10 Best Nursing Schools That Accept Transfer Nursing Credits 2025

There are several reputable nursing schools that accept transfer nursing credits from other institutions. This is essential if you wish to complete your nursing degree sooner and avoid repeating prerequisites or general education coursework. Below, you can explore the best colleges for transfer students, specifically if you major in nursing.

Do Nursing Schools Accept Transfer Credits?

Yes, many colleges of nursing that offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) will grant course equivalencies, provided you earn them at an accredited college. This applies to general education courses, prerequisite courses, electives, and other pre-nursing classes.

The most important caveat is that you must achieve good grades in order for the courses to transfer to a BSN program. Each school of nursing is different, but some require you to earn either a C or B- to qualify for course credit.

10 Nursing Programs That Accept Transfer Credits

Here are 10 nursing programs that will permit you to transfer college credits from a community college. These include some of the most convenient online colleges that accept most transfer credits.

1. Arizona State University

Arizona State University has ''transfer pathway agreements'' with community colleges and other schools to make transferring into its BSN program easier for qualified applicants. Although based in Arizona, this online college accepts students from all but two states. Out-of-state transfer students must have at least a 2.5 GPA, whereas in-state residents only need a cumulative 2.0 GPA for admission.

• Estimated tuition cost: $580 per credit hour
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

2. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University features convenient online coursework for registered nurses (RN) who wish to complete their BSN degree while leveraging the credits they've already earned elsewhere. This program allows you to transfer up to 90 credit hours, which is equivalent to 75% of the BSN degree.

• Estimated tuition cost: $342 per credit hour
• Accreditation: CCNE

3. Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University has clear admissions guidelines for direct-entry and transfer students. Its registrar performs a credit evaluation, which determines if your previous coursework meets the standards of its bachelor's degree programs. This permits incoming RNs to earn course credit for lower-division subjects, such as microbiology, pharmacology, algebra, and statistics.

• Estimated tuition cost: $735 per credit hour
• Accreditation: CCNE

4. Victoria College of Nursing

Victoria College of Nursing is very generous in allowing transfer credits. It only requires you to complete 25% of nursing courses in its BSN program. Prospective nurses must follow the application steps carefully and submit all high school transcripts, college transcripts, and pay the school's application fee for consideration.

• Estimated tuition cost: $178 per credit hour
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

5. St. Joseph School of Nursing

St. Joseph School of Nursing has a five-step process for transferring credits into its degree and certificate programs. You must submit high school and college transcripts, take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) for program placement, and provide proof of citizenship. It does not accept all online courses for transfer, but will approve many in-person sciences courses (if taken within five years of applying).

• Estimated tuition cost: $494 per credit hour
• Accreditation: CCNE

6. New York University

New York University (NYU) is perhaps the most prestigious institution on this list. It accepts transfer students who come from other two-year or four-year colleges and will consider transferring credits, provided the applicant meets the other program requirements for admission.

Although NYU's tuition rates are noticeably higher than other schools, it offers generous financial aid options you should consider before enrolling.

• Estimated tuition cost: $1,844 per credit hour
• Accreditation: CCNE

7. Galen College of Nursing

Galen College of Nursing has accepted transfer students from hundreds of colleges throughout the U.S. It even claims it is common for students to bring previous credits into this program, and that most students submit at least one transcript from another institution.

Galen offers a variety of degree programs, including an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and an accelerated three-year baccalaureate degree in nursing.

• Estimated tuition cost: $540 per credit hour
• Accreditation: ACEN

8. Simmons University

Simmons University offers an RN-to-BSN program, which takes about two years to complete, and permits transfer credits to fulfill a substantial proportion of the program requirements. This school provides a terrific professor-to-student ratio of 6:1, and its graduates pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) 90% of the time on the first try.

Aspiring students must have at least a 3.3 GPA in all prerequisite courses for admission into this competitive program.

• Estimated tuition cost: $73,801.00 (total program cost)
• Accreditation: CCNE

9. Aultman College

Aultman College permits several transfer students into its nursing program each year. This includes traditional credit evaluation, but you can also test out of certain courses by taking the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). If you possess an unencumbered healthcare license, you could qualify for up to 65 credit hours with the PLA.

• Estimated tuition cost: $285 to $777 per credit hour
• Accreditation: CCNE

10. Hofstra College

Hofstra College's BSN program takes at least three years of full-time study for graduation. This means transfer students can receive credit to cover the fourth year if they complete enough general education and pre-nursing courses elsewhere.

You must complete transfer courses with at least a C+ grade within seven years, and biology and chemistry courses must include a laboratory component to be eligible.

• Estimated tuition cost: $1,695 per credit hour
• Accreditation: CCNE

How We Rank Schools

This is how we rank the schools on this list. Each nursing school must meet the following criteria: academic accreditation, credit-transfer policy, and positive nursing student outcomes.

• Accreditation: Each school receives nursing accreditation from CCNE or ACEN.
• Credit-transfer policy: We only include schools that will work with transfer students by offering credit for the college-level courses they've already taken.
• Nursing student outcomes: This refers to how well students do after graduation. These colleges have high first-time pass rates on licensing exams and help students obtain employment soon after completing their degrees.

Tips for Transferring Into a Nursing Program

The most important factor for transfer applications is making sure you have a suitable GPA to enroll in a new program. Schools with the most competitive admissions processes want you to have at least a 3.0 GPA (overall and in nursing courses) to qualify for acceptance.

Many nursing schools also require you to meet a certain scoring threshold on the TEAS, so you should study hard for that exam as well. If you are unsure about requirements, contact the college's admissions counselors to verify everything required in the application process.

FAQs About Transferring Nursing Credits

These are the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about transferring credit hours and credit evaluation. These address whether you can transfer credit for clinical work, along with how many courses will transfer.

What School Will Accept the Most Transfer Credits?

There are schools that may accept up to about 75% of potential transfer credits. Your best chance for this would be to apply for admission into a reputable online college, such as Arizona State University or Southern New Hampshire University, which are generous with transfer credits.

These accredited institutions have a solid reputation for being among the most proactive about securing articulation agreements with other schools to ensure nursing and science courses will transfer.

Do Nursing Programs Accept Clinical Course Transfers?

There are some nursing programs that may permit you to transfer clinical courses, but this is less common than it is for other pre-nursing coursework. It often depends on whether your new school considers a specific clinical practicum to have course equivalency with the version it offers.

How Many Nursing Credits Will Transfer?

If your credits qualify, many nursing programs will allow you to transfer up to 75% of courses from your previous nursing education. One way to be sure of this is to study the course requirements on your new college's website and see how many of those you've completed already.

What College Has the Easiest Nursing Program To Get Into?

The easiest nursing programs to get into are the ones that accept virtually 100% of applicants. Rasmussen University, for example, will accept almost all applicants if they follow the application instructions, submit official transcripts, and satisfy other basic requirements. It's also much easier to get into a community college program compared to the more competitive four-year nursing colleges.

Do Online Nursing Programs Accept Transfers?

Yes, most of the best accredited online nursing programs accept transfer students. Be sure to check the specific steps for transferring credits and remember that most schools require you to earn at least a grade of C in courses to transfer them to your new degree program.

Discover More Nursing Programs

We invite you to research the rest of Learn.org to discover more about nursing degrees at every academic level. This includes associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, licensure requirements, and more.