Skip to main content
student in lab

Direct Admit Program

Gain peace of mind with early acceptance.

High school seniors who wish to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) from South Dakota State University have the option to apply for the direct admit program. The direct admit program guarantees admission into the professional nursing major (standard option), prior to the competitive selection process, for students who meet specific, pre-established criteria.

Selection criteria

To be considered for the direct admit program. you must:

  • Have a minimum ACT composite score of 27 (SAT equivalent 1280).
  • Be admitted as a first-time freshman pre-nursing student at South Dakota State University in Brookings.
  • Submit the College of Nursing direct admit application (available here in January each year until the April 1 deadline).

 If you are unsure of your eligibility, please feel free to reach out to our Nursing Student Services Office.

Application process and timeline

The deadline to apply for the direct admit program for the following fall is April 1. To be considered, students must complete the SDSU Application for Admission and the College of Nursing direct admit application. Admission to SDSU as a first-time freshman pre-nursing major must be granted before the direct admit application can be submitted.

  • Step 1: Receive admission to SDSU (in Brookings) for fall semester.
  • Step 2: Complete the College of Nursing direct admit application (available here in January each year until the April 1 deadline).

The College of Nursing direct admit application will be available on this page mid-January. Unofficial ACT or SAT scores must be submitted with the application. All students who have completed college credits while in high school must submit an unofficial copy of their transcript from each institution attended at the time of application.

Requirements to maintain direct admit status

Direct admit students are provisionally admitted to the professional nursing major. They must meet a specific set of requirements during their first three semesters on campus in order to begin the nursing major coursework at the start of the fourth semester. Once admitted in the fall of their freshman year, direct admit students must:

  • Be enrolled as a full-time student each semester.
  • Participate in the Fishback Honors College and meet the Fishback Honors College progression standards required for priority registration each semester (students with a 27 or higher ACT are automatically admitted to Fishback Honors College).
  • Apply to the nursing major* before or during their third semester on campus, once all prerequisite courses are completed or in progress.
  • Earn a letter grade of 'C' or higher (no D, F, or Withdrawal grades) in all pre-nursing courses:
    • CHEM 106/106 or CHEM 112/112L
    • HDFS 210
    • NUTR 315
    • MICR 231/231L
    • PSYC 101
    • SOC 100, 150 or 240
    • BIOL 221/221L
    • BIOL 325/325L

*Application to the nursing major is required for validation purposes. Students must pass a background check and drug screening after provisional acceptance into the nursing major. If a direct admit student does not maintain eligibility, their application to the nursing major will be considered in the competitive application pool, as long as application requirements have been met.