There is no change in the scholarship application process. Visit the scholarships page for more information.

The University of Iowa College of Nursing does not require CNA certification. Having CNA certification will broaden your options for employment in the Iowa City area as well as increase your exposure to nursing. 

Yes. All prerequisites, general education requirements, and elective course work must be completed prior to starting the nursing major. This includes the high school world language and physics requirements. 

No. The BSN pre-licensure program requires a full-time commitment on campus. 

A maximum of 64 s.h. of community college credit is accepted toward the BSN at the University of Iowa. Most courses from an accredited four-year institution will transfer to the University of Iowa. Students can access our Transfer Equivalency Database to identify if and how a course will transfer. Visit myui.uiowa.edu , select "Courses", then select "Transfer Courses" on the right side of the screen. 

Although prerequisite courses can be completed either at the University of Iowa or another community college or university, all nursing course work must be completed at the UI College of Nursing.  

Currently, 168 students will be admitted per academic year–84 will start the fall semester and 84 will start the spring semester.   

The College of Nursing accepts AP credit meeting the same standards as our College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, with the exception of Biology and Chemistry, where a score of 5 is required. To access the AP Credit standards for credit, please visit https://admissions.uiowa.edu/academics/ap. 

No, out of fairness to all applicants, the College of Nursing does not accept updates to the supplemental application after it has been submitted. Direct admission applicants may submit an updated transcript until the deadline. 

No, the College of Nursing does not accept letters of recommendation for applicants to the BSN prelicensure program. 

The admissions process will continue to be highly competitive and comprehensive. Grades, application essays, interviews, and more all play a part in admissions decisions.

This is a relatively recent decision by the University, and we are currently identifying the factors that may be used to determine the starting semester. We will provide that information on our web site once this is finalized. 

No, we do not require an entrance exam for the pre-licensure BSN program. 

College of Nursing advisors will work with admitted students throughout their time at UI.  

No. The nursing interest designation will no longer be an option for students applying fall 2027 or thereafter. 

This change adds a level of fairness for students wanting to join the College of Nursing. With the standard admission model, hundreds of nursing interest students applied for 84 standard admission spots each year. Those who were not accepted had to change plans and find new directions halfway through their university careers. Moving to a fully direct admission model is fairer for all prospective students. Those who are not accepted to the nursing program know right away and can explore other options.  

For students planning to enroll at the University of Iowa as a first-year student in fall 2027 and beyond, direct admission is the only option to earn a BSN (pre-licensure) from the UI College of Nursing. This includes high school students graduating in spring 2027 or after. 

No, the College of Nursing does not accept letters of recommendation for applicants to the BSN prelicensure program.