How to Apply to Nursing (BSN) at the University of Iowa: From Fall 2027, First-Year Students Can Enter Only Through Direct Admission as Standard Admission After Pre-Nursing Is Phased Out, with ACT/SAT Minimums, a 3.8 High School GPA and an Interview, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At the University of Iowa, the undergraduate nursing degree is offered by the College of Nursing in Iowa City. Unlike our general life-sciences guide for Iowa, this one covers only the nursing BSN (the prelicensure degree). The key fact: the College says that for students planning to enroll as first-year students in fall 2027 and beyond, including high school students graduating in spring 2027 or after, direct admission is the only option to earn a BSN (prelicensure) from the College; the older route of studying as a pre-nursing student and then applying is being phased out. This guide summarises Iowa’s published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Degree and program

• Prelicensure BSN: the FAQ says the program requires a full-time commitment on campus and cannot be done part time. All nursing coursework must be completed at the College of Nursing; nursing courses from community colleges or other universities do not transfer.
• Direct admission: the College plans to admit 168 students: 84 begin the nursing curriculum in the fall of their third year (a 4-year track) and 84 in the spring (a 4.5-year track). Both tracks have the same classes and lead to the same degree. Applicants state a preference when they sign up for the December interview; the College tries to honor it, and assigns by random selection if a track is oversubscribed. The College lists benefits of the spring start, such as working full time, studying abroad, adding a major or minor, and competing as a student-athlete or marching band member.
• Your status after admission: if admitted to the University of Iowa you are classified as an Open (Health) major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences until you are invited to apply to, and admitted by, the College of Nursing.
• Standard admission (phase-out): this applies only to current UI nursing interest students and fall 2026 incoming nursing interest students, and, in some situations, incoming fall 2027 students who meet specific criteria. For them the final opportunity to apply is February 2028, and students admitted in that last cycle begin nursing classes in spring 2029. Students applying in fall 2027 or after who are not admitted by direct admission cannot apply through standard admission, because the nursing interest designation is no longer an option.
• If you are not admitted: the College lists an ADN at a community college followed by the University of Iowa RN-BSN; a degree in another field at Iowa followed by the MSN-Entry into Practice accelerated program; or another Iowa Board of Nursing approved program in the state.
• Honors: Honors in Nursing is for BSN and RN-BSN students, with NURS:4098 (1 s.h.) and NURS:4099 (2 s.h.) in the final two semesters, about 135 hours in total, with recognition on the transcript.
• An accelerated second-degree BSN is not described on the pages we read; the online RN-BSN is mentioned only. Whether the program is STEM-designated is not stated; ask admissions.

2. How you get in, and the thresholds (direct admission)

• ACT/SAT minimums: although the university is test optional, the College requires a minimum score for eligibility: ACT composite 24 for Iowa residents and 26 for non-residents; SAT total 1160 for residents and 1230 for non-residents. The FAQ says no entrance exam is required (TEAS and HESI are not mentioned on the pages we read).
• High school prerequisites: a minimum 3.8 cumulative GPA (weighted or unweighted); 4 years of English; 1 year each of biology, chemistry and physics (physics can be one year in high school or one semester in college, completed before starting the nursing curriculum in the third year); 1 year each of Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry; 3 years of social studies; at least second-level proficiency in one world language. Collegiate coursework can be used to complete high school deficiencies.
• Steps: (1) apply for first-year admission through the UI Admissions portal and indicate Nursing; (2) when invited, complete the College of Nursing supplemental application in MyUI: essay questions (1,500 characters each, including spaces) and activities and work/volunteer experiences; (3) submit an official or unofficial high school transcript; (4) eligible applicants are invited to schedule a virtual interview. Applications missing the application, transcript or interview are incomplete and not reviewed.
• Timeline: University of Iowa application November 2; College of Nursing supplemental application December 7; interview invitations by December 14 and interview sign-up by December 21; decisions in early March; accept or decline by May 3. Some students are placed on a waitlist; once seats are filled, remaining waitlisted applications are canceled.
• Recommendations: the College does not accept letters of recommendation for the BSN prelicensure program. Direct admission applicants may submit an updated transcript until the deadline; no other updates are accepted.
• Factors considered (alphabetical, not in order of importance): academic preparation including GPA; ACT composite or SAT total; AP, honors and dual enrollment credit; demonstrated commitment of service to others; essay responses; experiences that develop qualities of a successful nurse; caregiving experience; military service; understanding of professional nursing practice. Asked whether a 4.0 GPA and an excellent ACT make admission likely, the College answers that the process is highly competitive and comprehensive, and that grades, essays and interviews all play a part.
• CNA certification: not required; the College notes it can broaden employment options in the Iowa City area and increase exposure to nursing.
• Background check, health and vaccine requirements, insurance: not on the pages we read; ask nursing-programs@uiowa.edu.

