The inaugural class of approximately 120 students will graduate next month, ready to step into clinical roles across the region.
“We are heartbroken to be in a position where we cannot offer every qualified student an opportunity to join our undergraduate nursing program,” says Kimberly DeRego, UNH’s vice provost of enrollment management. “Admissions and the College of Health and Human Services are working closely with each student and their family to identify alternative pathways that support their goals.”
Students who are not able to enroll in UNH’s School of Nursing have other options on the Durham campus, such as majors in public health and health sciences and a direct entry accelerated master’s in nursing following undergraduate degree completion; and undergraduate programs at other USNH institutions — Keene State College or Plymouth State University.
UNH will continue to advance innovation and expand capacity to respond to the changing demands of health care across the region. In March, the university was awarded $15.6 million in year one funding, and up to $97 million over the next five years, to strengthen and expand New Hampshire’s healthcare workforce, funded through the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation Program.