Accelerated BSN Frequently Asked Questions
Please visit the California Board of Registered Nursing
website for more information on how to pursue an education in nursing. The website lists all colleges and universities
in California that offer nursing education.
How do I apply? When is the application open? How frequently are students admitted into the Accelerated BSN pathway?
Prospective applicants must complete an undergraduate University Application
through Cal State Apply between October 1 - November 30. Students are admitted into this pathway in the fall semester only. We admit 40 students each fall semester.
Are undocumented students, or DACA students eligible for admission?
Any individual is welcome to apply to CSUF, and admission is open to undocumented students. In order to become a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of California, a BSN graduate must have either a social security number (SSN) or an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Additionally, undocumented students who meet AB540 can apply for financial aid through the California Dream Application, but students must apply by the annual March 2 deadline. It is important to note that health insurance is required during the duration of this program. There are health insurance options for undocumented students. Please visit the CSUF Titan Dreamers Resource Center
for more information on the support and services that CSUF offers Titan Dreamers.
Am I eligible to apply to the Accelerated BSN pathway with a foreign degree?
Yes. An applicant may apply with a foreign degree; however, the foreign degree must be equivalent to United States college-level coursework. To verify if a foreign degree is equivalent, an applicant must have the official transcripts evaluated by a foreign evaluation agency.
Do I need to complete my degree at a regionally accredited institution?
Yes. An applicant must complete their degree at a regionally accredited institution. Regionally accreditation is granted to the university - not the specific program/major. To verify the accreditation of a degree, please visit the institution’s website and search for the institution’s accreditation page. Regionally accrediting organizations include: MSCHE
, NECHE
, HLC
, SACS
and WASC
. The University cannot accept coursework or a degree completed at a nationally accredited institution.
Do I need to submit my official transcripts to the university and the School of Nursing?
You only need to send ONE set of official transcripts to the CSUF Office of Admissions. All applicants must have one set of official transcripts from every college-level institution you have attended sent to the CSUF Office of Admissions, either electronically or by mail. If you have earned AP/IB credit, you must also send your official score report. CSUF currently accepts official electronic college transcripts, or, you may have your official transcripts mailed to the address below.
California State University, Fullerton
Office of Admissions
P.O. Box 6900
Fullerton, CA 92834
What are the prerequisite requirements? Can I have prerequisite requirements in-progress during the application process?
Please visit our prerequisite course
page for detailed information on each prerequisite. No prerequisite courses may be completed the spring or summer prior to starting this pathway.
Does prerequisite coursework expire after 5 years? Can I repeat a prerequisite course for higher grade?
The School of Nursing does not have expiration dates on any prerequisite coursework. Please make sure that the course was transferable to the CSU system at the time of completion.
Only one repeat is permitted for the following prerequisite courses: Human anatomy, Human Physiology, and Microbiology, if the grade requirement was not met.
What is the NCLEX pass rate for the CSUF BSN program?
The current NCLEX pass rates for the Pre-Licensure BSN program at CSUF, and all other pre-licensure nursing programs in the state of California can be found at the California Board of Registered Nursing Website
.
How do I know if a course will fulfill the prerequisite requirement?
An applicant may either review our program prerequisite page
, or they may review transferable coursework from California institutions through ASSIST
. An applicant can also use the course description of their prerequisite to see if the course covers the requirements stated on our prerequisite page. The School of Nursing cannot perform transcript reviews before a student applies for this pathway.
Can AP credit from high school fulfill the prerequisite requirements?
Advanced Placement (AP) credit may only fulfill non-science prerequisite courses, and in some cases, the Chemistry course.
Can online courses fulfill the prerequisite requirements?
Yes. We accept online or in-person course formats for all of our prerequisite courses, including labs.
What is the required grade point average for the Accelerated BSN pathway?
An applicant must have a minimum 3.25 GPA on college-level coursework and prerequisite requirements. Due to the nature of the program’s impacted status, an applicant must have a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average. There are measures students can take to recover and rehabilitate their cumulative grade point average. One important basic principal: the more credit hours you have acquired, the more credit hours with higher grades it will take to raise your GPA.
