In our experience, there is some confusion about the difference between certification and licensure. Unlike your state RN license, you do not take “state boards” to become a nurse practitioner.

Nurse Practitioner licensure authorizes a nurse practitioner to practice within the state. Nurse practitioners are required to adhere to the scope of practice established by each state’s board of nursing (BON) which both includes the RN scope of practice and exceeds it. Click here for more licensure information.

Nurse Practitioner certification establishes a nurse practitioner’s qualifications to practice but does not give a nurse practitioner the authority to practice. Graduates seeking NP certification take an exam through an agency that provides certification credentials. We often refer to these agencies as national certifying agencies. For more information about certification requirements, please reach out to the certifying agency of your choice. Click here for more certification information.

 

Graduates seeking NP certification and licensure take a certification exam through an agency that provides certification credentials recognized for licensure.  We often refer to these agencies as national certifying agencies. The national certification exam is a competency-based examination that provides a valid and reliable assessment of the entry-level clinical knowledge and skills of nurse practitioners in a defined specialization. The resulting certification establishes a nurse practitioner’s qualification to practice but does not give a nurse practitioner the authority to practice.  Authority to practice is granted by the state Board of Nursing where you plan to practice.   

The four certifying agencies that Walden University nursing students most commonly use are ANCC, AANP, PNCB and AACN. Nurses may utilize other certifying agencies. Not every agency certifies in all NP specialties, and not every certification is recognized for licensure in all states. It is in your best interest to know which agency’s certifications are accepted in your state of practice and to verify that the agency certifies in your specialty before beginning the process. It is the graduate’s responsibility to research each option and determine which, if any, certifying agencies to use. 

ANCC Specific Information

ANCC requires an official transcript and a form, called the Validation of APRN Education (VOE), to complete your application to test. Transcripts are sent by request only and will not be sent automatically. All official transcripts must be requested through Walden’s third-party vendor Parchment. You can access the Parchment site through your Walden student portal or click here to create/access your account in Parchment. You should wait to request official transcripts until after you have received an email from the graduation department indicating that your degree has been conferred. All transcript questions should be directed to transcripts@mail.waldenu.edu.  

Note for all ANCC requests: We cannot verify your education to ANCC until final grades are posted for all NP practicum and didactic courses. Due to this, you should not submit a request until you have completed all required NP program coursework. Submitting a form early will not result in the form being processed sooner. 

Once a request has been submitted through Meditrek, allow 10-15 business days for processing. If you submit a request before you have completed all NP coursework, the 10-15 business day processing time won't begin until after final grades are posted.

 

To request the ANCC form, you must follow this process: 

1. Navigate to the ANCC website

   1. Create an account (if you don’t already have one)

   2. Complete the initial online certification application

   3. Note your 8-digit ANCC Customer ID 

      1. Your ANCC Customer ID can be viewed by logging in to your ANCC account

      2. You will be required to provide this number when you submit your request for the ANCC VOE form

      3. ANCC also assigns a 10-digit ANCC Certification number when you begin an application, but for the purposes of requesting the VOE, you must provide the 8-digit ANCC Customer ID

2. Login to your Meditrek account
3. On the home screen near the bottom click on “Certification & Licensure”
   .
4. Then click on “ANCC Form” under the “Submit” heading. There are instructions on this page to follow. 
5. Complete all required fields
   1. The information entered must match the information you reported to ANCC when you created your ANCC account and/or completed the initial online application through ANCC
   2. Click Submit.
6. Once you submit the request, the Office of Certification, Licensure, & Compliance will review your account and complete the form on your behalf if you meet the requirements for either (a) (b)or (c) below:
   1. Your degree has been conferred 
   2. If you are a DNP student:
      1. Final grades have posted for the NP specialization portion of your degree
   3. If you are an MSN or Post-Master’s Certificate student:
      1. Final grades have posted
      2. You have applied for graduation

PLEASE NOTE: You will not be able to submit a request for an ANCC Validation of APRN Education Form until you have the minimum practicum hours required for degree completion entered in your Time Log on Meditrek.

• Students with catalog year before Spring 2018 need to meet a minimum requirement of 576 hours.
• Students with catalog year Spring 2018 and after need to meet a minimum requirement of 640 hours.
• Students with catalog year Spring 2018 and after, who completed a practicum course during the Spring 2020 quarter, need to meet a minimum requirement of 624 hours.
• May 2020 graduates need to meet a minimum requirement of 500 hours.

AANP Specific Information

AANP does not currently require a form that would need to be completed and submitted by Walden University College of Nursing. At this time, AANP only requires transcripts. Transcripts are sent by request only and will not be sent automatically. All official transcripts must be requested through Walden’s third-party vendor Parchment. You can access the Parchment site through your Walden student portal or click here to create/access your account in Parchment. You should wait to request official transcripts until after you have received an email from the graduation department indicating that your degree has been conferred. All transcript questions should be directed to transcripts@mail.waldenu.edu.  

AANP may accept unofficial transcripts in order to determine your eligibility to test. But, they will also require official transcripts showing the degree conferral before they will release your test score. You should wait to request official transcripts until after you have received an email from the graduation department indicating that your degree has been conferred. 

PLEASE NOTE: On the AANP application you will be asked for the degree completion and the degree conferral dates. In general, these dates are the same for most students. Even if it takes several weeks after you complete your final course for your graduation application to be processed, the dates will be the same. If you put different dates that are too far apart, AANP may ask for a letter explaining the difference, which will cause a delay in the processing of your application. 

If AANP requests a letter in addition to transcripts, please request that letter using education verification or other form guidelines.

