BSN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Use the links to skip to a section:

• BSN Program General Info
• Applying to BSN Program
• TEAS FAQs
• Prior to Applying FAQs

BSN General Info

• Where can I find general information about the program?

  • Please visit our website and look under Programs. www.sjsu.edu/nursing

• How long is the BSN program?

  • The BSN program is completed in five (5) semesters, or 2.5 years. This does not include lower division coursework. A BSN degree is typically achieved within 4.5 years.

• Do you have an accelerated BSN program?

  • The program is the same length for all admitted students, five semesters or 2.5 years.

• If I already started a BSN program and completed some coursework, can I transfer this coursework to your BSN program?

  • The nursing department does not accept prior coursework from other BSN programs and will not apply previous coursework towards a degree at SJSU. All admitted BSN students will complete the entire program as offered.

• I already have a bachelor's degree. Are the degree requirements different for someone that already has a bachelor's degree?

  • Post-baccalaureates do not have to repeat lower division coursework. Students are responsible for completing the nursing prerequisites and corequisites if not already completed during your first degree. 

    Post-baccalaureate students are exempt from completing the SJSU studies area V requirement for graduation. 

• I have a bachelor's degree from a different country. Can I apply this to a BSN degree?

  • SJSU accepts previous degrees from U.S. regionally accredited institutions. If you have taken transferable units outside the United States, official transcripts from the institution(s) attended must be transmitted to SJSU so that your coursework can be evaluated and transferred accordingly. Please note that we are not able to pre-evaluate your coursework prior to admission. Once you submit your application and all of the documents required to process your application as referenced on your MySJSU "To Do List", we will evaluate your file for admission.

    The nursing department does not give credit for courses taken outside of the U.S. unless the degree is accepted from SJSU admissions and the coursework is deemed as equivalent.

Applying to the BSN Program

• What are the requirements to apply to the BSN program?

  • Complete the nursing prerequisites and corequisites with a C grade or better and achieve a minimum score of 84% on the TEAS exam. For further details, review the BSN Admission Requirements.

• How do I apply for the BSN program

  • There is a two-step application process. First, apply to SJSU if you are not already a student. Second, apply to the nursing program after completing the nursing admission requirements. For further details, review instructions for How to Apply.

• When are the deadlines for the applications?

  • The nursing application deadlines are separate from the university application deadlines. Visit the admissions website for university deadlines.

    NursingCAS deadlines are posted on our How to Apply page.

     

• Do I have to be a current SJSU student to apply to the BSN program?

  • If you are not at SJSU, you must apply to the university as a transfer student before completing the nursing application. There is a two-step application process for the BSN program. 

• I already have a bachelor's degree. Can I apply for the BSN program to receive a second bachelor's degree?

  • The BSN program admits second bachelor students for spring semesters only (10% of the admitted cohort may be post-baccalaureates). Previous degrees must be from a U.S. regionally accredited institution. Applicants must verify accreditation or equivalency before applying. The admissions office does not perform pre-evaluations of transcripts to determine equivalency and will evaluate transcripts as part of the application review process.

• What are the requirements to apply to the BSN program as a second bachelor student?

  • Applicants must have a 2.5 GPA minimum in the last 60 units taken and complete the nursing admission requirements to be eligible to apply.

    Prior baccalaureate students can only apply for spring terms.

• I am a transfer student. Can I apply for any semester?

  • Transfer students can apply for fall semesters only.

• I am international student. Can I apply for the BSN program?

  • The BSN program does not admit international students. 

• I am a former military student. Do you give preference to military students?

  • Beginning January 1, 2017, U.S. military veterans may receive priority selection for the nursing program [pdf] [pdf]. This includes those who have completed active duty, have an honorable discharge (DD214), and meet the minimum program and university requirements.

• Do I have to submit transcripts to both NursingCAS and SJSU?

  • Yes. When you apply to the BSN program, transcripts are required for both applications. Request transcripts through NursingCAS when completing the application. All applicants, including current SJSU students, must request transcripts through NursingCAS for the BSN application.

• I sent transcripts to NursingCAS when I applied. Does SJSU admissions have access to these transcripts?

  • Transcripts submitted to NursingCAS are not shared with SJSU admissions. Check your MySJSU account for to-do list items such as submitting official transcripts to SJSU admissions.

• How are the nursing applications evaluated and ranked?

  • The nursing department evaluators review the NursingCAS applications only. The combined GPA of the 8 nursing prerequisite courses and the TEAS score are calculated using the letter grades achieved. 

• Does the nursing department give preference to applicants with healthcare experience?

  • Applicants can now submit a Healthcare Experience form to report any paid or volunteer work that involved hands-on experience with human clients. Eligible applicants will receive extra points towards the overall NursingCAS applicant score. 

• Does the nursing department give preference to applicants that can speak a second language?

  • At this time, no additional points towards the overall NursingCAS applicant score are given to students that speak a second language.

TEAS FAQs

• Where can I find information on the TEAS exam for the BSN application?

  • All information for the TEAS requirement can be found under BSN Admission Requirements.

• Where can I take the TEAS exam?

  • Testing is offered on campus at SJSU. Review the Testing Office's TEAS website for upcoming exam dates and how to register.

    You can also take the TEAS at other locations that can be found on ATI's website. Visit their official website to register for the exam.

• What is the minimum TEAS exam score accepted?

  • The mininum score accepted is 84%. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements to be eligible to apply.

• Do you provide study guides for the TEAS exam?

  • Study guides and practice tests can be found on ATI's official website.

• Does the nursing department accept remote TEAS exams or TEAS taken online through ATI?

  • The nursing office will accept remote TEAS taken online through an approved ATI site, though it is strongly encouraged to take the test in-person when possible. Visit the ATI Testing website to find an approved site.

• How many times can I re-take the TEAS exam to achieve the minimum score?

  • The nursing department allows a total of two attempts.

• How do I submit my TEAS exam score?

  • Upload the first page of your TEAS score that shows the overall score and attempts to the NursingCAS application. Follow the instructions on NursingCAS to upload.

• Do I send my TEAS exam score through ATI to SJSU?

  • No, do not send your scores to SJSU through ATI. Upload a copy of your score to the NursingCAS application in the Documents section.

Prior to Applying FAQs

• Do I need to be a pre-nursing student to apply?

  • No, it is not required for applicants to be a Pre-Nursing student. 

• How do I change my major to Nursing or Pre-Nursing?

  • Meet with a Pre-Nursing advisor at the CHHS Student Success Center for information on changing your major to pre-nursing. Applicants are not required to be a pre-nursing major to apply to the program. Applicants can apply to the BSN program from any other major.

    If you are selected for admission, your major will be changed to Nursing once you are admitted.

• Can I meet with an advisor to go over the courses I need to take?

  • Group information sessions are offered online during the Fall and Spring semesters. The schedule and links to the sessions can be found on Future Student Info Sessions. These sessions go over the entire application process for the BSN program.

    After attending or watching a recorded session, students can schedule a individual information session to have specific questions answered. Review BSN Information Sessions for more info.

• Can someone look over my transcript to make sure I am on track?

  • CHHS Student Success can assist with ensuring you are on track to apply to the BSN program.

• Are my pre-nursing courses taken (or to be taken) at institutions other than SJSU, counted as equivalent to the required nursing prerequisite and corequisite courses? 

  • Please review the Transfer Course Information on the BSN Admission Requirements page.