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Indiana University

Degree Options

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

How to Apply

Students seeking admission to the nursing major must make sure they meet all of the criteria. See the complete Admission Checklist to ensure you are eligible.

Application Dates

Fall admission applications will be available on-line January 15.

  • Applications are due March 15.
  • All courses required for the application must be completed by the end of spring semester.
  • Limited criminal history report due in NU 122, Center for Academic Affairs by March 15.
  • Students enrolled in an independent study course must take their final exam by the end of spring semester for fall admission.
  • Interviews are conducted in April.
  • Acceptance letters are sent in June.
  • Accepted students must respond within three weeks after receiving letter.

Spring admission applications will be available on-line July 15.

  • Applications are due September 15.
  • All courses used for application must be completed by the end of summer session II 2007.
  • Limited criminal history report due in NU 122, Center for Academic Affairs by September 15.
  • Students enrolled in an independent study course must take their final exam by the end of summer session II for spring admission.
  • Interviews are conducted in October or early November.
  • Acceptance letters are sent in December.
  • Accepted students must respond within three weeks after receiving letter.

Please note: Independent study courses may take more time to complete, and if you are unable to take the exam in time, your course grade may not be posted to your transcript and you will be ineligible for admission consideration. Please plan accordingly.

Admission Criteria

Admission to the BSN program is based upon the following criteria:

Nursing GPA (30 percent)
  Anatomy (BIOL N261)
Finite Math (Math M118)
Critical/analytical/science courses
English Composition (ENG W131 or W140)
Introduction to Psychology (PSY B104 or B105)
Introduction to Sociology (SOC R100)
Remaining courses selected from the following clusters to total 29-31 credits:
Critical/analytical/science GPA (30 percent)
  Anatomy (BIOL N261)
Finite Math (Math M118)
Critical/analytical/science course
Interview (30 percent)
  The applicant interviews with a panel of faculty, alumni, and community nursing partners. Some applicants will be contacted to schedule a 30-minute interview. A written essay (500 word maximum) is also required and will be discussed during the interview.
Service experience (0-10 percent)
  This requirement may be met through work experience, volunteer experience, completion of pre-nursing course NURS B104, service learning associated with scholarship based programs.
Chemistry competency
  The chemistry requirement may be met with two semesters of high school chemistry (grade of C or better) or one college level chemistry course.
Admission Categories

Applicants are divided into admissions categories A, B, or C. Priority for admission consideration will be given to all qualified applicants in Category A before considering qualified applicants from categories B and C.

Category A
Applicants who have completed more than half of the credit hours required for the campus to which they have applied.

Category B
Applicants who have completed more than half of the credit hours required for an Indiana University campus other than IUPUI, IU Bloomington, or IUPU Columbus.

Category C
Applicants for whom more than half of the credit hours required for application were earned at an institution other than Indiana University. (For example, Purdue University is considered a Category C institution.)

Admission Status

We encourage all applicants to develop a backup plan in case they are not admitted. Some students may choose to continue taking general education courses with the intention of applying at another time. Other students may choose to change their major and/or school if not admitted. Once you learn your final admission status, you should follow schedule adjustment procedures to update your registration in accordance with your plans.

Official admission status will be determined after the semester grades during which applications are final. Once grades are available, each student's admission grade point average (GPA) will be calculated using grades earned through the end of that semester. Applications will be ranked according to nursing admission GPA and notification letters will be mailed in June for fall admission and December for spring admission.

Notification letters will state that your status is one of the following:

  • Offered admission
  • Not competitive for this admission cycle, but may apply again
  • Ineligible for this admission cycle
  • Ineligible to pursue admission to the BSN major

Declining Admission
Although there is no limit on the number of times you can apply for admission, there is a limit on the number of offers of admission that you can turn down.

If you are offered admission to the BSN major, it will be the only offer of admission you will receive in that admission cycle. Should you decline this offer of admission, you will not be considered for that admission cycle at any other campus. Students who refuse an offer of admission two times are ineligible for future BSN admission criteria at any Indiana University campus.

Admitted Students
Students who are accept admission to IUPUI are required to attend a mandatory orientation. The date and time of orientation will be announced in your admission letter. Failure to attend orientation may cancel your admission. In the case of an extreme or unexpected conflict, alternative arrangements may be possible.

If you are admitted and have not yet completed and passed physiology (BIOL N217), you must take it along with your first semester of nursing courses. This is a co-requisite to your first semester of the major and you should register for BIOL N217 during priority registration. If you have already completed physiology and need an additional course for full-time status, consider registering for the required second cultural diversity cluster course or the social competency cluster course. Because microbiology (J210) conflicts with first semester nursing courses, it cannot be taken until second semester.

Ready to Apply?

Have you read the Admission Checklist? Have you read all of the application guidelines?

Personal Statement information

Please use the following statement and question to write your Personal Statement on the application. Be sure to address both items in your essay.

  1. Describe the steps you have taken to investigate the profession of nursing and how the investigation has helped with the decision to pursue nursing as a career.
  2. What individual and academic strengths do you possess that will guide you in your pursuit of a nursing degree?

Please remember to print a copy of your online application before you hit the "submit" button. Should a server error occur, this copy will be your only verification that you completed and submitted an application.

I have read all application instructions and am now ready to apply.