Nursing School Requirements 2026: Prereqs, Exams, GPA & Timeline
To get into most U.S. nursing programs you need five things: completed prerequisites (A&P, micro, chem, stats, English, psych), a 2.5–3.0+ GPA (3.5+ to compete), a passing ATI TEAS or HESI A2 score, a full documentation package, and a 9–12 month runway. Cutoffs vary by program — always verify.
To get into most U.S. nursing programs in 2026, you need five things: completed prerequisite courses including Anatomy and Physiology I and II, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, English and psychology, a minimum 2.5 to 3.0 GPA with competitive admits typically at 3.5 and above, a passing entrance exam score on the ATI TEAS or Elsevier HESI A2, a complete documentation package covering transcripts, a personal essay, recommendation letters, immunization records and a background check, and a 9 to 12 month application runway. Specific cutoffs vary by program, so always verify directly with your target schools.
Knowing what is expected of you before you apply to nursing school is the difference between a strong first application and a cycle wasted on preventable rejections.
BSN program enrollment grew by 4.9% in 2024, with 267,889 students currently enrolled across the U.S. That number tells you two things. Nursing is wanted. And the seats are competitive.
Most nursing programs ask for the same five things from every applicant. You need completed prerequisite courses, a GPA that meets their cutoff, a passing score on an entrance exam like the ATI TEAS or HESI A2, a full documentation package, and enough lead time to pull it all together. The specifics change from school to school, but this framework holds almost everywhere.
Understanding the nursing school requirements at your target programs before you start is what separates a strategic applicant from one who finds out too late. A 3.0 GPA might clear the published minimum at one school and get your application filtered out at another. The TEAS score your friend used at a community college ADN program may not be accepted at the BSN program down the road.
This guide walks you through each of the five requirements in detail. For the exam piece, see our guides on the ATI TEAS test, the TEAS application, TEAS test cost, what the HESI A2 exam is, and the HESI passing score you will need. You will know what to complete, what cutoffs actually look like in practice, and how to pace your 12-month runway so nothing catches you off guard at the deadline.
The Five Universal Requirements (and Why They Vary By Program)
Every program phrases it differently. Some call them "admission criteria," others call them "eligibility standards." But strip that language away and you will find the same five things sitting underneath almost every nursing school application in the United States.
Here is the framework that holds across virtually every program:
Requirement | What Programs Evaluate | Where to Verify |
|---|---|---|
Prerequisite courses | Specific courses completed and grades earned | Each program's admissions checklist |
GPA | Overall GPA and science prereq GPA | Program admissions page |
Entrance exam | ATI TEAS or HESI A2 score | Program website |
Documentation | Transcripts, essay, letters, immunizations, background check | Application portal |
Application timing | Cohort deadlines and rolling cycles | Program academic calendar |
So why does it feel so confusing? Because the specifics attached to each category differ from school to school. One program's minimum GPA is another program's automatic rejection threshold. The TEAS score a community college ADN program accepts might not touch the competitive floor at the BSN program 10 miles down the road. The framework is universal. The cutoffs are not.
One more thing worth understanding before you go any further. Every nursing program in the United States is regulated by its state Board of Nursing. That board approves programs whose graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX. If a program is not board-approved in your state, the degree you earn does not translate to licensure. Always check that any program you apply to holds current state BoN approval before you submit anything.
Prerequisite Courses: The Standard List
Before an admissions committee looks at anything else, they want to know whether you have done the foundational academic work. Nursing school prerequisites are not optional courses you can swap out or defer. They are eligibility criteria, and missing even one can disqualify your application before it is ever reviewed.
So what exactly are programs looking for?
What Most BSN Programs Require
The standard nursing prerequisites stack at most BSN programs includes the following courses. Some programs require every one of them. Others require most and make one or two optional.
