Bachelor of Science in Nursing Application Requirements

Admission to this program is limited to permanent residents of the state of Florida.

Important information regarding the hybrid, prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

It is important that all applicants are aware of the unique features of this hybrid nursing program. Hybrid education includes distance learning, which is as challenging as face-to-face instruction, if not more so. The Major Core requirements of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program require outstanding critical thinking skills and nursing judgment, along with a commitment to academic rigor.

• The Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a prelicensure program, is designed for individuals seeking an accessible, hybrid pathway to become a registered nurse. As currently structured and planned, coursework is delivered online, while students attend in-person skills and simulation labs at the St. Petersburg, Florida, location and complete supervised clinical rotations with health care partners.
• The Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a prelicensure program, is designed for individuals with little to no prior experience in health care settings. Students will have opportunities to build nursing knowledge and develop clinical skills in labs, simulation centers, supervised hospitals, and during community-based rotations.
• Students must complete a drug screen and background check as requirements for admission the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
• Students must submit required documentation to participate in clinical experiences. Excelsior currently requires submission through CastleBranch, a third-party system that manages all clinical experience compliance and can be accessed at CastleBranch Login. The package code for Excelsior applicants is XC21.
• Requirements that must be completed for clearance for clinicals are the following:
  • Current CPR certification
  • Immunizations:
    • Influenza
    • MMR (2 vaccinations or positive titers within the past 5 years)
    • Varicella (2 vaccinations or positive titers within the past 5 years)
    • At least 1 dose of meningococcal ACWY vaccine within the last 5 years or a complete 2- or 3-dose series of MenB
    • Hep B (3 vaccinations or positive titers within the past 5 years or declination)
    • Tuberculosis (2 step PPD skin test or QuantiFERON/T-spot)
    • Tdap (within the past 10 years)

• Health Status Report (Physical Examination and Health Status Attestation)
• N-95 Fit Test or declination
• Health Insurance

Individual clinical facilities may have additional credentialing requirements. Students who are unable or unwilling to provide the necessary documentation may not be eligible to participate in clinical experiences and, therefore, may be unable to meet course learning outcomes.

Students may also be required to repeat the background check and drug screen prior to clinical due to expiration of these items.

• Students admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, a prelicensure program, are assigned a primary academic advisor but may also work with different members of the academic advisement team during their enrollment.
• Repeating any Excelsior University sources of credit will require students to pay the tuition and/or fees that are associated with that requirement.
• A student’s success or failure in completing program requirements (including all Excelsior University sources of credit) will affect their progress through the Bachelor of Science in Nursing prelicensure program. The time limit for completion of the bachelor’s degree is six years.
• Pass rates for the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN) are updated and available on the Excelsior University website.
• This is a hybrid program and all on-site components will be at the Excelsior site in St. Petersburg, Florida. Clinical opportunities will be at clinical sites in Florida. Didactic learning will have synchronous and asynchronous components. Labs, simulation, and testing will all take place at the Excelsior site in St. Petersburg, Florida.
• Students may be required to be on-site at least once per week beginning with the first nursing major course. Once clinical courses begin, students will be required at a clinical location 1–2 days per week. On-site days for simulation will also be required. Didactic courses are online with the exception of testing which is on-site and will be required. On-site requirements vary from term to term. Because each institution of higher education maintains its own credit transfer policy, the acceptance of credits earned is at the discretion of each institution and nursing credits are not likely to transfer to other institutions.
• Students are responsible for reading and understanding the RN licensure requirements in the state they hope to practice in following graduation or if considering relocation. Students may consult with the State Board team and review the State Authorization and Disclosures webpage for current information regarding eligibility for RN licensure in each state and U.S. jurisdiction.
• Students are required to review the Excelsior University Catalog prior to applying.

ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS

Excelsior University accepts applications for admission into the prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing program from the state of Florida only.

Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must meet the following eligibility qualifications:

• Achievement of an admissions grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher in high school or previous undergraduate college-level work.
  • A high school GPA (or GED with minimum passing score in each subject area) will be used if applicant has fewer than 12 college credits.
  • A college GPA will be used if more than 13 college credits have been awarded.
• Submission of all official transcripts from all institutionally accredited post-secondary institutions attended (e.g., colleges, community colleges, universities, etc.) and will be used in the calculation for admission GPA purposes. All earned grades will be used in the admissions GPA calculation even if the credit is not eligible for transfer. No earned grades will be omitted from the calculation of the cumulative GPA for admission purposes.
• Completion of the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and have achieved the minimum TEAS scores required as listed below. The official TEAS score report must be submitted from ATI within one year of the date of application. Failure to meet the composite score minimum benchmark, the science minimum benchmark, or exceeding the maximum number of attempts will render the applicant ineligible for admission to the nursing program:
  • Minimum composite score of 58.7.
  • Minimum Science TEAS score of 75.
  • Applicants are allowed a maximum of three attempts to take the TEAS exam within a six-month period, with a mandatory minimum 4-week remediation between each attempt.

• Submission of a background check (results must allow a student to participate in clinical at every contracted agency per Excelsior University and agency agreement.
  Note: Excelsior University is not responsible for determining the effect of any prior criminal history on an applicant’s/student’s ability to be licensed as an RN in any U.S. state or jurisdiction. For information related to criminal history and RN licensure, contact the state board of nursing where licensure is desired)
• Submission of a drug screen (screen includes tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], a substance in marijuana).