How to Apply to Florida A&M University’s Nursing (BSN) Degree: Admitted as Pre-Nursing, Then a Limited-Access Application to the Professional Level Each May or October, With Test Scores Required, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Florida A&M University (FAMU) is a public, historically Black university in Tallahassee, Florida. The bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) is offered by the School of Nursing, which the website calls the oldest continuing baccalaureate nursing program at a historically Black institution in the United States, founded in 1904 as a hospital-based program and, in 1936, Florida’s first baccalaureate nursing program. FAMU’s BSN is not first-year direct entry: the website says students who declare nursing are admitted to the university as Pre-Nursing majors and may apply to the professional level once the prerequisites are done; the School is limited access, and meeting every requirement does not guarantee admission. This guide summarises FAMU’s published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. RN-to-BSN and master’s programs exist and are mentioned only in passing.

1. Degree and program

• Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The BSN page says the four-year program begins with pre-professional liberal-arts classes, which can be taken at another institution; you then take nursing classes at FAMU and gain clinical experience in hospitals and clinics, and graduate ready to work as a generalist.
• Professional-level curriculum (PDF approved March 2022): four semesters totalling 60 credits, with 120 credit hours for the whole degree. Courses include Promoting and Maintaining Wellness, Professional Nursing Concepts and Practice, Health Assessment (with a 45-hour lab), Pathophysiology, Foundations of Clinical Practice, Nursing Care of the Adult (with clinical), Promoting the Mental Health of Self and Others (with clinical), Evidence-Based Practice, Pharmacology, Care of Women, Children and the Childbearing Family (with clinical), Promoting the Health of Populations (with clinical), Leading and Managing in Complex Systems, Advanced Nursing Care of the Adult (with clinical), a Professional Transition Practicum, a Professional Career Seminar and an NCLEX review component. The sequence runs fall-start or spring-start.
• Accreditation and outcomes: the accreditation page says the School is approved by the State of Florida and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN); the ACEN Board granted the baccalaureate program continuing accreditation for good cause for two years, and the status table shows “Accredited, stipulations none, next site visit spring 2026”. The same page lists BSN on-time completion of 79% (2022-2023) and 72% (2023-2024), and a first-time NCLEX pass rate of 82.46% for 2023 and 92.47% for 2024, with 2025 shown as pending a Florida Board of Nursing release; it also says the School’s goal for 2025 is a first-time pass rate of 90% or better.
• Total clinical hours and partner hospitals: the pages we read say only “hospitals and clinics”; total hours and a partner list are not published there. The experiential learning page says the School has high- and low-fidelity simulators and virtual reality simulation and coordinates clinical clearance and preceptorships.
• Honors or research program; STEM designation: not stated on the nursing pages we read.
• Pre-health advising for nursing: the pre-nursing page lists a director and advisors; it is outside this guide, so check that page for contacts.

2. How you get into nursing, and the bar

• Step one: admission to the university as Pre-Nursing: the pre-nursing page says students declaring Nursing are admitted as Pre-Nursing (pre-professional level) and can apply to the professional level once they have satisfied general education, Gordon Rule and foreign-language requirements; admission to the university does not automatically grant admission to the professional level. The pages do not describe direct first-year entry to the professional level.
• Step two: when the professional-level application opens: the application checklist PDF says the School admits twice a year (fall and spring), with applications accepted only 1–15 May for fall and 1–15 October for spring, none before or after, and everything due by 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date. It also says everyone, including outside students, first applies to FAMU and then applies separately to the School of Nursing.
• Limited access: the pre-nursing page says the School is limited access because of clinical limitations, admission is determined by the availability of space and not the size of the applicant pool, so satisfying all requirements does not automatically lead to admission; the checklist calls selection “highly competitive”.
• Grade bar (checklist PDF): overall GPA at least 3.1; science and math GPA at least 3.0 with no repeats; B or better in math, science and nutrition courses, earned on the first try (repeated grades are not considered); B or better in the other prerequisites, though the same PDF also says “only one repeated prerequisite, only one time”, so the two statements differ; confirm with the School. The pre-nursing curriculum map suggests GPAs of 3.3 or higher each semester and notes “B grade or better, first attempt, no repeats, no withdrawals”.
• Prerequisites (checklist PDF; “completed or in progress at the time of application”, while another line asks for “successful completion of all pre-nursing course requirements”, so confirm): Freshman Composition I/II (ENC 1101/1102, 3 credits each); College Algebra or higher (MAC 1105, 3); Biological Science with lab (BSC 1005, 4); Introduction to Psychology or Sociology (PSY 2012 / SYG 2000, 3; the School strongly recommends both); Human Growth and Development (DEP 2004, 3); Chemistry for Health Science or higher (CHM 1030, 3); Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs (BSC 2085, 2086, 4 each); Microbiology with lab (MCB 3005, 4); Human Nutrition (HUN 2401, 3); Introduction to Probability & Statistics (STA 2023, 3). Students also need 2 humanities, 4 electives and the civic literacy requirement.
• TEAS: Level 2 proficiency on each subject area of the TEAS; it must be taken at FAMU or another testing site, and the PDF says online testing is not accepted.
• Foreign language: two years of one language in high school or eight sequential semester hours in college; the checklist says not to apply if this is not complete.
• References and transcripts: three references (two from university or college instructors and one from a recent employer or mentor, on the School’s reference form); sealed official transcripts from every college attended, including dual enrollment, one per institution; mailed to the Director of Student Affairs, with electronic official transcripts accepted at SON_StudentAffairs@famu.edu.
• Medical and immunization: once admitted, an Annual Medical Examination, a two-step tuberculin skin test (a positive needs a chest x-ray), MMR, diphtheria-tetanus within 10 years, hepatitis B (three vaccines or a titer) and varicella (a positive titer; a history of chicken pox does not count). The hepatitis B series can take up to nine months and the last dose must not be dated after the application deadline; the checklist says not to apply if the series is incomplete or the titer negative. The experiential learning page links a clinical clearance checklist and CastleBranch.
• Interview, volunteer or clinical experience, background check, health insurance: the checklist we read does not list an interview or volunteer experience as a condition; for the background check and insurance the experiential learning page only links a clinical clearance checklist and CastleBranch, and the details are not stated there, so ask the School.
• Internal and external transfer: the route above covers current students; outside students apply to FAMU as transfers (section 7) and then to the School of Nursing.

