10 Online Nursing Schools That Accept AP Credits

If you took AP courses in high school, those exam scores could still be working for you as you pursue a nursing degree. Depending on the school, AP credit can knock out general education requirements before you even start, freeing up more room in your schedule for the coursework that actually gets you closer to a nursing career.

There are several online colleges that accept AP credits, and below, you'll find 10 that pair real AP credit policies with genuine online nursing programs. We'll also cover an important nuance worth understanding upfront: how AP credit applies can look different depending on whether you're entering nursing school for the first time or completing a bridge program as an already-licensed nurse.

How Do AP Credits Work? 

AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and each college independently decides what score it requires and how much credit it awards for a passing result. A score of 3 is the most common minimum threshold nationally, though some schools require a 4 or 5, particularly for more advanced or specialized courses.

Depending on the school, a qualifying score can translate into direct college credit, advanced placement that lets you skip an introductory course without earning credit for it, or both. Credit amounts also vary by subject: a single AP exam might be worth three credit hours at one school and satisfy an entire year-long course sequence at another. Because policies differ so much, it's worth checking a specific school's AP credit policy directly, either through its admissions office or the College Board's AP credit policy search tool, before assuming your scores will transfer the way you expect.

Do Online Nursing Schools Accept AP Credits?

Many online nursing schools do accept AP credits, though there's an important nuance worth understanding before you count on it: most online nursing programs are RN-to-BSN completion programs, built for students who are already licensed registered nurses, not incoming freshmen applying with AP scores in hand. That distinction matters because it shapes exactly where AP credit ends up helping.

For RN-to-BSN students, AP credit typically applies to general education and elective requirements rather than nursing-major coursework, since the nursing-specific portion of the degree is already accounted for by the student's existing RN license and prior nursing education. AP credit is most directly useful for students pursuing a traditional or prelicensure BSN track, even if that particular track isn't the program a school offers online. If you're weighing AP credit as part of your decision, it's worth confirming with admissions exactly how it applies to the specific nursing pathway you're pursuing, since the answer can look very different depending on whether you're starting from scratch or completing a bridge program. 

10 Online Nursing Schools That Accept AP Credits

Here's a closer look at 10 online nursing programs paired with real, documented AP credit policies, from state-mandated minimums to school-specific score requirements. 

1. Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU), based in Tempe, offers online and hybrid nursing programs through its Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, including RN-to-BSN, an RN-to-MSN bridge, MSN, and a hybrid DNP. ASU holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), with its nursing programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

ASU allows students to use AP exams to test out of up to half of their total credit requirements, 60 credits for a bachelor's degree. Most courses require a score of 4 or 5, though some accept a 3, and students have to choose whether their AP credit applies to lower-level or higher-level coursework, since ASU won't let the same credit count toward both.

2. Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern University, based in Statesboro, Georgia, offers a fully online RN-to-BSN program through its School of Nursing, built for working registered nurses and delivered asynchronously. The university carries institutional accreditation, and its nursing program holds CCNE accreditation.

AP exams are one of several standardized tests, alongside CLEP, DSST, and IB, that Georgia Southern evaluates through its Credit by Examination policy. Qualifying scores translate to course credit that doesn't affect a student's GPA, and specific score thresholds vary by subject, so it's worth checking the university's credit-by-exam chart for the exact courses you're hoping to satisfy.

3. Lehman College

Lehman College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, offers both a traditional on-campus BSN and a fully online RN-to-BS completion program through its Department of Nursing. As one of the best online colleges in New York, Lehman is institutionally accredited, and its nursing programs carry CCNE accreditation.

Lehman's AP policy runs stricter than many schools on this list: students need a score of 4 or 5, rather than the more common minimum of 3, to receive credit and exemption from the equivalent course. That higher bar is worth factoring in if you're counting on AP credit to reduce your gen-ed load before starting nursing coursework.

4. Ohio State University

The Ohio State University's College of Nursing, based in Columbus, offers online programs spanning RN-to-BSN completion through doctoral study. Ohio State carries HLC institutional accreditation, and its nursing programs hold CCNE accreditation.

