Nurse residency programs: application windows and preparation
Compare three nursing residency programs, distinguish current openings from upcoming intakes and closed cohorts, and prepare a new graduate application with the matching resume guide.
Next source review due: 2026-10-29. Confirm the official listing before applying.
Program or opportunity checks
Every status below describes the date checked. Use the official source to confirm today’s availability.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Winter 2027
Open for remaining openings at check
- Application window
- Remaining-opening phase: August 10, 2026–January 4, 2027. The general phase ended August 9. No cutoff time or time zone stated. Individual unit availability was not verified; the separate unit list requires sign-in.
- Program starts
- February 22 or March 1, 2027
- Eligibility to check
- New graduates or RNs with less than six months of RN experience at application; accredited nursing program. NCLEX before start; BLS active for at least 90 days after start; full-time 36–40 hours/week during year one. Confirm licensure and unit requirements in the posting.
- Prepare
- Resume, education and work history, unit preferences and pre-screen responses.
Stanford Health Care — Cohort 46
Upcoming at check — not yet open
- Application window
- November 9–15, 2026. No cutoff time or time zone stated on the reviewed program page or FAQ.
- Program starts
- April 12, 2027
- Eligibility to check
- Accredited ASN/ADN, BSN or MSN; graduation within 18 months of start; no more than six months/1,040 hours of paid full-time RN experience. California RN license by February 12, 2027; AHA BLS and ACLS at hire. No work visa sponsorship.
- Prepare
- Resume, cover letter, nursing transcript (official or unofficial) and answers within the electronic application. Confirm participating specialties for this cohort.
UCLA Health — Fall 2027 (next intake)
Upcoming at check — exact window unannounced; Spring 2027 closed
- Application window
- Spring 2027 applications are closed. For fall, the cohort selector says February/March 2027; the recruitment notice says March 2027, with more information in January. Exact opening/closing dates, cutoff time and time zone are unannounced.
- Program starts
- September 2027 (fall cohort selector); the closed spring cohort starts March 2027
- Eligibility to check
- Accredited BSN or MSN; the fall selector lists graduation December 1, 2025–June 30, 2027. Less than six months inpatient RN experience by start; California RN license by start; current AHA or American Red Cross BLS. Confirm final eligibility in the fall posting when published.
- Prepare
- Resume, cover letter and two recommendation letters; the Talent Plus questionnaire is emailed after application. Prepare for fall; spring applications remain closed.
Choose a window you can meet
Compare your graduation date, NCLEX plans, license timing and previous RN experience before choosing a program. A degree accepted by one hospital may not qualify for another. A future window is a preparation date, not an application you can submit today.
Build a packet for the selected program
Keep a separate row for each cohort. Save the requisition ID and the employer page you actually applied through. Copy the required documents and deadline into your tracker; do not treat an interview or cohort start date as the application deadline.
| Field | Your entry |
|---|---|
| Program and cohort | [Employer / cohort / requisition ID] |
| Eligibility | [Degree / graduation / experience / license deadline] |
| Application window | [Open / close / cutoff time and time zone / official URL] |
| Documents | [Resume / cover letter / transcript / references / questionnaire] |
| Next action | [Action / personal target date / application status] |
Refresh policy
Open windows need a weekly source check, and upcoming windows need a check before opening. This edition is due for review October 29, 2026. Until a new check is published, use the dated status only as a planning reference and visit the official source for today’s availability. Closed cohorts remain labeled closed; future dates are added only after an employer announces them.
Your checklist
0 of 5 reviewed. Progress stays in this tab; download the worksheet to keep notes.
Sources and method
Sources reviewed unless a record carries its own observation date.
On October 22, 2026, we reviewed Stanford’s program page and FAQ, UCLA’s program page and interactive cohort selector, and Vanderbilt Workday requisition R-62350. Vanderbilt’s Apply button opened application-start options; its separate unit list required sign-in, so individual unit availability was not verified. UCLA’s selector and recruitment notice give different opening-month guidance; exact fall dates remain unannounced. A Duke listing was excluded on October 15 after its live page said filled.
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