How to Apply to the University of Illinois Chicago’s Nursing (BSN) Degree: Direct Admission as a First-Year Student on the Chicago Campus, Transfer With 57 Credits, a 2.75 GPA and a 2.50 Science GPA, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is in Chicago, Illinois. The bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) is offered by the College of Nursing, which lists three pathways: first-year (high school graduates), Chicago campus only; transfer, offered on the Chicago, Springfield and Urbana campuses; and an online RN-to-BSN for licensed nurses (mentioned only briefly here). The college page says it “now accepts students directly to our program in Chicago as freshmen,” after decades of accepting undergraduates only as transfer students at the junior level. This guide summarises UIC’s published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students.

1. Degree and program

• Degree and college: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The catalog lists 120 semester hours: 57 hours of pre-nursing studies and 63 hours of College of Nursing coursework, in three levels: foundation (first and second years), middle (junior year) and terminal (senior year).
• Accreditation and licensure: the catalog says the baccalaureate program is accredited by CCNE and approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), and the BSN provides eligibility to apply for the NCLEX-RN. An NCLEX pass rate is not on the pages we read; not published there.
• Other tracks in one line: the RN-to-BSN accepts applications year-round (the catalog lists a current U.S. RN license and a 2.50 cumulative transfer GPA); Dual Admission pathways exist with contracted community colleges (ADN + BSN); and the Springfield location has Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA), where freshmen admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield are guaranteed a place in the Springfield nursing program if criteria are met. These are not covered here.
• Honors: the transfer page says the UIC Honors College is an option for motivated undergraduates and has its own supplemental application. A nursing-specific honors or research program and any STEM designation are not on the pages we read; not published there.
• Pre-health advising is outside this guide; check UIC’s site.

2. How you get into nursing (first-year)

• Admission route: recent high school graduates seeking the Chicago location are classified as new freshmen and apply to the College of Nursing. The catalog says students can be admitted to the nursing program as first-year admission, and also that students can complete the first two years at any UIC college (the Pre-Nursing Studies program in Liberal Arts and Sciences is the most common) or at another accredited college and then enter nursing.
• Review: holistic, considering high school GPA, the strength of the schedule and personal statements; letters of recommendation, activities and other documents are also strongly considered.
• Numbers: the college says there is “no minimum to apply,” but the most successful candidates have an ACT composite of 28 (optional) or SAT of 1310 or higher (optional) and an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above. Admissions also publishes the middle 50 percent of the admitted fall 2026 first-year class (not cut-offs): for the College of Nursing, test-optional students had unweighted GPAs of 3.6–4.0 and took an average of 6–9 honors/AP/IB classes; test-inclusive students had GPAs of 3.8–4.0 and SAT scores of 1240–1378 (ACT 26–30).
• Whether first-year admits are guaranteed to progress into the nursing courses: the pages we read do not say whether progression has a GPA or course threshold; not published there, so ask the college (conapply@uic.edu).
• TEAS/HESI, interview, clinical or volunteer experience: not listed on the first-year page; not published there.
• Background check and drug test: the catalog says all students are required to have a background check and drug test upon admission; if results show a student would not be eligible for placement at the college’s practicum agencies, admission will be rescinded. Health examinations, vaccinations and insurance details are not on the pages we read; not published there.
• Grade rules: the catalog says students must earn at least a C in all required General Education and nursing courses and keep cumulative and nursing GPAs of at least 2.00; one grade of D or less (or U) brings a warning, academic notice and a repeat, and a second leads to a dismissal review.

