How to Apply to the Nursing (BSN) Undergraduate Program at Marquette University: Direct Admission to the College of Nursing With Clinical Placement Assured, Detailed Progression Rules (2.500 GPA, C in Key Courses), and Admission and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its undergraduate nursing degree, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), is in the College of Nursing. The nursing major page says you are admitted directly to the College of Nursing, and the Bulletin calls it a direct entry BSN program of eight terms. This guide covers only nursing; the broader life-science options are in a separate article. It uses the university’s web pages and the 2026-27 Bulletin, is aimed at fall 2027 entry, and is split into U.S. applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students.

1. Degree and program

• Degree: BSN (eight terms), with at least 127 credit hours. Students who complete the Core Honors or Comprehensive Honors curriculum can earn an honors BSN. Master’s, DNP and PhD nursing degrees are offered through the Graduate School; the tuition page also lists a Direct Entry MSN for non-nurses (graduate level, not covered here). An RN-to-BSN route is not described on the pages we read.
• How you are admitted: the major page says “get admitted directly to the College of Nursing”. The Bulletin says that, once admitted, students are guaranteed all required classes and clinical hours, which lets them finish in four years provided academic performance is satisfactory. The admission requirements page says acceptance as a freshman in the College of Nursing assures placement in clinical nursing courses provided students remain in good standing and follow the prescribed program plan. The pages we read do not describe pre-nursing followed by a separate application to the professional level.
• Honors and research: the Bulletin describes Nursing Disciplinary Honors: sophomores with a recommended cumulative GPA of 3.000 may apply, the committee selects a limited number, a 300 to 500 word personal statement is required, students do research with faculty mentors in the junior and senior years, and completing the program requires a 3.200 cumulative GPA and a 3.500 nursing GPA. The major page also names four research focus areas (person-centered, community engagement, nursing education, equity and social justice), the E-Lead program joined in sophomore year (graduating with a leadership concentration), and nursing-specific semesters abroad in Ireland, Australia, Peru and South Africa.
• STEM designation: not stated on the pages we read.
• Pre-health advising: the nursing pages we read do not describe pre-health advising; see the note at the end.

2. How you get in and the conditions

• Places and conditions: the number of nursing places and any nursing-specific GPA cut-off are not published. The first-year page describes holistic review, considering academic achievement, talents, leadership and service, the essay, the school profile and recommendations. The test-optional page gives averages for admitted students (no year given, and not broken down by college): GPA 3.65, ACT 27.5, SAT 1250.
• Not mentioned: TEAS or HESI entrance tests and interviews are not mentioned on the pages we read, and neither is any nursing-specific clinical or volunteer experience requirement.
• Background check, physical and immunizations (Bulletin): all prelicensure students must pass a criminal background check (required by the Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check Law) and provide health history, physical exam and immunization records by 15 August before entering the program; CPR certification (American Heart Association Basic Life Support Provider only) and a ten-panel urine drug screen are due by 1 November of sophomore year. Immunization items include tetanus-diphtheria, a two-step TB skin test (by 1 November of sophomore year), varicella, MMR, hepatitis B and annual influenza; the COVID-19 vaccine is optional. The physical must be within twelve months before entry. Students pay the cost, given as about $90 for the first year and $34 for the second, with records submitted to a third-party service. Students may not progress or continue in a clinical if health requirements are not current, and progression may be affected.
• Progression rules (Bulletin): a term and cumulative GPA of 2.500 or higher (first-term freshmen at least 2.000; summer is not counted); no more than two consecutive terms below the minimum term GPA; at least a C in all required NURS and HEAL courses graded by letter (C- and lower is not acceptable) and a Pass in clinical courses graded pass/fail; at least a C in BISC 2015 and 2016 Anatomy and Physiology, HEAL 1060 Survey of Biochemistry, PSYC 1001 General Psychology and PSYC 2101 Life-Span Developmental Psychology; at least a D in other required courses. Falling short in or withdrawing from a required course means repeating it, and only two different required NURS, HEAL or cognate courses may be repeated. One violation brings a warning letter and more than one brings academic probation. A College Academic Alert (dismissal from the College of Nursing) follows if a required course is not passed after two attempts, more than two required courses are not passed, or the minimum term GPA is missed for more than two non-summer semesters. Graduation also requires external standardized comprehensive nursing exams and a review course. Admission does not by itself guarantee graduation.
• Course gates: before NURS 2001 Foundations I you must complete NURS 1001, 1002, HEAL 1060, PSYC 1001, BISC 2015 and 2016 (18 credits); before NURS 2002, NURS 2001, 2100 and HEAL 2045; before the junior-year nursing courses, NURS 2002, 2110, 2200, HEAL 1025 and PSYC 2101; before NURS 4000 and higher nursing courses, the group of nursing courses the Bulletin lists (36 credits).
• Internal transfer into nursing: enrolled students file a formal internal transfer application; the Bulletin says the colleges may consider current and cumulative GPA, prior record and academic misconduct, the dean’s decision is final, and the College of Nursing has alternative deadlines listed in the Academic Calendar. A GPA threshold for entering nursing is not stated on the pages we read.

