How to Apply to Nursing (BSN) at Florida International University: Freshmen Start in a Pre-Nursing Pathway, the Traditional BSN Is a Limited-Access, Highly Competitive Upper-Division Program, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Florida International University (FIU) is in Miami, Florida. The undergraduate nursing degree (BSN) is offered by the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences. FIU says its BSN is a limited-access, highly competitive program; students typically apply for full admission after prerequisite courses, an entrance exam and other requirements, and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Below, for fall 2027 entry, are the points that matter for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China. This article uses only what the pages we read say; anything missing is marked “not published”, so ask the undergraduate nursing office (305-348-7703).

1. Programs and college

• College: the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences. The undergraduate nursing page lists five routes: the FTIC Pre-Nursing Pathway for first-time-in-college students, the Traditional BSN, an Accelerated Option BSN (for people with a bachelor’s degree in another field), an online RN-to-BSN (registered nurses) and Foreign Educated Physician to BSN/MSN (foreign-educated physicians without an RN licence only). The last three are not covered here.
• Traditional BSN: a full-time upper-division program with classes at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC), admitting in fall and spring. The page lists “students enrolled annually: 100”, 5 semesters and 66 credits. It also says the college secured extra funds for an additional admission cycle, so it now admits in both fall and spring.
• Accreditation and licensing: the baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates are eligible to be licensed as registered nurses (RN) after passing the NCLEX-RN and can pursue master’s and doctoral study. NCLEX-RN pass rates are not stated on the pages we read.
• Simulation: the Traditional BSN page mentions advanced simulation training in the S.T.A.R. Center; the curriculum notes that up to 50% of clinical hours in the Integrative Nursing Care I course are simulation.
• Honors/research programs and STEM status: not stated on the nursing pages we read; not published.

2. First-year entry: the Pre-Nursing Pathway (two outcomes)

First-time-in-college (FTIC) applicants who want nursing must choose it when applying to FIU. The FTIC Pre-Nursing page says:

• How to apply: through the Common App (the page also mentions applying directly through FIU, while the first-year page tells freshmen to use the Common App); the application fee is $30. You must select Nursing as your first-choice major to be considered and also pick one approved alternate major: Health Services Administration, Liberal Studies – Health & Human Concern, Rehabilitation & Recreational Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, or Exploratory / NURHS.
• Assigned only at admission: students can be assigned to a Pre-Nursing major or pathway only when admitted to FIU and cannot switch into it later from another major. Pre-nursing designation is considered only for fall.
• Outcome A (direct admit to the Pre-Nursing major): a limited number of FTICs are admitted directly to the BSN program as Pre-Nursing majors; if they meet all milestones and five thresholds they progress automatically with no NursingCAS application. The thresholds: cumulative GPA at least 3.7, science GPA at least 3.6, TEAS total at least 88, TEAS science at least 80, and 100 documented patient-facing healthcare hours; College Algebra (MAC 1105) is also required.
• Outcome B (alternate major plus the Pre-Nursing Pathway flag): you study in the alternate major and, after the prerequisites, all milestones and other requirements, may apply for full BSN admission through NursingCAS. FIU says admission is highly competitive, seats are very limited, and it is not guaranteed.

Milestones shared by both outcomes (missing any one moves you out of the Pre-Nursing major/pathway and makes you ineligible to apply for full BSN admission):

• Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25, checked at 30, 45 and 60 credits;
• TEAS submitted by December 1 of the second fall, minimum 70 total and 62 in Science;
• C or higher in each of: College Algebra MAC 1105 (required for the Pre-Nursing major, highly suggested for the pathway), Statistics STA 2122, Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs, Microbiology with lab, Chemistry CHM 1033 with lab; and Introduction to Psychology PSY 2012 (preferred; or SYG 2000 or SOP 3004), Developmental Psychology DEP 2000 and Nutrition HUN 2201;
• Science pace: at least one prerequisite science course every semester starting the first fall until complete.

The page also says information sessions are held on Zoom before you apply.

