Admission Requirements

Nursing Major (Basic/Pre-Licensure) Option

The Department of Nursing offers admission to the nursing major's basic/pre-licensure option each fall and spring term.

Screened & Competitive Major Declaration

This is a screened, competitive program which requires a separate application and additional admission criteria than what is required for university admission. Listing nursing as your major on the university application does not constitute an application to the major. All students who select nursing as their major on the university application will be automatically classified as pre-nursing students.

Due to the competitive nature of this program, admission to the university and meeting the minimum nursing admission requirements do not guarantee program admission. The factors used to determine competitive standards for admission are outlined in the "Admission Competitiveness" section of this page.

It is the responsibility of each applicant to be aware of all application and admission requirements and deadlines. The Department of Nursing will not accept late applications or review applications that are incomplete or do not meet the minimum criteria outlined here.

Information Overview

Before applying, applicants must review this page for a comprehensive outline of of application and admission requirements for the basic/pre-licensure option. 

On this page, prospective applicants will find the following information:

• Program application status
• Application and material submission deadlines
  • Priority review/early decision
  • Regular admission review
• Required application materials
• Minimum criteria for application review
• Minimum criteria for admission consideration
  • Information for applicants who do not meet the minimum criteria
  • Information for applying from another nursing program
• Admission competitiveness
  • What factors influence admission review
  • Competitive averages of recent terms
• Guidelines for preparing to apply
• How to apply to the program
  • Instructions to submit the application
  • Instructions to submit required materials, including important reminders about the submission of each required item

program application status

Nursing Application Now Open for Spring 2025

The Department of Nursing is now accepting applications for admission to the basic/pre-licensure major for the Spring 2025 term.

A link to the application is available on this page within the "Applying to the Program" section. You must read this entire page carefully for application and admission requirements before applying.

Deadlines

Program start term	priority  Deadline	Regular application deadline	Regular Material submission Deadline
Fall	December 15	January 15	February 1
Spring	July 15	August 15	September 1

Priority Admission Review (Early Decision)

The Department of Nursing offers early application review to qualified students. Applications that meet the requirements for priority application review will be automatically reviewed for a early admission decision. Meeting the priority review deadline and requirements does not guarantee early admission.

Students who qualify for priority review may be offered either an early admission decision or have their application deferred to the regular application deadline. If a student is offered early admission, they will be required to accept their seat in the nursing program earlier.

Any application that does not meet the requirements listed below or will be deferred to the regular program deadlines.

Requirements for PRIORITY Application Review

Applicants must meet these requirements by the priority deadline in order to qualify for early admission review:

• Submit online application and fee
• Submit required application materials
• Meet minimum criteria for application review
• Meet minimum criteria for admission consideration

Students applying under the Individual Admissions Policy are not eligible for early review.

Regular Admission Review

All applicants must meet the regular application and material submission deadlines in order to be considered for admission. Late applications or materials are not accepted.

REQUIREments FOR REGULAR ADMISSION REVIEW

• Submit online application and application fee by the regular application deadline
• Submit all required application materials by the regular materials deadline
• Meet the minimum application criteria as of the most recent completed term
  • For fall applicants, this includes coursework completed through the minimester/winter term
  • For spring applicants, this includes coursework completed through the summer term.

Application Requirements

It is an applicant's responsibility to understand their eligibility to apply and ensure that their application and all required materials are submitted by the deadlines listed above.

Instructions for submitting required materials are provided in the "Applying to the Program" section of this page. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.

Required Materials

Applicants must submit the following materials by the material submission deadline.

• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
  • This includes your current school of attendance with most recently completed term, any high school dual enrollment, and/or any summer or winter transfer coursework
  • Transcripts must be submitted from the original institution attended. Transfer coursework on another institution's transcript is not accepted in lieu of an official transcript.
• Test of Academic Skills (TEAS) Exam Transcript for TEAS Version 7
  • TEAS scores must be taken within the two years of applying
  • Applicants may submit up to two TEAS transcripts per application cycle

Submission of additional materials such as recommendations, resumes, or personal statements is not required for admission review. Applicants may opt to submit additional materials if they wish, but these materials will not bear a great deal of weight on the admission review. The application review process is primarily focused on academic indicators of an applicant's likelihood of success in the nursing program. For more details of what influences the admission decision, please refer to the "Admission Competitiveness" section of this page.