3. Prerequisites, curriculum and credit

• High school course recommendations: not required, but admissions says they make an application more competitive: English 4 years; mathematics 3–4 years (algebra, geometry, advanced algebra/trigonometry); science 3 years; social science 3 years; second language 2 years. A separate “STEM and Business” column recommends 4 years each of math and science; the page does not say which column nursing belongs to, so ask admissions.
• Pre-nursing studies (57 hours, catalog): ENGL 160 and 161 (3 each); BIOS 250 Microbiology and Application to Health (3); CHEM 115 Comprehensive General and Organic Chemistry (5); KN 230 and 231 Anatomy and Physiology lectures (3 each) and KN 232 and 233 labs (2 each); NURS 250 Human Development Across the Lifespan (3); HN 196 Nutrition (3); STAT 101 or STAT 130 (4); General Education courses of 3 hours each in Exploring World Cultures, Understanding the Creative Arts, Understanding the Individual and Society (PSCH 100 recommended), Understanding the Past and Understanding U.S. Society (SOC 100 recommended); and 0–8 hours of LAS electives.
• Nursing courses (63 hours): the catalog lists health assessment and communications, foundations of nursing practice, pathophysiology and pharmacology 1–2, adult health nursing 1–2, introduction to evidence-based practice, nursing care of women and childbearing families, pediatric, psychiatric-mental health and population health nursing, leadership, and transition to professional nursing practice. The transfer sample schedule is four semesters totaling 63 hours.
• Clinical: the college says rotations cover adult health, pediatrics, women’s health, psychiatric mental health, community and population health and specialty settings. Partners include UI Health System, Cook County Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Northwestern Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Advocate Health System and Loyola Medicine, among others (the list is “not limited to” these and sites may change). Schedules may include day, evening, weekend and occasional night shifts; most rotations are one or two days a week of six to 12 hours, and reliable transportation is required. Total clinical hours are not on the pages we read; not published there. Clinical policies are in the BSN Student Handbook.
• AP/IB: admissions says AP or IB scores are not required but will be reviewed if provided; how much credit they earn, and whether they replace pre-nursing courses, is not on the pages we read; not published there.

4. Rounds and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• First-year deadlines: the two sources differ. The College of Nursing page says early action 1 November and regular decision 3 February. The admissions “Requirements & Deadlines” page says fall 2027 first-year early action 2 November 2026 and regular decision 1 February 2027, with all documents complete by the deadline. Follow the application system and confirm with admissions.
• Application and fee: through the Common App, including UIC’s own questions and essays under “My Colleges”; the fee is $70 or a fee waiver (waivers are for domestic applicants only; UIC does not offer fee waivers to international students).
• Transcripts and testing: official high school transcripts. SAT/ACT are optional; if you submit one you must provide a score report, and self-reported scores and superscores are not accepted (scores listed on the transcript or an unofficial report with your name and test date are accepted).
• Recommendations: the nursing page says letters of recommendation are strongly considered; admissions suggests letters from teachers, counselors or activity supervisors and the Common App mid-year report once first-semester senior grades are available.
• A separate nursing deadline, supplement or NursingCAS: not on the first-year pages we read; not published there. Only nursing transfer has its own deadline (see section 9).

5. U.S. applicants

• Tuition: the transfer BSN overview says tuition is $11,500 per semester for 12+ credit hours for in-state students (marked with an asterisk). First-year and out-of-state tuition are not on the pages we read; not published there. The full tuition tables are on the registrar’s site (we read only the index page; the tables are on apps.registrar.uic.edu, which we did not open). Admissions offers a cost estimator.
• Nursing surcharges, clinical-related costs: not on the pages we read; not published there.
• Aid and scholarships: admissions says most university and college scholarships are considered automatically when you apply; file the FAFSA for need-based aid; fall applicants should apply by the scholarship priority date. For new Illinois residents from households with incomes of $75,000 or less, the page describes the UIC Aspire program with $0 tuition and fees in fall 2026 (another sentence calls it new for 2025–2026; check). The UIC Merit Tuition Award is for high-achieving non-resident U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The Honors College has its own scholarships.
• In-state preference: no nursing-specific preference on the pages we read; not published there.

