Frequently asked questions
We do not offer an accelerated track. The professional nursing curriculum is designed to be completed in six academic quarters (two years) after admission.
Priority application deadline: March 1 for fall term entry on both the College Place and Portland campuses, including currently enrolled and transfer students.
Yes. Current WWU students who have declared a nursing major will receive application instructions by email from the School of Nursing. You will also work with your nursing academic advisor to plan your course schedule to include the required pre-requisite courses.
Applicants must complete at least 96 college credits by the program start date.
Yes. However, most prerequisite and general studies courses should be finished at the time of application, although a few (approximately three) may be in progress. All outstanding courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C before the program begins. Students should work with a nursing advisor to ensure their plan for completion meets program requirements. For transfer students, official transcripts confirming completion of all coursework must be submitted to the WWU Academic Records Office before the start date.
Please see our nursing Transfer Course guide for information on specific pre-requisite course transferability. If you cannot find your institution, contact a nursing advisor at nursing@wallawalla.edu for assistance.
Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry, and Microbiology must be completed within 5 years of the application due date.
Yes! All pre-requisite courses are offered on the WWU main campus in College Place, Washington. Students completing pre-requisite courses on the College Place campus are given priority consideration during the application process.
We use your cumulative GPA for admissions decisions. Your cumulative GPA calculation is based on all college level courses completed at the time of application. Your GPA must remain above the required level as you complete pre-requisite courses for your acceptance to be valid. GPA requirements are as follow:
B.S. in Nursing: 3.0 cumulative GPA
No. We no longer require extra letters of recommendation for transfer students, and current WWU students do not need to submit additional references.
No. The School of Nursing no longer requires pre-admission testing.
The essays are a significant part of the review process. They help the committee understand your motivation for nursing, how you respond to challenges, and how you work with others. Essays are scored using structured rubrics and reviewed in context.
No. Health care experience is not required to apply. Applicants may reference work, volunteer, academic, or personal experiences that have informed their interest in nursing.
Applicants may indicate a primary campus preference. Placement is subject to availability and program approval. If your preferred campus is full, you may be considered for the alternate campus.
The nursing admissions committee will not consider an incomplete application. Application files are compiled in the Admissions Office on the College Place campus. A complete file consists of all of the following:
- WWU application
- Submission of ALL official transcripts
- Completion of the nursing application
Learn more about the WWU School of Nursing admissions processes:
When you complete the WWU application, you will receive a student ID number and correspondence from the Admissions Office which will describe how you can track your application file on mywwu.wallawalla.edu. If you do not receive this information, please call the Admissions Office at (800) 541-8900 ext. 2327. The Admissions Office routinely sends out electronic notification to applicants indicating missing items.
The School of Nursing uses an application scoring system that is based on academic and non-academic factors including: Cumulative GPA, anatomy & physiology and the other lab science course grades (research indicates performance in these courses has a strong correlation to success in nursing school), pre-requisite completion at WWU, and content of the application essay.
It takes about 8 weeks after the close of applications to review all applications and process them.
The number of students admitted is contingent on the availability of qualified clinical learning experiences with final enrollment determined each cycle.
You only need to apply once. On the application, you will indicate your preferred campus and whether you would like to be considered for the other location. Offers are made based on clinical capacity and available space.
Students who begin their prerequisite and general studies coursework on the College Place campus may, after admission to the nursing program, complete the nursing program curriculum at either the College Place or Portland campus.
Compliance with all required immunizations is necessary for participation in clinical learning experiences. Because requirements are determined by our clinical partners and may vary by site, some vaccines may allow declination with appropriate documentation; however, students who do not meet a clinical agency’s requirements may be denied placement and unable to progress in the program.
Your clinical experiences are coordinated through the campus in which you are enrolled and take place at healthcare agencies throughout the surrounding region. Longstanding partnerships with local health systems, clinics, and community organizations provide diverse and high-quality hands-on learning opportunities
Yes. The Portland campus offers resident housing for nursing students in Hansen Hall. Students accepted and attending classes on the Portland campus can submit an online application for housing in Hansen Hall.
No. We have no online, evening, or weekend nursing classes.
Class and clinical schedules vary by term and by course. Nursing courses are typically scheduled in two-day blocks (for example, Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday), with clinical experiences assigned on alternate days. Clinical days and times may include day, evening, night and/or occasional weekend shifts; however, Sabbath hours are avoided. All clinical assignments are determined by course faculty.
Yes. Students who are currently enrolled in or have previously attended a nursing program may apply and are considered on an individual, space-available basis. All standard admission requirements must be met.
To be eligible, applicants must have been enrolled in a regionally accredited nursing program within the past two years, be in good academic standing and eligible to return, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. A letter from the dean of the previous nursing program confirming good standing and eligibility to continue is required, along with syllabi for all completed nursing courses.
Nursing transfer credit is evaluated through a review of prior coursework and is accepted only from nationally accredited baccalaureate nursing programs (e.g., CCNE or ACEN). General education and cognate courses transfer according to WWU policy.
Applicants are encouraged to connect with a School of Nursing advisor at nursing@wallawalla.edu for guidance on prerequisites, application readiness, and program expectations.