Admission Requirements

Nursing Major (Basic/Pre-Licensure) Option

The Department of Nursing offers admission to the nursing major's basic/pre-licensure option each fall and spring term.

Screened & Competitive Major Declaration

This is a screened, competitive program which requires a separate application and additional admission criteria than what is required for university admission. Listing nursing as your major on the university application does not constitute an application to the major. All students who select nursing as their major on the university application will be automatically classified as pre-nursing students.

Due to the competitive nature of this program, admission to the university and meeting the minimum nursing admission requirements do not guarantee program admission. The factors used to determine competitive standards for admission are outlined in the "Admission Competitiveness" section of this page.

It is the responsibility of each applicant to be aware of all application and admission requirements and deadlines. The Department of Nursing will not accept late applications or review applications that are incomplete or do not meet the minimum criteria outlined on this page.

Information Overview

Before applying, applicants must review this page for a comprehensive outline of of application and admission requirements for the basic/pre-licensure option. 

On this page, prospective applicants will find the following information:

• Program application status
• Application and material deadlines
  • Priority review/early decision
  • Regular admission review
• Required application materials
• Minimum criteria for application review
• Minimum criteria for admission consideration
  • Information for applicants who do not meet the minimum criteria
  • Information for applying from another nursing program
• Admission competitiveness
  • What factors influence admission review
  • Competitive averages of recent terms
• Guidelines for preparing to apply
• Application Instructions & Link to Application
• University application and enrollment guidance for new or reenrolling TU students

program application status

Nursing Application Open for Fall 2025

We are currently accepting applications for Fall 2025 program admission. Our application is now available via NursingCAS. Please refer to the "How to Apply to the Program" section of this page for application instructions and a link to the application.

You must read this entire page carefully to ensure that you understand all application and admission requirements and deadlines before applying.

Application & Material Deadlines

Priority Admission Review (Early Decision)

The Department of Nursing offers early application review to qualified students. Students must meet the minimum application and admission criteria and complete their application (including submission of all required materials) by the priority deadline to qualify for early application review. Students applying under the Individual Admissions Policy are not eligible for early review.

Meeting the priority deadline and early review requirements does not guarantee early admission.

Students who qualify for early review may be offered either an early admission decision or have their application deferred to the regular application deadline. If a student is offered early admission, they will be required to accept their seat in the nursing program earlier.

Program start term	Priority application deadline	priority Deadline for SUBMISSION OF REQUIRED MATERIALS
Fall	December 15	December 31
Spring	July 15	July 15

Regular Admission Review

All applicants must meet the regular application and material submission deadlines in order to be considered for admission. Late applications or materials are not accepted.

Program start term	Final application deadline	Final Material submission Deadline
Fall	January 15	February 1
Spring	July 15	September 1

Application Requirements

It is an applicant's responsibility to understand their eligibility to apply and ensure that their application and all required materials are submitted by the deadlines listed above. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.

Required Materials

Applicants must submit the following materials by the material submission deadline of the term for which they're applying. All materials must be submitted via the NursingCAS application.

• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
  • This includes your current school of attendance with most recently completed term, any high school dual enrollment, and/or any summer or winter transfer coursework
  • Transcripts must be submitted from the original institution attended. Transfer coursework on another institution's transcript is not accepted in lieu of an official transcript.
• Test of Academic Skills (TEAS) Exam Transcript for TEAS Version 7
  • TEAS scores must be taken within the two years of applying
  • Applicants may submit up to two TEAS transcripts per application cycle

Minimum Criteria for Application Review

Applicants must meet the following criteria by the material submission deadline in order to be eligible for application review:

• At least 42 undergraduate credits/units earned
• Completion of at least three (3) laboratory science prerequisites with a C (2.0) or higher
• Completion of English composition with a C (2.0) or higher (TU's ENGL 102 or equivalent transfer credit)
• Score ranked Proficient or higher on the TEAS Version 7

Coursework in progress does not satisfy these criteria. Minimum units and courses required to apply must be completed as of the most recent term. Units completed may include credit by exam and high school dual enrollment coursework.

Students may apply with additional prerequisites to be completed as long as they have met the criteria listed above. Any offer of admission would be contingent upon the completion of remaining prerequisites prior to the start of the term.

Minimum Criteria for Admission Consideration

Applicants must have meet the minimum admission criteria outlined below in order to be eligible for admission consideration. The admission criteria is the same for all program applicants, including current TU students, transfer students, reenrolling students, and second bachelor's degree-seeking students.

If you do not meet the minimum admission criteria listed below, please refer to the "Individual Admissions Policy" section for more information.

Students with prior nursing program enrollment should refer to the section titled "Applying from Another Nursing Program" for additional information.