3. Prerequisites and curriculum

• High school (the Bulletin’s recommended preparation chart, Nursing column): English 4, social studies 2, math 3 (footnote: algebra and geometry required; three units recommended), science (any) 1, plus biology 1 and chemistry 1 marked as units specifically required for admission, other academic subjects 4; 16 academic units in total.
• Sequence (sample plan, eight terms): year one NURS 1001 and 1002, BISC 2015 and 2016, HEAL 1060, PSYC 1001, plus core courses (ENGL 1001 or HEAL 1025, theology or philosophy); year two NURS 2001, 2002, 2100 and 2200 Pathophysiology, 2110 Pharmacotherapeutics, HEAL 2045 Nutrition, PSYC 2101 and core courses; year three evidence-based practice and research, community and population health, perinatal and reproductive health, mental health, acute and chronic adult disorders and HEAL 4300 Microbiology (4 credits); year four complex adult health, leadership, family-centered nursing of children, quality and safety, acute-care clinical, transition-to-practice clinical and HEAL 4901 Palliative Care. Some junior courses are taken together as cohorts. Terms run about 15 to 17 credits.
• Credit breakdown: the overview says 127 credits made up of the Marquette Core Curriculum 30, required cognates 15, major 79 and general electives 3, while the tables below it list 69 credits for the major and 28 for additional cognate courses. The two do not match; rely on the sample plan total of 127 and your advisor.
• AP/IB credit (Bulletin, advanced standing): AP Biology 4 earns BIOL 1009 (3 credits) and 5 earns BIOL 1001 and 1002 (6); AP Chemistry 3 earns CHEM 1001 and 4 or 5 earns CHEM 1001 and 1002 (8); AP Psychology 4 or 5 earns PSYC 1001; AP Statistics 4 or 5 earns MATH 1700. IB Higher Level 4 to 7: Biology earns BIOL 1001 and 1002, Chemistry earns CHEM 1001 and 1002, Psychology earns PSYC 1001. AP and IB credit is not counted in GPA, and the Bulletin says college offices decide how it applies to core requirements. BISC 2015 and 2016 and HEAL 1060, which nursing requires, do not appear in these charts. PSYC 1001 has AP/IB credit and is also a course where nursing requires a C or higher; how AP/IB credit counts toward that is not stated, so ask the College of Nursing before using it.
• Clinicals: the major page says clinical experience starts in sophomore year with guaranteed placement, in sites such as Froedtert, Ascension, Children’s Wisconsin and the VA. Total clinical hours and a full list of sites are not published on the pages we read.
• NCLEX-RN: the major page says the college’s students have a higher NCLEX pass rate than the national average, without a year, figure or basis of comparison; ask the college for the data.

4. Rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 entry)

The dates below come from the first-year page and the international office pages, which print no year; check that they apply to the cycle for fall 2027.

• Early Action: 15 November; decision in late December through the status page (the international page says by 20 December).
• Regular Decision: 1 February; decision by 1 March. Applications completed after 1 February are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis. The application opens in early August.
• Materials: required are an official high school transcript, an essay or personal statement and an activities list; additional personal statements and recommendations are not required but are reviewed if submitted. Separate nursing materials or deadlines, and NursingCAS, are not mentioned on the pages we read.
• Fee and deposit: there is no application fee for undergraduate applicants; admitted students reserve a place with a $200 tuition deposit (plus a $300 housing deposit if university housing is wanted), both non-refundable.
• Testing: test-optional; SAT or ACT results have not been required since fall 2020 entry, and applicants who do not submit are not disadvantaged in admission or scholarships.

5. Who is applying

U.S. applicants

• Marquette is private, and its cost page lists one full-time tuition with no in-state rate. 2026-27 full-time undergraduate (12 or more credits): tuition $53,890, housing and food $14,380 to $18,790, fees $1,200, total $69,470 to $73,880; the page notes additional costs. A nursing tuition surcharge is not listed on the pages we read. The health and background costs for nursing students are in section 2.
• All undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for the Père Marquette Scholarship. In-state preference is not described on the pages we read.