3. Entering the professional level: Traditional BSN admission

The Traditional BSN is for current FIU students (including the pre-nursing students above) and for transfer students entering FIU to pursue the BSN. The admissions page (which says the changes are effective as of 2026 and subject to change at any time) states:

• How admission works: limited access, competitive, comprehensive evaluation; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis for fall and spring entry. FIU says everyone who applies by the specified deadline will be considered and will receive a decision, but a decision is not immediate. The actual application deadlines are not on the pages we read; not published, so check the college page or NursingCAS.
• Academic requirements: (1) an A.A. degree from a Florida state college or completion of FIU’s University Core Curriculum (UCC, general education, including the Gordon Rule and foreign-language requirements); applicants without an A.A. or from out-of-state or private colleges must meet the UCC, have at least 54 transferable credits, meet university requirements (such as Flent/Flex and Civic Literacy) and the nursing prerequisites; (2) a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 for all coursework (including dual enrollment and transfer courses; it is also a criterion for competitive ranking); (3) all prerequisites from a regionally accredited U.S. institution with a grade of C or better.
• Timing of prerequisites: finished by the end of spring for fall entry, or by the end of summer for spring entry. No science prerequisite may be in progress at application review (an application with in-progress science courses is not reviewed); up to two non-science prerequisites may be in progress. Science prerequisites must be from the last 10 years; older ones must be repeated.
• Repeats: a C-minus or below in a science prerequisite may be repeated only once; one science failure is allowed if the same course is repeated successfully, and two science failures disqualify the application.
• Entrance exam: the in-person ATI TEAS (Edition VII), minimum 70% total and 62% science; two attempts per application cycle; scores valid for two years; remotely proctored TEAS is not accepted.
• Platform: a separate NursingCAS application (Traditional BSN track), plus meeting FIU admission standards and applying to FIU (transfers use the FIU undergraduate application).
• Physical, vaccines, insurance, background check, interview, volunteer or clinical experience (other than the 100 hours for the pre-nursing automatic route): the Traditional BSN admissions page says only that students must meet the immunization requirements of the clinical affiliates and that the college cannot accept immunization waivers or exemptions that conflict with those policies. Background checks, medical exams, insurance, CPR, interview, essays and recommendations are not stated on the pages we read; not published.
• Advising: FIU strongly urges attending an information session at MMC, then an individual advising appointment (305-348-7703) with copies of all transcripts to check deficiencies in state-mandated requirements and nursing prerequisites.

4. Prerequisites and curriculum

• High school requirements: the nursing pages we read give no extra high school math, biology or chemistry requirement. FIU’s general high school course load for all first-year students is 4 English, 4 mathematics (algebra I or higher), 3 natural science (two with substantial labs), 3 social science, 2 second language and 2 academic electives. The admission standards page adds that programs such as nursing have higher minimum admission requirements and may require extra information or exams.
• Nursing prerequisites (Traditional BSN): Nursing prerequisites—Introduction to Psychology (or Introductory Sociology or Social Psychology), Statistics, Human Growth & Development, Nutrition; Science prerequisites—Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II with Lab, Introduction to Microbiology with Lab, Survey of Chemistry with Lab. FIU course numbers: any introductory statistics, BSC 2085/2085L and BSC 2086/2086L, MCB 2000/2000L, CHM 1033/1033L, HUN 2201, DEP 2000, and PSY 2012 or SYG 2000 or SOP 3004. The page also lists equivalents at Miami Dade College, Broward College and Palm Beach State College.
• Equivalents and credit: similar courses can be reviewed for equivalency by the college’s Student Services; General Chemistry with Lab may replace Survey of Chemistry; a passing CLEP score can satisfy Human Growth & Development and Psychology; the whole Anatomy & Physiology series must be completed at college level; from summer 2025 FIU accepts credits on the Geneva College transcript offered by Portage Learning. The FIU application pages say AP scores must be 3 or higher and sent separately. How AP/IB credits count toward the nursing prerequisites is not stated on the pages we read; not published.
• Curriculum (Traditional BSN, 66 credits): junior fall 15 credits (Foundations of Nursing Practice with lab and clinical, Pathophysiological Basis, Health Assessment & Promotion); junior spring 16 (Nursing Care of Adults I with clinical, Pharmacologic Basis, Psychosocial Nursing with clinical, Inter-Professional Approaches); junior summer 12 (Nursing Care of Adults II with clinical, Evidence-Based Nursing & Research in Global Health Care, Professional Nursing Leadership, Integrative Nursing Care I); senior fall 13 (childrearing and childbearing nursing with clinicals, Integrative Nursing Care II); senior spring 10 (Community Health Nursing, Nursing Care of Older Adults, Senior Clinical Practicum, Senior Nursing Synthesis). Clinical hours are defined as credits × 1:2 × 15 weeks, and the practicum as credits × 1:3 × 15 weeks. Total clinical hours and the list of clinical partner hospitals are not stated on the pages we read; not published.
• FIU’s course catalog (catalog.fiu.edu) is a third-party hosted service and was not visited, so course descriptions are not included; check the official site.

