Nursing Programs Admission Requirements

Candidates for the nursing program must first meet general Columbia College admission requirements. Additional requirements include: 

• Minimum of an overall GPA of 3.0 in the prerequisite courses and be in good academic standing within Columbia College. A minimum grade of "C" is required for all prerequisite courses.  All NURS  courses require a minimum score of 80% (B) in Tier 1 and 80% (B) in the class.
• All prerequisite courses need to have been taken within seven years of the start of the cohort being applied to.
• Prerequisite courses are MATH 106 (or higher), PSYC 101, CHEM 109 or 110, BIOL 110 and 110L, BIOL 223 and 223L, and BIOL 326 and 326L.
• Possess the necessary functional abilities to provide safe and effective patient care.
• Minimum score of 67% on the Kaplan admission test. The test can only be taken two times.

Additional requirements for those selected for the Nursing Program:

• Urine drug test
• Physical forms, including documentation of immunizations/titers
• Current CPR certification by the American Heart Association, Health Care Providers course, Or the American Red Cross
• Criminal background check

Additional requirements for LPNs:

• Provide your active LPN license
• Include relevant information in the application packet.

For those pursuing the RN State Board Licensure Exam: High school completion (or its equivalent) and graduation from a professional nursing program is mandatory. 

To be admitted to the nursing program: 

1. Apply to Columbia College. 
2. Complete prerequisites and the entrance exam. 
3. Submit the ASN Application with either Job Shadowing Form or the Healthcare Experience Resume.  

Transfer students must submit official transcripts from every college attended. 

Missouri Nursing Practice Act 

Successful completion of the program does not guarantee eligibility to take the licensure examination 

According to the Nursing Practice Act, licensure may be withheld or revoked due to controlled substance abuse, criminal prosecution and a variety of other offenses. A copy of the Nursing Practice Act is available at the Nursing Education Center and can also be accessed online on the Missouri State Board of Nursing website. 

The Missouri Nursing Practice Act, Section 335.066: Denial, revocation, or suspension of license, grounds for, civil immunity for providing information. 

Questions regarding the relevance of this section to a particular situation should be addressed to the director/coordinator of the program.

Experience growth in your nursing career. Our online program focuses on providing registered nurses with the comprehensive tools needed to achieve a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. 

• Apply or re-apply to Columbia College via the online undergraduate application 
• This is how Admissions verifies you graduated and have your RN license. 
• By selecting the proper location, including online and evening, you help ensure you are charged proper tuition. 
• Wait for confirmation that the location you applied to has processed your request. 
• You will be assigned a new academic advisor based on your location. 
• With your advisor, select your first RN to BSN classes. 

RN to BSN online admissions criteria include: 

• Completion of the online undergraduate application  
• Completed associate degree in nursing 
• Successful completion of National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses 

Candidates for the nursing program must first meet general Columbia College admission requirements. Additional requirements include: 

• Minimum of an overall GPA of 3.0 in the prerequisite courses and be in good academic standing within Columbia College. A minimum grade of "C" is required for all prerequisite courses.  All NURS  courses require a minimum score of 80% (B) in Tier 1 and 80% (B) in the class.
• All prerequisite courses need to have been taken within seven years of the start of the cohort being applied to.
• Prerequisite courses are NURS 311, MATH 106 (or higher), PSYC 101, CHEM 109 or 110, BIOL 110 and 110L, BIOL 223 and 223L, and BIOL 326 and 326L.
• Possess the necessary functional abilities to provide safe and effective patient care.
• Minimum score of 67% on the Kaplan admission test. The test can only be taken two times.

Additional requirements for those selected for the Nursing Program:

• Urine drug test
• Physical forms, including documentation of immunizations/titers
• Current CPR certification by the American Heart Association, Health Care Providers course, Or the American Red Cross
• Criminal background check

Additional requirements for LPNs:

• Provide your active LPN license
• Include relevant information in the application packet.

For those pursuing the RN State Board Licensure Exam: High school completion (or its equivalent) and graduation from a professional nursing program is mandatory. 

To be admitted to the nursing program: 

1. Apply to Columbia College as a freshman or transfer student (not required for current Columbia College students) 
2. Complete the necessary courses and achieve a favorable score on the HESI A2®. 
3. Submit the BSN Application with either Job Shadowing Form or the Healthcare Experience Resume.  

A reminder: Being a Columbia College student doesn’t automatically secure a seat in the BSN program.