Confirmation of Received Materials

Please note that the Department of Nursing cannot confirm the receipt of materials while applications are still being accepted. Application and material screening does not begin until after the material submission deadline. Individuals concerned about the receipt of their materials can refer to the section "How to Apply to the Program" for guidelines on submitting and confirming the receipt of materials.

Minimum Criteria for Application Review

Applicants must meet the following criteria by the material submission deadline in order to be eligible for application review:

• At least 42 undergraduate credits/units earned
• Completion of at least three (3) laboratory science prerequisites with a C (2.0) or higher*
• Completion of English composition with a C (2.0) or higher (TU's ENGL 102 or equivalent transfer credit)
• Score ranked Proficient or higher on the TEAS Version 7

Coursework in progress does not satisfy these criteria. Minimum units and courses required to apply must be completed as of the most recent term. Units completed may include credit by exam and high school dual enrollment coursework.

Students may apply with additional prerequisites to be completed as long as they have met the criteria listed above. Any offer of admission would be contingent upon the completion of remaining prerequisites prior to the start of the term.

Minimum Criteria for Admission Consideration

Applicants must have meet the minimum admission criteria outlined below in order to be eligible for admission consideration. The admission criteria is the same for all program applicants, including current TU students, transfer students, reenrolling students, and second bachelor's degree-seeking students.

If you do not meet the minimum admission criteria listed below, please refer to the "Individual Admissions Policy" section for more information.

Students with prior nursing program enrollment should refer to the section titled "Applying from Another Nursing Program" for additional information.

Admission Criteria

• Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher from all colleges/universities attended
  • This includes all college coursework at the undergraduate level at all institutions attended, including any high school dual enrollment and transfer courses completed during the summer or minimester.
• Completion of all nursing prerequisite courses with a C (2.0) or higher by the start of the program
  • Pass/fail grades are not accepted. Exceptions may apply for special COVID-19 grading during select terms.
  • Grades below a grade point value of 2.0 are not accepted, even if the grade was accepted by another institution as passing. C- grades are not the same as a C grade.
  • Prerequisites may be in progress at time of application as long as students meet the minimum criteria to apply.
  • Credit by exam may satisfy nursing prerequisites as long it is posted as test credit or transfer credit equivalent to the required course on a student's TU transcript.
• Completion of all science and mathematics prerequisites within 10 years of applying
  
  • Age of courses is based on when you are applying (e.g., applicants for Spring 2025 must have taken the courses in Spring 2015 or later)
• Limit of two (2) repeat attempts of nursing prerequisite courses
  
  • This applies to repeating nursing prerequisite courses in which you earned below a C (2.0).
  • Multiple repeats of coursework to increase a passing grade to a higher grade is discouraged but not prohibited.
  • If a science prerequisite is taught as separate lecture and lab courses, both the lecture and lab count as one course each.
  • Courses repeated only because they were over 10 years old will not count against the repeat limit.

Meeting the minimum criteria for admission consideration does not guarantee admission to the program. Refer to the "Admissions Competitiveness" section of this page for more details.

Individual AdmissionS Policy

If you do not meet one or more of the admission criteria listed above, you may still be eligible to apply for admission review through the Individual Admissions Policy. This does not apply to students who do not meet the minimum criteria for application review.

The Individual Admissions Policy requires submission of additional materials that support a student's request for admission consideration. Special admission consideration requires evidence of academic improvement and a demonstrated ability to succeed in a rigorous program.

It is an applicant's responsibility to understand if the Individual Admissions Policy applies to them. All applicants should review the policy carefully before initiating their application. The Department of Nursing is not responsible for notifying students that this policy applies to them.

Applying from Another Nursing Program

The basic/pre-licensure major is designed for students with no previous nursing education. However, students who have previous enrollment in a nursing program may still be eligible to apply. For the purposes of admission review, the information in this section only applies to students who took nursing courses. If you were enrolled in a direct-entry nursing program but did not take any actual nursing courses, you are still considered pre-nursing student.