5. First-year rounds and university-level materials (fall 2027)

• Dates (FIU first-year page): applications open August 1; Early Action complete application with documents November 2, 2026, notification December 10; all first-year applicants December 16, 2026, notification January 21, 2027; final deadline March 2, 2027, last decisions April 2; deposit May 1, 2027. The page shows “Early Fall 2027” and “Fall 2027” rows with the same dates. Pre-nursing designation is considered only for fall.
• Application fee: $30, or an SAT/ACT fee waiver.
• Tests: FIU requires SAT, ACT or CLT scores from all first-year applicants (in-state, out-of-state and international); the ACT Science section is no longer required and the composite counts English, math and reading only.
• Transcripts: official transcripts from every high school or college attended must be submitted before the application is reviewed; a transcript not in English needs a separate official translation (both are required).
• Essay and recommendations: not listed on the first-year page. Nursing-specific essays, recommendations and interviews are not stated on the pages we read; not published.
• Residency documents: every applicant, whether a Florida resident, U.S. resident or international student, must submit proof of residency, used to set in-state or out-of-state tuition.

6. U.S. applicants

• In-state preference: the pages we read do not state a Florida-resident preference for the nursing program.
• Tuition: the cost page lists undergraduate tuition per credit of $205.57 for Florida residents and $660.19 for out-of-state students (the international cost page’s similar table shows $618.87 out of state; the two pages differ, so check the latest). That page also gives a 30-credit fall-and-spring matriculation total of $6,565.88 in-state and $18,964.75 out-of-state (including athletic, health and parking fees). FIU notes that further fees may apply by program and enrollment.
• Nursing surcharges and clinical-related fees: not stated on the nursing pages we read; not published.
• Aid: FAFSA opens October 1 with an early award priority date of December 1; FIU’s “Golden Promise” covers 100% of tuition and fees for first-time-in-college Florida students with a zero expected family contribution who submit the FAFSA.

7. International applicants

• Application: international freshmen also use the Common App with the $30 fee; FIU says decisions are based on GPA combined with SAT, ACT or CLT scores, and international students must submit them too.
• English: for direct admission, international first-time-in-college students are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS, but must meet the Florida Board of Governors college-readiness requirements, largely determined by SAT or ACT reading/English sub-scores. Whether nursing has a higher English requirement is not stated on the pages we read; not published.
• Global First Year (G1Y): a pathway program for international students who want extra academic, cultural and language support, with English instruction, advising, priority registration and priority housing.
• Transcripts and credential evaluation: international freshmen need English translations of transcripts; the international transfer page requires a NACES-member course-by-course evaluation with GPA for all non-U.S. coursework.
• Health insurance: F-1 and J-1 students must have medical insurance meeting FIU’s requirements before registering, monitored by Student Health Services.
• Proof of funds: the page on steps after admission was not read, so check FIU’s international pages (admissions.fiu.edu/international) for the financial documents.
• Whether international students can enter the BSN, take clinical courses, sit the licensing exam, or need a Social Security number: the Traditional BSN page says only that transfer and international students must meet all FIU Admission Standards and additional university requirements, and that prerequisites must come from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. Seats for international students, clinical restrictions and licensing-exam eligibility are not stated on the pages we read; ask the undergraduate nursing office (305-348-7703).
• International scholarships: the international cost page says FIU automatically considers admitted first-time-in-college students for merit scholarships, and international students must be F-1 (or other eligible visa) students; there is a non-resident tuition waiver and Gold and Blue scholarships (for non-Florida residents, $4,000 to $24,000 over four years). The deadlines printed there are for the fall 2025 entry cycle (November 1 and December 3, 2024), so confirm the dates for fall 2027 on the official site.

8. Applicants from China

• Is the Gaokao considered: not stated on the FIU pages we read; not published. FIU’s international freshman page asks for SAT, ACT or CLT scores. Ask the international admissions office about the Gaokao.
• Transcripts and Huikao materials: the site only says non-English transcripts need an official translation and international transfers need a NACES evaluation. How the Huikao (academic proficiency test) records are handled is not published.
• School-specific notes for Chinese applicants: none on the pages we read; not published.
• Nursing: Chinese applicants choose Nursing as first-choice major plus an alternate major in the same way (Section 2); for seats, clinical rules and licensing eligibility as an international student, see Section 7 and ask the college.

