Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Admission Requirements

STEP 1: GENERAL UNIVERSITY ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

The applicant must be fully admitted to Youngstown State University.

STEP 2: PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants must first apply and be admitted to the University before submitting a Nursing Program application.
• Official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions and high schools must be submitted to the YSU Admissions Office.
• LPNs and students requesting transfer of nursing courses from another program should refer to the Centofanti School of Nursing Advanced Standing Policy.

Academic Requirements: 

• Completion of all required pre-nursing courses with a grade of “C” or better.
• Pre-nursing GPA of 3.0 or greater in required pre-nursing courses.
• Cumulative GPA of 2.50 or greater in all college coursework.
• Completion of the following pre-nursing courses:
  • BIOL 1551/L – Human Anatomy & Physiology 1 (with lab)
  • BIOL 1552/L – Human Anatomy & Physiology 2 (with lab)
  • CHEM 1510/L – Chemistry for Allied Health (with lab)
  • ENGL1550 OR ENGL 1549 (with support) - Writing 1
  • ENGL 1551 – Writing 2
  • PSYC 1560 – General Psychology
  • PSYC 3578 – Lifespan Development
  • SOC 1500 – Introduction to Sociology
  • STAT 2625 – Statistics (support course STAT 2625C may be required)
  • Note: YSU 1500 (First Year Orientation) is required but is not included in the pre-nursing GPA calculation. 

Additional Admission Considerations:

• Number of course repetitions: Applicants may have no more than two (2) repetitions in any pre-nursing course within the last five years.
• Availability of program spaces. 

STEP 3: REQUEST A REVIEW

Applicants must submit an Online Request for Review. 

• Request period opens: October 1, 2025
• Request deadline: December 10, 2025 - 4:00PM EST
   

Before Requesting a Review Checklist:

• Have been fully admitted to YSU and have a student ID number
• Have submitted all official transcripts to YSU
• Complete all pre-requisites and meet GPA requirements listed in Step 2.
   

After submitting the Request for Review, students will receive a response within 7 business days.  This will be sent to their YSU email address only. 

STEP 4: SUBMIT FULL APPLICATION

Only applicants who meet the program admissions requirements will receive a personalized link to apply to the program. This link cannot be shared with other individuals.

• Application Submission Deadline: Applicants must submit their online application by 4:00 PM (EST) on the Friday of week 16 (Finals Week) in December. 

STEP 5: POST ACCEPTANCE

• Students must provide satisfactory evidence of the following:
• Current CPR certification (BLS for Health Care Providers).
• Completed history and physical examination.
• Immunization records.
• Fingerprinting and drug testing through CastleBranch.
• Note: Certain felony offenses may bar students from taking the licensure exam or securing clinical placements, which may impact program progression.

Post Acceptance Contact Information
Program Director: Randi Heasley, DNP, RN, CNE | rlheasley@ysu.edu  

More Resources: 

• Apply to YSU
• More BSN Information