Summer 2024 admissions

APPLICATIONS TO OPEN IN FALL

The NursingCAS application and the HESI A2 exam registration for the Summer 2024 Accelerated BSN track will open in late August/early September.

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About the Accelerated BSN Program

The College of Nursing offers an accelerated course of study for students with a baccalaureate degree or higher in another field to pursue a baccalaureate degree in nursing. The Accelerated BSN program is offered at the Gainesville campus and also at the UF Health Jacksonville campus.

Jacksonville campus

jacksonville campus

The UF College of Nursing Jacksonville campus is supported by on-site nursing faculty members who serve on various UF Health Jacksonville and University of Florida campus committees. Students are taught by faculty members from the Gainesville and Jacksonville campuses via traditional classrooms, teleconferencing and web-based delivery methods. Students rotate through the various clinical settings of the UF Health Jacksonville campus and the UF Health primary care and specialty care centers throughout northeast Florida. In addition to UF Health locations, nursing students are also placed at other clinical sites and medical centers in the metropolitan area.

Learn more about the Jacksonville campus here.

Track Description

The Accelerated BSN track builds on previous learning experiences and transitions individuals with undergraduate and graduate degrees in other fields into nursing. Courses and course sequencing in the accelerated baccalaureate option parallel the existing baccalaureate curriculum. The accelerated baccalaureate curriculum begins each May and is completed following four consecutive semesters of full-time study finishing the following August.

Why Gator Nursing?

Asa Cooley

ABSN student Asa Cooley shares how she continued a Gator Nursing legacy and discovered her passion for the profession.

Asa Cooley Play Video

Curriculum and Coursework

Nursing courses include classroom and laboratory activities alongside supervised clinical practice experiences. Students have the opportunity to analyze a variety of issues in professional nursing practice and health care. They are introduced to a basic understanding of how evidence is developed, the research process and clinical reasoning. Students will develop skills in managing patients from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. The program moves through the continuum of care and the spectrum of complexity in the clinical setting.

Sample Curriculum Plan

View a sample Accelerated BSN curriculum plan here.

Admission Criteria

Ready to Apply?

The Summer 2024 NursingCAS application will open in late August/early September.

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Applicants are required to show evidence of the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university in a field other than nursing.
    • If you attended an international institution, all documents must be accompanied by certified, literal (exact) English translations for documents not originally issued in English along with a credential evaluation for a course-by-course evaluation with a grade point average calculation.
  • A GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, calculated using the most recent 60 credits taken toward the bachelor’s degree or cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale on masters or doctoral degree.
    • OR a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for a masters or doctoral degree.
  • The University of Florida requires proficiency in spoken and written English. This helps ensure that students who speak English as a second language are able to participate fully in university life, both in and out of class. Applicants from locations, including Puerto Rico, where English is not the official language must submit language testing scores compliant with university expectations.
    • International students whose primary language is not English will have to demonstrate a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based, 213 on the computer-based, or 80 on the web-based version of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

Program Prerequisites

The following six prerequisite courses need to have been completed within the past seven years with at least a C grade or better. These courses may have been completed at the university or community college level. Any specific questions regarding course equivalency for use toward any of the prerequisites will require a detailed course syllabus for use in determining content. All courses must be completed by the end of the spring semester, prior to the summer term you are applying for. These courses should meet the following guidelines:

  • 4 credits of Anatomy & Physiology 1 (including a lab component)
  • 4 credits of Anatomy & Physiology 2 (including a lab component)
  • 4 credits of Microbiology (including a lab component)
  • 3 credits of Statistics
  • 3 credits of Human Growth and Development or Developmental Psychology
  • 3 credits of Human Nutrition

Important notification: All admitted nursing students, regardless of campus status, are required to complete a background check, mandatory immunization verification (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B, Varicella, Influenza, Tetanus, Tuberculosis), finger printing and drug screening. The College of Nursing follows CDC guidelines and adheres to the safety regulations of our clinical partners. Additionally, all students will be required to provide proof of current health insurance. Upon admission into the program, students will be provided with the steps to complete this process.

Ready to apply?

The NursingCAS application for the Summer 2024 Accelerated BSN application cycle will open in late August/early September.

  • The application deadline for summer 2024 is December 1, 2023.
  • All application requirements must be received by the December 1, 2023 application deadline to be eligible for admissions consideration.

Please Note: The Admissions Committee uses a holistic assessment process that considers a broad range of factors including student experiences, attributes, and academic metrics. Due to classroom and clinical space limitations, not all qualified applicants are admitted.


  • Submit the University of Florida Post Baccalaureate Application.
    • Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended and any necessary test scores must be sent to the University of Florida in addition to the University of Florida Post Baccalaureate Application.
    • Please refer to the University of Florida Office of Admissions website for more information.
  • Submit a NursingCAS application
    • Essay that responds to questions specified on the NursingCAS site, one academic letter of reference and one personal letter of reference, a CV or resume must be submitted with the NursingCAS application.
    • Unofficial transcripts from all colleges/universities attended are submitted with the NursingCAS application.
    • Please refer to the NursingCAS website for more information.
  • Complete the HESI A2 examination. (Click Here)
    • All applicants will be required to complete the HESI A2 by the examination deadline of December 1, 2023, at 7 p.m. No scores will be accepted after the deadline.
    • Applicants may only complete the HESI A2 for the University of Florida once.
    • The HESI AS Entrance Exam is used by Nursing Programs nationwide as a tool to help screen applicants.
    • The HESI A2 consists of both an academic portion and a personality portion. The required examination areas for the University of Florida College of Nursing include: Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Grammar, Math, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Learning and Personality Style.
    • The HESI A2 exam must be completed in a single session. Please ensure that you have adequate time to complete the exam prior to starting.
    • Should applicants have any questions or need assistance, please contact the following:
      • Elsevier Support at (800) 222-9570 for questions related to setting up an Elsevier account
      • Please direct questions about ProctorU to (855) 772-8678

Questions? Contact Us 

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The baccalaureate program at the University of Florida College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.