SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Program Length & Format

• 15-month full-time program
• Fall start each year
• 60 credit hours of concentrated nursing courses in residence
• 65 credit hours of prerequisite courses transferred in
• Clinical and hospital rotations take place primarily in Brooklyn

Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (MSCHE, NECHE, HLC, NWCCU, SACSCOC, WASC/WSCUC, ACCJC, USDE)
• Minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Two letters of recommendation: one from a current/former college science professor and one from an employer/supervisor or another college professor
• Meet prerequisite and admission requirements by the start of registration

Entrance Exams

• ATI TEAS required
• Minimum acceptable Math and Reading scores: 80%
• Science score of 80% preferred
• Test valid for two years from date taken
• Applicants may retake the ATI TEAS once within an admissions cycle
• Deadline to take or retake ATI TEAS: January 31, 2026

Prerequisites

• Anatomy & Physiology I with lab and Anatomy & Physiology II with lab OR Anatomy w/lab (4 credits) and Physiology w/lab (4 credits) — total 8 credits
• General Chemistry with lab, 3–4 credits; Microbiology with lab, 3–4 credits (bacteriology does not meet requirement)
• Sociology/Anthropology total 6 credits (six credits of one or three credits of each)
• Psychology elective 3 credits; Developmental (lifespan) psychology 3–6 credits covering birth through aging
• English Composition (must be completed in the United States) 3 credits; English elective completed in the United States 3 credits
• Statistics 3 credits; College Mathematics 3 credits; Humanities/Social Sciences 12 credits
• Grade requirement: C or better in each prerequisite science course
• Science prerequisite courses must have been completed within seven years of expected entry date

Deadlines

• Program start: Fall term each year
• ATI TEAS take/retake deadline: January 31, 2026

Application

• Complete online application and pay $50 application fee prior to submission
• Upload all post-secondary unofficial transcripts for all U.S. colleges and universities attended
• Applicants educated outside the U.S. must upload a NACES course-by-course evaluation
• Upload unofficial ATI TEAS score report or indicate intended test date
• Supplemental materials: résumé or CV, personal statement (250–450 words), two electronic letters of recommendation (provide recommender name, title, valid email)

Selection Process

• Letters of recommendation must be from a college science professor and an employer/supervisor or another college professor; other recommenders will not be considered
• Recommendation requests are sent electronically to recommender with access code once recommender information is provided
• Uploaded application documents are not marked as received until 24 hours after submission

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Clinical experiences conducted in hospital and clinic settings primarily in Brooklyn
• Affiliations with community agencies throughout the New York City boroughs
• Clinical experiences include interprofessional team interactions and collaboration

Credit Transfer

• Applicants transfer in 65 prerequisite credits toward the BS degree
• 60 nursing credits completed in residence at the College of Nursing
• Applicants should check with the Office of Admissions before enrolling in courses to confirm transferability

International Students

• If English is a second language and applicant has not completed at least one year of full-time U.S. college or university study (minimum 24 semester credits including two courses/6 credits in English composition), upload TOEFL or IELTS scores completed within the last two years
• Applicants educated overseas must provide a NACES course-by-course evaluation for prerequisite review

Contacts

• SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University main phone: (718) 270-1000
• Campus address: 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203