Transfer Admissions Requirements: Nursing

Established in 1909 as the first nursing school on a university campus in the United States, the School of Nursing is recognized as one of the best in the field. Continuing its tradition of preparing leaders in the profession of nursing, the school offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) as a foundation for professional practice and graduate study.

The four-year B.S.N. program consists of one year of prerequisite courses and a three-year nursing sequence. Students are admitted to the three-year sequence after completing the prerequisites. Admission is once a year for the upcoming fall semester. The program has a full-time, day school curriculum and has two locations, one in the Twin Cities and one in Rochester. Rochester is the primary location for Nursing transfer students. Transfer admission to the Twin Cities location is limited to a small number of students who complete prerequisite coursework at Saint Paul College.

Degree options: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.)

Transfer Option for Saint Paul College Students

We are excited to offer students who have completed required prerequisite courses at Saint Paul College the opportunity to apply to our program to be considered for admission as a BSN transfer student. To be eligible for this option, all or most of the required prerequisite courses must be completed at Saint Paul College and meet the transfer requirements. Admission for students meeting the Saint Paul College transfer requirements will be limited to ten students for enrollment on the Twin Cities Campus, but consideration for the Rochester BSN option is also available. Applicants eligible for consideration under the Saint Paul College agreement follow the standard transfer application process.

Note: Applicants should have all prerequisites completed at Saint Paul College with grades posted to be most competitive for one of the ten transfer spots available to the Twin Cities location.

*The University of Minnesota Twin Cities maintains a small transfer cohort whose course instruction occurs at our satellite location in Rochester.

Admission Consideration:

Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N) major is competitive. The degree is offered through the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with transfer students located at the Rochester campus and completing their practicum at the Mayo Clinic. 

To be considered for the program, at the time of application transfer applicants must have:

  • Minimum cumulative college GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale).
  • Minimum cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale).
  • All 6 prerequisites must be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to fall enrollment with a C- or higher. At the time of applying, one science course (Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy or Physiology) must be completed and 5 of 6 prerequisites must be in progress or completed with a C- or higher. 
     
    • General Biology:
      • Equivalent to BIOL 1009 or AP, IB, or A-Level exam (Human Biology is not accepted)
      • Biology Waiver: Applicants who would have an Anatomy course and Physiology course (or Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy & Physiology II) as well as Microbiology completed by the end of Spring term might qualify to have the Biology prerequisite waived. Applicants who feel they could qualify should contact the Office of Admissions to discuss how their specific coursework could apply towards waiving the Biology prerequisite requirement.
    • Chemistry:
      • Equivalent to CHEM 1015 or CHEM 1061 (lab not required) or AP, IB, or A-Level exam
    • Human Nutrition:
      • Equivalent to FSCN 1112
    • General Psychology:
      • Equivalent to PSY 1001 or AP, IB, or A-Level exam
    • Lifespan Growth & Development:
      • FSOS 1201 or NURS 2001. Direct equivalency not required. Course should cover the lifespan.
    • First Year Writing:
  • All courses must be 3 credits except Nutrition which can be 2 credits.
  • All courses (completed or in progress), except for one, taken A-F.

Minimum Required Scores for Admission

English Proficiency Requirement

Test

Test Score

Writing Subscore

Speaking Subscore

TOEFL iBT 

  • U of M test code: 6874
  • We do not accept MyBest scores*

84

21

26

IELTS Academic

6.5

6.5

7.0

Pearson Test of Academic English (PTE Academic)

59

59

65

Cambridge Assessment English (CAE) C1 Advanced

176

180

180

Duolingo

120 

110 (Literacy)

130 

 

 Preferred Coursework:

These courses are not required for admission but will count toward the major. If taken, grades will be factored into the prerequisite GPA:

  • Anatomy or Anatomy & Physiology I
    • Equivalent to ANAT 3001, KIN 3027, or ANAT 3651
    • Course cannot be more than 10 years old in order to meet requirements.
  • Physiology or Anatomy & Physiology II
    • Equivalent to PHSL 3051
    • Course cannot be more than 10 years old in order to meet requirements.
  • Microbiology
    • Equivalent to VBS 2032 or MICB 3301
    • Course cannot be more than 10 years old in order to meet requirements.
  • Statistics
    • Equivalent to STAT 3011, STAT 3021, EPSY 3264, PSY 3801, BA 2551, SOC 3811, STAT 4101

 

Applicants with fewer than 26 transferable college credits are also evaluated on the following:

  • High school GPA, rank, curriculum, and ACT/SAT test scores (optional through 2027).
  • For more information, view the academic profile of applicants admitted to the School of Nursing for the previous fall semester.
     

Applicants who are transferring to the School of Nursing from a pre-licensure (RN) program will need to provide a letter of good standing from that program in order to enroll at the University of Minnesota. Applicants for whom this is required will be able to provide this letter through a link on their Application Tracker.