Admission Criteria

• Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher from all colleges/universities attended
  • This includes all college coursework at the undergraduate level at all institutions attended, including any high school dual enrollment and transfer courses completed during the summer or minimester.
• Completion of all nursing prerequisite courses with a C (2.0) or higher by the start of the program
  • Pass/fail grades are not accepted. Exceptions may apply for special COVID-19 grading during select terms.
  • Grades below a grade point value of 2.0 are not accepted, even if the grade was accepted by another institution as passing. C- grades are not the same as a C grade.
  • Prerequisites may be in progress at time of application as long as students meet the minimum criteria to apply.
  • Credit by exam may satisfy nursing prerequisites as long it is posted as test credit or transfer credit equivalent to the required course on a student's TU transcript.
• Completion of all science and mathematics prerequisites within 10 years of applying
  
  • Age of courses is based on when you are applying (e.g., applicants for Fall 2025 are applying in Spring 2025 and must have taken the courses in Spring 2015 or later)
• Limit of two (2) repeat attempts of nursing prerequisite courses
  
  • This applies to repeat attempts nursing prerequisite courses in which you earned below a C (2.0). Do not include the initial attempt in your repeat tally.
  • If a science prerequisite is taught as separate lecture and lab courses, both the lecture and lab count as one course each.
  • Multiple repeats of coursework to increase a passing grade to a higher grade is discouraged but not prohibited.
  • Courses repeated only because they were over 10 years old will not count against the repeat limit.

Meeting the minimum criteria for admission consideration does not guarantee admission to the program. Refer to the "Admissions Competitiveness" section of this page for more details.

Individual AdmissionS Policy

If you do not meet one or more of the admission criteria listed above, you may still be eligible to apply for admission review through the Individual Admissions Policy. This does not apply to students who do not meet the minimum criteria for application review.

The Individual Admissions Policy requires submission of additional materials that support a student's request for admission consideration. Special admission consideration requires evidence of academic improvement and a demonstrated ability to succeed in a rigorous program.

It is an applicant's responsibility to understand if the Individual Admissions Policy applies to them. All applicants should review the policy carefully before initiating their application. The Department of Nursing is not responsible for notifying students that this policy applies to them.

Applying from Another Nursing Program

The basic/pre-licensure major is designed for students with no previous nursing education. However, students who have previous enrollment in a nursing program may still be eligible to apply. For the purposes of admission review, the information in this section only applies to students who took courses in the nursing subject. If you were enrolled in a direct-entry nursing program but did not take any actual nursing courses, you are still considered a pre-nursing student.

If you have been successful in another nursing program's courses and want to transfer, you must still meet the application and admission criteria outlined on this page. For questions about transferring nursing courses, refer to the department's transfer student policy.

If you were unsuccessful in another nursing program's nursing coursework, you may  only apply through the Individual Admissions Policy.

Admission Competitiveness

Admission to the nursing major is highly competitive due to the number of applicants, limited space in the major, and rigor of the program. Admission review is focused on a student's academic strengths and ability to handle a rigorous academic curriculum.

Work or volunteer experience in a healthcare setting does not weigh on the admission decision. Students are still encouraged to seek patient contact experience on a paid or volunteer basis in order to confirm their interest in a nursing career and make sure they understand the career they want to pursue. Prior experience in a clinical/healthcare environment can also help admitted students with the transition into the clinical setting.

Factors tHAT iNFLUENCE Competitiveness

The following factors are all considered in the admission review process:

• overall cumulative GPA from all schools attended
• GPA between the five (5) science prerequisite courses
• TEAS score
• overall academic record & performance trends
  • positive enrollment trends (consistent full-time enrollment, balancing difficult courses, advanced credits, etc)
  • history of course repeats or excessive withdrawals
  • consistency of academic performance or demonstration of academic improvement over time

Earning the minimum GPA or a proficient TEAS score does not guarantee admission to the program. Meeting the minimum criteria is not the same as being a competitive applicant. Students should aim for a higher, competitive TEAS score, a higher overall cumulative GPA, and a strong science GPA. While there is no minimum science GPA requirement, students are encouraged to strive for B (3.0) or higher in their science prerequisites or an overall 3.0 science GPA.

Competitive ADMISSION Averages

The following averages are ranges based on the admission data for the past two years:

• Overall Cumulative GPA: 3.5-3.7
• TEAS Score: 83-85%
• Science GPA: 3.2-3.4

As a reminder, these are averages and not minimums. Meeting one or more of these competitive averages does not guarantee admission, and not meeting one or more of them is not a sign that you will be denied admission. The degree of competitiveness for admission is determined by the number of applications received and the strength of applicant pool each term.

Guidelines for Preparing to Apply

Before you submit your application, it is imperative that you are prepared to properly complete the nursing program application and understand your eligibility to apply and be considered for admission. Here are key actions that every applicant should take before they begin the application process:

