Three nursing program websites will usually give you three slightly different lists of rules. One wants microbiology, another wants chemistry, and a third wants a lifespan psychology class you’ve never heard of. It’s easy to feel like you’re missing something. This article pulls the common pieces together into one checklist, so you can see the pattern underneath all those pages. What are nursing school requirements, and what do most programs actually expect?
Most nursing school requirements fall into five groups: prerequisite courses, a minimum GPA, an entrance exam, health and safety paperwork, and a completed application. Prerequisites usually include anatomy and physiology, microbiology, English composition, and often chemistry, statistics and psychology. Many programs set a minimum overall GPA and a separate science or prerequisite GPA, and many require an entrance exam such as the ATI TEAS or HESI A2. Once admitted, you’ll typically need immunization records, CPR certification, a background check and a drug screen before clinicals. Every program sets its own rules, so treat this as a map and the program’s official page as the final word.
What Prerequisite Courses Do Nursing Schools Require?
Nearly every nursing program requires anatomy and physiology, microbiology and English. Beyond that core, the list depends on the school and the type of degree.
The usual lineup, and why each class is there:
- Anatomy and Physiology (often two semesters, with lab): the foundation of almost everything you’ll do in nursing.
- Microbiology (with lab): infection control, pathogens and how the immune system responds.
- Chemistry: often general chemistry, an intro course, or a GOB course (general, organic and biological chemistry). Medication math, fluids and acid-base balance all rest on it.
- English composition: charting and care plans are writing tasks.
- Statistics or college math: reading research and calculating doses.
- Psychology, often including human growth and development (lifespan psychology).
- Sociology, nutrition or communication: required at some schools, not at others.
Lab requirements matter. A lecture-only A&P course may not count if the program asks for a lab. Read the fine print for course numbers and unit counts.
Many programs also put a time limit on science prerequisites. Some won’t accept an A&P or microbiology course taken too many years ago. If your science classes are older, check before you apply.
A Real Example of Prerequisites
To see what this looks like on an actual program page, here’s one community college example. The College of the Sequoias registered nursing requirements list anatomy, physiology and microbiology (each 4 units with lab) plus English 1, each completed with a C or better. The program also requires a 2.5 biology GPA and a TEAS score of at least 62%, with a limit of two attempts taken 45 days apart.
That’s one school. Another program down the road could ask for more, less or something different. Use it as an example of the level of detail to look for, not as a universal standard.
Typical Nursing School Requirements at a Glance
The table below shows typical nursing school requirements by category. Use it as a starting checklist, then fill in the specifics from each program you’re considering.
| Requirement | What it usually looks like | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Science prerequisites | A&P, microbiology, often chemistry, usually with labs | Program prerequisite page |
| General education | English, statistics or math, psychology | Catalog and degree plan |
| Minimum grades | Often a C or better in each prerequisite | Program admission criteria |
| GPA | Minimum overall GPA, sometimes a separate science GPA | Admission criteria or info session |
| Entrance exam | ATI TEAS or HESI A2, with a program-set minimum | Program page and test provider |
| Health records | Immunizations, TB screening, physical exam | Program clinical requirements |
| Safety checks | Criminal background check, drug screen | Program clinical requirements |
| Certification | CPR or BLS, sometimes a CNA certification | Program page |
| Application items | Transcripts, essay, references, sometimes an interview | Application portal |
Some of these are due when you apply. Others, like immunizations and background checks, are often due after you’re accepted but before clinicals start. Each program sets its own deadlines.
What GPA Do You Need for Nursing School?
Most programs publish a minimum GPA, but the minimum is rarely what a competitive applicant has. Meeting the cutoff makes you eligible. It doesn’t guarantee a seat.
Programs often look at more than one GPA:
- Overall GPA: every college course you’ve taken.
- Prerequisite GPA: only the courses on the program’s prerequisite list.
- Science GPA: A&P, microbiology, chemistry and other science courses.
Some schools use a points system that combines prerequisite grades, entrance exam scores and other factors. Others rank applicants by GPA alone. A few use a lottery among qualified applicants. Look for an admissions rubric or attend an information session to find out how your target program decides.
Retake policies vary a lot too. Some programs count only your first attempt at a science course, while others accept the higher grade. Know the rule before you decide whether to retake a class.
Which Entrance Exam Will You Take?
Most programs that use an entrance exam ask for either the ATI TEAS or the HESI A2. A few use something else or no exam at all.
The TEAS has four sections: Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage. ATI lists 170 questions in 209 minutes on its exam details page. ATI doesn’t set a universal passing score. Each program sets its own minimum, which is why one school might accept a score that another considers too low.
The HESI A2 works differently because programs choose which modules to give. One school may require math, reading, vocabulary and grammar only. Another may add anatomy and physiology, biology and chemistry. Ask the program which modules it uses before you start studying.
If your program uses the TEAS, the science section deserves extra attention, since it pulls directly from A&P, biology and chemistry. Plan your test date so you have time for a retake if the program allows one.
Health, Safety and Paperwork Requirements
Before you can work with patients, hospitals and clinics need proof that you’re safe to be there. Nursing programs collect that proof for them.
Expect some version of this list:
- Immunization records, commonly including MMR, varicella, hepatitis B and Tdap, plus a yearly flu shot at many clinical sites
- Tuberculosis screening
- A physical exam
- CPR certification, usually a BLS course for healthcare providers
- A criminal background check
- A drug screen
- Proof of health insurance, at some schools
Clinical partners set many of these rules, so they can change. Some programs also require a CNA certificate before admission or give extra points for one. Start gathering records early, because tracking down old vaccine paperwork takes longer than most people expect.
How Do Requirements Differ for ADN, BSN and Accelerated Programs?
The core is similar across program types, but the details shift with the degree. Here’s the general pattern.
ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing)
ADN programs are usually offered at community colleges. They often have a shorter prerequisite list focused on A&P, microbiology and English. Many are very competitive because seats are limited and tuition is lower. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.
BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
BSN programs are four-year degrees at colleges and universities. Prerequisites tend to be broader, often adding chemistry, statistics, psychology and more general education. Some admit students as freshmen. Others admit students into the nursing major after one or two years of prerequisites.
Accelerated BSN
Accelerated programs are for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. They usually require the full science prerequisite list to be finished before you start, and they move fast. The AACN describes these and other nursing education pathways, including RN-to-BSN and graduate routes.
Whichever route you choose, compare programs side by side. A course that counts at one school may not transfer to another.
How to Use This Nursing School Requirements Checklist
Turn the lists above into one working document for each program. It keeps you from mixing up deadlines or missing a course.
- Write down every prerequisite course with its exact course number and lab requirement.
- Note the minimum grade and any age limit on science courses.
- Record the entrance exam, the minimum score and the retake policy.
- List the GPA calculations the program uses.
- Note which health and safety items are due at application and which are due after admission.
- Write down every deadline, including information sessions and exam registration.
Once you have the list, the next step is the actual application process. Our guide on how to get into nursing school covers the steps and timing.
When in doubt, contact the program’s admissions office or a nursing advisor. They’d much rather answer your question now than see you miss a requirement later.
Turning Nursing School Requirements Into a To-Do List
For most programs, nursing school requirements come down to prerequisite courses (especially A&P, microbiology and chemistry), a minimum GPA, an entrance exam like the TEAS or HESI A2, and health and safety paperwork. ADN, BSN and accelerated programs build on that same core in slightly different ways.
The details are where students get tripped up, and the details are always set by the individual program. Pick your target schools, read their official requirement pages line by line, and build a checklist for each one. Do that early, and the requirements stop feeling like a moving target.