Pre-licensure BSN Admission Requirements:
Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program:
A prospective student may declare pre-licensure nursing major and complete required prerequisite courses with a C or better. Applications are accepted in spring of freshman year for admission in the fall of sophomore year. Students admitted to the nursing major complete all prerequisite coursework in the fall of sophomore year and begin nursing coursework in the spring of sophomore year. Admission to the program is highly competitive and based on space/availability and competitiveness of the applicant pool. The nursing program at EIU does not accept external transfer students that have attended another college and completed prerequisites. Prospective students must begin the pre-nursing sequence in year one of the study plan at EIU. Admission is based on the following criteria for full consideration:
- Cumulative prerequisite GPA of 2.75 (based on GPA from all colleges attended)
- GPA of 2.7 in three courses, Practical Microbiology-BIO 1004G, Anatomy and Physiology I-BIO 2210, and Pathways: Health and Human Services-NUR 1511.
- Prerequisite courses completed with a C or better: College Composition I-ENG 1001G, Composition II-ENG 1002G, Introduction to Speech Communication-CMN 1310G, Practical Microbiology-BIO 1004G, The World of Chemistry-CHM 1040G, Mathematics: A Human Endeavor-MAT 1160G, Medical Terminology-NUR 2613, Anatomy and Physiology I-BIO 2210, Introduction to Psychology-PSY 1879G or Introductory Sociology-SOC 1838G, Pathways: Health and Human Services-NUR 1511, and Human Development-HSL 1800 or Personal Nutrition-NTR 2100.
- A failed prerequisite course (D, F, WD) may not be repeated more than once to receive a passing grade of C or higher. The highest grade will be used for GPA calculation.
- Equivalent or higher general education courses will be considered.
The pre-licensure nursing program accepts applications in the spring only. Nursing applications are accepted January 15 - March 1.The deadline date for all application materials is March 1st for consideration. Prerequisite courses taken during the spring semester are considered for application. Please be aware that if a student changes their major to pre-nursing later than their freshman year, they are still allowed to apply but doing so will likely result in extended time to program completion.
An application to the School of Nursing will be considered complete for review and consideration when all of the following are met:
- Admission to the university
- Declared pre-nursing major
- Completed nursing application
- C or better in all prerequisite courses
- Minimum GPA requirements
- All official transcripts submitted from any previous colleges attended
- Background check within 30 days of application date
- Safety and Technical Standards form completed and submitted to the School of Nursing by the deadline
- Essay submission
- Reference submission
Seats will be filled in the nursing program by ranking students based on, but not limited to, courses taken, Cumulative GPA, and BIO 1004G, BIO 2210, and NUR 1511 combined GPA, essay, and references. Admission to the program is determined by a nursing faculty committee. Applicants will be notified after July 1st of admission decision. Qualified students not accepted will be placed on a waiting list. The School of Nursing reserves the right to limit the size of the entering class, therefore, merely applying to the program and meeting or exceeding the stated minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission into the nursing program.
If accepted into the nursing major students must meet health and safety compliance requirements.
Due by October 1: Proof of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Healthcare Providers within 6 months, Completed Immunization Record, Completed History and Physical, and Drug test results within the last 30 days.
**Students admitted into the nursing program are required to purchase a lab coat and uniforms for use in clinical rotations and a stethoscope that meets minimum standards. Students must also have a computer that meets the minimum technical standards to support applications used in the nursing program.
**Re-application is allowed but is limited to one additional time. When re-applying to the program, previous ranking does not apply; all re-applicants will be ranked as new prospective students at the beginning of each application cycle.
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