California State University-Fullerton CSUF School of Nursing

Program Length & Format

• Two-year (5 semesters including summer)
• Begins each Fall semester
• Full-time, cohort-based format; no part-time or semester off options
• Lecture courses held mornings or afternoons on weekdays
• Clinical hours scheduled any day of the week, including 8 to 12-hour shifts, day or night

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution required by end of Fall semester of application year
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 in transferable college-level coursework by end of Fall semester prior to application
• Minimum prerequisite course GPA of 3.25 by end of Fall semester prior to application
• Grades of B- or higher required in science prerequisite courses; C or higher in non-science prerequisites
• California residents only (due to impaction status)
• Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) required for background check and licensure eligibility

Prerequisites

• All prerequisites must be completed by end of Fall semester prior to application deadline; no in-progress prerequisites accepted
• Science prerequisites require minimum B- grade:
  • Human Anatomy with Lab (minimum 3 units lecture + 1 unit lab)
  • Human Physiology with Lab (minimum 3 units lecture + 1 unit lab)
  • Microbiology with Lab (minimum 3 units lecture + 1 unit lab)
  • General, Inorganic, Organic or Integrated Chemistry with Lab (minimum 3 units lecture; lab if required)
• Non-science prerequisites require minimum C grade:
  • Oral Communication (CSU GE A.1)
  • Written Composition (CSU GE A.2)
  • Critical Thinking (CSU GE A.3)
  • Statistics (CSU GE B.4)
• Two additional courses required during first semester of nursing coursework:
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology

Deadlines

• Application open from October 1 to November 30 annually
• Official transcripts due by January 31
• All prerequisites must be completed by end of Fall semester prior to application (e.g., Fall 2025 for Fall 2026 admission)

Application

• Apply through Cal State Apply undergrad application for "Nursing - Accelerated BSN" major
• Submit one set of official transcripts from every college-level institution attended to CSUF Office of Admissions by January 31
• Submit official AP/IB exam score reports if applicable
• $31.34 interview fee if invited
• Must meet health clearance requirements and provide health insurance, CA driver’s license, auto insurance, CPR certification, and pass criminal background check after admission

Selection Process

• Minimum GPA and prerequisite completion required for consideration
• Points system (up to 105 points) based on:
  • Prerequisite course GPA (up to 40 points)
  • Overall cumulative GPA (up to 30 points)
  • Second language proficiency (up to 10 points)
  • Applicable work or volunteer experience (up to 10 points)
  • Completion of additional courses (up to 5 points)
  • Residency (up to 5 points)
  • Veteran/Active Duty or spouse status (5 bonus points)
• Top applicants invited for interview; final admission contingent on interview
• No admission deferrals allowed; must enroll first semester immediately

Wait List Policies

• No waitlist; rejected applicants must reapply in the following year

Cost & Financial Aid

• Tuition charged at graduate rate as post-baccalaureate students

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Clinical placements within 50 miles of CSUF Fullerton campus
• Clinical hour requirements per course:
  • NURS 402L – 90 hours
  • NURS 403L – 135 hours
  • NURS 404L – 90 hours
  • NURS 405L – 135 hours
  • NURS 406L – 90 hours
  • NURS 407L – 90 hours
  • NURS 410L – 90 hours
  • NURS 411L – 135 hours
  • NURS 412L – 180 hours
• Clinical hours may be day or overnight shifts, scheduled by faculty and hospitals
• Simulation lab details not specified

Credit Transfer

• Transferable credit must be from regionally accredited institutions
• AP/IB credits accepted only for some non-science prerequisites and some cases of chemistry
• CLEP accepted for some prerequisites except anatomy, physiology, microbiology
• Only one repeat permitted for Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology if grade requirement not met; no repeat limit on non-science prerequisites or chemistry

International Students

• Foreign degrees accepted if evaluated by foreign transcript evaluation agency for U.S. equivalency
• TOEFL minimum scores: 550 (paper-based) or 80 (Internet-based) unless waived
• English proficiency waiver possible; Accelerated BSN treated as graduate level for waiver purposes