Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Transfer Entry Information
Admission Requirements
Acceptance into the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program is dependent upon the following criteria for transfer students:
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above in college courses at the time of admission.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above in the prerequisite BSN Foundation Requirement courses of Anatomy and Physiology with labs and Microbiology with lab at the time of admission.
- The grade earned in courses transferred from an institution on the quarter system will be calculated against the semester credit equivalency. Examples include: 3 quarter credits equal 2 semester credits; 4 quarter credits equal 2.67 semester credits; 5 quarter credits equal 3.33 semester credits.
- Completion of a high school or college level general chemistry course.
- Completion of all prerequisite courses by the time the student begins nursing (NRS) courses at the University of Portland. Prerequisite coursework must be taken at an accredited college or university and must be graded with a C or higher. Pass/No Pass is not accepted for prerequisites. Students may not audit a required prerequisite course.
- Satisfactory completion of all professional practice entry requirements, including background check, clean drug screen, HIPAA, American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification, and all immunizations.
Transfer students' GPA for admission is computed from all transcripts submitted for review.
Transfer student admission is very competitive with average GPAs significantly higher than the requirement.
Internal Transfer to BSN Program
Internal transfer into the BSN program is available on a limited, space-available basis. University of Portland non-nursing majors who wish to transfer into the BSN program must meet the same prerequisite and BSN Foundation requirements and GPA minimums as external transfer applicants. Students must have completed at least 49 semester credits prior to beginning the BSN program but completion of 60 credits is recommended for full financial aid eligibility as a Junior. Admitted students will begin the BSN program in the fall of their Junior year. They will complete the program in five consecutive semesters including the summer between Junior and Senior years. All University core requirements must be completed before beginning the BSN program with the exception of one exploration level course.
The internal transfer application process begins with submitting the Transfer Within the University form in Etrieve. Applicants will then be sent a link to supplemental essay questions. Once all materials are received, applications will be evaluated, and admittance will be determined based on available cohort space. If you would like to learn more about internal transfer or if you have any questions, please email Andrea Coughlan (coughlan@up.edu) for assistance.
Admission Information and Resources
Request further information by emailing Andrea Coughlan (coughlan@up.edu), Academic Advisor.
Application Information and Checklist
- Application
- Applications for Fall 2026 entry are accepted between August 1, 2025 and January 10, 2026. The application form is available here.
- Two essays (mandatory for application submission)
- Official college transcript(s)
- Please send electronic transcripts to admission_documents@up.edu or hard copies to the address below:
- University of Portland
Office of Admissions
Attn: Transfer Nursing Program
5000 N Willamette Blvd
Portland OR 97203
- There will be no application fee for Fall 2026.
For Transfer Into the BSN Program:
- A minimum of 49 semester credit hours (73.5 quarter credit hours) accepted in transfer is required to begin the BSN program.
- Completion of at least 60 semester credit hours (90 quarter credit hours) is recommended for full financial aid eligibility as a Junior.
- Transfer courses may be taken at any accredited college or university.
- Transfer courses must be 100-level or above and graded C or above. Pass/No Pass is not accepted. Students may not audit a required prerequisite course.
- Prerequisites must be completed prior to beginning the nursing program.
- The University of Portland reserves the right to determine transfer equivalency.
- All prerequisite University Core Curriculum Requirements and BSN Foundation Requirements taken at other institutions require approval by the School of Nursing & Health Innovations.
- Please see the Equivalency Guidelines for Local Colleges and Universities and email course descriptions to Andrea Coughlan (coughlan@up.edu) if you need assistance determining if a course fulfills one of the requirements.
Curriculum