1. Review your eligibility to apply and be considered for admission.
   1. Minimum Application Criteria: Confirm that you will have completed at least 42 undergraduate credits, English composition, and three (3) lab science prerequisites by the end of the most recent term. Minimester/winter courses and/or summer courses should be included if you are applying for regular admission decision.
   2. GPA: Calculate your overall cumulative GPA. GPA is calculated by dividing total grade points earned by total attempted credits. If you have attended more then one school, you should refer to each school's transcript for the grade points and attempted hours. Note that attempted credits are sometimes referred to GPA credits/hours on transcripts. Do not count any withdrawals or transferred credits in the total of attempted/GPA hours for any school.
   3. Repeats: If you have repeated any of the nursing prerequisite courses due to earning below a C (2.0), count how many repeat attempts you have on your transcripts. Please note that withdrawals are not counted as a course attempt.
   4. Course age: If you have any science or math prerequisites that were taken more than 10 years prior to your application, you must repeat these courses or submit the materials required under the Individual Admissions Policy. It is recommended that you repeat courses older than 10 years rather than apply via the Individual Admissions Policy.
2. Review the nursing major's prerequisites for admission and confirm transfer equivalencies (if applicable).
   1. Students must be prepared to list the courses they expect to satisfy their prerequisites on the nursing application.
   2. Current TU students can refer to the Academic Requirements (AR) or Advising What-If Report in their Student Dashboard to confirm whether the courses they have completed or are taking will satisfy the nursing prerequisites. The Registrar's Office provides the "Academic Requirements - Undergraduate" guide to help navigate these tools.
   3. Students should not assume that a transfer course will satisfy the prerequisite just based on course number or title. Students who are planning to transfer to TU should refer to our transfer student resources to understand how their transfer courses could satisfy the nursing prerequisites.
   4. Any prerequisite courses in progress at time of admission must be completed with a C (2.0) or higher by the start of the program.
3. Review the Standards and Functional Abilities for Nursing Students (PDF).
   1. The standards outline essential functional abilities that students need to attain the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for entry-level nurses.
   2. These standards are not required for program admission but will be expected of students admitted to the nursing major. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review these functional standards to better understand what will be expected of them in the nursing major.

How to Apply to the Program

In this section, you will find instructions on how to apply and submit required materials. Please read all instructions carefully before starting the application.

It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that all required documents have been received. The Department of Nursing is not responsible for materials not received by the deadline.

Application Instructions

1. Complete the NursingCAS application.
   1. Applicants will need to create a NursingCAS application account to get started. The email used to create the NursingCAS account will be used for all application communications.
   2. NursingCAS charges an application fee of $60 for a student's first application and $45 for any additional undergraduate program applications.
   3. The NursingCAS application requires time to complete all required sections, including entering all courses from all transcripts and identifying the courses that apply to each prerequisite. Students cannot wait until the deadline to begin their application due to the time it requires. NursingCAS does offer paid assistance for transcript entry as an option. 
2. Submit official TEAS transcript in the NursingCAS application.
   1. Up to two transcripts may be submitted per application cycle.
   2. TEAS scores are valid for two years. Any TEAS transcripts older than two years will not be accepted.
   3. TEAS scores must be received by the material submission deadline (February 1st for fall, September 1st for spring).
   4. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to request that you submit your transcript directly through ATI Testing to us if deemed necessary.
3. Request that official transcripts from all US institutions attended be sent to NursingCAS.
   
   1. This includes Towson University transcripts and any high school dual enrollment transcripts. Failure to report all undergraduate enrollment may result in a rejected application.
   2. Submission of any graduate transcripts is optional but encouraged.
   3. Transcripts must include grades for the most recent course work completed including summer or winter courses. Please verify all recently completed coursework have grades posted before requesting your official transcripts.
4. International Applicants: Any international coursework requires a course-by-course credential evaluation from one of the credential evaluation services accepted by the university. International credential evaluations must be sent to NursingCAS using one of the following options:
   1. Use the World Education Services (WES) link in the Academic History section of the application to order your official WES evaluation
   2. Use the “Download Evaluation Request Form” in the Academic History section of the application to request an evaluation from an evaluation service other than WES.

Application Status

Applicants can monitor the status of their application materials using their NursingCAS application dashboard. For assistance, visit the NursingCAS Applicant Help Center.

University Enrollment

Submission of the NursingCAS application is not an application to the university.  Admission to and enrollment at Towson University is required in order to enroll in the major, but it is not required by the time you apply to the major.

Students who are not currently enrolled at TU must complete the appropriate application to enroll at the university if admitted. If you are not currently enrolled at TU, please read the following reminders to ensure that you understand what you must do to enroll.

• New TU Students: New students must submit the transfer application through University Admissions.
  • This includes any students who has not attended TU in the past or who has completed a bachelor's degree since attending TU. This includes if you are  a current or previous TU student who will have a completed bachelor's degree prior to the start of the nursing program.
  • New transfer students should refer to Transfer Admissions for more information.
  • New second bachelor's students should refer to Second Bachelor's Admissions for more information.
  • Spring Applicants Only: Please note that the spring transfer application may not be available before the nursing program's spring application deadline. Spring applicants should apply for program admission first and wait to apply to the university until the spring transfer application is available.
• Reenrolling Students: Reenrolling students must submit the university's reenrollment application.
  • This includes any students who have previously attended TU, have not attended TU for at least one fall or spring term, and have not not completed a degree at TU or anywhere else since last attending.
  • If you previously attended TU but have since completed a bachelor's degree since attending, you are considered a new second bachelor's student.

University admission or reenrollment does not guarantee admission to the major. All students who list nursing on their university application or reenrollment form will automatically be classified as a pre-nursing major.

Questions?

For any questions about the nursing admissions process or requirements, please contact the Nursing Admissions & Advisement Manager at nursingadmissions AT_TOWSON.