If you have been successful in another nursing program's courses and want to transfer, you must still meet the application and admission criteria outlined on this page. For questions about transferring nursing courses, refer to the department's transfer student policy.

If you were unsuccessful in another nursing program's nursing coursework, you may  only apply through the Individual Admissions Policy.

Admission Competitiveness

Admission to the nursing major is highly competitive due to the number of applicants, limited space in the major, and rigor of the program. Admission review is focused on a student's academic strengths and ability to handle a rigorous academic curriculum.

Work or volunteer experience in a healthcare setting does not weigh on the admission decision. Students are still encouraged to seek patient contact experience on a paid or volunteer basis in order to confirm their interest in a nursing career and make sure they understand the career they want to pursue. Prior experience in a clinical/healthcare environment can also help admitted students with the transition into the clinical setting.

Factors tHAT iNFLUENCE Competitiveness

The following factors are all considered in the admission review process:

• overall cumulative GPA from all schools attended
• GPA between the five (5) science prerequisite courses
• TEAS score
• overall academic record & performance trends
  • positive enrollment trends (consistent full-time enrollment, balancing difficult courses, advanced credits, etc)
  • history of course repeats or excessive withdrawals
  • consistency of academic performance or demonstration of academic improvement over time

Earning the minimum GPA or a proficient TEAS score does not guarantee admission to the program. Meeting the minimum criteria is not the same as being a competitive applicant. Students should aim for a higher, competitive TEAS score, a higher overall cumulative GPA, and a strong science GPA. While there is no minimum science GPA requirement, students are encouraged to strive for B (3.0) or higher in their science prerequisites or an overall 3.0 science GPA.

Competitive ADMISSION Averages

The following averages are ranges based on the admission data for the past two years:

• Overall Cumulative GPA: 3.5-3.7
• TEAS Score: 83-85%
• Science GPA: 3.2-3.4

As a reminder, these are averages and not minimums. Meeting one or more of these competitive averages does not guarantee admission, and not meeting one or more of them is not a sign that you will be denied admission. The degree of competitiveness for admission is determined by the number of applications received and the strength of applicant pool each term.

Guidelines for Preparing to Apply

Before you submit your application, it is imperative that you are prepared to properly complete the nursing program application and understand your eligibility to apply and be considered for admission. Here are key actions that every applicant should take before they begin the application process:

1. Review your eligibility to apply and be considered for admission.
   1. Minimum Application Criteria: Confirm that you will have completed at least 42 undergraduate credits, English composition, and three (3) lab science prerequisites by the end of the most recent term. Minimester/winter courses and/or summer courses should be included if you are applying for regular admission decision.
   2. GPA: Calculate your overall cumulative GPA. GPA is calculated by dividing total grade points earned by total attempted credits. If you have attended more then one school, you should refer to each school's transcript for the grade points and attempted hours. Note that attempted credits are sometimes referred to GPA credits/hours on transcripts. Do not count any withdrawals or transferred credits in the total of attempted/GPA hours for any school.
   3. Repeats: If you have repeated any of the nursing prerequisite courses due to earning below a C (2.0), count how many repeat attempts you have on your transcripts. Please note that withdrawals are not counted as a course attempt.
   4. Course age: If you have any science or math prerequisites that were taken more than ten years prior to your application, you must repeat these courses or submit the materials required under the Individual Admissions Policy. Repeating to refresh your understanding of the content is preferred.
2. Review the nursing major's prerequisites for admission and confirm transfer equivalencies (if applicable).
   1. Students must be prepared to list the courses they expect to satisfy their prerequisites on the nursing application.
   2. Current TU students can refer to the Academic Requirements (AR) or Advising What-If Report in their Student Dashboard to confirm whether the courses they have completed or are taking will satisfy the nursing prerequisites. The Registrar's Office provides the "Academic Requirements - Undergraduate" guide to help navigate these tools.
   3. Students should not assume that a course will satisfy the prerequisite just based on course number or title. Students who are planning to transfer to TU should refer to our transfer student resources to understand how their transfer courses could satisfy the nursing prerequisites.
   4. Any prerequisite courses in progress at time of admission must be completed with a C (2.0) or higher by the start of the program.
3. Review the Standards and Functional Abilities for Nursing Students (PDF).
   1. The standards outline essential functional abilities that students need to attain the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for entry-level nurses.
   2. These standards are not required for program admission but will be expected of students admitted to the nursing major. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review these functional standards to better understand what will be expected of them in the nursing major.

