Accelerated BSN Admission Requirements and Application Process

For students entering the university under the SDSU 2025-26 Undergraduate Catalog and later, the following admission criteria will apply:

• To be considered for admission to the accelerated BSN program, students must have:
  • A cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher.
  • A grade of C or higher in all completed courses required for graduation.
  • Completed all College of Nursing prerequisite courses, System General Education Requirements and elective courses. Students must have enough elective courses to equal 120 credits upon completion of the program. Elective credits must be completed before the student starts in the accelerated nursing program. Students may apply while prerequisite courses are in progress as long as courses are completed before starting the first semester of the nursing program (in August in Sioux Falls or January in Rapid City), if selected for admission.
    • College of Nursing Prerequisite Requirements
      • PSYC 101 General Psychology, three credits
      • SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology or 150 Social Problems or 240 Sociology of Rural America or ANTH 210 Cultural Anthropology, three credits
      • HDFS 210 Lifespan Development, three credits
      • CHEM 106/106L Chemistry Survey and Lab or CHEM 108/108L Organic and Biochemistry and Lab or CHEM 112/112L General Chemistry I and Lab or CHEM 114/114L General Chemistry II and Lab, four credits
      • NUTR 315 Human Nutrition, three credits
      • BIOL 221/221L Anatomy and Lab, four credits
      • BIOL 325/325L Physiology and Lab, four credits
      • MICR 231/231L Microbiology and Lab, four credits
    • System General Education Requirements and other courses
      • Students that have completed a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution will have successfully completed the System General Education Requirements. See South Dakota Board of Regents policy 2:5:2, U.S. Department of Education and this list of regional accrediting organizations for more information.
        • *SGR 1: Written Communication: any two eligible courses
        • *SGR 2: Oral Communication: any eligible course
        • **SGR 3: Social Sciences: any eligible course
          Please note that the College of Nursing requires an additional specific course to meet the SGR 3 requirement.
        • *SGR 4: Arts and Humanities: any two eligible courses
        • *SGR 5: Mathematics: MATH 103 or higher course

Before submitting your application, be sure to review the admission criteria.

1. Submit an application to the university.
   • Prior to applying to the nursing program, students must apply for admission to SDSU. The university application can be completed online through the Office of Admissions.
   • Students graduating with an undergraduate degree from SDSU this academic year will need to complete a new application.
2. Complete the application for admission to the nursing program.
   • The application and application materials for the professional nursing major must be completed online through NursingCAS. You are encouraged to submit the application at least one week prior to the application deadline.
   • Application materials will include unofficial or official transcripts.
3. Submit Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System or Duolingo score report with NursingCAS Application (nonnative speakers of English)
   • The College of Nursing requires all students who meet the definition of English as a second language to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System or Duolingo exam, regardless of residency status. English as a second language is defined as a student who was instructed and spoke primarily in a language other than English in the K-12 grade.
   • The minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language score required for admission to the professional nursing major is 79, with a minimum speaking score of 26. The required International English Language Testing System band score for admission to the professional nursing major is 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each module. The minimum Duolingo score required is 110. These scores are required before the student will be accepted into the professional nursing major.

As the nurse is a professional who deals with human lives, it is mandatory that a higher level of English fluency be met in order to ensure the safety of clients and students.

The English as a second language requirement for the College of Nursing is the same as that required by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The College of Nursing requires all students who meet the definition of student with English as a second language to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System, Duolingo or an accepted substitute. English as a second language is defined as a student who was instructed and spoke primarily in a language other than English in the K-12 grades or primary and secondary schooling.

The minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language score required for admission to the professional program is 79 (iBT), with a minimum speaking score of 26. The required International English Language Testing System band score for admission to the professional program is 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each module. The minimum Duolingo score for admission to the professional program is 110. The Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System or Duolingo is required for all students for whom English is a second language, regardless of residency status. These scores are required before the student will be accepted into the professional program.

The student is responsible for all testing fees.

All students must submit federal and supplemental criminal background checks. Admission to the College of Nursing is not contingent on a clean background check. However, clinical placement and future licensure may be impacted by background check results.

Transfer students must also apply for admission to SDSU, in addition to the College of Nursing.

Please email or call an academic advisor before applying or registering for classes to make sure courses are completed in the appropriate sequence.

Those seeking admission must meet the College of Nursing technical standards.

Once admitted, the student much purchase a laptop computer that meets our computer requirement (unless you already have one). The student must also complete the compliance requirements. The student will be given instructions to complete compliance requirements through the online management system.

Accelerated program compliance requirements are comprised of both university requirements and clinical agency requirements. SDSU College of Nursing does not guarantee clinical placement for students who are not in compliance with clinical agency requirements. Clinical agencies may change their compliance requirements at any point in time and students are expected to be in compliance with any of these changes.

Compliance Requirements

Criminal background check: Students must complete a criminal background check through the online management system. An annual background check is required.

Ten-panel drug screen: Students will complete a drug screen through the online management system. Instructions will be provided at the time of purchase, including approved laboratory locations for completing the drug screen.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification: Certification must be Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider issued by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

Health insurance: Students must provide proof of health insurance coverage.

Online training: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and infection control training will be completed through a designated online platform.

Required SDSU College of Nursing forms

• Certificate of health
• Multiwaiver release form
• Room scan consent form
• Participation and self-transportation agreement

Additional compliance requirements/immunizations

• Tuberculin (TB) testing
• Hepatitis B
• MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis)
• Influenza
• COVID-19 (optional)

Immunization exemption requests will be submitted in writing using the SDSU immunization exemption request form, which will be available in the online management system. An exemption approved by SDSU College of Nursing does not guarantee the exemption will be granted by clinical agencies.