What are the prerequisites for nursing school?

What prerequisite courses do nursing schools require?

Most programs want a core of lab sciences plus a few general education classes, finished before you start nursing courses. The exact list is set by each school, so treat the one below as a pattern, not a rule.

The courses that show up again and again on official program pages:

• Anatomy and Physiology I and II (often called A&P), usually with labs
• Microbiology, usually with a lab
• Chemistry (general, or a health-science chemistry course)
• English composition I, and often II
• Introductory psychology, plus lifespan or developmental psychology at many schools
• College math, and at some BSN programs statistics
• Sociology, nutrition and a humanities course at some schools

The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes nursing education as including anatomy, physiology, microbiology, psychology and social and behavioral sciences. Bachelor’s programs tend to stack more general education on top of that core.

How much do requirements vary from school to school?

A lot: two programs in the same state can ask for different courses, GPAs and exams. Here is what four real programs listed on their own official pages when we checked them in October 2026.

Program	Degree	Key prerequisites	GPA and grades	Entrance exam	Term shown
A-B Tech (North Carolina)	ADN	A&P I and II, taken within 5 years of the start term	C or higher; no GPA minimum stated	TEAS composite of 67	Fall 2027
Carteret Community College (North Carolina)	ADN	Biology, chemistry and algebra (high school or college); Nurse Aide I listing. A&P I and II (within 5 years), English, psychology and humanities earn admission points	2.5 GPA in those general education courses, C or better in each	TEAS composite of 58.7%, two tries per cycle	No term listed (checked October 2026)
UTMB School of Nursing (Texas)	BSN	60 credit hours, including A&P I and II, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, lifespan development and statistics	2.75 minimum; 3.0+ recommended	TEAS minimum of 60	Fall, spring and summer starts; no year listed (checked October 2026)
Midwestern State University (Texas)	BSN	10 courses (33 hours): A&P I and II, chemistry, microbiology, math, English, communications, two psychology courses, sociology	3.00 on the 10 prerequisites	HESI A2: 80% in math and 80% English composite	No term listed; page updated Sept. 18, 2026 (checked October 2026)

Notice how the details differ:

• A-B Tech ranks applicants by TEAS score.
• Carteret lets you take A&P and other general education courses during the program. But it gives admission points for finishing them first.
• UTMB asks you to finish 40 of its 60 prerequisite hours before you apply, including all five sciences.
• Midwestern State makes you ineligible if you enrolled in any one science course more than twice.

What GPA do you need for nursing school?

It varies, but the stated minimums in our examples ran from a 2.5 to 3.0 GPA in prerequisites, with no grade below a C. Meeting a minimum makes you eligible to apply; it does not guarantee a seat.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) notes that many BSN programs set a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher for moving into nursing courses. UTMB says a 3.0 or higher is recommended for competitive consideration, even though its floor is 2.75. Some schools also check a separate science GPA; UTMB, for example, applies its 2.75 minimum to your science prerequisites as well as your overall coursework.

Watch the repeat rules too. Midwestern State averages both grades if you retake a science course after a D or F, so one bad semester can follow you.

Which entrance exam will you need: TEAS, HESI A2 or Kaplan?

It depends on the school: each program picks its exam, often the ATI TEAS or the HESI A2, and sets its own passing score. Look at the admissions page of every program on your list before you book a test.

In our examples, A-B Tech, Carteret and UTMB use the TEAS, while Midwestern State uses the HESI A2. A smaller group of schools uses the Kaplan Nursing Admissions Test. Rappahannock Community College lists 60% overall and 45% in each category as the general ADN minimum (checked October 2026).

Retake and timing rules differ as much as the cutoffs. A-B Tech allows one TEAS attempt per application cycle. It accepts an earlier score only if it is five years old or newer. Carteret allows two attempts per cycle. If your schools use the TEAS, our TEAS hub explains the test, and the HESI A2 hub does the same for that exam.

What else do nursing programs require besides classes?

Expect a stack of health and safety paperwork: CPR/BLS certification, a criminal background check, a drug screen, immunizations and a health form. Some programs also want a CNA credential.

• CPR/BLS: A-B Tech requires an American Heart Association or American Red Cross healthcare provider course with hands-on skills before orientation. UTMB requires AHA Basic Life Support and does not accept online-only courses.
• Background check and drug screen: A-B Tech says clinical sites require both, at your expense.
• Immunizations: A-B Tech requires them for clinical placements and expects you to keep them current.
• CNA: Carteret requires a current listing on the North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry with no substantiated findings, unless you already hold a practical nurse license.

State boards check your record too. The Texas Board of Nursing has required criminal background checks for all initial licenses since 2002. Its student roster process fingerprints new nursing students early. That way, they get early guidance on whether they can be licensed, before they spend time and money on school. If you have anything on your record, look up your own state board’s process before you apply.

How are ADN and BSN prerequisites different?

In our examples, ADN (associate degree) programs asked for a shorter list built around A&P, English and psychology. BSN (bachelor’s) programs added more general education, such as statistics, sociology and nutrition. Either degree can lead to RN licensure once you pass the licensing exam, according to the BLS.

Compare the examples: A&P I and II are the only courses A-B Tech lists as required, while UTMB wants 60 credit hours finished by enrollment. The AACN describes the BSN as a four-year degree where some schools start nursing courses early and others start in the junior year.

The associate route is not always the fast lane. The BLS (page updated August 2026) says ADN and BSN programs both typically take about four years to complete. When you plan, count the semesters you will spend on prerequisites, not just the nursing courses.

When should you start? A sample prerequisite timeline

Start at least a year and a half before your target start date, because science courses come in sequence and deadlines fall months before classes begin. A-B Tech’s Fall 2027 application window runs from February 1 to March 19, 2027, and Midwestern State takes fall applications from November 1 to March 1.

This is a sample plan to adapt, not a requirement from any school:

When	What to do
18–24 months before your start term	Pick 3–5 programs and list their prerequisites side by side. Start A&P I and English.
12–18 months before	Take A&P II, microbiology and chemistry. Check each school’s recency rule (often five years for A&P).
9–12 months before	Find out which entrance exam each school uses, then build a TEAS study plan or HESI A2 study plan.
6–9 months before	Take the exam, leaving time for a retake if your schools allow one. Finish CNA training if a program requires it.
Application window	Submit transcripts, scores and forms before the deadline.
After acceptance	Complete the background check, drug screen, immunizations and BLS before orientation.

A run through our free TEAS practice test early in the plan shows which sections need the most work.

Quick answers

Can you take nursing prerequisites at a community college? Often yes. UTMB and A-B Tech both accept equivalent courses from regionally accredited colleges, but confirm transfer rules with each school.

Do nursing prerequisites expire? At many schools, yes. A-B Tech, Carteret and Midwestern State all require A&P within five years.

Is a C good enough in a prerequisite? It meets the minimum at many schools, but minimums rarely make you competitive; UTMB, for example, recommends a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Do all nursing schools require the TEAS? No. Some use the HESI A2 or Kaplan, and each school sets its own passing score.

Do I need to be a CNA before nursing school? Only if your program requires it; Carteret does, while A-B Tech’s fall 2027 criteria do not list it.