Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA 23284
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Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public institution with undergrad and graduate degree programs. The main campus is in Richmond, where it was established as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney College in 1838. The medical department became a medical college before merging with the Richmond Professional Institute to become VCU in 1968. Along with the Richmond campus, VCU operates a branch campus in Education City, Doha, Qatar. The Richmond location includes the Monroe Park campus and the MVC campus. The 90.6-acre Monroe Park houses most of the general facilities while the MVC campus houses the VCU Medical Center and nursing school.

VCU offers a combination of undergrad and graduate degree programs that are accredited by the CCNE. The programs include traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, accelerated BSN, RN to MSN, PhD, and BSN to PhD programs. The MSN program offers five areas of concentration including Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. The courses are offered entirely online. However, students need to visit the campus three times per year. Students completing the traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, or RN to BSN programs are required to complete clinical rotations at local facilities, including the VCU Medical Center and various clinics.

Institution Overview

Campus LocaleMidsize City
Number of Students30,675
Student to Faculty Ratio18:1
Is Admission OpenNo
Religious Affiliation -
Level4-year
TypePublic
On Campus HousingYes
Retention Rate83%

Nursing Programs

The Virginia Commonwealth University BSN program traditional track offers a three year curriculum which is approved by the Board of Nursing. A student who successfully completes the program will be eligible to apply to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for licensing as a Registered Nurse.

Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are required to show proof of good standing at last college attended
  • Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on all college level coursework
  • SAT/ACT scores

The second track into the nursing program is the Accelerated BSN track for applicants who have a baccalaureate degree in a non nursing field with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on all college level coursework.

The third track of entry into the program is the Registered Nurse to BSN Completion Program. Applicants to this track need to be a graduate of an accredited nursing program with an ADN or a nursing diploma with a minimum grade point of average of 2.5 on all college level coursework. The applicant is required to possess a current unencumbered Registered Nursing to practice in the state. 

 

Nursing Programs Graduates (2017-2018 academic year)

Number of Graduates
Degree type Men Women
Bachelor's degree 0 0
Master's degree 3 78
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship 0 2
Post-master's certificate 0 1
Average NCLEX pass rate
  • NCLEX-RN: 47.5%

Compare Schools

Nursing schools located within 55 miles radius of Virginia Commonwealth University

ECPI University - Richmond Campus
8 miles away
ECPI University - Emerywood Campus
10 miles away
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22 miles away
Petersburg Public Schools
23 miles away
Lafayette School of Practical Nursing
41 miles away
University of Mary Washington
52 miles away
Longwood University
54 miles away
Southside Virginia Community College - Christanna
55 miles away
Southside Virginia Community College - Farmville Campus
55 miles away

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Accreditations

Institutional Accreditations
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
01/01/1953 - Current
Nursing Programs Accreditations
Nursing (MNUR) - Master's program
ACEN
04/01/1971 - Current
Nursing (NUR) - Baccalaureate program
ACEN
12/01/1960 - Current
Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels
CCNE
09/22/2016 - Current
Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
CCNE
09/22/2016 - Current
Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
CCNE
09/22/2016 - Current
Nurse Anesthesia (ANEST) - Institutions and programs at the master's degree, post master's certificate or doctoral degree levels
COA
12/01/1968 - Current

Admission

84%

Acceptance Rate
Enrolled students test score (Fall 2017)
SAT1070 to 1260
ACT21 to 27
Admission considerations
Secondary school GPA Required
Secondary school rank Neither required nor recommended
Secondary school record Required
Completion of college-preparatory program Recommended
Recommendations Required
Formal demonstration of competencies Required
Admission test scores (SAT/ACT) Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Neither required nor recommended
Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.) Neither required nor recommended

In addition to the college's admission requirements each nursing program might have its own admission criteria (such as: TEAS score, HESI A2 score, nursing prerequisites GPA, etc).
Application fee
Undergrads $65
Graduates $65

Cost to Attend

The following table details the reported cost of attendance per credit hour for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Undergrad courses
In District Students$391/credit
In State Students$391/credit
Out of State Students$1,059/credit
Graduate courses
In District Students$632/credit
In State Students$632/credit
Out of State Students$1,300/credit

Tuition Estimates

Based on the above credit hour costs, here is a sample tuition for different nursing programs.

Program Credit Hours In district In State Out of State
LPN 45 $17,595 $17,595 $47,655
ADN 70 $27,370 $27,370 $74,130
BSN 125 $48,875 $48,875 $132,375
FNP 50 $31,600 $31,600 $65,000
Please note that the above cost estimate does not include school fees, books, supplies, etc.You need to allot additional money for that.
If you attend a private, for-profit school, usually the additional cost (besides tuition) is about 10% of the tuition. If you attend a public school or a not-for-profit private school, the additional cost is around 50% of the tuition.

Financial Aid

In 2017-2018 academic year, 81% of Virginia Commonwealth University's students received financial aid. Below is the breakdown of the financial aid provided to students.

Students Receiving Aid Average Amount/Student
Pell Grant 30% $4,520
Other Federal Grant 4% $1,443
State Grant & Scholarships 46% $4,807
Institutional Grant & Scholarships 45% $5,796
Federal Student Loans 54% $5,433
Private Loans 11% $15,748

$20,741

Average Net Price
The average net price is calculated by subtracting the average amount of financial aid received by students from the total cost of attendance.
Average Net Price by Family Income
Less than $30,000$14,233
$30,001 to $48,000$18,394
$48,001 to $75,000$22,307
$75,001 to $110,000$24,528
Over $110,000$26,858

Calculate your net price

Student Population

23,663

Undergrads

7,012

Graduates

18,283

Women

12,392

Men

82%

Full-time

18%

Par-time

Ethnic Diversity
White
49%
Black/African American
17%
Asian
13%
Hispanic
8%
Two or more races
5%
Non-resident alien
5%
Race/ethnicity unknown
3%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0%

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Data source: https://nces.ed.gov (2017-2018 colleges survey) and Virginia state board of nursing.
Virginia Commonwealth University
910 W Franklin St
Richmond, VA 23284
Website

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