How to Apply to the Program

In this section, you will find instructions on how to apply and submit required materials. Please read all instructions carefully before starting the application.

It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that all required documents have been received. The Department of Nursing is not responsible for materials not received by the deadline.

Nursing Application & Fee

To apply for admission to the nursing major, you must complete the online application form and submit the $75 non-refundable application fee by 11:59 pm of the deadline. 

You will be directed to the online payment center upon completion of your application; have your payment method ready when you begin the application. The application fee cannot be waived and must be submitted for each term you apply. Failure to submit payment will result in an incomplete application.

Students must make sure to read all instructions and details on the application form carefully. Before applying, please refer to the reminders below to avoid common errors made on the application.

Application & Payment Reminders

• Check for Correct Information: Avoid using your browser's autofill when completing the application. This can result in providing incorrect or incomplete information.
  • You will have the chance to review all of your responses prior to submitting your application. Before you submit, review all fields for accuracy (especially your application term and personal information).
  • Make sure that you have typed your email correctly to ensure that you receive your submission confirmation email and any subsequent communications about your application status.
• Report Entire Education History: You must list all schools attended in the education history section. Failure to disclose a school may result in an 
  • Current or former TU students must include Towson University and any schools you have transferred credits to TU from. This form is not connected to your TU student record, so the only way the Department of Nursing knows you are a TU student is if you list it on your application.
  • If you attended a school more than once over separate time periods, you should only list it once and include all dates attended.
  • Report all completed and planned enrollment through the term prior to when you would start the program. For example, if you are applying for Spring 2025, you should report all planned attendance through the Winter 2025 term.
• Complete the Prerequisite Checklist Carefully: You must provide course details for each course that you expect will satisfy the nursing admission prerequisites.
  • Pay careful attention to the guidelines on the application form before completing this section and to any notes above individual prerequisites.
  • List the course information as it appears on transcript where the course was taken. Do not list courses based on how they transferred to another school.
  • Courses listed on the application that have below a C (2.0) grade or are not equivalent to the required TU course listed will be rejected.
• Application Fee: You will be directed to the payment center after submission, so be prepared with your payment method.
  • If the payment center times out on you, do not submit a new application to get back to the payment center. Go to the payment center and select "Basic/Pre-licensure Nursing Application" to submit the fee. Your payment will be matched to your original application.
• Confirming Submission of Application & Fee
  • You will receive an email when you submit the application and a separate email when you submit your payment. These emails serve as your confirmation that your application and payment have been received.
  • Make sure that you have typed your email address correctly in both the application and the payment center to ensure that you receive these emails.
  • All application-related emails will come from nursingadmissions AT_TOWSON so it is recommended that you add this email to your contacts or mark it as a "Safe Sender" in your email settings to ensure that you do not miss any important emails.

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended are required. Transcripts from other institutions must be sent to the University Admissions office. Transcripts should not be sent to the Department of Nursing.

Transcripts can be sent electronically or by mail. Electronic transcripts are strongly preferred.

• Electronic: Send via your school's electronic transcript service (e.g., Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, etc.) and select Towson University as the recipient.
  • New transfer or second bachelor applicants can also request electronic transcripts through Common App when applying to the university. This method is preferred for easier retrieval of transcripts.
• Mail: University Admissions, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD 21252

Transcripts must include grades for the most recent course work completed including summer or winter courses. If you send a transcript with in progress courses for summer or winter, an updated transcript must be submitted after those grades are posted.

International Students: Any international coursework requires a course-by-course credential evaluation from one of the credential evaluation services accepted by University Admissions.

Please refer to the reminders to avoid common issues and answer questions related to submitting transcripts.

