RN-BSN Program FAQs

Applicants to the RN-BSN Completion program must graduate from an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program from a nationally accredited school of nursing and regionally accredited institution.  You must have a valid, unrestricted, unencumbered California RN license (or be eligible for this license).  You must also meet university requirements for admission.  See the prerequisite and instruction pages above.  

No. All prerequisite courses must be completed before you apply to the School of Nursing.  You may have general education requirements incomplete before you enter the program. 

No.  For applicants to the RN-BSN program, however you must graduate or anticipate graduating with an Associate Degree in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program and regionally accredited institution prior to taking any clinical courses at CSULB.  There is no expiration date on your prerequisite courses. 

Students may take the prerequisites at any college or university if the courses taken are equivalent in units and content (based on the course description/summary and course syllabus) to the CSULB prerequisite courses listed above. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine course equivalency and you should not assume that the courses you took will be equivalent to CSULB’s courses. Also, do not assume a course is equivalent even if it is accepted by another nursing program. In addition to using Assist as a resource, applicants are advised to review coursework with a counselor or advisor from their home institution to determine course equivalency. The School of Nursing will not review requests to determine course equivalency. Please use the resources below to determine course equivalency.

CSULB resources for determining course equivalency:

General Education Requirements

Enrollment Services: Supplemental Application Information

University Outreach and School Relations: Transferable Courses

You should apply to the RN-BSN program through CalStateApply, complete the CSULB Supplemental Application, and complete the RN-BSN Program Application as well.  Applicants who meet eligibility requirements from Enrollment Services are then referred to the School of Nursing for admission acceptance.  Once you are accepted at the CSULB and the School of Nursing, you need to arrange a meeting with an academic advisor to determine any general education requirements that are needed.  Our RN-BSN Program Coordinator will be your official advisor for this program.  You will be instructed how to schedule an advising appointment in your email. 

CSULB resources for determining course equivalency:

General Education Requirements

Enrollment Services: Supplemental Application Information

University Outreach and School Relations: Transferable Courses

Yes, please visit the CSULB Admissions page for more information.

The School of Nursing will confirm active duty or veteran status with Enrollment Services, please indicate this on your Cal State Apply application.  We do not require any additional documentation. If you have any other questions, or you have paperwork that you need the School of Nursing to complete, please email us nursing@csulb.edu

Yes!  If you have completed a Bachelor’s degree in a U.S. approved university with regional accreditation and your Associate Degree in Nursing is from a nationally accredited nursing body, you are qualified to be admitted.  You must still meet the minimum GPA of 2.75 and have completed the prerequisite courses. 

The School of Nursing, like many nursing programs, has limited seats, but we strive to accommodate all qualified RN-BSN Completion students either on-campus or online as desired.  We do not calculate GPAs and rank applicants for this program, so it is much less difficult to be accepted than our BSN Basic program. The number of admits varies each application cycle. 

• All communication will be via email.
• All applicants will be notified via email by late April (for Fall applications)/late November (for Spring applications) from CSULB Admissions and/or the School of Nursing.
• Applicants should check their listed email inboxes and/or Applicant Self Service to check their application status and admissions decision.
• If you have any questions regarding your admission status, please contact CSULB Admissions.

You first inquiry should be made to Beach Central to inquire about your denial.  The most frequent reason for not being accepted usually relates to non-equivalent prerequisite courses.  You should use Assist.org to determine whether your courses are equivalent to the required prerequisite courses.  Alternatively, denials can occur if your GPA is less than the required 2.75 or higher.  Lastly, if you are not already a Registered Nurse (RN) or enrolled in an Associate Degree RN program, you are not eligible for this program. 

Yes.  You can apply to the RN-BSN Completion program provided you have a GPA of 2.75  or higher and have met all prerequisite course requirements.  After admission, you must have your California RN licenses before starting your coursework. 

For the RN-BSN Completion program, there are a total of 26 nursing credits that are required to be completed.  The RN-BSN Completion program is intended to be completed full time, but can be completed part-time.  You should notify the RN-BSN Coordinator if you needs change.  Deviations from the program may require a formal Leave of Absence.  It is important to remain in contact with the School of Nursing as you will need their permission prior to re-enrolling for classes.   If students must be out a semester, the leave of absence procedure must be followed (see Student Handbook and Policies).

Nursing courses are usually offered during the day or early evening. Lecture and lab classes are offered one or two days a week. Clinical classes are offered Monday through Sunday during day or evening shifts.

Once admitted, RN-BSN Completion students are required to have current health insurance, current CA driver's license, auto insurance, BLS certification, and must also meet the health requirements of the university and assigned clinical agencies.

Health clearance requirements include the following: physical exam, two (2) step Tuberculosis screening (or blood test), and positive titers for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Hepatitis-B, and flu vaccine.

The School of Nursing also requires that nursing students have a clear criminal background check, and a 12-panel urine and drug screen to participate in clinical placement(s) at their respective facilities, and an unencumbered, unrestricted, valid California RN license.  Background checks will be required of all students upon enrollment, but some healthcare agencies may require updated drug testing, additional background check, and fingerprinting prior to beginning clinical placement(s).

For specifics on cost of attending CSULB, you may go to our Undergraduate Costs website.  Please note that costs specific to your clinical placement; e.g., fingerprinting, background check, health requirements, is not included in these costs, but are required to participate in your program.    

Applications to CSULB are completed through an Applicant Self-Service online service.  Once you receive your admissions letter, you will be instructed on how to send your transcripts to CSULB.  Note that there is a deadline that must be met to be fully admitted.  You must also complete the RN-BSN Program Application through the School of Nursing website.