Ohio State's AP policy is shaped by state law: Ohio's University System guarantees college credit for AP scores of 3 or higher across its public institutions, and Ohio State even publishes AP and IB credit guidance specifically for its Direct Enrollment Pathway into the BSN program. That combination of a low, state-mandated score threshold and nursing-specific guidance makes it one of the more transparent options on this list for incoming students.

5. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), based in Manchester, offers an online RN-to-BSN program with no caps or waitlists, part of a catalog of more than 200 online degrees. SNHU carries institutional accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), and its nursing programs hold CCNE accreditation.

SNHU allows students to apply up to 90 transfer credit hours toward a bachelor's degree, factoring in AP exam results alongside CLEP scores and other transfer credit. Most subjects only require a score of 3 to qualify, though some areas, like foreign language, call for a 4 or 5.

6. University of Alabama

Based in Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama's Capstone College of Nursing offers online RN-to-BSN, RN-to-MSN, MSN, DNP, and post-master's certificate programs. The university carries SACSCOC institutional accreditation, and its nursing programs are accredited by CCNE.

Alabama evaluates AP scores alongside CLEP, IB, and GCE exams through its Credit by Examination policy, with specific thresholds varying by subject. One detail worth knowing: credit earned this way doesn't count toward the university's residency requirements, meaning it can't substitute for the portion of coursework that must be completed at a four-year institution or at Alabama specifically, so it works best as a supplement rather than a way to shortcut those requirements entirely.

7. University of Florida

The University of Florida (UF), based in Gainesville, delivers its College of Nursing's RN-to-BSN program through the UF Online platform, alongside general education pathways that are widely used by incoming students. UF is institutionally accredited by SACSCOC, and its nursing program carries CCNE accreditation.

UF is notably generous with AP credit: a score of 3 or higher earns credit on most exams, and higher scores unlock more credit hours per test. There's a cap worth knowing about, though — all exam-based credit combined, including AP, IB, and CLEP, tops out at 45 credit hours, so it's worth planning which exams to prioritize if you're approaching that limit.

8. University of Iowa

The University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, offers a fully online RN-to-BSN program through its College of Nursing, which participates in the university's standard AP credit policy alongside its Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering, Pharmacy, and Public Health. The university is regionally accredited, and its RN-to-BSN program carries CCNE accreditation.

Iowa awards credit for more than 30 AP exams, with students earning anywhere from 3 to 8 semester hours per test depending on the subject and score. Combined AP, CLEP, IB, and Cambridge International credit is capped at 30 hours total, and because the College of Nursing follows the same published policy as several other colleges at Iowa, it's easy to check exactly what a given score will translate to before enrolling.

9. University of Massachusetts Global

University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global), a nonprofit institution based in Aliso Viejo, California, offers an online RN-to-BSN program for licensed registered nurses through its School of Nursing and Health Professions. The university holds institutional accreditation, and its RN-to-BSN program is CCNE-accredited.

UMass Global awards credit for AP scores of 3, 4, or 5, a straightforward threshold applied consistently across its approved exam list. As with most other credit sources at the university, exam credit acceptance isn't automatic for every degree program, so it's worth confirming with an academic advisor how AP credit applies specifically before you count on it.

10. University of Oklahoma

Founded in 1911, the University of Oklahoma's Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing is the state's largest nursing program, offering distance education across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels through its Health Sciences Center. The university holds institutional accreditation, and its nursing programs are CCNE-accredited.

Oklahoma's AP policy is shaped directly by state law: under House Bill 2750, public institutions of higher education in Oklahoma can't require an AP score higher than 3 to award credit, and scores of 1 or 2 aren't accepted at all. That low, legally mandated threshold makes Oklahoma one of the more predictable options on this list for students hoping to use AP scores toward their degree.

How We Rank Schools

To create this list, we review data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), along with program-level details published by each university. Because this list is specifically about AP credit acceptance, we weighted a few additional factors on top of the standard institutional data:

• Documented AP credit policy: Every school on this list has a publicly available AP credit chart or policy specifying minimum scores and credit awarded by subject.
• Accreditation: All schools are institutionally accredited, and every nursing program included is accredited by CCNE.
• Online nursing program availability: We prioritized schools offering genuine online RN-to-BSN or prelicensure BSN programs, so the list serves students actually pursuing a nursing degree remotely.
• Transparency: We noted where AP credit applies broadly across general education requirements versus where it's limited by caps or program-specific restrictions, so you know what to expect before enrolling.

