ABSN Admission, Application and Fees

The Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program is designed for students who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher and are interested in pursuing a BSN degree with eligibility to obtain licensure as a registered nurse (RN). This is a 12-month program that begins in January each year with students graduating in December. Students must be able to attend full-time and in person for the entire year.

Application Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply to the ABSN program, students must have:

  • Earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college of university by the end of the summer semester prior to beginning the ABSN program
    • Because accreditation bodies vary by institution, the College of Nursing may defer to the ECU Registrar’s Office to determine eligibility of a prospective student’s degree in meeting this requirement for the ABSN program.
    • For prospective international students who earned their first degree outside the U.S., a course-by-course evaluation of university-level courses taken outside the U.S. must be completed by an agency that is a member of NACES. More information can be found on the International Undergraduate Admission website.
  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 of higher
    • Grade point averages calculated for admission include either all grades from accredited college/universities attended OR grades from 20+ credit hours post-graduation with the first bachelor’s degree, whichever is highest.
    • Courses that are not complete by the application deadline are not included in GPA calculations.GPA calculations are not rounded.
  • Completed at least one attempt on the HESI Admission Assessment (A2) exam
    • For more details and information relating to the ABSN HESI A2 requirement, click HERE.
  • Completed the following prerequisite courses (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of B- by the end of the summer semester prior to beginning the ABSN program
    • BIOL 2140, Anatomy and Physiology I (3 semester hours)
    • BIOL 2141, Anatomy and Physiology I Lab (1 semester hour)
    • BIOL 2150, Anatomy and Physiology II (3 semester hours)
    • BIOL 2151, Anatomy and Physiology II Lab (1 semester hour)
  • Completed the following prerequisite courses (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of C by the end of the summer semester prior to beginning the ABSN program
    • BIOL 2110, Microbiology (3 semester hours)
    • PSYC 1000, General Psychology (3 semester hours)
    • PSYC 3206, Developmental Psychology (3 semester hours)
    • College level Chemistry course (3 semester hours)
    • College level Human Nutrition course (3 semester hours)
    • College level Statistics course (3 semester hours)

NOTE: Pass/fail grades are not acceptable in meeting any ABSN prerequisite requirement. At the university level, a student may receive transfer credit for pass/fail coursework, but those credits will not meet minimum letter grade requirements for the ABSN program.

Prospective students should review the transfer credit and course equivalency resources linked HERE to understand how previous or planned coursework may apply to the BSN course requirements.

Program Admission

Admission to the ABSN program can be competitive and is based on the College of Nursing ABSN ranking formula in which applicants accumulate points for cumulative GPA, performance in prerequisite coursework, a statement of interest, HESI A2 average, and an interview (selected applicants). Admission interviews are typically held in late July in person at the College of Nursing. Virtual interviews may be an option for students who are not located within a reasonable driving distance to Greenville, NC. Admission decisions are sent to applicants typically no later than the end of August each year.

Prior Nursing School Admission

Prospective applicants who have been previously admitted to but did not finish the clinical portion of an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program at a community college or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at another university will be required to submit a formal letter from the Dean or Director of their former nursing program with their ABSN application. The letter must be on program letterhead, include the contact information for the Dean or Director, and outline the specific reason(s) the applicant is no longer in the program.

If this applies to you, you are strongly advised to send your letter to the College of Nursing at CONAdvising@ecu.edu for review to ensure you are eligible to pursue the ABSN program at ECU.

Program Cost

As a clinical degree, the ABSN program does have additional costs to students for nursing uniforms, books and electronic academic resources, background checks, drug screening, clinical supplies, and liability insurance. Students must also obtain current CPR certification.

Prospective students are encouraged to review information found on the following university websites for updated information relating to university tuition, fees, and financial aid opportunities:

Application Instructions

Step 1: Apply to the Accelerated BSN program

The ABSN application opens each year April 15th with an application deadline of June 15th.

Once the application window is open, prospective applicants should email the College of Nursing Advising Center at CONAdvising@ecu.edu to request access to the online ABSN application. Requests will be reviewed as received and require verification of meeting all eligibility and course requirements outlined above before access to the application will be provided via email.

Please include the following information in your application request email:

  • Subject line: ABSN Application Request
  • Legal first and last name
  • Contact email and phone number
  • A completed copy of the ABSN Application Request Form
  • Individual copies of unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended. Transfer credit listed on another institution’s transcript is not acceptable and will deem an application request as incomplete.
  • If coursework and/or degree was earned outside the U.S., a NACES course-by-course evaluation should be submitted.
IMPORTANT: It is the responsibility of prospective applicants to request access to the online ABSN application in a timely manner prior to the published deadline. It should be noted that the College of Nursing’s operating hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Step 2: Apply to ECU as an undergraduate Second Degree student

Admission to the ABSN program is contingent upon undergraduate admission ECU as an undergraduate Second Degree student or International student. Students who are offered ABSN admission must apply to the university as an undergraduate Second Degree student or International student as soon as the application becomes available in mid-August.

Step 3: Submit official copies of transcripts to ECU

Unofficial copies of transcripts are sufficient for the ABSN application to the College of Nursing. However, once admitted to the ABSN program, the College of Nursing requires that students submit official transcripts reflecting completion of their first degree and all required prerequisite courses with the minimum required grade to the university prior to starting the ABSN program in January. Failure to provide official transcripts may result in an admitted student losing their enrollment in the ABSN program.

Questions?

  • ABSN program questions? Contact the College of Nursing Advising Center at 252-744-6477 or ecunursestudentsvc@ecu.edu or attend one of our virtual monthly information sessions.
  • Transfer credit questions? Please click HERE for more information and resources.
  • Second Degree student university admission questions? Contact the Undergraduate Admissions office at 252-328-6640 or admissions@ecu.edu.
  • Second Degree student financial aid questions? Contact the Office of Financial Aid at 252-328-6610, 252-737-6610, or finaid@ecu.edu.
  • International student university admission or financial aid questions? Contact the Office of Global Affairs at 252-328-1935 or globalaffairs@ecu.edu.