3. Prerequisites, curriculum and clinicals

• Prerequisites: all prerequisites, general education and electives must be completed before starting the nursing major, including the high school world language and physics requirements.
• Sample plan of study (students enrolled fall 2027 and later, 4-year track): Year 1: RHET:1030 Rhetoric, BIOL:1141 Human Biology: Health Professions, PSY:1001 Elementary Psychology, NURS:1020 First Year Seminar, ACB:3110 Principles of Human Anatomy, CHEM:1080 General Chemistry II (with CHEM:1070 first if needed), NURS:1030 Human Development & Behavior, SOC:1010 or SOC:1030, and an International and Global Issues general education course. Year 2: HHP:2400 Human Physiology, MICR:3164 Microbiology and Human Health, NURS:3111 Caring for Vulnerable Populations, STAT:1020 Elementary Statistics, HHP:2310 Nutrition & Health, NURS:3518 Pathology and WRIT:1650 Essentials of Writing: Nursing; all prerequisites are completed by the end of the spring of year 2. Year 3 begins the nursing courses: health assessment, fundamentals of nursing with practicum, mental health nursing, adult nursing and pharmacology I, population health essentials and gerontological nursing. Year 4: adult nursing and pharmacology II, pediatric and maternal newborn nursing, population health care management, and the Senior Nursing Internship (NURS:4715). On the 4.5-year track the first two years are the same and the fall of year 3 is a gap term for study abroad, a minor or a second major, or additional coursework.
• Credit by exam and transfer credit: the College accepts AP credit meeting the same standards as the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, except that biology and chemistry need a score of 5. A maximum of 64 s.h. of community college credit is accepted. IB credit is not described on the pages we read.
• Clinicals: the College says clinical experience begins in the first semester of nursing coursework, much of it at UI Health Care on campus. Total clinical hours and a list of partner hospitals are not stated on the pages we read.
• NCLEX pass rate: not on the pages we read.

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

• University application: Early Action November 2 (documents November 9); regular deadline February 1 (documents February 8), after which applicants are not eligible for merit scholarships and are admitted case by case on a space-available basis; May 3 is the acceptance deadline. The nursing page asks for the University application by November 2, so nursing hopefuls should treat November 2 as the deadline.
• College of Nursing supplemental application: December 7; see Section 2.
• Fee: $55 for U.S. applicants (waiver available); $80 for international applicants. You can apply with Iowa’s own application or the Common App (fall session only).
• Testing: the university has a “No Harm” test policy and is test optional for general admission, but nursing has the minimums above. For ACT tests taken after September 2025, Iowa uses a composite from the English, Math and Reading sections and does not use superscores.
• NursingCAS: not mentioned on the Iowa nursing pages we read.

5. Three groups of readers

U.S. applicants:

• The ACT/SAT minimums differ for Iowa residents and non-residents (Section 2). Whether residents receive priority for direct admission seats is not stated. Costs by residency are in Section 6.

