APU Oncology NP Fellowship: 540 hours in cancer care

What the fellowship is

The fellowship is a post-master's program built on Oncology Nursing Society competencies. APU calls it predoctoral: you can take it on its own, as one of APU's post-master's certificates, or co-enrolled with the post-master's DNP. The clinical core is the same three practicums either way.

It is a small field. APU's program page counts the fellowship as 1 of 16 such programs in the country, while a February 2026 APU article calls it one of just 10. The two APU sources disagree on the count, and both place it among a small number of oncology NP fellowships nationwide.

Finishing the fellowship meets Pathway 1 eligibility for the AOCNP exam from ONCC. APU's catalog notes that pediatric NPs are not eligible to sit for AOCNP as adult oncology NPs, so a PNP should weigh that before applying.

Who can enter and what must be in place

The fellowship assumes you already practice as an NP. APU's catalog and program page list these entry items:

• A master's in nursing that included advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and advanced health assessment
• A current California NP license and a furnishing number
• For applicants from other states: California NP certification before the practicums begin
• Preferred rather than required: oncology experience and national NP certification

The California credential matters most for timing. An NP certified in another state can be admitted, but clinical hours cannot start until California certification is in hand, so file with the BRN early. Our pages on BRN NP certification and the furnishing number walk through both applications. If your furnishing number is still pending, finish it before you apply: APU lists it as an entry requirement, not a step you complete later in the program.

The clinical courses and hours

APU sets the fellowship at 540 supervised hours of direct patient care. It prints no hours per practicum, but three 4-unit practicums at APU's 45 hours per clinical unit work out to 180 hours each, which matches the stated total.

The hours spread across several hematology and oncology services at the cancer center rather than a single clinic, which is what gives the fellowship its breadth. APU lists Medatrax among the required resources for the oncology courses, so plan on logging hours every week; our Medatrax guide covers the logging rules.

Where the fellowship runs and how sites are set

APU's fellowship page lists the program as online, while APU's program finder lists Azusa and Monrovia. The coursework is online either way; the clinical hours happen at the cancer center.

APU names no cancer center on its public pages. It says it holds several affiliation agreements with practice partners that run cancer centers, which points to the program arranging these placements, though no public page says so outright. Ask at admission how your practicum site is set and when you will hear about it.

That sets the fellowship apart from most APU graduate tracks, where students propose their own preceptor. Plan around the program's partner sites first, and keep your own oncology contacts warm in case you are asked to suggest a setting.

One date to check: the fellowship's deadline on apu.edu still refers to spring 2026, so confirm the current cycle directly with admissions.

Using the fellowship inside the DNP

DNP students may count up to 500 of the 540 fellowship hours toward the 1,000-hour residency in GNRS 732. The DNP also accepts up to 500 hours transferred from an earlier APRN program, so if you bring both, ask APU in writing how the two allowances combine. Our DNP residency hours page explains how the residency counts.

Co-enrollment stacks two calendars: the fellowship practicums, and the DNP core courses with a scholarly project that runs through the residency. Put both on one term-by-term plan with your advisor before GNRS 630A, and decide early which residency hours will come from the cancer center and which need a separate site.

Residency hours beyond the fellowship fall in two kinds, per APU's catalog: clinical hours in an advanced practice specialty, and leadership hours that build organizational leadership and carry the project. Each residency setting needs its own approval before the first hour.

Why oncology NPs choose us

Fellows are experienced NPs, so what they need from us is focused. We help you plan the practicums around your current job and, for co-enrollees, the DNP calendar. We get your compliance record in order before GNRS 630A, and we line up the residency sites the fellowship does not cover.

For DNP co-enrollees, we find residency preceptors and leadership settings that fit your project, for example an oncology service line, an infusion or survivorship program, or a cancer center's quality team. For each one we collect the preceptor's credentials, the organization's legal name and signing officer, and the contact APU needs for an affiliation agreement.

If you are asked to propose an oncology setting, or a residency preceptor leaves partway, we move fast on a replacement that fits the course. APU's faculty approve every site; our job is a complete, rule-ready file on their desk. Share your timeline through our contact page.

Questions APU students ask