6. International applicants

• The College of Nursing’s notes: international applicants submit the same application as U.S. students plus TOEFL or IELTS scores; university- or college-issued transcripts or mark sheets in the original language; a certified English translation; and proof of all degrees awarded. That page covers all the college’s programs and lists college-level documents; for first-year applicants see the admissions requirements in section 2.
• Funds and fees: after the college recommends admission, international applicants must show evidence of financial support for the first year, and the Office of Admissions may charge an additional, non-negotiable fee. The admissions first-year page says international applicants must meet the core requirements and show evidence of English competence and financial certification. The English score thresholds and whether nursing requires more are not on the pages we read; not published there. UIC’s international requirements page is organized by country and loads dynamically, so we did not use it; check it for your country.
• Scholarships: no nursing-specific international scholarship on the pages we read; not published there.
• Clinical courses, the licensure exam, Social Security number: not addressed on the nursing pages we read; ask the College of Nursing.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: not mentioned on the pages we read; not published there.
• Transcripts and Huikao materials: no China entry on the pages we read; not published there. The admissions international requirements page (country-based, dynamic, not used here) may list them; check it for your country or ask admissions.
• China-specific notes for nursing: none on the pages we read.

8. Costs in brief

• The only figure we read is the transfer BSN page’s $11,500 per semester (in-state, 12+ credit hours). For estimates use the admissions estimator; for tables see the registrar.

9. Transfer students

• Format and timing: the traditional BSN admits transfer students for fall only. Applicants must have completed 57 credit hours of college coursework; once admitted, students finish in four full-time semesters (no summers) on the Chicago, Springfield or Urbana campus, in a hybrid format. The college says that because every admitted BSN student needs 57 hours, all admissions are considered transfer admissions, and admission is very competitive.
• Minimums: 2.75 cumulative transfer GPA; 2.50 natural science GPA; two of the four prerequisite science courses completed by the 15 January priority deadline. Meeting the minimums leads to a review and is not a guarantee.
• Prerequisites: all BSN prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better by the start of the program, and an application may be submitted while coursework is in progress. The four prerequisite science courses (human anatomy and physiology I and II, microbiology, general chemistry) must have been completed within seven years before starting. The 57-hour course list is in section 3. Transferology can show how your courses transfer.
• Deadlines: the college lists a priority deadline of 15 January and a final deadline of 1 April. Admissions lists fall 2027 Transfer Nursing 15 January 2027 and fall 2027 Transfer 1 April 2027.
• Outside students and international transfer: prerequisites can be completed at UIC or another accredited college. The college page says international applicants may need additional documentation and points to the admissions international requirements page; whether international transfer students are accepted is not on the pages we read; not published there.
• TEAS/HESI, interview: not listed on the transfer pages we read; not published there.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Chicago campus first-year: Common App; early action early November and regular decision early February (the two pages differ, so confirm); $70 fee; testing optional
• Follow the recommended high school courses (English 4, math 3–4, science 3, social science 3, language 2)
• Ask the college what is needed to progress into the nursing courses after first-year admission

International applicants (including China):

• Same application plus TOEFL or IELTS, transcripts with certified English translation and first-year funding proof after recommendation; check UIC’s country-based international requirements page for score thresholds and China-specific items

Transfer students:

• 57 credit hours, 2.75 transfer GPA, 2.50 natural science GPA, two prerequisite sciences by 15 January; 15 January priority and 1 April final deadlines

Sources: University of Illinois Chicago, College of Nursing: three BSN pathways; College of Nursing: BSN for Freshmen; College of Nursing: BSN for Transfer Students; College of Nursing: Admissions and Applying; College of Nursing: Clinical Experiences; College of Nursing: sample schedule for transfer students; College of Nursing: International Applicants; Catalog: College of Nursing; Catalog: BS in Nursing; Admissions: First-Year Requirements; Admissions: Requirements and Deadlines; Admissions: Tuition and Financial Aid. Some pages print no year and costs are mostly 2026–27 figures; check UIC’s website for the latest for fall 2027 entry.