- REPEAT A COURSE(S): If you received a low grade (C- or lower) in any of your coursework, you should consider repeating the course. Please consult with a counselor/advisor at your institution for more information about repeating a course for a higher grade.
- ENROLL: Enrolling into a 3 unit course and receiving a high grade (A or B), can slowly raise your GPA.
Every institution has different policies. It’s important that you discuss your options with a counselor or advisor at the institution where you plan to raise your grade point average.
How many applicants usually apply?
Generally, the School of Nursing receives around 600-800 total applications, with about 200 of those being qualified applicants to the Accelerated BSN pathway.
Am I required to take the HESI or TEAS exam prior to applying to the Accelerated BSN pathway?
No. The School of Nursing does not require and will not accept entrance exams, like the HESI or TEAS, for admission into the Accelerated BSN pathway.
Are letters of recommendation required for the Accelerated BSN pathway?
No. The School of Nursing does not require and will not accept letters of recommendation for admission into the Accelerated BSN pathway.
How are students chosen for the Accelerated BSN pathway?
Applicants will be reviewed for various application components, as listed on our Selection Process
page. From there, the top applicants will be invited to interview.
If I am chosen for the Accelerated BSN pathway, but am unable to attend in the fall, can I defer my admission?
No. If a student is accepted into this pathway, they must enroll into the required coursework the first semester. Unfortunately, students are not able to defer admission. If a student is unable to start the pathway, they will need to reapply to the pathway for the following year.
Is there a waitlist for the Accelerated BSN pathway?
No, this pathway does not have a waitlist. If an applicant is not accepted into this pathway, they would need to reapply the following year.
Am I required to complete work and volunteer experience?
An applicant is not required to complete work or volunteer experience.
Can I still apply if I do not meet the minimum GPAs?
Due to impaction, only those who meet the minimum grade point averages (GPAs) as listed in the admission requirements, will be considered for admission.
Do I need to have my bachelor's degree prior to applying to the Accelerated pathway?
Yes. We can only consider applicants who have finished their classes for their degree at the end the Fall semester of the application period, with their degree posting in December or January of the application period.
How long is the Accelerated BSN pathway? Am I able to take a semester off or attend the Accelerated BSN pathway part-time?
This pathway is completed full-time throughout the course of 2 years (5 semesters). Summer semester is required. Students are not able to attend this pathway part-time or take a semester off from due to it being full-time and cohort-style.
When are courses offered during the semester?
Lecture courses are held in the morning or afternoon during the weekday. Lecture courses are not held on the weekends or during the evening. Clinical hours (lab) will be scheduled according to faculty and hospital availability, any day of the week, and range from 8 to 12 hour shifts. These shifts will either be day-time shifts, or over-night shifts.
Where will the clinical hours be completed? How many clinical hours are required?
The School of Nursing has many clinical partners. Clinical placement sites will be within a 50 mile radius of the CSUF campus in Fullerton, CA.
CLINICAL HOURS:
NURS 402L - 90 hrs
NURS 403L - 135 hrs
NURS 404L - 90 hrs
NURS 405L - 135 hrs
NURS 406L - 90 hrs
NURS 407L - 90 hrs
NURS 410L - 90 hrs
NURS 411L - 135 hrs
NURS 412L - 180 hrs
What is the cost of the Accelerated BSN pathway? Is financial aid available?
For tuition fees, the School of Nursing encourages students to review the Tuition and Campus-Based fees stated on the Student Business Services
website. Please note that students in this pathway are considered "post baccalaureate" students and are charged the graduate rate for tuition and fees. Please also keep in mind that all CSU listed fees are regarded as estimates that are subject to change. The listed fees do not include other expenses (i.e. textbooks). The School of Nursing encourages students to review information regarding school loans and financial aid at the Student Business Services and Financial Aid
websites.