3. Prerequisites, curriculum and credit

• High school (the freshman page, university-wide): English 4 units (substantial writing); mathematics 4 (preferably Algebra I and above); natural science 3 (preferably biology, chemistry and physics, at least two with lab); social science 3; foreign language 2 (sequential); academic electives 2. Nursing-specific high school math, biology or chemistry requirements are not stated on the pages we read.
• Pre-nursing curriculum map (2022 revision, 60 credits): year one fall: Freshman Composition I, College Algebra, Biological Science and lab, First Year Experience, Psychology; spring: Composition II, Human Growth and Development, Chemistry for Health Sciences, a humanities course, Sociology. Year two fall: Anatomy & Physiology I with lab, Medical Terminology or an elective, Microbiology with lab, Nutrition; spring: Anatomy & Physiology II with lab, a humanities course, an African American history course, Statistics, a civic literacy course.
• AP/IB credit: the international page asks for AP, IB, AICE and CLEP results, but the pages we read do not say whether they satisfy nursing prerequisites; ask admissions and the School.

4. Rounds and deadlines (fall 2027 entry)

• Freshman admission to FAMU: Early Action 1 November (supporting materials 14 November, decisions 4 December); Regular Decision 1 February (materials 14 February, decisions 5 March); rolling admission to 1 May (decisions from April). The page prints no year, so check that the dates apply to fall 2027. Florida residents may be offered Summer B starting in June, which is limited to Florida residents.
• Fee and materials: the freshman application fee is $30, with ACT, College Board and NACAC fee waivers accepted; materials include an official high school transcript (a self-reported STAR can be used first) and SAT, ACT or CLT scores, plus college transcripts for dual enrollment. The international page adds a 500-word essay and two recommendation letters from teachers or counselors.
• Testing: the website says FAMU is not test-optional and SAT/ACT/CLT scores are required. It does not post minimums; instead it gives the middle 50% of the fall 2025 admitted class: weighted core GPA 3.69–4.24, SAT 1080–1230, ACT 22–27, CLT 61–73, and says these are not strict minimums.
• Nursing-specific deadline and platform: professional-level applications are 1–15 May (fall) and 1–15 October (spring) through the School’s own “FAMU BSN Application”; NursingCAS is not mentioned on the pages we read.

5. The three kinds of applicants

U.S. applicants

• Tuition (2026-27 fee schedule): undergraduate total fees per credit hour are $151.78 for residents and $606.66 for non-residents (non-residents pay an extra $435.93 non-resident fee and $18.95 non-resident financial aid fee). Also listed: a $36.38 per-credit undergraduate tuition differential for students enrolled on or after 1 July 2007 (unless covered by a Florida Prepaid contract), a transportation and access fee of $65 per fall or spring semester, a $35 orientation fee for first-time students, and $15–$300 per course material and supply fees for some courses.
• Nursing surcharge; in-state preference: the schedule shows no separate nursing surcharge, and the nursing pages we read do not mention an in-state preference; ask the School.
• FAMU’s IGNITE transfer program guarantees general admission to FAMU for associate-degree graduates of Florida College System institutions; this is not a guarantee of the professional nursing level.

