The Second-Degree BS in Nursing is offered on our Newark Campus.
Application Deadline
The Summer Second-Degree application deadline has been extended to February 15.

Feb. 1
for summer admission
**Deadline extended to Feb. 15**

Oct. 15
for spring admission
Applications open on September 1 for both spring and summer admission. Supporting documents are due on February 15 for summer admission and October 15 for spring admission.
Previous Rutgers Students: Use the re-enrollment application to apply to the Second Degree program.
Admission Criteria
Our application review is a holistic process that considers the whole applicant. We look at all of your submitted information, including:
- Bachelor’s degree in an area other than nursing from a regionally accredited college or university
- 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
- Prerequisite coursework
Please note that we do not admit international students into the program.
Prerequisite Courses
The following courses and virtual labs may be completed online and can be from multiple 2- or 4-year colleges, as long as each institution is regionally accredited.
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 w/ Lab | 100 or higher | 4 credits |
Nutrition | 100 or higher | 3 credits |
Life Span: Growth and Development* | 100 or higher | 3 credits |
Statistics | 100 or higher | 3 credits |
*We accept a score of 50 or higher on the CLEP Human Growth and Development exam.
Prerequisite Guidelines
- All science prerequisite courses must be completed within 10 years of applying to the program. There is no time limit on your non-science prerequisite courses.
- You must achieve an overall grade of 3.0 or higher for your science courses.
- You must achieve a grade 3.0 or higher (B or better) in each of Anatomy and Physiology I & II.
- We accept a grade of C or higher in all other prerequisite courses.
- All science prerequisite courses (4) must be complete with grades when you submit the online application. No exceptions.
- While we strongly recommend you finish all prerequisite courses before you apply to the program, you are permitted to have two non-science courses “in-progress” at the time of application. You must provide proof of enrollment for any course “in progress” and successfully complete the course before enrolling in the program. You are required to submit an updated official transcript following “in progress” course completion.
Application Requirements
When applying, make sure you submit the following:
- Completed online application
- Proof of enrollment in up to two non-science prerequisite courses if they’re “in progress”
Interviews are not required for admission.
Supporting Documents
Please note that supporting documents must be submitted. Applicants who submit their completed application along with supporting documents typically receive their decision within 4-6 weeks following the application deadline.
New Applicant
You may have your official transcript(s) submitted electronically or through postal mail. If your college registrar requires an email address to send official college transcripts, please use transcripts@admissions.rutgers.edu or mail your official transcript to the following address:
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 are required to send all admissions documents the following address.
For transcript submissions, we encourage applicants to submit official transcripts electronically to snadmissions@sn.rutgers.edu
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
If you are admitted to the program, you will need to do a few things:
- Complete a current physical examination.
- Get the required immunizations.
- Complete a criminal background check.
As a Second Degree student, you qualify for financial aid and on-campus housing. View our financial aid page and the Rutgers Residence Life page for more information.