Second-Degree BS Admissions

The Second-Degree BS in Nursing is offered on our Newark Campus.

Application Deadline

The application open date for both spring and summer admission is September 1^st. We begin to release spring decisions in October, and summer decisions in February.

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Previous Rutgers Students: Use the re-enrollment application to apply to the Second Degree program.

Also, consider enrolling in the Pathways Program – A pre-nursing program for Rutgers-SAS Newark students

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Admission Criteria

Our application review is a comprehensive process and requires applicants meet the following admission criteria:

• Bachelor’s degree in an area other than nursing from a regionally accredited college or university
• First degree GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• Current certification for health care providers in basic life support for adult, child, infant, and automated external defibrillator from the American Heart Association
• Completion of prerequisite coursework

Please note, since the number of students who are admitted is limited, the admission process is competitive.  Meeting the above criteria does not guarantee admission.

International students are not admitted to the program.

Prerequisite Courses

The following courses and labs may be completed online and can be from multiple 2- or 4-year regionally accredited colleges.

Course Name	Undergraduate Level	Credits
Anatomy and Physiology I w/ Lab	100 or higher	4 credits
Anatomy and Physiology II w/ Lab	100 or higher	4 credits
Microbiology w/ Lab	100 or higher	4 credits
Organic Biochemistry or General Chemistry II	100 or higher	3 credits
Nutrition – a course focusing on nutrients and their functions in the human body throughout the life cycle.	100 or higher	3 credits
Statistics – a descriptive and inferential statistics course	100 or higher	3 credits
Life Span: A Holistic Approach or Developmental Psychology The course must cover the entire human lifespan (Newborn to Elderly)	100 or higher	3 credits
General Psychology*	100 or higher	3 credits
Introduction to Sociology*	100 or higher	3 credits

* We accept a score of 50 or higher on the CLEP exams for Introductory Psychology and Introductory Sociology only

Prerequisite Guidelines

• All science prerequisite courses must be completed within 10 years of applying to the program. There is no time limit for non-science prerequisite courses.
• A grade of C+ or higher is required for Life Span/Developmental Psychology and Nutrition; a grade of C or higher is required for all other prerequisite courses. 
• Science grades weigh heavily in the admission decision.
• Nursing courses completed at another nursing school are not accepted.
• Please note, a history of numerous course failures, repeated courses, withdrawals, and dismissal from another nursing program may influence the admission decision. While not required, addressing extraordinary circumstances related to previous academic performance in a personal statement is highly recommended.
• All science prerequisite courses (4) must be completed (with grades) prior to application submission. No exceptions.
• It is strongly recommended all prerequisite courses are completed prior to applying, but applicants who have two non-science courses “in-progress” at the time of application submission will be considered. Proof of enrollment for any course “in progress” must be provided with the application and an updated official transcript indicating the “in progress” course(s) were successfully completed is required before beginning the program. 

Interviews are not required for admission.  Letters of recommendation are not required and will not be reviewed if submitted.

Supporting Documents

Applicants who submit a complete application (including all transcripts) are typically notified of the admission decision 4-6 weeks following the application deadline.  Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

New Applicant

Official transcript(s) may be submitted electronically or through postal mail.

Submit official transcripts electronically to:
transcripts@admissions.rutgers.edu

or mail official transcript to:
Office of University Undergraduate Admissions
Operations Center
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
65 Davidson Rd., Room 202
Piscataway, NJ 08854
RU-info: (732) 445-4636
Fax: (732) 445-8088

Re-Enrolling Applicant

Re-enrollment applicants (those who were a Rutgers student in the past) are required to send all admission documents to Rutgers School of Nursing Admissions

Submit official transcripts electronically to:
snadmissions@sn.rutgers.edu

or mail official transcript to:
Office of Admissions & Recruitment
School of Nursing
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
65 Bergen St., Room 601
Newark, NJ 07107
Phone: (973) 972-3067
Fax: (973) 972-2672

After Admission

Admitted students will need to

• Obtain a physical examination.
• Submit proof of having received all required immunizations, including COVID.
• Complete a criminal background check.
• All students entering the Second-Degree Program must take the Anatomy/Physiology and Math portions of the HESI Admission Assessment (HESI A2), a diagnostic tool to determine student learning needs for success in a nursing program. The exam will take place during new student orientation.

Second Degree students qualify for financial aid and on-campus housing. View our financial aid page and the Rutgers Residence Life page for more information.