Learn more about our ranking methodology. 

How to Send Your AP Scores to a Nursing School 

Getting AP credit applied to your nursing degree comes down to a few concrete steps, and doing them early can save you from scrambling right before classes start.

• Request your official score report through College Board: Scores aren't automatically sent to every school you apply to, so you'll need to use your school's specific AP code to direct your official report there.
• Check the school's AP credit policy before you apply: Most schools publish a chart listing minimum scores and credit awarded by subject, so you can see exactly what to expect before committing to a program.
• Submit scores as early as possible: Some schools only evaluate AP credit for incoming students during a specific window, and processing can take time, especially during peak admissions season.
• Confirm how credit applies to your specific program: Since AP credit often applies to general education requirements rather than nursing-major coursework, it's worth asking an academic advisor directly how your scores will factor into your nursing degree plan.
• Watch for credit caps: Many schools limit how much total exam-based credit, including AP, CLEP, and IB combined, can count toward a degree, so it's worth understanding that ceiling if you're bringing in credit from multiple sources. 

Benefits of Using AP Credits for Nursing School

Beyond the obvious appeal of saving money, AP credit can meaningfully shape your path into a nursing program:

• Save time and tuition costs: Every general education requirement you've already satisfied is one less course you have to pay for and schedule around.
• Enter with gen-ed requirements already met: Many nursing prerequisites overlap with common AP subjects, like biology, chemistry, psychology, and English, giving you a head start before nursing coursework even begins.
• Free up more room for nursing-specific coursework: With general education requirements out of the way, your schedule has more space for the science and clinical courses that make up the core of a nursing degree.
• Potentially graduate earlier: For students entering a traditional or prelicensure BSN track, a strong slate of AP credit can shorten the overall time to degree completion.
• Build a stronger academic foundation: AP coursework often covers material relevant to nursing prerequisites in more depth than a typical high school class, which can make those introductory college courses feel more familiar.

FAQs About Online Nursing Schools That Accept AP Credits

AP credit raises a lot of practical questions, especially since policies vary so much from school to school. Here are answers to some of the most common ones.

What AP Score Do You Need for Nursing School Credit?

It depends on the school, but a score of 3 is the most common minimum threshold nationally. Some schools, like Ohio State and Oklahoma, guarantee credit for a 3 due to state law, while others, like Lehman College, require a 4 or 5, particularly for more advanced or specialized subjects.

Can AP Credits Count Toward Nursing Prerequisites Like Biology or Chemistry?

AP exams in subjects like Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology often align directly with common nursing prerequisites, so a qualifying score can satisfy those general education requirements before you even start nursing coursework. It's still worth confirming with an academic advisor that the specific AP exam maps to the exact prerequisite your program requires.

Do AP Credits Work Differently for RN-to-BSN vs. Prelicensure BSN Programs?

AP credit is most directly relevant to prelicensure BSN students entering as incoming freshmen or transfer students, since it typically applies to general education requirements they haven't completed yet. RN-to-BSN students are already licensed nurses with their core nursing education in place, so AP credit earned years earlier in high school is less likely to factor meaningfully into that specific pathway.

How Do I Send My AP Scores to a College?

You'll request an official score report through the College Board, using the receiving school's specific AP code to make sure it goes to the right place. This can be done when you register for the exam or after the fact through your College Board account.

Is There a Limit to How Many AP Credits a School Will Accept?

Many schools cap total exam-based credit, combining AP, CLEP, IB, and other standardized test credit into a single overall limit. The University of Florida, for example, caps combined exam credit at 45 hours, and the University of Iowa caps it at 30 hours.

Can AP Credit Help You Graduate From Nursing School Early?

It can, particularly for students in a traditional or prelicensure BSN track who enter with several general education requirements already satisfied. That head start frees up room in the schedule for nursing-specific coursework sooner, which can shorten the overall path to graduation for students who bring in a strong slate of AP credit.

Find Online Nursing Programs

AP credit can give nursing students a real head start, especially those entering a traditional or prelicensure BSN track with general education requirements already checked off. To find out more, explore the resources and programs featured on Learn.org, and confirm a specific school's AP credit policy directly before you enroll.