Traditional BSN Admission Criteria

Pre-Clinical Admission Criteria

Admission to the University of Missouri – St. Louis as a pre-clinical nursing student does not guarantee admission into the clinical track of any of the Pre-Licensure BSN Options (Traditional, Accelerated or Part-Time Evening/Weekend), unless a student is admitted to the Traditional BSN Option under the Freshman Guaranteed Clinical Criteria.

Freshman Guaranteed Clinical Criteria

First-time freshmen and applicants with fewer than 24 transferable college credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university who meet the following minimum criteria may earn a guaranteed clinical space in the Traditional BSN Option:

• Admission to the University of Missouri – St. Louis
• Minimum ACT score of 22
• Minimum core high school GPA of 2.75 (as calculated by UMSL's Office of Admissions)

In order to keep their guaranteed clinical space, students must maintain the following minimum criteria upon enrollment at UMSL:

• Full-time enrollment at the University of Missouri – St. Louis
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (GPA is calculated on all attempts of all undergraduate courses)
• Minimum science GPA of 2.75 (GPA is calculated on first attempts only of: Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology II and Microbiology)
• Completion of all general education course requirements
• Grade of C- or higher in all prerequisite courses

Freshman General Admission Criteria

First-time freshmen and applicants with fewer than 24 transferable college credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university who do not qualify for a Guaranteed Clinical Space—but do meet the following minimum criteria—may still qualify for admission to the nursing major as a pre-clinical student:

• Admission to the University of Missouri – St. Louis
• Minimum ACT score of 21
• Minimum core high school GPA of 2.5 (as calculated by UMSL's Office of Admissions)

Students admitted under the Freshman General Admission Criteria must still apply competitively for a clinical space during their sophomore year (see “Clinical Admission Criteria” below).

Transfer Student Admission Criteria

Applicants with 24 or more transferable college credit hours* from a regionally accredited college or university who meet the following minimum criteria may qualify for admission to the nursing major as a pre-clinical student:

• Admission to the University of Missouri – St. Louis
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (GPA is calculated on all attempts of all transferable undergraduate courses)

*Once an applicant has earned 24 or more transferable college credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university, we do not take ACT score and/or high school GPA into consideration for admissions purposes.

Clinical Admission Criteria

Clinical spaces are awarded on a competitive and space-available basis for each admission period.  Admission to the University of Missouri – St. Louis does not guarantee admission into the clinical track of the Traditional BSN Option—unless a student meets the Freshman Guaranteed Clinical Criteria (see above).

Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria to apply for a clinical space in the Traditional BSN Option:

• Admission to the University of Missouri – St. Louis
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (GPA is calculated on all attempts of all transferable undergraduate courses)
• Minimum science GPA of 2.5 (GPA is calculated on first attempts only of: Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology II and Microbiology)
• Required science courses (listed above) completed within 10 years prior to enrollment
• Completion of all general education course requirements
• Grade of C- or higher in all prerequisite courses

Applicants planning to complete the general education / prerequisite coursework at an institution other than the University of Missouri – St. Louis should consult an academic advisor at the College of Nursing prior to enrollment, to ensure that such coursework meets the College’s requirements.

Click here to view application deadlines.