PNCB Specific Information

PNCB does not currently require a form that would need to be completed and submitted by Walden University College of Nursing. At this time, PNCB only requires transcripts. All official transcripts must be requested through Walden’s third-party vendor Parchment. You can access the Parchment site through your Walden student portal or click here to create/access your account in Parchment. You should wait to request official transcripts until after you have received an email from the graduation department indicating that your degree has been conferred. All transcript questions should be directed to transcripts@mail.waldenu.edu. 

Nurse Practitioner licensure authorizes a nurse practitioner to practice within the state. Nurse practitioners are required to adhere to the scope of practice established by each state’s board of nursing (BON) which both includes the RN scope of practice and exceeds it. Essentially, NPs are required to adhere to both the RN scope of practice AND the NP scope of practice in their chosen state. State scope of practice and application requirements vary significantly from state to state. It is the student’s responsibility to review and understand these requirements and apply for licensure. Our team is here to support students through this process by answering certain questions and processing forms. However, if you have specific questions relating to the application process in a state, practice or licensure requirements in that state or other state specific questions, your best resource is the State Board of Nursing.

Generally, all State Boards of Nursing will require an official transcript for your NP license application. Official transcript must be sent directly from Walden to your State Board of Nursing. Transcripts are sent by request only, and will not be sent automatically. All official transcripts must be requested through Walden’s third-party vendor Parchment. You can access the Parchment site through your Walden student portal or click here to create/access your account in Parchment. You should wait to request official transcripts until after you have received an email from the graduation department indicating that your degree has been conferred. All transcript questions should be directed to transcripts@mail.waldenu.edu.  

To ensure that your official transcript shows the degree has been completed, you must wait to request a transcript until after your degree has been conferred. In order for your degree to be conferred, you must apply for graduation. For information about your graduation application, contact graduation@mail.waldenu.edu. Degrees are typically conferred 2-4 weeks after the grade has posted for your final practicum course.

Some states require additional documentation - either a form or letter - signed by Walden University College of Nursing, the Dean, or the Program Director. Click here for a list of documentation our team typically prepares for each state, and links to state specific NP license application information.

Note for all state documentation requests: Do not submit a request until you have completed all program coursework. We cannot verify course and program completion until final grades are posted and your degree has been conferred. Submitting a form early will not result in the form being processed sooner. Once a request has been submitted through Meditrek, allow 10-15 business days for processing. If you submit a form before you have completed all program coursework, the 10-15 business day processing time won't begin until after final grades are posted and your degree has been conferred.

 

To submit a request, you must follow this process: 

1. Login to your Meditrek account.
2. On the home screen near the bottom click on “Certification & Licensure”.
3. Then click on “State Board of Nursing Forms and Letters” under the Submit heading.
4. Select your state.
5. Select the form or letter you are requesting.
6. Enter an email address if you want to receive status updates about your request at an account other than your Walden email.
7. If you are requesting a form, upload a copy of the form.
8. Click Submit*

 

To ensure that there are no delays in the processing of your request, please make sure you have done the following:

1. Apply for graduation: Your degree will not be conferred until you apply for graduation**
2. Fill in any area on the form that requires completion by the applicant (contact information, SSN, RN license number, date of birth, etc.)
3. If the form requires your signature, sign and date the form

 

*PLEASE NOTE: You will not be able to submit a request for a State Board of Nursing Form or Letter until you have the minimum practicum hours required for degree completion entered in your Time Log on Meditrek.

• Students with catalog year before Spring 2018 need to meet a minimum requirement of 576 hours.
• Students with catalog year Spring 2018 and after need to meet a minimum requirement of 640 hours.
• Students with catalog year Spring 2018 and after, who completed a practicum course during the Spring 2020 quarter, need to meet a minimum requirement of 624 hours.
• May 2020 graduates need to meet a minimum requirement of 500 hours.

If you need a form or letter signed by an employee of Walden University (such as the Program Director or Dean), for a purpose other than ANCC or state licensure you must follow the steps below:

1. Insert your information onto the form (your name, address etc.)
2. Email the form or letter request to the OCLC at nurslicensure@mail.waldenu.edu

Mailing the request to our office or emailing or mailing the form to advising, the registrar, FEC or other departments will DELAY THE PROCESSING TIME of your request.

3. Include your full name, student ID and program of study and specialization in your e-mail.
4. Transcripts are sent by request only, and will not be sent automatically. All official transcripts must be requested through Walden’s third-party vendor Parchment. You can access the Parchment site through your Walden student portal or click here to create/access your account in Parchment. You should wait to request official transcripts until after you have received an email from the graduation department indicating that your degree has been conferred. All transcript questions should be directed to transcripts@mail.waldenu.edu.
5. Forms and letters cannot be submitted until final grades are posted and/or your degree has been conferred. You must submit your application for graduation for your degree to be conferred. For information about your graduation application, contact graduation@mail.waldenu.edu.
6. Do not submit the request until you have completed all program coursework. We cannot verify course and program completion until final grades are posted and/or your degree has been conferred. Submitting a form early will not result in the form being processed more quickly.
7. Allow 10-15 business days for processing. If you submit a request before you have completed all program coursework, the 10-15 business day processing time won't begin until after final grades are posted and/or your degree has been conferred (depending on the type of request).

Email: nurslicensure@mail.waldenu.edu
Phone line (To leave a voicemail): 612-312-1244
Fax number: 612-677-3693

Mailing address: ATTENTION Nurse Licensure Team
Walden University
100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 1210
Minneapolis, MN 55401

Questions about degree conferral? Email: graduation@mail.waldenu.edu

Questions about transcripts? Email: transcripts@mail.waldenu.edu