Undergraduate

  There are two ways to get your Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. If you are just starting out and do not have a Registered Nursing License, apply for the BSN program. If you already have your RN license before applying or will receive your RN License while working towards your BSN, apply for the RN-BSN program.

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There is a dual-application process for each program.

  1. If you are not currently at SJSU, you must apply to become a SJSU student. See the Admissions Website for more information and deadlines on the SJSU Application. Contact SJSU Admission directly regarding this application. (University Application)
  2. Apply to the BSN or RN-BSN Program via NursingCAS. Information on the NursingCAS application is below. (Nursing Program Application)

NursingCAS

Both the BSN and RN-BSN program require a NursingCAS application. Review admission requirements for the BSN program and the RN-BSN program prior to applying.

Follow the instructions on the NursingCAS application carefully. All previous college coursework must be reported on this application regardless of relevance to the program.

We only consider and review verified applications. It is the applicant's responsibility to monitor their application status and ensure everything is submitted correctly to become verified.  

For assistance with the NursingCAS application, contact the NursingCAS Applicant Help Center.

Submitting Transcripts to NursingCAS

Official transcripts are required from each institution attended and reported on your NursingCAS application. Please note if you submit a composite transcript from one institution that contains courses taken another institution, you must submit official transcripts from that institution as well.

Transcripts must be ordered through NursingCAS. For assistance, please review the instructions on NursingCAS. Contact NursingCAS directly with questions on submitting transcripts.

NursingCAS and SJSU Admissions do not share transcripts for application reviewal. Current SJSU students must submit their official SJSU transcript. 

NursingCAS Deadlines

IMPORTANT! NursingCAS is based on Eastern Standard Time (EST) therefore times reflected on the website are three hours ahead. Submit your application three hours before the due date and time stated on the website. We do not accept late applications if you miss the deadline.

It is strongly advised to submit your application 24 hours prior to the deadline to ensure everything submits successfully. An application fee is due at the time of submission. 

Deadlines for SJSU via the Cal State Application are different and separate from the NursingCAS application.

BSN Fall 2025

January 15th, 2025 - February 15th, 2025

Only current SJSU students and transfer students may apply for Fall terms. 

RN-BSN Fall 2025

January 15th, 2025 - March 1st, 2025

BSN Spring 2026

Application will be open from mid August 2025-mid September 2025.TBA.

Only current SJSU students and post-baccalaureate students may apply for Spring terms. 

BSN

For applicants who are not already a Registered Nurse or in an ADN program.

All requirements will be listed in detail on the NursingCAS application. Documents that you will be expected to submit with your application include the following:

  • Provide a copy of your valid California Driver's License OR CA ID Card
  • Provide a copy of your valid U.S. Passport OR U.S. Birth Certificate OR Permanent Residency Card (green card)
  • Provide a copy of the official TEAS exam score (only first page showing overall score is needed)
  • Provide a signed copy of the Functional Competencies form [pdf] 
  • If applicable, submit the Healthcare Experience form (see below)

BSN Healthcare Experience

Applicants with previous healthcare experience may receive a small increase in points towards their total nursing application score. 

Previous experience must meet the following requirements to be considered:

  • a minimum of 100 hours completed within 3 years of the application deadline
  • experience must include hands-on interaction with human clients
  • does not include time spent in a classroom or clinicals for a training course
  • proof of employment or volunteer experience required

Complete both sections of the Healthcare Experience Form and submit it to your NursingCAS application. Incomplete forms and missing supporting documents will result in your healthcare experience not being considered.

RN-BSN

For applicants who already have a California RN license who wish to earn their Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) or applicants currently in an ADN program who will earn a California RN license while in the program. 

Applicants for the RN-BSN program will need to upload the following documents to their NursingCAS application: 

  • Provide a copy of your valid California Driver's License OR CA ID Card
  • Provide a copy of your valid U.S. Passport OR U.S. Birth Certificate OR Permanent Residency Card (green card)
  • Provide a signed copy of the Functional Compentencies form [pdf]
  • Submit a copy of your active RN License.
    • If you plan to obtain your license after starting the program, submit proof of your scheduled NCLEX exam that will result in you receiving your license prior to the start of the second semester of the program. Please note, students will not move on to the second semester of the program without their RN License.

Transfer Course Information

Courses from other institutions (not SJSU) used for prerequisite and corequisite courses. 

You may check for course equivalency (articulation) by visiting SJSU Articulation. Use School to School Transfer or Course to Course Articulation to find your course equivalency.

If a course is not listed on articulation, check the course equivalency via the Transfer Evaluation System (TES). SJSU continues to update TES with more equivalencies on a regular basis. If the course is not on TES, you may submit a copy of the syllabus or course description to Delia Chavez, delia.chavez@sjsu.edu, for review. Once approved, it will be listed on TES.

Please visit Transferring Credits from Other Schools to SJSU or contact the Office of the Registrar if you have any questions.

The nursing department does not give credit for courses taken outside of the U.S. unless the degree is accepted through university admissions and the coursework is deemed as equivalent by the Admissions office.

Post Baccalaureate Applicants

A CSU campus shall not require a student who has been admitted to a state support or self-support baccalaureate nursing degree program to undertake courses or fulfill any other baccalaureate degree requirements, including required 30 units of residency units, other than those that are specifically required to complete the nursing degree program if:

  1. the student has previously earned a baccalaureate or higher degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association; or
  2. the student has completed equivalent academic preparation required for admissions, as determined by the appropriate campus authority (Title 5 section 40509).

Nursing program admission prerequisites that are to be considered as equivalent under Title 5 section 40509 are oral communication, written communication, and critical thinking.

This means that you will be exempted from taking the above highlighted three prerequisite courses. You may enter those three as "credit".  The grade of the remaining five prerequisites will be used partly in the calculation of the admission impaction score.

Military and DACA/AB540 Applicant Forms

Complete as directed and submit to your NursingCAS application. If either document is applicable to you, it is required in your BSN application.

Acceptance to the Program

Acceptance notifications from the university and the nursing department are sent separately and at different times. 

The nursing department will notify applicants via email. For Fall terms, you can expect an email by late April. For Spring terms, you can expect an email by late November. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Acceptance into the nursing program is conditional until an applicant completes and clears a drug screening, background check, and Health Statement clearance process (fee required); instructions will be provided after conditional acceptance.

Applicants must also be admitted to the university; being accepted by one office (SJSU Admission or School of Nursing) doesn't equate to admittion from the other. There is a non-refundable fee for the New Student Workshop.

Tuition

SJSU Tuition

Tuition and fees are calculated based on enrollment units and residency. For complete details, please visit the Bursar's website.

Program Related Fees

Upon admission to the BSN program, students will be expected to pay additional fees on top of SJSU tuition to cover miscellaneous expenses. These fees include Health Documents Tracker, Kaplan learning, N95 Mask Fit Testing, uniforms, etc. 

Funding Support

All accepted students are encouraged to exfplore scholarship and other opportunities for financial support. This list can servce as a tool to help begin a scholarship search; it should not be considered comprehensive - rather, a jumping off point to begin a search.