The Department of Nursing Science is still accepting applications for Fall 2025 admission into the traditional nursing program. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted. Once all seats are filled, the application cycle will close. Only complete applications will be reviewed—this includes having all prerequisite courses finished with final grades posted (only BIO206 can still be in progress); any required TOEFL or IELTS test scores submitted, if applicable; completed TEAS score at or above 58.7%; and GPA meeting the minimum requirement.

Effective Immediately, SCSU Nursing will no longer use the HESI exam for admittance.
Prospective students may take the TEAS exam online or in person at a participating school. 

Schedule a TEAS exam

Required Preadmission Courses

A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required for the following preadmission coursework

• ENGL 190/191 (4 credits) Intro to Rhetorical and Analytical Writing
• CMST 192 (3 credits) Intro to Communication Studies
• MATH 103 OR STAT 103 (3 credits) Mathematical or Statistical Thinking
• PSY 240/CPSY 262 (3 credits) Developmental Psychology/Human Growth and Development
• BIOL 202 (4 credits) Human Anatomy and Physiology I
• CHEM 151 (5 credits) General, Organic and Biochemistry
• BIOL 204 (4 credits) Human Anatomy and Physiology II
• BIOL 206 (4 credits) Introductory Microbiology

Note: Math 103/STAT 103 are required for the pre-nursing major. If a student has taken college algebra or any higher level math, this will be accepted in place of Stat 103 or Math 103.

Students will need to indicate on their program application which courses have been repeated, as a blended grade (average of all attempts) will be calculated for courses that were taken more than once. 

Placement for CHEM 151 is dependent upon math ACT or Accuplacer math scores. Visit the Undergraduate Placement Testing Center to register for your placement exam.

Use the intended nursing worksheet to assist you in completing your admission requirements.

TOEFL and IELTS Score Requirements

International Students and Non Native English Speakers are required to demonstrate English language proficiency if: (1) English is not your native language; and (2) you have lived in the U.S. fewer than eight years at the time of enrollment in the Department of Nursing Science (by the day of application). Test scores must be submitted to the Department of Nursing Science at the time of application. Minimum scores in the following exams are required to demonstrate English language proficiency:

TOEFL Score Requirements:
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 84 with a minimum speaking score of 26 meets the requirements.

TOEFL Services
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 089541 USA
1.877.863.3546
toefl@ets.org
www.ets.org 

IELTS Score Requirements:
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an overall score of 6.5 and a speaking score of 7 meet the requirements.

IELTS 
www.ielts.org 
Test Centres and Examiners Select Country
Select City – Search
Click on Contact Us (this will provide the contact information)

Countries exempt from English proficiency or English testing requirements

The Board determines who may provide an acceptable credentials evaluation and the acceptable service, CGFNS, has determined the following to be countries exempt from English proficiency or English testing requirements, if their entry-level professional education (with language of textbooks and verbal instructions in English) was from the following countries: 

• Australia
• Barbados
• Canada (except Quebec, schools approved for exemption of this requirement are: McGill University, Dawson College, Vanier college, John Abbott College, and Heritage College)
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland)

United States Applicants from any other country must pass an English speaking proficiency exam. The Minnesota Board of Nursing application fee is non-refundable. You may want to complete the credentials evaluation and English proficiency exam before applying for licensure with the Board of Nursing. If the Board has not received the credentials evaluation and a report of a passing score on the English proficiency exam within one year of your application, the application will be nullified, and you must apply for licensure and submit a new fee.

Nigeria is not considered an English speaking country for these purposes.

Transferring to St. Cloud State for Nursing

If you are transferring to St. Cloud State University and have completed an AA/BA/BS degree, the coursework that is required for acceptance into the Nursing program is as follows:

• PSY 240 (3 credits) Developmental Psychology
• BIOL 202 (4 credits) Human Anatomy and Physiology I
• CHEM 151 (5 credits) General, Organic and Biochemistry
• BIOL 204 (4 credits) Human Anatomy and Physiology II
• BIOL 206 (4 credits) Introductory Microbiology

Depending on your previous degree, you may have already completed one or more of these courses. Refer to Transferology to confirm transfer coursework.

Transferring from Another Nursing Program