Transcript SUBMISSION Reminders

• TU Transcripts
  • Current or former Towson University students do not need to submit an official TU transcript. The Department will retrieve it from your student record. You must list Towson University in your education history on the nursing application.
  • If you have previously transferred coursework to TU, you do not need to resubmit new official transcripts if there is no change on the transcript. If you have completed new coursework at another institution since transferring to TU, a new transcript is required.
• Request Transcripts Early!
  • Due to potential delays in transcript processing time, you should request your transcripts as early as possible. Delaying transcript submission until the last minute may cause delays in application processing or result in an incomplete application.
• Transcripts Must Show All Grades
  • If you are requesting a transcript close to the end of a term, make sure that all grades have been posted before requesting your transcript. You can refer to your unofficial transcript in your school's student portal for this.
  • If you dropped or withdrew from a course after submitting your application or transcript, you must submit an official transcript to verify this.
  • If you are taking a winter or summer course that ends close to the material submission deadline, you must submit a transcript reflecting this grade when the course is complete.
• Confirming Receipt of Transcripts
  • Confirmation of electronic transcript delivery does not mean the transcript has been uploaded to your student file. Please retain a copy of any transcript confirmation emails until you have been notified that your application is complete.
  • Transcripts may take longer to upload if you have never applied to TU and do not have an admissions file. If the university's transfer application is open, we encourage you to go ahead and apply to make it easier to locate and obtain copies of your transcripts.
  • The Department of Nursing cannot confirm that your transcript has been received by the University. Department staff do not have direct access to University Admissions records. Please allow at least 1 week for processing before you contact University Admissions.

Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) Transcript

You may submit up to two TEAS transcripts per application cycle. The higher of the two scores will be accepted. TEAS transcripts can be requested through your AT Testing account when you register for the test or after taking it.

Please refer to our TEAS information for answers to frequently asked questions about taking the TEAS and submitting scores. Please refer to the reminders below to make sure you submit your TEAS 

TEAS Transcript Reminders

• TEAS scores are valid for two years. Any TEAS transcripts older than two years will not be accepted.
• TEAS scores must be earned by the material submission deadline.
• TEAS transcripts are not automatically re-used if a student re-applies for another term. To re-use a TEAS score from a previous application, you must email nursingadmissions AT_TOWSON with your name and the date of the TEAS score. This email must be sent by the material submission deadline.
• TEAS transcripts must come directly from ATI Testing. TEAS transcripts sent directly by a student will not be accepted.

University Enrollment

Nursing program admission requires students to be enrolled at the university as a degree-seeking student for the term for which they are applying. You may apply to the nursing major prior to applying to the university, but you will not be allowed to start the program without being enrolled as a degree-seeking student.

If you are not currently enrolled at TU, please read the following reminders to ensure that you understand what is required.

University Enrollment Reminders

• New Students: New transfer or second bachelor's students must apply through University Admissions.
  • This includes if you are a current TU student and will complete your first bachelor's degree prior to the start of the nursing program.
• Returning to TU: If you are returning to TU after a break in attendance (without a completed bachelor's degree), you must reenroll at the university.
  • A break in attendance is defined as not enrolling for at least one regular academic term (fall or spring).
  • If you previously attended TU but have since completed a bachelor's degree elsewhere, you are considered a new second bachelor's student.
• You Must Apply to Both: Applying for admission to or reenrollment at the university is a separate process adjacent to your nursing application. Both are required.
  • You may apply to the nursing major prior to applying to the university as long as you meet the deadlines for both applications.
  • The university application for spring may not be open by the spring deadline for nursing. Spring program applicants should not submit a university application for fall if the university is not yet accepting spring applications.
  • Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the major. All students who list nursing on their university application or reenrollment form will automatically be classified as a pre-nursing major.

Refer to the appropriate office for application requirements, deadlines, and instructions:

• Transfer Admissions
• Second Bachelor's Admissions
• Reenrollment

Questions?

For any questions about the nursing admissions process or requirements, please contact the Nursing Admissions & Advisement Manager at nursingadmissions AT_TOWSON.