Anatomy and Physiology I and II (both with labs) — nearly universal across all programs
Microbiology (with lab) — required at almost every accredited program
General Chemistry (with lab) — some programs accept introductory survey chemistry in place of full general chemistry
Statistics — required consistently, though some programs accept biostatistics
English Composition I and II — standard across both ADN and BSN programs
Psychology and Lifespan or Developmental Psychology — most programs require both
Sociology — widely required, rarely waived
Nutrition — required at some programs and optional at others
ADN programs typically ask for a shorter list, often four to six courses rather than the full stack above. That shorter list has a cost though. Fewer general education credits transfer if you later pursue a bridge to BSN, so you may end up taking those courses anyway on the other side.
What About Prereq Grade Minimums?
Most programs require at least a C in each prerequisite course. Some raise that floor to a B minus. What many applicants do not realize is that a separate science prerequisite GPA is often calculated alongside your overall GPA, and that number carries significant weight in competitive cycles. Earning a C in A&P when a program's science prereq GPA floor is 3.0 becomes a problem even when your overall GPA looks acceptable.
The grade you earned matters. The course you took matters. And critically, when you took it matters too.
Do Nursing School Prerequisites Expire?
At many BSN programs, science prerequisites — specifically A&P, microbiology and chemistry — are only considered valid if completed within the past five to seven years. Non-science prerequisites like English, sociology and psychology typically do not carry an expiration date. But there is no national policy governing this. Each program sets its own rule, which means you need to check directly with every program you are considering. Do not assume a course you completed eight years ago will count.
Entrance Exams: TEAS vs HESI A2 (and Which Your Program Requires)
This is the section that trips up more candidates than any other. Not because the exams are impossible, but because people prepare for the wrong one. Weeks of study time, sometimes money spent on prep materials, and then the realization that their target school only accepts the other exam.
The rule here is simple. Your target schools decide which exam you take.
The Two Main Nursing Entrance Exams
Most U.S. nursing programs require either the ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) or the Elsevier HESI A2 (Health Education Systems Incorporated Admission Assessment). A smaller number accept the Kaplan Nursing Admission Test. Check each program's admissions page before booking a test date or purchasing any prep materials.
TEAS vs HESI A2 Compared
Both exams cover similar academic territory, but they are structured differently and accepted by different schools. Here is a side-by-side look at how they compare:
Feature | ATI TEAS 7 | HESI A2 |
|---|---|---|
Total questions | Varies by school, typically 25 to 50 per section | |
Total testing time | 209 minutes | Varies by sections required |
Sections covered | Reading, Math, Science, English and Language Usage | Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Biology, Chemistry, A&P, Physics |
Scoring format | Composite score and percentile | Individual section scores |
Who sets the passing score | Each institution sets its own minimum | Each institution sets its own minimum |
Retake policy | Typically one retake, varies by institution | Often a 60-day waiting period between attempts |
Format options | In-person or remote online | Primarily in-person at institutions |
What Does the TEAS 7 Actually Test?
The ATI TEAS exam consists of 170 total questions with 209 minutes in allocated testing time, covering Reading, Mathematics, Science and English and Language Usage. The Science section draws most heavily from anatomy and physiology content, which is exactly why candidates who sit the exam immediately after completing their prerequisite science courses consistently outperform those who wait.
What Does the HESI A2 Test?
The HESI A2 is used by nursing schools to assess how ready a prospective student is for the academic rigors of a nursing program. Not every school requires every section. Some programs waive Physics entirely. Others only require a subset of the eight possible sections. Before you begin preparing, confirm specifically which sections your target programs require. Preparing for Physics when your school does not test it is time you could spend reinforcing A&P or Chemistry.
When Should You Take the Exam?
Plan to sit the exam four to eight weeks before your application deadline. That window gives you enough time to receive your scores and, if needed, schedule one retake before the deadline closes. Most programs allow one retake attempt, and some require a waiting period of 30 days or more between sittings. Do not book a date before you have completed your prerequisite science courses. The content overlap is substantial and your scores will reflect the gap.
Where Does Testavia Fit In?
You have identified your target schools. You know which exam they require. Now the question is whether you are actually ready to sit it.
Testavia carries a 99% pass rate and has supported over 50,000 nursing students through their entrance exams, with TEAS 7-specific strategies, HESI A2 timed drills and video walkthroughs built by nursing education experts.