International applicants

• Process: apply with the Common Application or the Marquette International Application; international first-year applicants use the same Early Action and Regular Decision rounds. Unofficial documents can be uploaded first, with official documents due before the I-20 is issued and before enrollment.
• English (submit one): TOEFL (for tests before 21 January 2026, a total of at least 86 and at least 20 in each section; for tests on or after 21 January 2026, a total of at least 4.5); IELTS 6.5 or higher in each section; Duolingo English Test 120 (no subscore lower than 115 preferred); SAT Evidence-Based Reading of at least 560; ACT English at least 24 and Reading at least 20; or a U.S. or Canadian university transcript showing at least two semesters of in-person study, or a U.S. or Canadian high school transcript showing at least four semesters. The pages do not say whether nursing requires more.
• Funds: students who need an I-20/F-1 or DS-2019/J-1 submit the Financial Sponsorship Form and a current bank statement from the sponsor showing adequate funds for the first year; government-sponsored students provide a letter of support. These are due before the I-20 is issued.
• Costs and scholarships: the international office’s 2026-27 estimate is tuition of $26,945 per term (fall and spring), living expenses of $24,950 (including twelve months of mandatory health insurance) and an annual total of $78,840. Marquette says it cannot award need-based scholarships to international students; merit scholarships are offered (all applicants are automatically considered for the Père Marquette Award) and even the largest does not cover room, board, fees and books.
• Clinicals and licensure: the pages we read do not say whether international students can take clinical courses, sit for the NCLEX or need a Social Security number; the college’s background-check and health requirements in section 2 apply, so ask the College of Nursing.

Applicants from China

• The international materials page asks for exam results or certificates “as appropriate for your educational system” and lists the “Chinese graduation certificate” among examples. It does not say whether the gaokao is considered or how huikao records are handled; more specific guidance is not published on the pages we read. Ask the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (admissions@marquette.edu is given on the Bulletin page).
• Non-English transcripts and documents need official translations, and English proficiency follows the list above.
• If you have already studied at a university in China, you must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation (ECE, WES, TEC, Educational Perspectives, Scholaro or One Earth) and a Transcript Verification Report from CHESICC; this is the transfer situation covered in section 7.

6. Costs and scholarships specific to nursing

• The Bulletin says the background check, health documentation, immunizations and drug screen are paid by the student, at about $90 for the first year and $34 for the second, with no further charge unless repeat checks or tests are required. CPR certification is renewed every two years and can be obtained at Marquette. A nursing tuition surcharge is not listed on the pages we read.
• All applicants are automatically considered for the Père Marquette Scholarship; there are no need-based scholarships for international students.

7. Transfer students

• General rules: the Bulletin says most programs consider transfer applicants on a rolling basis; a transfer applicant is someone who has been enrolled at a college since high school graduation and has not earned a bachelor’s degree; a high school transcript is not required if you have 30 or more college credits from accredited institutions; some programs require an average above 2.500. You can apply free through the Common Application or Marquette’s transfer application. International transfer applicants need a course-by-course credential evaluation, Chinese university work also needs a CHESICC report, and transfer credit is evaluated after admission using official transcripts and English course descriptions.
• Transferring into nursing: whether the College of Nursing accepts external transfer students, and any prerequisite or GPA conditions, are not stated on the pages we read; contact the transfer team and the College of Nursing. The Bulletin says all required NURS and HEAL courses must be taken at Marquette, with exceptions approved by the assistant dean. Enrolled students need prior approval to take courses elsewhere, a C or better to transfer the credit (credit only, not grades), and NURS and HEAL courses may not be taken at another institution.
• International transfer students: the international page says transfer applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with no deadline, fall decisions begin in December, and credit materials are due by 1 August (fall) or 1 December (spring).

8. What to confirm with the school

• Not published on the pages we read: nursing places and any separate admission standard, TEAS-type tests, total clinical hours, the NCLEX figure and its year, international-student clinical and licensure limits, China-specific guidance and external transfer rules for nursing.
• One inconsistency in the Bulletin: the credit breakdown (79 plus 15 in the overview versus 69 plus 28 in the tables; see section 3).
• Pre-health advising: the Bulletin tells pre-medical and pre-dental students to consult the health professions adviser before accepting AP credit; that note is aimed at pre-med and pre-dental students, so nursing students should ask the College of Nursing first.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Apply to the College of Nursing; one year each of high school biology and chemistry and three years of math with algebra and geometry; Early Action 15 November, Regular Decision 1 February (confirm for fall 2027); no application fee, testing optional
• Remember the progression rules: term and cumulative GPA of 2.500, C or higher in nursing and key science courses; have the background check, physical and immunization records ready by 15 August

International applicants (including China):

• English: TOEFL 4.5 (exams from 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5 in each section, Duolingo 120 or another listed option; prepare the sponsorship form and bank statement; official translations for non-English documents
• Ask the College of Nursing about international clinicals and licensure; ask admissions how gaokao and graduation records are used; there is no need-based aid, so plan the budget early

Transfer students:

• Rolling review; NURS and HEAL courses must be taken at Marquette; first confirm that nursing accepts external transfers

Sources: Marquette University, Nursing major page; Bulletin: Nursing, BSN; Nursing admission requirements; Nursing progression requirements; Clinical/health requirements and background checks; Approval of courses taken elsewhere; Nursing degrees offered; Bulletin: undergraduate admission; Bulletin: internal transfer; First-year application; Test-optional policy; Transfer; International: process and deadlines; International: materials; International: tuition; International: scholarships; International: credit transfer; Tuition and financial aid. Deadlines, costs and prerequisites change every year; check the official pages for the current cycle.