Updated October 26, 2026

Columbia Nursing Interview: MDE Video Essay and 2027 Deadlines

The final deadline for Columbia's Masters Direct Entry (June 2027 entry) is November 16, 2026, and decisions are posted in January. Here is whether Columbia interviews MDE applicants and how the video essay works.

The final deadline for June 2027 entry to Columbia's Masters Direct Entry (MDE) program is November 16, 2026, and decisions are posted in January. The October 2, 2026 priority deadline has passed. The MDE does not interview. You record one video essay in lieu of an interview, and the prompt appears in the application when you are ready to record. You also write three short answers of 125 words each.

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Key facts (2027 entry (June start))

Deadlines: Final November 16, 2026, with decisions posted in January. The October 2, 2026 priority deadline has passed.
Interview: None for MDE applicants. One recorded video essay replaces it.
Written answers: Three short answer prompts you choose, 125 words each.
Program: 15 months, full time, starting once a year in June. Graduates earn a Master of Science.
Who reviews: An admissions committee of program directors, faculty and admissions staff.
GPA and tests: No minimum GPA and no GRE.
Joint MDE/PhD: Applicants may be invited to an interview by the PhD admissions committee in December.

What happens in the video essay

The video essay is the closest thing to an interview in the MDE application. Columbia says you record it in lieu of an interview.

One response. You record one video essay response.
Unseen prompt. The prompt appears directly in the application when you are ready to record.
Not published. Columbia does not say how long you get to think or to answer, or whether you can re-record.
MDE/PhD only. Joint MDE/PhD applicants may also be invited to an interview by the PhD admissions committee in December.

Treat it like a live answer. Plan for one take. Practice short spoken answers to prompts you have not seen.

What Columbia looks for

Columbia uses a holistic review: a balanced look at your experiences, attributes and academic metrics. It seeks strong educational backgrounds, well-rounded extracurricular experience and skills.

Essays. Three short answers of 125 words each, on prompts you pick, plus the video essay.
Letters. Three recommendations. At least one must be academic, two must be from the last 12 months, and personal references do not count.
Resume. No page limit. Columbia asks you to include hobbies, interests, honors, awards and travel, to give a fuller picture of you.
Grades. No minimum GPA. Columbia uses the cumulative GPA from the school where you earned your degree.

How offers are decided

Columbia does not admit on a rolling basis, because its programs run on a cohort model.

Decision letters. Posted to your online application, with an email telling you to log in.
Waitlist. Waitlisted applicants submit a Waitlist Intent Form and can send updates. Offers from the waitlist can come up until New Student Orientation.
Reapplying. If you are denied, you can apply again the following year.
Verified references. After you pay a deposit, Columbia contacts your recommenders to confirm their letters are real.

Requirements and the program

You need a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing. Prerequisites can be finished after you apply, but before classes start.

Prerequisites

Courses. Psychology, statistics, human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology and nutrition.
B- or better. No exceptions are made for a lower grade. You must retake the course.
One science by the deadline. At least one science course must be done before you apply. Labs are not required.

Program details

June start. The MDE begins once a year in June. Orientation is usually the Wednesday after Memorial Day.
No working. Columbia says it is not possible to work during the MDE.
Clinical hours. Over 1,000 clinical hours in small groups. You can sit the NCLEX after classes end in August.
Hybrid option. A seven-semester hybrid MDE starts each summer with three part-time online semesters, then moves to full-time study on campus.
Fee. A $75 application fee, with waivers for service members, veterans, Peace Corps and AmeriCorps members, alumni and financial hardship.

How to prepare

One unseen video prompt carries the weight an interview would. Practice speaking clearly on camera, with no script, until it feels normal.

Practice cold prompts. Have a friend give you a question you have not seen. Think briefly, then answer in about a minute.
Know the role. Columbia points applicants to the ANA's "What is Nursing?" resources. Be ready to say what a nurse does, in your own words.
Use your whole story. Columbia asks for hobbies, interests and travel on your resume, and community service on the application. Pick one of these to bring into an answer.
Plan for 15 months without work. Be ready to explain how you will manage, since working during the MDE is not possible.

125 words is short. Make one point per written answer and back it with one example.

Practice questions

Questions in the style of a No interview (one video essay) station, written for applicants to Columbia University School of Nursing. They are practice questions, not the school's own. Open one for what a strong answer does.

Why become a nurse through a direct-entry master's program rather than a BSN?

Show you understand what the master's route offers and how it fits the degree you already have.

Walk us through the moment you decided to become a nurse. Where were you, and what was happening?

Paint one clear scene quickly, then spend most of the answer on what it meant to you.

Many people admire nurses from a distance. What convinced you to become a nurse yourself?

Show what you did to test the choice, not just what you admire.

A patient comes to clinic with her husband, who answers every question for her. When a routine preventive screening is offered, he declines it on her behalf, citing their cultural beliefs, but she looks hesitant. How do you navigate this?

Respect the culture while finding a private, safe way to hear the patient's own wishes.

You are a nursing student. A patient tells you they don't really understand the consent form they just signed for a procedure, and the doctor has already left the floor. What do you do?

Do not explain the procedure yourself. Tell the nurse so the doctor returns before it goes ahead.

Why become a nurse when you could earn more in your current field?

Be honest about the trade-off and show you have planned for it.

Frequently asked questions

Does Columbia nursing interview MDE applicants?

No. MDE applicants record one video essay in lieu of an interview. Only joint MDE/PhD applicants may be invited to an interview, by the PhD admissions committee in December.

What is the Columbia MDE video essay?

One recorded video response. The prompt appears directly in the application when you are ready to record.

When is the Columbia MDE deadline?

For 2027 applications, the priority deadline was October 2, 2026 and the final deadline is November 16, 2026. The program starts in June.

What GPA do you need for Columbia's MDE?

Columbia sets no minimum GPA. Prerequisite courses need a B- or better, with no exceptions.

Does Columbia nursing require the GRE?

No. Columbia Nursing does not require the GRE for its programs.

Applying to more nursing programs? How other programs interview and select:

Sources

Official pages only, read on the date shown. Schools change their process every year, so check the school's own page before you apply.

Columbia University School of Nursing: Admissions at a Glance · read October 26, 2026
Columbia University School of Nursing: Apply to the MDE Program · read October 26, 2026
Columbia University School of Nursing: MDE Admissions · read October 26, 2026
Columbia University School of Nursing: FAQ for the MDE Program · read October 26, 2026
Columbia University School of Nursing: Master's Direct Entry Program for Non-Nurses · read October 26, 2026