California State University-San Marcos

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) is part of the 23-school California State University System. Located in San Marcos, CSUSM is a public university founded in 1989. They offer 62 bachelor’s degree programs, along with 15 master’s degrees through their four colleges. The university is located on 304-acres of land overlooking San Marcos. The area features some of the best beaches in the region and is just a short drive from the US-Mexico border. The student body has exceeded 17,000, making CSUSM one of the bigger schools in the area. Interestingly, 85% of the alumni stay in the local community.

The School of Nursing is part of the College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS). These programs are accredited by the CCNE. CSUSM began offering the nursing programs in 2006, starting with the BSN program. They now offer a total of six different nursing programs, including the traditional BSN program, LVN to BSN, and MSN, and they opened a satellite campus in Temecula to accommodate the growing number of students. The MSN program offers two areas of concentration – Advanced Practice Nursing and Post-Masters Certificates. These programs are designed for students to complete part-time, while the BSN program is intended for full-time students.

Updated on: 09 Oct, 2025

Program Length & Format

67 semester units (5 semesters)
Full-time, daytime, in-person delivery; lectures 1–2 days per week; clinical rotations scheduled throughout terms and may include weekends
Cohort model with 60 students per cohort; cohorts start Fall and Spring in San Marcos and Summer in Temecula; ~180 students admitted per year

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or U.S. equivalent
Minimum 2.5 GPA in the last 60 semester units
Minimum 2.75 GPA in the pre-nursing core
All pre-nursing core courses completed prior to application; minimum grade C (no C- accepted)
Proof of healthcare insurance required by the School of Nursing orientation deadline; background check and drug screen required upon conditional admission

Entrance Exams

ATI TEAS Version 7 required
Minimum composite score 71%
Virtually proctored TEAS accepted; upload PDF of TEAS score to application program materials; highest TEAS score used; photos of scores not accepted

Prerequisites

Anatomy & Physiology I with lab; Anatomy & Physiology II with lab (or separate Anatomy with lab and Physiology with lab sequence)
Microbiology with lab
General, Organic & Biochemistry for Life with lab (CHEM 105 and CHEM 105L)
Any CSU B4 statistics course (3 units)
Oral Communication (GEO 102), Written Communication (GEW 101), and one Critical Thinking course (LTWR 115, MATH 110, PHIL 110, or PSYC 110)
All science courses must include labs; online courses accepted if from regionally accredited institutions

Deadlines

Summer 2026 application and document deadline: November 5, 2025
Fall 2026 application and document deadline: February 4, 2026
Cohort start months: Fall (August), Spring (January), Summer (term start varies)

Application

Submit online application and upload official transcripts (full academic record, including AP scores); all transcripts must arrive by the deadline
Upload TEAS Version 7 PDF score in program materials section of application
Degree in progress allowed if proof of degree is provided prior to program start
After conditional admission, order background check and drug screen within approximately two weeks per email instructions
No pre-admission course advising; incomplete applications are not reviewed

Selection Process

Points-based selection with total possible 52 points
Factors considered: last 60-unit GPA, pre-nursing core GPA, TEAS composite score only
In case of tie, lottery used to determine admission
Approximately 60 students admitted per cohort
Applicants with flagged background checks are not admitted to the cohort and may join a later cohort pending space when background issues are resolved

Cost & Financial Aid

Unit rate $670 (effective Fall 2023)
Sample semester tuition subtotals: Fall 1 $10,720 (16 units), Spring 1 $8,710 (13 units), Summer 1 $8,710 (13 units), Fall 2 $10,050 (15 units), Spring 2 $6,700 (10 units); total $44,890 for 67 units (university semester fees not included)
Federal VA educational benefits accepted (Cal Vet fee waiver not eligible)
FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA recommended between January 1 and March 2 for priority consideration; CSUSM Title IV code 030113
Financial aid contact: 760-750-4850; military contact: 760-750-8705

Clinical & Simulation Lab

Approximately 22 units of clinical study within the 67-unit program
Clinical rotations in San Diego County and Riverside County
Clinical schedules vary by month and may include weekends; students may attend clinicals at both San Marcos and Temecula campuses

Credit Transfer

Pre-nursing core may be completed at other universities or community colleges; articulation lists available for California community colleges
Online courses accepted if from regionally accredited institutions
Program support courses (PHIL 345, ANTH 301) must be taken in residence at CSUSM
Program course requirements may not be fulfilled by taking courses at other institutions while enrolled

International Students

Oral Communication, Written Communication, and Critical Thinking Area A courses must be taken in the United States
Foreign coursework must be evaluated by a CSUSM-approved foreign transcript evaluation agency
Area A courses (A1, A2, A3) from institutions outside the U.S. are not accepted
Send official foreign transcript evaluation to: Cal State University San Marcos, Office of Admissions and Recruitment, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos, CA 92096, Attn: ABSN