International applicants

• Applying: the international page says the undergraduate application is online only, with a $35 fee (the freshman page says $30; the two differ). Its deadline table is printed for 2024 (for example fall 1 April 2024) and is out of date, so rely on admissions and the freshman page.
• Academic records: all credentials from non-U.S. institutions need a course-by-course evaluation (a NACES member is recommended) with a U.S.-equivalent GPA, and records not in English need a certified English translation; a document-by-document evaluation is not accepted. ACT (code 0726) and/or SAT (code 5215) scores are required.
• English: applicants whose native language is not English need TOEFL iBT 80, academic IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 120; scores are valid for two years and must be sent directly by the testing agency; applicants who studied English at an accredited U.S. institution can submit that transcript. The pages do not say whether nursing needs a higher score.
• Proof of funds: U.S. federal rules require FAMU to verify financial resources; the International Student Financial Statement shows support for the first year and available funds for the length of the program (bank statements, award letters and so on) before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued.
• Admission benchmark: the international page lists “2025 admissions criteria”: fall 3.33 recalculated core GPA with SAT 530 reading and writing / 550 math (or ACT 19/23/22); spring and summer 3.00 with SAT 520/540. Whether this applies to nursing is not stated.
• International scholarships, clinical courses, the licensure exam, Social Security number: not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions (ugrdadmissions@famu.edu), the Office of International Education and Development (oiedadmin@famu.edu) and the School of Nursing.

Applicants from China

• Gaokao: not stated on the pages we read; contact ugrdadmissions@famu.edu.
• Transcripts and exam records: the pages give no country-specific guidance; under the international page’s general rules a course-by-course evaluation and an English translation are required.
• Special guidance for Chinese applicants: not stated on the pages we read.

6. Costs and scholarships

• The figures above are per credit hour. The fee page links schedules for 2024-2025, 2025-2026 and 2026-2027; a full-year total with housing and food, and nursing clinical-related costs, are not stated on the pages we read.
• Nursing scholarships and international scholarships: not described on the nursing or international pages we read; check admissions, the School and the financial aid office.

7. Transfer students

• Transferring to FAMU (transfer page): a transfer applicant has attended college after high school; those with fewer than 12 transferable credits apply as freshmen. Requirements: under 30 credits: 2.0 cumulative GPA and freshman requirements; 30–59 credits: 2.0 and C or higher in College Algebra and English Composition; 60+ credits or a Florida College System A.A./A.S.: 2.0. In-progress courses are not considered. Deadlines: fall 15 June, spring 1 November, summer A or C 1 March (no summer B). The fee is $30 and fee waivers are not accepted for transfers. The international page instead says transfer applicants with under 60 hours need a 2.50 GPA, and asks for evaluations and English proof; the two pages differ, so check.
• Transferring into nursing: apply to FAMU as a transfer, then apply to the School of Nursing (1–15 May or 1–15 October) on the same conditions as above: prerequisites at B or better (math, science and nutrition on the first try), 3.1 overall GPA, 3.0 science and math GPA, TEAS Level 2 on each subject, and the foreign-language requirement. The BSN page says pre-professional classes may be taken at another institution; special credit-transfer rules for nursing are not stated on the pages we read. Whether international transfer students can apply to nursing is not stated.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Apply to FAMU declaring nursing (Pre-Nursing); freshmen must submit SAT, ACT or CLT scores; EA 1 November, RD 1 February
• Finish the prerequisites (B or better, first attempt), 3.1 / 3.0 GPAs, TEAS Level 2 on each subject and the foreign language; apply to the professional level 1–15 May or 1–15 October; admission is not guaranteed

International applicants (including China):

• Course-by-course credential evaluation, TOEFL 80 / IELTS 6.5 / Duolingo 120, proof of funds, SAT/ACT scores (codes 5215 / 0726)
• Use of the gaokao, limits on clinical courses or licensure for international students and international scholarships are not published; ask admissions and the School

Transfer students:

• Apply to FAMU by 15 June (fall) or 1 November (spring); nursing uses the separate May or October window with the same conditions

Sources: Florida A&M University, Nursing BSN; Pre-Nursing Program; Traditional BSN prerequisites and application (PDF); Professional-level application checklist (PDF); Professional-level curriculum (PDF); Pre-nursing curriculum map (PDF); School of Nursing: About; Accreditation and student achievement data; Experiential learning and clinical coordination; Freshman; International; Transfer; Fee payments and schedule of fees; 2026-27 fee schedule (PDF). Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). The nursing prerequisites PDF is marked “Updated 02/13/2020 (subject to change)”, the curriculum map is the 2022 edition and the international page’s deadline table is printed for 2024; check that dates without a printed year apply to fall 2027 entry, and check FAMU’s website for the latest.