Admission Requirements

1. Complete a bachelors degree or higher in any discipline from a regionally accredited college or university
2. Minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale
3. Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale
4. Grade of B- or better in all prerequisite natural science and nutrition courses
5. Grade of C or better in all other prerequisites courses
6. Applicants who do not have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate GPA will be reviewed for admission if they meet the following requirements: prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher; grades of B or higher in Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Microbiology and Nutrition; and no prerequisite grade below a C.
7. Submit a personal statement which describes experiences which have led you to consider nursing as a career. The prompt will be posted on www.nursingcas.org.
8. The Office of Graduate Admission reserves the right to request additional information or a personal interview. The admission decision will be made following receipt of additional information or the personal interview.
9. Successful completion of a Medicaid approved Certified Nurse Aide course by May 1 of the program year. Students do not need to complete the state certification examination.
10. Completion of an American Heart Association Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support course by May 1 of the program year. To find an AHA provider, visit www.heart.org.
11. Satisfactory completion of all required criminal background and immunization documents by May 1 of the program year.
12. Attend the mandatory Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN Orientation on Saturday, April 4, 2020 (for admitted & confirmed students only). 
13. If any transcript(s) or undergraduate degree(s) is from an international institution, you must provide an official copy of a third-party course by course credential evaluation to Nursing CAS. The following organizations offer this service and information regarding processes and fees are available at: www.wes.org and www.ece.org. The Office of Graduate Admission reserves the right to request a certified copy of the original transcript(s).
14. The Nursing Program requires an official TOEFL iBT (Test of English as Foreign Language internet-based test) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score for verification of language proficiency for applicants who possess any of these criteria:
    1. Born outside the US
    2. English is not primary language
    3. Obtained a degree or required admission pre-requisites from a non-US institution
    
    

    For consideration of admission, the Nursing Department requires the following evidence of language proficiency:

    • TOEFLiBT total score of 83 or higher AND a speaking score of 26 or higher OR
    • IELTS total band score of 7 or higher AND a speaking band score of 8 or higher
    
    

    Alternatively, students may petition to use one of the following requirements to document English-language proficiency:

    • Degree completion from a TOEFL exempt country OR
    • Successful completion of Language training at an approved center
    
    

    Bellarmine University recognizes the following standards and centers:

    • English Language Services level 112 (https://www.els.edu/english-programs/intensive-english)
    • Interlink Level 5 (http://interlink.edu/)
    • Intensive English Program at Indiana University Level 6 (http://iep.indiana.edu/)
    • The Nursing Admission, Progression, and Graduation Committee may use discretion and approve other centers.
15. In 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported healthcare facilities across the United States are increasingly requiring healthcare workers be vaccinated for vaccine-preventable diseases to reduce disease outbreaks. Therefore, those who choose not to be vaccinated for personal, religious, or medical reasons are not eligible for admission to the School of Nursing. https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/vaccinationlaws.html. Only official score reports will be accepted, and score reports must be sent directly to Bellarmine University Office of Admissions and Nursing CAS. The Nursing Program reserves the right to require a TOEFL or IELTS from any applicant. 

Prerequisite Courses

• Developmental Psychology
• Nutrition
• Anatomy and Physiology (6-8 hours)
• Microbiology
• Ethics
• Statistics

Application Information

All applicants must apply through the Nursing Centralized Application Service (CAS) at www.nursingcas.org. Applicants must complete the entire application, including entry of all previous coursework.

• It takes Nursing CAS 4-6 weeks to verify your application and submit it to Bellarmine University after you submit it to Nursing CAS.
• You must submit all official transcripts (even if coursework is “In Progress”) directly to Nursing CAS. They will not verify an application without all transcripts.
• You may apply while enrolled in pre-requisite courses. Applicants are considered for conditional admission pending successful completion of outstanding requirements.
• You may apply if you will earn your bachelor’s degree by May 2020.
• The application fee is $60.
• We do not require a supplemental application or fee.
• Upon admission to the program, students must submit a $100 non-refundable tuition deposit to reserve a position in the May 2020 program.

Transcript Information

Applicants must submit all final, official transcripts to Nursing CAS at the time of your application or they will not process your application.

• Applicants must submit any official transcripts including “In Progress” coursework at the time of application as well.
• Applicants who apply prior to fall semester grade posting must submit final, official transcripts including fall semester grades to Nursing CAS by February 1 of the program year.
• Any final, official transcripts submitted to Nursing CAS are considered official and you do not need to submit those to Bellarmine University.
• Any transcripts which include “In Progress” coursework or degree requirements at the time you submit the Nursing CAS application are not considered official.
• All final, official transcripts for any course completed in the spring semester must be submitted directly from the college or university directly to Bellarmine University by June 18, 2020. Final, official transcripts cannot be stamped “Issued to Student.”
• Because students cannot be enrolled in any other academic coursework while enrolled in the Accelerated BSN program, you must provide proof that you have successfully completed all courses by Thursday, April 30, 2020.
• An email from the professor including the final grade, an unofficial transcript, or credit-by-exam printed grade report including the final letter grade will be acceptable for proof of course completion.
• If you are completing your bachelor’s degree in May 2020, you should provide proof of course completion for all spring semester courses.
• Students who do not provide proof of successful completion of all academic coursework by Thursday, April 30, 2020 will not begin classes on Monday, May 4, 2020.

International Applicants

Language Proficiency. see above

Financial Affidavit. All applicants must provide credible evidence (e.g. a bank statement, letter on bank stationary attesting to the availability of funds, etc.) of the ability to fund the cost of attending Bellarmine University for one academic year. If funds are provided by another person on behalf of the student, an affidavit must accompany the financial information.

Proof of Passport. Scan of passport ID page must show validity for 6 months post completion of the program.

KBN Regulation on Mandatory Reporting of Criminal Convictions

An applicant for an RN license in Kentucky must report and submit documentation of felonies and/or misdemeanors. The applicant is required to report and submit the following documentation on the RN license application under Criminal History:

• All Felonies: Certified court documents and a detailed letter of explanation
• All Misdemeanors received within 5 years of the date of application: Certified court documents and a detailed letter of explanation
• All DUIs (Driving Under the Influence): Certified court documents and a detailed letter of explanation
• All Misdemeanors received prior to 5 years of the date of application: No documentation required
• Traffic offenses, other than DUIs, do not have to be reported.

“The statute [KRS 314.091(1)(b)] states that the Kentucky Board of Nursing may take action on any felony or a misdemeanor that involved drugs, alcohol, fraud, deceit, falsification of records, a breach of trust, physical harm or endangerment to others, dishonesty, or sexual offenses. The Kentucky Board of Nursing can deny an application for a license for criminal convictions(s). Denial of licensure is a formal disciplinary action.”

If you have questions about your particular situation, contact the Kentucky Board of Nursing at 800.305.2042.