Frequently Asked Questions

Apply online at: applynow.unc.edu. The application for the ABSN program typically opens in July with a deadline in mid-September. The application for the 5-semester BSN and BSN Military Pathway typically opens in August with a deadline in mid-December.

Applications can only be submitted online and are found here.

The School of Nursing receives approximately 300-400 applications for the traditional BSN program each year. We admit about 144 students each fall. We typically receive 200-300 applications for the ABSN each year and admit 110 students each summer.

No, the only application you will need to complete is the School of Nursing application.

Admissions decision letters for all applicants are emailed out approximately 14-16 weeks after the application deadline. We are not able to inform applicants of their admissions decisions by phone.

Applicants will receive admissions decisions via email indicating if they have been admitted, denied or waitlisted. Waitlisted students may be notified up until the day courses start if a space becomes available in the program. No information is released regarding position on the waitlist or the number of students placed on the waitlist. If spaces do not become available, the waitlist does not carry over to the following term. Waitlisted applicants must submit a new application to be considered for admission for a future term. Reapplication does not guarantee admission or a place on the waitlist.

Admission to the School of Nursing is very competitive. The minimum cumulative grade point average for admission to the BSN is a 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Admission to UNC-Chapel Hill as a first-year student does not guarantee admission to the School of Nursing as a junior. The minimum cumulative grade point average for the Accelerated BSN is a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must be eligible to return to all institutions previously attended.

The admissions committee critically evaluates each applicant’s academic performance, descriptive essays, community service history, and special skills and abilities that have the potential to affect care delivery or contribute overall to the nursing profession. The ideal applicant will clearly demonstrate a strong academic history as well as a commitment to the ideology of nursing and service to others. Performance in required science courses is particularly important.

For a list of class schedules for upcoming terms, see our Curriculum.

Pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Nursing requires a full-time commitment throughout the 4 terms or 5 terms of enrollment. Attendance is required in the fall, spring and summer semesters.

Clinical rotations are held at various health care locations in Orange County, the home county of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as well as all counties contiguous to Orange.

No.

As the BSN program is a full-time course of study, the majority of nursing students find the demands of attending courses and clinicals far too rigorous to incorporate full-time employment into their daily schedules.

No. You may find the prerequisites for the BSN and ABSN here.

All applicants must have completed Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology within five years of the application deadline. General Psychology and Statistics must have been completed within 10 years of the application deadline.

No. Only applicants meeting the minimum GPA requirements will be considered for admission.

Yes. All college coursework, including graduate-level courses, is included when calculating an applicant’s cumulative GPA.

No. We do not require any entrance exams.

No.

No, the only application you will need to complete is the nursing application.

Beginning with the fall 2020 application cycle (fall 2021 matriculation), the 5-semester BSN option is open to first degree applicants only. Students holding a bachelor’s degree in another field must apply to the 4-semester Accelerated BSN option. The BSN Military Pathway is open to first and second degree students.

We strongly encourage students to do self-assessment of their prior coursework using the course evaluation form found here. Students may wish to complete their outstanding prerequisite courses through the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education at UNC-Chapel Hill or through a local community college, or other regionally accredited institution.

You should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UNC Chapel Hill to obtain information about admission to the university. Your first two years of study will be devoted to completing General Education requirements and the Nursing Science Prerequisites. Students seeking a first bachelor’s degree in nursing are typically admitted to the School of Nursing in the spring semester of the sophomore year for enrollment in fall of the junior year. Students must complete all General Education courses and all Nursing Science Prerequisites by the end of spring semester prior to entering the School of Nursing.

Yes. We encourage all students to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Prospective students may also wish to contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at UNC. Additional information regarding scholarships and financial aid for prospective nursing students is available here.

To obtain a conditional letter of acceptance or signed Form 48, you’ll need to:

1. Submit a transcript evaluation request. You will need to fill out the form and submit your unofficial transcripts to be evaluated by an admissions team member. The link to the transcript request form can be found here.

2. Within the transcript evaluation form, please indicate that you need a conditional letter and the date by which it is due. Please note that conditional letters require 2-3 weeks to complete and return to you. Conditional letters are only provided when all prerequisite coures are complete.

3. Proceed with your application, making sure that you have fully completed and submitted your application by appropriate deadline. Please make sure that you have met all eligibility requirements and that all official transcripts are sent to: transcripts@son.unc.edu