International applicants:

• Deadlines: the international deadlines page shows the same dates for nursing: November 2 to apply to Iowa and December 7 for the supplemental application (other colleges list their own dates, such as May 3 for Liberal Arts & Sciences and March 1 for Business).
• English: the nursing page says BSN applicants who are citizens of a country where English is not the official language need a TOEFL iBT score of 5.0 (the page does not say which scoring scale). The university-wide English page lists TOEFL iBT taken after January 2026: 4.0 (all subscores 3.5 or higher); TOEFL iBT taken before then: 80 (all subscores 17 or higher); IELTS 6.5 (all subscores 6.0 or higher); ACT English subscore 21; SAT Reading and Writing 540. The nursing 5.0 and the general 4.0 and 80 all appear; ask the College which scale applies.
• Testing: the international page says ACT/SAT are required if you use them to meet the English requirement or want scholarships that require them. Which nursing minimum (resident or non-resident) applies to international applicants is not stated.
• Proof of funds: not on the pages we read.
• International scholarships: the cost page says international scholarships are competitive and many are renewable for up to four years, but international students do not qualify for need-based aid administered by the Office of Student Financial Aid. We did not read the scholarship page.
• Clinical access, licensure exam, Social Security number: not stated on the pages we read; ask nursing-programs@uiowa.edu.

Applicants from China:

• The country-specific page for China lists the final credential as the Upper Middle School Graduation Certificate or High School Graduate Diploma, with a minimum average on core academic subjects of “when D is awarded: 80/100%; when D is not awarded: 75/100%” (the page does not explain “D”), and says the English proficiency requirement applies. Transcripts are uploaded in MyUI.
• Whether the Gaokao is considered, how huikao records are handled, and any nursing-specific guidance for applicants from China are not stated on the pages we read.

6. Costs and scholarships

• 2026–27 estimate (living on campus, full-time): nursing students’ tuition and fees are $15,701 for Iowa residents and $38,121 for non-residents (the general rate is $11,971 and $34,247); housing and food $14,022; books and supplies $950; personal expenses $3,648; transportation $1,254.
• International students (nursing): tuition and fees $39,316, living expenses $14,022, health insurance $2,628 and books $950, for a total of $56,916; the fees include a $250 international student fee and a $120 international orientation fee; anyone who must take the English Proficiency Exam pays a further $120.
• Nursing surcharge and clinical fees: nursing tuition is listed separately (higher than the general rate); clinical-related fees are not stated on the pages we read.
• Scholarships: the College has a scholarships page, which we did not read.

7. Transfer

• Direct admission is written for first-year students: from fall 2027 first-year students enter through direct admission. How transfer students from outside Iowa enter nursing after standard admission ends is not stated on the pages we read; ask nursing-programs@uiowa.edu.
• Standard admission (phase-out) transfer rules: the College accepts standard-admission transfer applications only from students transferring from another college or university within Iowa; students who complete prerequisites outside Iowa must transfer to an Iowa school at least one semester before applying. Standard admission is for spring entry only; eligibility includes a 3.0 cumulative GPA and being on track for at least 48 s.h. at the end of the application semester; prerequisites include CHEM:1070, CHEM:1080, BIOL:1141, physics, one of anatomy, physiology, microbiology or nutrition, a psychology, human development or sociology course, three general education courses, world language, STAT:1020, RHET:1030 and NURS:3111, at C or higher. The application opens December 1, the written deadline is February 26, and decisions come in early summer. These rules apply to phase-out students, not to new fall 2027 applicants.
• A maximum of 64 s.h. of community college credit is accepted; all nursing coursework must be completed at Iowa.

8. Pre-health advising

The nursing pages we read do not cover pre-health advising; check the university’s website if you need it.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Apply to Iowa by November 2 and choose Nursing; submit the supplemental application by December 7; prepare for the interview
• 3.8 high school GPA; ACT 24 (26 non-resident) or SAT 1160 (1230 non-resident); a year each of biology, chemistry and physics

International applicants (including China):

• English: TOEFL iBT 5.0 (nursing); upload transcripts to MyUI; $80 international application fee
• China: graduation certificate and core-subject average per the country page; Gaokao use not stated

Transfer students:

• Rules for outside-Iowa transfers after fall 2027 are not stated; contact nursing-programs@uiowa.edu first

Sources: University of Iowa, College of Nursing: BSN direct admission; BSN FAQs; BSN plans of study; Standard admission (phase-out); Honors in Nursing; First-year admissions; International admissions; International application deadlines; English proficiency; Country-specific requirements; Tuition and estimated costs; Costs for international students. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 estimates). The November 2 and December 7 dates on the nursing pages show no year; check Iowa’s website to confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry.