BSN Program

BSN Program Application- Apply Here 

Note: The CSULB School of Nursing is evaluating CHEM 140 as a required pre-requisite for the nursing program. All applicants should use www.assist.org to determine if their course is equivalent to CSULB's CHEM 140 requirement. Any students who have completed a college chemistry course (general, inorganic, organic, biochemistry, or integrated with a lab) will be considered through Spring 2025. If admitted to the program with a non-articulated course, the School of Nursing will determine if the course can be used for graduation. 

Undergraduate Information Session—November 29, 2023  4-5pm

Zoom Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 897 9376 2098

Passcode: Beach23

The basic baccalaureate program is the traditional track designed for students who enter the Nursing program with no prior nursing knowledge, experience, or skills. Following the prerequisite courses, completion of this program requires 5 semesters of full-time study.

Students complete the BSN through either the Semester or Trimester option. The admission requirements and the curriculum are exactly the same. The Semester BSN program requires 5 semesters of full-time study in the Fall and Spring semesters. The Trimester BSN Program requires 5 year-round semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer). The Trimester BSN program is financially supported through a generous grant from Long Beach Memorial Medical Center/Miller Children’s Hospital and CSULB.

Following acceptance into the BSN program, students are assigned by lottery at admits’ mandatory orientation to either the Semester or Trimester options. While every effort will be made to give students their preference, the department cannot guarantee the outcome of the assignment.

Basic Nursing BSN -Recommended Plan (PDF)

Fall Admission

  1. Cal State Apply: October 1st - November 30th
  2. CSULB Enrollment Services Supplemental Application (for Transfer applicants only): February
  3. School of Nursing Traditional Basic BSN Program Application: October 1st - February 1st.
  4. All Fall applicants must register for and take the General Assessment Test (ATI TEAS Examination) and submit test results electronically via ATI to CSULB (or CSULB TEAS) on or prior to the Program Application deadline of February 1st above - no exceptions will be made for deadline extensions.

Spring Admission

  1. Cal State Apply: August 1st - August 31st
  2. CSULB Enrollment Services Supplemental Application (for Transfer applicants only): September
  3. School of Nursing Traditional Basic BSN Program Application: August 1st - September 21st.
  4. All Spring applicants must register for and take the General Assessment Test (ATI TEAS Examination) and submit test results electronically via ATI to CSULB (or CSULB TEAS) on or prior to the Program Application deadline of September 21st above - no exceptions will be made for deadline extensions.

There are three categories of applicants for the Traditional Basic BSN Program: current CSULB undergraduate students (Pre-Nursing majors), Transfer Undergraduate Applicants (students who have not yet earned a BA or BS), and Second Bachelor's Degree Applicants (students with a BA or BS degree in other fields). Applicants must carefully follow application instructions for their own category.

Current CSULB Undergraduate Students (Pre-Nursing majors):

  • Read the Frequently Asked Questions below.
  • Do not reapply to CSULB: Current CSULB undergraduate students must be officially declared a Pre-Nursing major prior to applying. Applications received by CSULB students that are any major other than Pre-Nursing will not be considered.
  • Current CSULB Undergraduate Pre-Nursing Majors: Degree Progress Guidelines (PDF). For more information, visit CHHS Academic Advising.
  • CSULB students with fewer than 75 Timely Graduation Units may apply - if you are a CSULB student with more than 75 Timely Graduation Units, please see your current college advisor for further guidance (CHHS Academic Advising).
  • Admissions notices will be sent via email in late April (for Fall applications)/late November (for Spring applications).
  • All communication is via email. Please do not call the School of Nursing regarding the Communication Exercise, your submitted application, and/or admissions status.

Instructions:

  1. Submit the School of Nursing Traditional Basic BSN Program Application - Please see Application Deadlines information above.
  2. All applicants must register for and take the General Assessment Test (ATI TEAS Examination) and submit test results electronically via ATI to CSULB (or CSULB TEAS) on or prior to the program application deadline - no exceptions will be made for deadline extensions. Please see the Prerequisite and Application Components information above.

Transfer Undergraduate Applicants (students who have not yet earned a BA or BS):

  • Read the Frequently Asked Questions below.
  • More information for Transfer applicants is available from CSULB Admissions.
  • Admissions notices will be sent via email by late April (for Fall applications)/late November (for Spring applications) from CSULB Admissions and/or on Applicant Self Service.
  • All communication is via email. Please do not call the School of Nursing regarding the Communication Exercise, your submitted application and/or admissions status.

Instructions:

  1. Submit application via Cal State Apply.
    • Important: The degree objective is "Nursing BS" (NOT "Nursing BS - Registered Nurse").
    • Important: The School of Nursing can only evaluate applicants under the major they applied for and cannot edit incorrect applications. 
    • Applicants may submit the Cal State Apply application prior to taking the ATI TEAS exam. Applicants may enter their completed exam scores, indicate the date they are registered to take the test, or skip the section.
  2. All applicants must register for and take the General Assessment Test (ATI TEAS Examination) and submit test results electronically via ATI to CSULB (or CSULB TEAS) on or prior to the program application deadline - no exceptions will be made for deadline extensions. Please see Prerequisite and Application Components information above.
  3. Complete CSULB Supplemental Application
  4. Submit the School of Nursing Traditional Basic BSN Program Application - Please see Application Deadlines information above.
  5. If admitted or waitlisted, follow up with CSULB Admissions to submit documents before their deadlines. Please note that admission into the School of Nursing is contingent on being offered admission by the University, therefore, applicants must also meet the admission eligibility requirements for CSULB.

Second Bachelor's Degree Applicants (students with a BA or BS degree in other fields):

  • Read the Frequently Asked Questions below.
  • More information for Second Bachelor's Degree applicants is available from CSULB Admissions.
  • Admissions notices will be sent via email by late April (for Fall applications)/late November (for Spring applications) from CSULB Admissions and/or on Applicant Self Service.
  • All communication is via email. Please do not call the School of Nursing regarding the Communication Exercise, your submitted application and/or admissions status.

Instructions:

  1. Submit application via Cal State Apply.
    • Important: The degree objective is "Nursing BS" (NOT "Nursing BS - Registered Nurse").
    • Important: The School of Nursing can only evaluate applicants under the major they applied for and cannot edit incorrect applications. 
    • Applicants may submit the Cal State Apply application prior to taking the ATI TEAS exam. Applicants may enter their completed exam scores, indicate the date they are registered to take the test, or skip the section.
  2. All applicants must register for and take the General Assessment Test (ATI TEAS Examination) and submit test results electronically via ATI to CSULB (or CSULB TEAS) on or prior to the application deadline - no exceptions will be made for deadline extensions. Please see Prerequisite and Application Components information above.
  3. Submit the School of Nursing Traditional Basic BSN Program Application - Please see Application Deadlines information above.
  4. If admitted or waitlisted, follow up with CSULB Admissions to submit documents before their deadlines. Please note that admission into the School of Nursing is contingent on being offered admission by the University, therefore, applicants must also meet the admission eligibility requirements for CSULB.

The basic baccalaureate program is the traditional track designed for students who enter the Nursing program with no prior nursing knowledge, experience, or skills. Applicants with an Associate's Degree in Nursing, please review the information for ADN/RN-to-BSN Program "Nursing BS - Registered Nurse."

Important: The degree objective is for this program is "Nursing BS" (NOT "Nursing BS - Registered Nurse"). The School of Nursing can only evaluate applicants under the major they applied for and cannot edit incorrect applications. 

Note: The CSULB School of Nursing is evaluating CHEM 140 as a required pre-requisite for the nursing program. All applicants should use www.assist.org to determine if their course is equivalent to CSULB's CHEM 140 requirement. Any students who have completed a college chemistry course (general, inorganic, organic, biochemistry, or integrated with a lab) will be considered through Spring 2025. If admitted to the program with a non-articulated course, the School of Nursing will determine if the course can be used for graduation. 

