Most nursing programs require a set of college-level science courses, general education classes, a competitive GPA, and an entrance exam before you can apply. The exact list varies by school and whether you’re pursuing an associate degree (ADN) or a bachelor’s degree (BSN), but the core requirements overlap significantly. Here’s what you’ll need to complete.
Science Courses Form the Core
The science prerequisites are the heaviest lift and the courses most programs care about most. Nearly every nursing school requires:
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II: Two semesters, each with a lab component. These cover how the body is built and how its systems function.
- Microbiology: Also includes a lab. You’ll study bacteria, viruses, and immune responses, all directly relevant to infection control in clinical settings.
- Chemistry: Some programs require general chemistry, others ask for both general and organic chemistry. Lab sections are typically mandatory.
- Nutrition: Covers how diet affects health and disease, often required or strongly recommended.
These courses need to include lab components. Online-only versions without a lab typically won’t count. Also, science prerequisites can expire. Many programs set a five- to seven-year shelf life on courses like anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry. Lehman College, for example, recently adopted a seven-year expiration policy for all prerequisite science courses. If your coursework is older than the cutoff, you’ll need to retake it regardless of the grade you earned.
General Education Requirements
Beyond the sciences, you’ll need a handful of general education courses. These vary more from school to school, but common requirements include:
- English Composition: At least one semester of college-level writing.
- Psychology: Introductory or developmental psychology, sometimes both. Human Growth and Development is a frequent alternative.
- Statistics: A basic statistics course, sometimes listed under math rather than science.
- College Algebra: Required at many programs as a math baseline.
- Sociology or Humanities: Some programs require one or both. Options might include philosophy, public speaking, or U.S. history.
An ADN program at a community college might require around 15 credits of general education coursework alongside the sciences. BSN programs typically require more liberal arts credits and add coursework in areas like ethics, public health, and pathophysiology once you’re admitted.
ADN vs. BSN: How Prerequisites Differ
The core science prerequisites, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, psychology, and English, are essentially the same for both ADN and BSN programs. The American Nurses Association notes that ADN programs include prerequisites in chemistry, anatomy, biology, psychology, and English, while BSN programs layer on additional coursework in nursing theory, public health, ethics, and pathophysiology.
The practical difference is that BSN programs tend to require more total prerequisite credits before admission and set higher minimum GPAs. ADN programs at community colleges are often more flexible on electives and may accept a wider range of general education options. If you’re planning to start with an ADN and bridge to a BSN later, completing the broader prerequisite list upfront can save you from backtracking.
GPA Expectations
Nursing programs are competitive, and your GPA in prerequisite courses matters as much as (or more than) your overall GPA. Most programs set a minimum cumulative GPA between 2.8 and 3.0, though some require 3.2 or higher just to apply. Science GPA is often evaluated separately, and some schools set a higher bar for it. Utica University, for instance, requires a 2.8 cumulative GPA but a 3.0 in natural science courses.
Meeting the minimum doesn’t guarantee admission. At competitive programs, the average GPA of admitted students runs well above the posted minimum. If your science grades are borderline, retaking a course or two can make a meaningful difference in your application.
Entrance Exams: TEAS and HESI A2
Most nursing programs require one of two standardized entrance exams: the TEAS or the HESI A2. Your school will specify which one it accepts, and some accept either.
The TEAS covers four sections: reading, math, science, and English language usage. Minimum score requirements vary widely. Among California State University nursing programs, minimums range from 72% at CSU Bakersfield to 91% at CSU Sacramento, where the average score of admitted students was 92.5%. Nationally, competitive BSN programs generally look for scores in the 78% to 90% range. A score below 75% will limit your options significantly.
The HESI A2 covers math, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and anatomy and physiology, with additional sections that vary by school. Both exams are designed to measure whether you’re academically ready for nursing coursework, not to test nursing knowledge itself. Most programs allow two or three attempts, sometimes with a waiting period between retakes.
Clinical Readiness Requirements
These aren’t traditional academic prerequisites, but you’ll need to complete them before starting clinical rotations, and some programs require them at admission. They include:
- Immunizations: Measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox), tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, tuberculosis screening, flu vaccine, and COVID-19 vaccination. Requirements follow CDC guidelines for healthcare workers.
- Background check: A criminal background check, often including FBI fingerprinting, a sex offender registry search, and child abuse clearance. Programs use these because clinical sites require them.
- Drug screening: A 10-panel drug screen is standard.
- CPR certification: You’ll need Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association or an equivalent provider. Online-only CPR courses are generally not accepted.
- Physical exam: A recent health evaluation signed by a provider, with some state boards requiring a second exam before your junior year.
- Compliance training: HIPAA (patient privacy), bloodborne pathogen safety, and sometimes simulation lab orientation must be completed before you enter a clinical setting.
Start gathering immunization records and scheduling any missing vaccinations early. Hepatitis B, for example, requires a three-dose series that takes six months to complete.
Does CNA Certification Help?
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification is rarely a hard requirement for nursing school admission, but it gives you a competitive edge. Admissions boards view CNA-certified applicants as candidates who have already demonstrated commitment to healthcare and can handle the realities of patient care. Beyond the application boost, working as a CNA gives you hands-on clinical exposure that makes the transition into nursing school less overwhelming. Some community college programs award extra application points for healthcare work experience, making CNA certification a strategic move if your GPA or test scores are on the lower end of competitive.
Planning Your Timeline
Completing prerequisites typically takes one to two years if you’re starting from scratch, depending on whether you attend full-time and how many courses your school offers per semester. Anatomy and Physiology I and II are sequential (you can’t take both at once), and microbiology often has a biology or A&P prerequisite of its own. This creates a natural sequence that’s hard to compress below three semesters.
Start with anatomy and physiology and chemistry early, since these are the longest chains. Fit general education courses around them. Schedule your entrance exam after you’ve completed or nearly completed the science courses, since the TEAS and HESI A2 both test science content you’ll learn in those classes. And keep the expiration clock in mind: if life interrupts your plans and you take a long break, your earliest science courses could age out before you apply.