South Carolina residents and Gonzaga: which door is open right now
Gonzaga's disclosure table says its nurse practitioner MSN meets South Carolina's licensure requirements, yet Gonzaga also says it cannot currently take MSN students who live here. For a South Carolina nurse who already holds a master's, Gonzaga's route worth exploring is its online Post-Master's DNP, where practicum hours go into a project supported by an agency liaison. Gonzaga has the final word on eligibility, so check with it first.
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A "Meets" rating alongside an admissions pause
Two facts sit side by side on Gonzaga's licensure disclosures page. The NP row for South Carolina reads "Meets", while a separate note puts South Carolina on a short list of places from which Gonzaga says it cannot take MSN students at present. On top of that, both NP tracks and the Second MSN draw their students only from ten western states, so the MSN stays closed from a South Carolina address either way. The state authorization page walks through the full table.
| Program | Can a South Carolina resident apply? | Practicum location |
|---|---|---|
| MSN FNP or PMHNP | No: South Carolina MSN intake is paused, and the tracks enroll western residents only | A state among the ten where you hold a license |
| Second MSN | No: it uses the same residency list | The NP practicum courses, out west |
| Post-Master's DNP | Its pages show no residency limit; check with Gonzaga | Project work at an organization you propose |
What the doctorate looks like from Charleston or Greenville
Gonzaga's DNP FAQ says the Post-Master's program has no required campus visits, and its two immersions take place online. Applicants hold a nursing master's and already work in advanced practice or in nursing leadership; a nursing education master's falls short of Gonzaga's eligibility bar.
Practicum time here is indirect care, logged on the DNP project instead of in exam rooms. NURS 700 asks you to spot a local problem in practice and secure a place to work on it, and every later practicum course starts with your own written proposal. A liaison at the host organization supports the work, as the agency liaison page explains.
Regulation 91-6 and South Carolina's practice rules
Regulation 91-6, the South Carolina Board of Nursing's rule for programs based in other states, calls for board approval before any clinicals aimed at first-time licensure, with faculty supervising on site and a written affiliation agreement. The text never mentions APRN or post-licensure programs, and a DNP student is already licensed. Gonzaga decides how it treats a South Carolina project setting, so raise the question early.
Compact status here dates to January 19, 2018; the APRN Compact, by contrast, has not passed in Columbia. AANP files South Carolina under restricted practice, since an NP must hold a physician practice agreement before carrying out delegated acts and faces limits on how much of a controlled substance can be supplied.
Upstate to Lowcountry: possible project homes
Most South Carolinians live in the Greenville, Charleston and Columbia metros, with more on the state's side of greater Charlotte. Prisma Health and MUSC Health are two of the larger systems, alongside Lexington Health, McLeod Health and Roper St. Francis Healthcare, while the South Carolina Department of Public Health suits a population-level project. A mention here signals possibility only: each organization makes its own hosting call, and Gonzaga reviews the plan.
The state also gives unpaid physician, APRN and PA preceptors an income tax credit and deduction, now extended through tax year 2029. Only rotations for students at South Carolina colleges and universities count toward it.
Relocating before an NP application
An FNP or PMHNP credential from Gonzaga starts with a change of address. After you settle in one of the western ten, you can apply, and your practicums follow your license. Four of those states, Alaska, California, Nevada and Oregon, sit outside the compact South Carolina belongs to, which means a new license there. The ten-state rule explains eligibility, and the license guide explains the licensing side.
Why South Carolina nurses bring us in
Gonzaga's clinical process is our specialty. South Carolina DNP students receive a host organization and liaison matched to Gonzaga's checklist, with the details a practicum proposal needs gathered well before the term. Nurses who move west get preceptors sought out in person near their new home, plus a Practicum Site Placement Request that reaches faculty complete. Start on the contact page.
Questions Gonzaga students ask
Why can't I apply to Gonzaga's FNP track from South Carolina if the table says "Meets"?
"Meets" is a licensure determination: it says Gonzaga's NP curriculum lines up with South Carolina's educational requirements. Admission is a separate matter. Gonzaga separately notes that it is not taking MSN students from South Carolina for now, and its nurse practitioner tracks are limited to residents of the western ten.
Does Regulation 91-6 cover a Gonzaga DNP project in South Carolina?
The regulation targets out-of-state programs preparing students for a first nursing license, and it says nothing about APRN or post-licensure education. A Post-Master's DNP student is already licensed and logs indirect project hours. Gonzaga determines how it handles South Carolina settings, so ask before you finalize a site.
Would my DNP liaison qualify for South Carolina's preceptor tax credit?
No. The credit is limited to preceptors whose students attend a South Carolina public or independent school, and Gonzaga is based in Spokane, Washington. It also rewards clinical rotations led by physicians, APRNs and PAs who see Medicaid and Medicare patients, which differs from the project support a DNP liaison gives.
Can my South Carolina employer host my DNP practicum?
Yes, within Gonzaga's workplace limits. The project hours must sit outside the department you work in and outside your paid shifts, and the liaison cannot be someone you report to. Employers with many departments usually make that separation easier, and the host organization still has to agree to the project.
Related pages
Last checked 2026-09-25
We check these pages against Gonzaga's catalog, FAQs, preceptor packets and Department of Nursing pages. Your course, the Graduate Nursing Student Handbook and Gonzaga's Clinical Placement Team have the final word.
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Tell us your Gonzaga program, your practicum course and where you live and can travel. We find preceptors who fit the course and prepare the license, certification and site details your Practicum Site Placement Request needs, early in the semester before.
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NURS 661PtoNURS 664P, psychiatric care forNURS 661MtoNURS 663M, an agency liaison for the DNP - Credentials, license, board certification and site contact ready for your site request
- In Spokane, across Washington or wherever in the ten western states you are licensed
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