What makes Testavia worth your attention is not just the content coverage. It is the specificity. Their platform includes a weak area identification system, a performance breakdown by subject and daily study goals so you are not guessing at what to review next. The free diagnostic takes 20 minutes and shows you where your skill gaps are across all tested sections before you spend a cent.
[Start your free trial at Testavia](/nursing-school) and find out exactly where you stand before your exam date.
GPA Cutoffs: Minimum vs Competitive
Here is something most admissions guides will not tell you. The GPA listed on a program's website is the floor, not the target. In competitive cohorts, the actual admit GPA sits considerably higher than what the published minimum suggests.
Knowing that gap exists is what changes how you plan.
The Three GPA Numbers Programs Actually Weigh
Most applicants track one number. Programs look at three. Understanding all three gives you a far clearer picture of where you stand.
The three GPA components programs use most commonly are your overall cumulative GPA, your science prerequisite GPA calculated specifically from your science courses and your most-recent-30-credits GPA which some programs use to assess whether your academic performance has been trending upward. That third number matters particularly for returning students or career changers who took early coursework years ago.
What GPA Do You Need for Nursing School?
That depends on the type of program and the competitiveness of the institution. The table below breaks down what your GPA range means practically and what strategy it points toward:
GPA Range | What It Signals | Recommended Strategy |
|---|---|---|
3.7 and above | Competitive at most BSN programs | Apply to a strong portfolio including selective programs and consider direct-entry MSN if your goal is nurse practitioner |
3.3 to 3.6 | Solid but not guaranteed at selective programs | Apply to four to six programs with a mix of reach and realistic targets |
3.0 to 3.2 | Meets published minimums but falls below typical admit averages | ADN then bridge to BSN is often the strategically smarter path in this range |
Below 3.0 | Below most published minimums | Retake the lowest-scoring prerequisite courses first and reapply in the next cycle |
A 3.5 overall GPA paired with a 3.9 science prerequisite GPA is a materially stronger application than a 3.5 overall paired with a 3.1 science prereq GPA. The headline number looks identical. Programs do not read it that way.
For a real example of what a competitive program actually publishes as its admissions standards, the University of Kansas Medical Center BSN admissions page is consistently one of the most referenced program-specific pages in this keyword space. Read the actual page rather than any blog summarizing it secondhand.
If your current GPA sits below a program's published minimum, do not submit that application. It is not a judgment call, it is a mechanical screen and an auto-rejection. The more productive move is to retake your lowest-scoring prerequisite courses, bring that science prereq GPA up and apply in the next cycle with a stronger file.
Documentation Package: Transcripts, Essay, Recommendations, Health and Background
Getting your paperwork organized sounds administrative. It is actually where quietly strong applications unravel. Missed deadlines for transcript requests, recommendation letters asked for too late and immunization series started too close to the clinical start date are all entirely avoidable problems with enough runway.
What the Standard Documentation Package Looks Like
Most programs require the same core set of documents. Here is what to prepare and a note on what makes each one more complicated than it appears:
Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution you have attended — Not unofficial copies and not PDFs you download yourself
Personal essay — Most programs ask some variation of "why nursing and why now," and the essay is read closely at competitive programs where GPA and exam scores are similar across applicants
One to three letters of recommendation — At least one should come from an academic contact and at least one from a clinical or healthcare-related professional if possible
Current immunization records — Programs typically require MMR, Hepatitis B, Tdap, varicella, annual influenza and the COVID-19 series, though specific requirements vary
Background check — Most misdemeanors clear, but felonies are often disqualifying depending on your state Board of Nursing's policy
Drug screening — Typically required before clinicals begin rather than at the application stage, though some programs ask for it at application
BLS and CPR for Healthcare Providers certification — Required before your first clinical rotation at most programs, not typically at the point of application
TOEFL or IELTS scores — Required for non-native English speakers at many programs, though the threshold varies
The Timing Issue Most Applicants Underestimate
Every item on that list has a lead time attached to it. The table below maps out roughly how far in advance each documentation task needs to begin:
Document | Minimum Lead Time |
|---|---|
Official transcripts | 60 to 90 days before the application deadline |
Letters of recommendation | 6 weeks minimum before the deadline |
Hepatitis B vaccination series | 6 months (doses at month 0, month 1 and month 6) |
Background check | 2 to 4 weeks depending on jurisdiction |
Immunization series completion | Varies by vaccine, start as early as possible |
The Hepatitis B series is the one that catches people most off guard. It is a six-month commitment. If your program requires proof of completion before clinicals and you have not started the series yet, you need to begin immediately regardless of where you are in the application process.
