Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)

• 12-month program (Summer start), to be completed in three full-time semesters
• Direct transfer of previous baccalaureate degree credits
• Minimum prerequisite course requirements
• Excellent clinical experiences at major hospitals, community clinics, health departments, schools, and other health care facilities in the region
• Highly qualified faculty who are experienced teachers, researchers, and leaders in nursing and health care
• Technology-enhanced classrooms and accredited simulation laboratory facilities
• Outstanding preparation for the NCLEX, the national licensing exam for RNs—UT College of Nursing graduates consistently exceed both the state and national pass rates

ABSN Prerequisites

• All prerequisites must be completed, in progress, or planned at the time of application.
• Prerequisites must be completed before the program starts in the summer.
• It is not possible to complete any prerequisites concurrently with the upper-level nursing science courses.
• All prerequisite coursework can be completed at any accredited institution. Student with questions about acceptable institutions should contact the UT Office of the Registrar.
• There is no time limit on prerequisite course completion date. However, if you have science prerequisites that date back more than seven years, it may be beneficial to repeat these courses for preparation for the accelerated curriculum.
• • The program will allow one outstanding lab science course to be taken in the spring semester before the program begins. Applicants with two or more sciences to be completed in spring will be ineligible for the program. Applicants taking a lab science course in fall must send updated official transcripts, and update the transcript entry in NursingCAS.
• Contact the College of Nursing Student Services Office if you have questions regarding course equivalency. Use the transfer equivalency tables to find equivalent courses at other colleges/universities.

1. Apply to the College of Nursing through NursingCAS for the Accelerated BSN program. NursingCAS is a centralized application service for nursing programs. The application will open in August for entry into the Summer ABSN program. The deadline to submit applications for the Summer 2024 cohort through NursingCAS is December 1^st, 2023. Applications must be in the “Verified” status in NursingCAS by the application deadline. Applicants who fail to submit their application by the deadline will be ineligible for consideration.
2. Request Transcripts from all previous institutions. Applicants still enrolled should send their current institutions’ transcripts to NursingCAS as early as possible. If you are taking courses in the fall you must also submit a second updated transcript to NursingCAS once fall grades have been posted. If you will be enrolled in courses during spring, you must include a copy of your planned enrolled courses (course name, credit hours, and college/university); include in the document upload section.
3. Submit high school transcript if you completed your required one (1) year/unit US history at that time.
4. Complete UT application:
   • Transfer Application (if you have never attended UTK). Select Accelerated BSN for your first major choice.
   • Readmit Application (previous UTK student).

Admissions Process

Admission to the Accelerated BSN program of the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee is highly competitive and is based on the following criteria:

• Cumulative GPA for courses completed (overall)
• Cumulative GPA for required prerequisite courses
• Science GPA for required prerequisite courses.
• Availability of space

Admissions Decisions

Applicants will be notified in writing (mail and email communication) of admissions decisions. Decisions are sent out in February.

Admission to the program will be contingent upon:

• Admission to UT
• Successful complete of any remaining prerequisites (with a “C” grade or higher)
• Submission of updated transcript
• Health requirements, drug screening, and background check

Can prerequisite courses be completed at a different college/university?
Yes, prerequisite courses may be taken at your local college or university. The University of Tennessee will accept transfer credit of similar content from any two- or four-year accredited institutions—normally institutions with regional accreditation status in the United States. College transcripts are evaluated after a student is admitted to the university and typically are completed several weeks after the student is admitted. Credits that are not acceptable for transfer include courses that are remedial, occupational, technical, noncredit, or career coursework used for the applied science degree from career and technical programs. For more information regarding credit transfer, see Transfer Credit Policies & Procedures.

How many spaces typically are available each year?
The program enrolls 72 students per year.

Do you accept international students?
Yes, we accept international students into the program. International student applicants need to have their transcripts from international institutions evaluated by any evaluation agency that’s a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services). UT is able to process an application only after receiving the necessary report from the evaluation company. Companies offering these evaluation services include:

Academic Evaluation Services

Educational Credential Evaluators

World Education Services Inc. (WES)

Josef Silny & Associates Inc.

International applicants must also complete the following applications:

NursingCAS Application

University of Tennessee Undergraduate Admissions

Is there a wait list for the ABSN program?
Yes, students will be notified by email if placed on the wait list.

Does the Accelerated BSN program require the TEAS test?
No, the College of Nursing does not require this test as part of our admissions process.

Is there a time limit on completed prerequisites?
There is no time limit on prerequisite course completion date. However, if your science prerequisite date back more than seven years, it may be beneficial to repeat these courses for preparation for the accelerated curriculum.

Is there a part-time option for the program?
No, the Accelerated BSN program is a full-time program.

Can I work while in the program?
The program does not recommend working while being enrolled. However, students may be able to work a part-time schedule, as long as the hours do not conflict with classes, labs, or clinical times.

Does the program have an orientation?
Yes, the program has orientation that is held directly before the start of summer term.

Where will my clinical experiences be located?
Clinical experiences are located in the Knoxville/East Tennessee area. Most clinical locations are a 30 minute drive or less from campus.

What will my schedule be?
Course and clinical schedules will vary semester by semester. Schedules usually post one to two weeks before the semester begins. Students will have classes, clinical experiences, and labs 5 days a week.

What is your NCLEX pass rate?
Three year University of Tennessee ABSN program NCLEX pass rate is 98.7%

Do you accept “C-“or “D” grades?
No, prerequisites courses must be completed with a “C” or higher.

What are your averages for admission?
Four (4) year Average Cumulative GPA: 3.45
Four (4) year Average Pre-requisite GPA: 3.52

How much is the Tuition and Fees for the ABSN program?
Tuition and Fees information can be found on our Undergraduate Fees page, linked below:

https://nursing.utk.edu/undergraduate-programs/undergraduate-fees/

What if I took a course that should be used as a prerequisite course? How do I get the course reviewed?
Contact the Office of Student Services (conadvising@utk.edu) for course questions. We will require a syllabus for the course in question.

Do you accept online courses?
Yes, as long as the course is from a regionally accredited institution. For more information regarding credit transfer, see Transfer Credit Policies & Procedures.

Do you accept S/CR/NC Grades?
We will accept S grades only for Spring 2020. If an Applicant has “S” grades from another term the Program Director will determine if acceptable. “CR” and “N” grades are not acceptable.

How many applications need to be completed?
All applicants must complete two applications. One application through NursingCAS and the other application through the University of Tennessee.

Do you required an Essay or Letters of Recommendation?
No, we do not require an essay nor recommendation letters.

Do you offer scholarships to ABSN students?
Yes, we have several scholarships that ABSN students can apply for.

Do you accept credit by exam courses?
No