9. Costs and scholarships (nursing-related)

• FIU tuition figures are in Section 6. Nursing surcharges and clinical-related fees are not stated on the pages we read; not published.
• College scholarships: enrolled students apply in the summer through FIU Academic Works and must first complete the FAFSA; the college scholarship committee reviews academic merit, financial need, essay quality and donor criteria, with awards usually in the fall; Memorial Healthcare System scholarships are also listed. College awards may reduce other awards and loans.

10. Transfer

• Into the Traditional BSN: transfer students entering FIU to pursue the BSN use the FIU undergraduate application (“Transfers ONLY” on the page) plus NursingCAS; the other conditions are those in Section 3 (3.25 cumulative GPA, prerequisites at C or better, in-person TEAS, 54 transferable credits and so on).
• FIU transfer rules: a 2.0 GPA; 60 or more transferable credits need no high school transcript or test scores; 30–59 credits need none if ENC 1101 and college math are both C or better and GPA is 2.0 or higher; under 30 credits need a high school transcript and SAT/ACT/CLT. Florida public college A.A. graduates generally qualify automatically, except for specialized admissions programs such as nursing.
• Domestic transfer deadlines (FIU transfer page): summer A/C 2027 March 8, summer B April 26, fall July 8 (College of Business June 23). These are university-level dates; a nursing-specific transfer deadline is not stated on the pages we read.
• International transfers: coursework from non-U.S. institutions needs a NACES course-by-course evaluation; the transfer page lists a fall 2027 application deadline of May 16 for students educated at a non-U.S. institution. English for international transfers: TOEFL iBT 4.5 on the new scale (80 for tests before January 21, 2026), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110, or ENC 1101 with C or better at a U.S. accredited institution, among others; at most 90 credits transfer (60 lower division, 30 upper division). The international transfer page’s date table still shows 2026 terms, so check the latest.
• Note: nursing prerequisites must come from regionally accredited U.S. institutions, so whether prerequisites taken abroad are accepted is not published; ask the college.

11. Pre-health advising

Advising for nursing applications is handled by the college’s undergraduate nursing office (305-348-7703); the nursing pages we read do not describe separate pre-health advising.

12. Not found on the pages we read

• The 2027 NursingCAS and Traditional BSN application deadlines, and the essays and recommendations NursingCAS requires;
• Background check, medical exam, vaccine list, insurance, CPR, interview and volunteer/clinical experience (other than the 100 hours on the automatic pre-nursing route);
• Seats for international students in the BSN, clinical restrictions, licensing-exam eligibility and Social Security number rules;
• How the Gaokao is used, Huikao materials, and any China-specific notes;
• Nursing surcharges, total clinical hours, clinical partner hospitals, NCLEX-RN pass rates, and AP/IB credit for the nursing prerequisites.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Common App, select Nursing as first-choice major plus an alternate major; Early Action November 2, 2026, all first-year December 16, final March 2, 2027; SAT/ACT/CLT required
• After enrolling: 3.25 cumulative GPA, prerequisites at C or higher, TEAS by December 1 of the second fall (70 total/62 science); Traditional BSN adds NursingCAS

International applicants (including China):

• SAT/ACT/CLT required; official transcripts with official translation; direct admission for international freshmen does not require TOEFL/IELTS but needs the Florida college-readiness scores
• Ask the nursing college about international seats, clinical limits and licensing eligibility; ask admissions how the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• FIU transfer application plus NursingCAS; 3.25 cumulative GPA; prerequisites from a regionally accredited U.S. institution at C or higher; in-person TEAS 70 total/62 science; at least 54 transferable credits (without an A.A. or from out-of-state/private colleges)

Sources: Florida International University, Undergraduate Nursing; FTIC Pre-Nursing pathway; Traditional BSN; Traditional BSN admissions; Traditional BSN curriculum; College scholarships; First-year applicants; Admission standards; International freshmen; International FAQ; International cost and aid; Transfer applicants; International transfers; Cost and aid. Information is for the fall 2027 entry cycle (the Traditional BSN and Pre-Nursing pages print no year; where a page prints no year, check that the date is for fall 2027 entry). Check FIU’s website for the latest.