Nursing (B.S.) Frequently Asked Questions

Freshman and transfer students applying to the NIU nursing program, must first apply to the university and select nursing as your intended major. Once accepted to the university, you will be reviewed for admission to the School of Nursing. All documents must be received by Undergraduate Admissions prior to the January 15 deadline to be considered for review.

Current on-campus students must complete and submit an online application. The online application is open from September 1 to January 15. All applications must be submitted by January 15 in order to be considered.

Contact Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

Applications are accepted once a year regardless of which semester you will begin nursing courses.

Students may begin taking nursing courses in either the fall or spring semester at the discretion of the Nursing Program Admissions Committee. Admission to each term is based on factors such as prerequisite GPA, completed prerequisites and overall GPA.

Students who are admitted directly from high school will typically begin nursing coursework during the spring semester of their sophomore year.

• Completed application for admission with nursing listed as area of academic interest
• An official high school transcript or an official GED score report
• Students must have prerequisite GPA and an overall/cumulative GPA of at least 2.75

Applicants with less than 24 semester hours of college credit will apply as freshmen.

• Completed application for admission with nursing listed as area of academic interest
• Completed nursing online application
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended. If taking courses at another institution during the fall term prior to the deadline, send final transcripts with grades posted.
• Priority will be given to students who have completed the following prerequisite courses with a C or better by the January 15 deadline:
  • BIOS 103 and BIOS 105
  • BIOS 357
  • CHEM 110 and CHEM 111 or CHEM 210 and CHEM 212
  • ENGL 203
  • STAT 100
• Students must have prerequisite GPA and an overall/cumulative GPA of at least 2.75.

Applicants with more than 24 semester hours of college credit will apply as transfer students.

• A minimum of 12 hours at NIU applied toward their major, minor or general education requirements
• An online application for admission to the School of Nursing
• Priority will be given to students who have completed the following prerequisite courses with a C or better by the January 15 deadline:
  • BIOS 103 and BIOS 105
  • BIOS 357
  • CHEM 110 and CHEM 111 or CHEM 210 and CHEM 212
  • ENGL 203
  • STAT 100
• Students must have prerequisite GPA and an overall/cumulative GPA of at least 2.75.

Nursing applications are accepted between September 1 and January 15.

Applications are accepted once a year regardless of which semester you will begin nursing courses.

The number of applicants varies year to year; however, we receive more than 1,000 each year.

We admit about 175 students; half of the students begin in the fall and the other half in the spring.

Students must have prerequisite GPA and an overall/cumulative GPA of at least 2.75. Admission to the NIU School of Nursing is competitive and extremely limited. There is no guarantee of admission. Students should work with an academic advisor regarding the competitive nature of the program.

Admitted nursing majors must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.

Acceptance or non-acceptance letters are mailed out in late April.

No.

Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive and limited. Seats are filled based on the credentials and standings of applicants and space. If space becomes available for your placement, you will be contacted via email around mid-June. Please understand that there are no guarantees that students on the waiting list will be admitted.

B.S. requirements outside of the nursing major can be found in the NIU catalog. These include general education requirements and prerequisite courses. Students should work with an academic advisor to determine remaining degree requirements.

Yes, prerequisite courses may be taken at your local community college. For further information, review course articulation information.

No, all prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better before beginning nursing classes.

Tuition information can be found at the Office of the Bursar tuition page.

There are very few online nursing courses available for the traditional undergraduate nursing student. The majority of courses for the B.S. degree program are on the DeKalb campus.

Nursing classes meet in the School of Nursing, 1240 Normal Road, DeKalb IL. Classes are typically offered Monday through Friday during the day. The nursing program is a cohort-style program so students should expect to be in classes three to five days per week.

The NIU nursing program is a five semester sequence of courses. Students are typically enrolled in 12-15 credit hours per term.

No, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing does not automatically make you an RN. However, upon completion of the degree, you are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Our nursing program provides students with the knowledge needed to pass this exam.

The traditional NIU nursing program is a full-time program. Students are typically enrolled in 12-15 credit hours per term so students are not advised to also hold a full-time position. Students should expect to be in courses or clinicals three to five days per week.

Students begin clinicals their first semester in the program in the Simulation Lab on campus and at a local clinical site. In the second semester, students begin clinicals in various healthcare settings.

NIU works with a large number of clinical sites in northern Illinois. Students usually have about five to six choices per clinical to pick from. Students should expect that not all clinical placements will be at the same agency or in DeKalb. Students are required to provide their own transportation to and from clinical sites; however, many students carpool to various sites.

To get additional information about the traditional undergraduate nursing program or to speak with an academic advisor, please email HHSAdvisingHelp@niu.edu or call 815-753-1891.

For applicants who are already registered nurses or have a B.S. degree in nursing, contact the School of Nursing about our RN-B.S. program and Master of Science in Nursing degree at nursing@niu.edu or 815-753-1231.