Application Timeline: The 12-Month Runway
You now know what the five requirements are and what each one involves. The next question is how you sequence them so everything lands before the deadline, not the week after.
A 12-month runway is the minimum for a clean first application. Career changers and accelerated BSN candidates often need closer to 18 months because prerequisite coursework and exam prep are running in parallel with full-time work.
What a 12-Month Application Plan Actually Looks Like
Working backward from a program start date, here is how a well-paced application runway breaks down:
Timeframe | Priority Actions |
|---|---|
12 months out | Finalize your prerequisite course schedule, identify target programs and review each program's specific requirements |
9 months out | Book your ATI TEAS or HESI A2 test date approximately three months out and begin focused exam prep |
6 months out | Sit the entrance exam and if your score falls below target program minimums plan and schedule your retake |
4 months out | Request official transcripts from every institution, contact recommendation writers and begin drafting your personal essay |
3 months out | Complete or update immunizations and initiate the background check process if programs require it at application |
2 months out | Submit applications and confirm whether each program runs a rolling or fixed annual deadline |
0 to 2 months post-decision | Complete background and drug screening and obtain BLS certification before clinicals begin |
If you are more than 12 months out from your intended application date, the highest-return use of your time right now is finishing prerequisite science courses with strong grades. You can prepare for the TEAS or HESI A2 in two to three months once that material is genuinely fresh. Strong prereq grades also build the science GPA that programs weight heavily, so the two priorities reinforce each other.
How Requirements Differ: ADN vs BSN vs Accelerated BSN
The five-part framework applies across all three pathways to RN licensure. What shifts between them is the academic threshold at entry, the length of the program and the type of candidate each path is best suited for.
ADN vs BSN vs Accelerated BSN are not just variations in program length. They are fundamentally different entry profiles and your existing academic record and life circumstances should shape which one you target.
Here is how the three pathways compare across the variables that matter most at the admissions stage:
Pathway | Program Length | Typical GPA Expectation | Prerequisite Load | Entrance Exam | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ADN | Approximately 2 years at a community college | 2.5 to 3.0 minimum | Shorter, typically 4 to 6 courses | TEAS in most cases | Cost-sensitive candidates who plan to bridge to BSN after gaining RN licensure |
Traditional BSN | Approximately 4 years or 2-year upper division | 3.0 minimum with 3.5 and above competitive | Full standard prerequisite stack | TEAS or HESI A2 | Direct entrants pursuing a bachelor's-level credential and full clinical preparation |
Accelerated BSN | 12 to 18 months | 3.0 minimum with 3.5 and above competitive | All standard nursing prereqs plus a prior bachelor's degree in any field | TEAS or HESI A2 | Career changers who already hold a non-nursing bachelor's degree and want the fastest legitimate path to RN licensure |
A Note for Career Changers Specifically
If you already hold a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, the accelerated BSN is often the most efficient route. But a prior degree does not exempt you from nursing prerequisites. A&P, microbiology and statistics are required regardless of what your previous degree covered. Audit your transcripts against every target program's published prerequisite list before you assume how much remaining coursework you have. That audit takes 30 minutes and could save you a full semester.
Written by · Verified educator
Testavia editorial
Nathan Cole
RN
Medical-Surgical nurse & health writer
Meet Nathan, a registered nurse with over five years of experience in Medical-Surgical care, based in New York City. Having worked with a wide range of patients through some of their most vulnerable moments, Nathan brings a grounded, real-world perspective to his writing on healthcare. His goal is simple: to bridge the gap between medical knowledge and everyday understanding, making health topics feel less intimidating and more empowering for everyone. When he's not caring for patients, Nathan channels his passion for medicine into writing that educates, comforts and inspires.
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