National University Department of Nursing

Program Length & Format

• Completion time averages 22 months
• Program uses quarter system: four 12-week quarters per year
• Each quarter has three 4-week classes, one class per month
• Available formats: online, in-person, and hybrid options
• Multiple cohort start dates per year at campuses in San Diego, Fresno, and Los Angeles

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must hold a prior bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.)
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in general education and prerequisite courses; if below 2.75, minimum 3.0 GPA in last 60 semester or 90 quarter units of bachelor’s degree
• Minimum grade of "C" or higher in all prerequisite courses (no C- accepted)
• Clear criminal background check and drug screen required
• Required immunizations including full COVID-19 vaccination, no exceptions allowed
• Submission of separate application for nursing program after university acceptance

Entrance Exams

• TEAS required
• Maximum of three TEAS attempts allowed; 
• TEAS scores must be sent directly from ATI testing website to the campus chosen (San Diego, Fresno, or Los Angeles)

Prerequisites

• Completion of the following courses with grade "C" or higher before application:
  • ENG 102 Effective College English
  • COM 103 Public Speaking
  • BST 322 Introduction to Biomedical Statistics
  • ILR 260 Information Literacy
  • SOC 100 Principles of Sociology
  • PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
  • BIO 201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab (BIO 201A)
  • BIO 202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab (BIO 202A)
  • BIO 203 Introductory Microbiology with Lab (BIO 203A)
• All prerequisites must have final grades posted before nursing application submission; in-progress courses not accepted
• Specific asynchronous and StraighterLine BIO courses not accepted as equivalents

Deadlines

• Nursing cohorts at San Diego campus begin four times per year: January, April, July, October
• Upcoming application deadlines for San Diego cohort examples:
  • August 11, 2025 for January 2026 start
  • November 10, 2025 for April 2026 start
  • February 9, 2026 for July 2026 start
  • May 10, 2026 for October 2026 start
• Fresno and Los Angeles campuses offer cohorts twice per year with similar deadlines preceding April and October starts
• Applications open approximately three months before each deadline

Application

• Online nursing application accessed via SOAR Student Portal
• official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities
• University application and nursing program application are separate steps
• Students must submit official TEAS scores sent directly from ATI
• Attendance at Pre-Nursing Forum required within 12 months before applying

Selection Process

• Admission based on composite score of:
  • Science and Math based GPA (40%)
  • TEAS VII score (40%)
  • Interview score (20%)
• Top applicants ranked by combined GPA and TEAS scores invited for interview
• Interview focuses on motivation for nursing and academic readiness; faculty scored
• San Diego campus selects up to 40 students per cohort with 5 alternates; Fresno and Los Angeles have smaller cohort sizes
• Maximum of three nursing program applications allowed; denied applicants after third attempt barred from applying

Cost & Financial Aid

• Estimated annual tuition: $23,655
• Estimated total program cost: $94,620

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Clinical practice hours integrated with courses, including specialized rotations such as medical-surgical, pediatric, psychiatric-mental health, community health, and leadership
• Clinical hours vary per course, typically around 45 to 105 contact hours
• Simulation labs used alongside clinical courses to practice nursing skills
• Clinical placements occur at approved sites in San Diego and other affiliated locations

Credit Transfer

• Transfer credits accepted for prerequisite and general education courses completed at regionally accredited institutions
• LVNs and military medics may challenge nursing courses via examination for advanced placement provided courses meet recency and content criteria (7-year limit)
• Successful course challenges result in revised study plans and satisfaction of NU residency requirements (minimum 45 quarter units completed at National University)

Contacts

• Prospective students should email [email protected] for San Diego campus
• Fresno inquiries: [email protected]
• Los Angeles inquiries: [email protected]

The National University Department of Nursing is intended to prepare nurses for the growing field of nursing. The nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.

The program allows options designed to meet the variegated needs of students. These options include tracks that allow applicants new to nursing or Licensed Vocational Nurses can join the ASN or BSN tracks. Registered Nurses can attain their Bachelor’s Degree thorough the track offering RN completion.

Programs Include:

1. Generic Entry (BSN)
2. Accelerated Post-Bachelor Degree (BSN)
3. RN Completion (BSN)
4. LVN-to-BSN

Admissions Requirements:

1. Application to the university
2. Obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 from an accredited institution
3. Submit a separate application for admission into a particular nursing track
4. Test of Essential Academic Skills Score
5. Proctored essay

Applicants should attend a Pre-Nursing Program Information Forum and arrange for a meeting with an Admissions Advisor to best describe the application and admissions procedures to the Nursing program.

Each application will be evaluated thorough a Calculation Worksheet by the admissions committee of the nursing department. The application packet of prospective students will be ranked in comparison with other applicants for that application period.