  • Prerequisites and program information can be found on the University Catalog.
  • Applications are reviewed, scored, and ranked based upon the following information.
  • Please note that admission into the School of Nursing is contingent on being offered admission by the University, therefore, applicants must also meet the admission eligibility requirements for CSULB.

 

Application Component Criteria and Minimum Requirements
Natural Science Prerequisites GPA

There are four natural science prerequisite courses to be completed prior to application.

Each course must be completed with a "C" or better grade; when all prerequisites are completed the GPA for the prerequisite courses must be "B" or better (3.0 or better).

Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.

  1. Human Anatomy Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum) - CSULB BIO 208
  2. Human Physiology Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum) - CSULB BIO 207
  3. Chemistry Lecture and Lab (4-5 semester units/6-10 quarter units): An introductory or preparatory chemistry course is not acceptable. The School of Nursing requires either:
    1. a combined/integrated chemistry course (which includes general, organic and biochemistry) equivalent to CSULB CHEM 140 or
    2. a general/non-integrated chemistry course (which is either a.) inorganic, b.) organic or c.) biochemistry)
  4. Microbiology Lecture and Lab (4 semester units minimum) – CSULB BIO 201
General Education Prerequisites GPA

There are four general education prerequisite courses to be completed prior to application.

Each course must be completed with a "C" or better grade; when all prerequisites are completed the GPA for the prerequisite courses must be "B" or better (3.0 or better).

Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.

  1. Statistics or AP Statistics - CSULB STAT 108, STAT 118, HDEV 190, PSY 110, SOC 170
  2. Oral Communication (any communications course that meets GE requirements)
  3. Written Communication/College Composition (any composition course that meets GE requirements, including AP English)
  4. Critical Thinking (any critical thinking course that meets GE A3 requirements)
General Assessment (ATI TEAS)

Minimum Composite Score: 70%

No minimum Reading Score

All applicants must register for and take the General Assessment Test (ATI TEAS Examination) and submit test results electronically via ATI to CSULB (or CSULB TEAS) on or prior to the Program Application deadline - no exceptions will be made for deadline extensions.

  • Please see the Application Deadlines information above.
  • Testing locations may be found on the ATI TEAS website.
  • Applicants should plan early in order to take the test at a preferred location.
  • It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure test results have been sent electronically via ATI to CSULB (or CSULB TEAS).
  • Applications without electronic test results via ATI will be considered incomplete and will be withdrawn.
  • The test can be retaken without a limit, however, there must be 30 days between each retake.
  • The School of Nursing will accept the scores from the one test date with the highest composite score (composite and reading scores cannot be split from two dates).
Communication Exercise

After applications are submitted, applicants with the highest-ranking cumulative scores will be contacted (via email) and must participate in a mandatory School of Nursing Communication Exercise.

  • This is a timed evaluation of both written and oral communication skills.
  • The School of Nursing receives applications from hundreds of highly competitive, qualified applicants.
  • Approximately 120 applicants will participate in the Communication Exercise.
  • Thus, not all qualified applicants will be contacted for the Communication Exercise.
  • The Communication Exercise will be held approximately 30-45 days after the nursing application deadline (Fall term: late March/early April, Spring term: late October/early November). At the time of your application, these dates are not yet scheduled. Please do not inquire as to when they will be held.
  • The School of Nursing may conditionally admit or waitlist any qualified applicants pending successful completion of the Communication Exercise at a later date.
  • After the Communication Exercise is completed, applicants will receive notifications regarding their admissions status via email in late April (for Fall applications)/late November (for Spring applications).

All application materials are online. All communication is via email. Please do not call the School of Nursing regarding the Communication Exercise, your submitted application and/or admissions status.

Please note: the School of Nursing does not offer transcript review, counseling, or advising for prospective students - we can only answer questions about the nursing program and/or the application process.

UNDERGRADUATE BSN FAQ & APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS