Accelerated BSN Program FAQs

The accelerated BSN program has three start dates each year: January, late April/early May, and late August/early September. The program takes 15 months to complete and consists of eight 8-week accelerated units (sessions).

No. Thomas Edison State University does not participate in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Therefore, the University does not sponsor foreign national students for F-1 or J-1 visas.

Due to the rigorous and accelerated nature of this program, students are strongly discouraged from working or maintaining any employment while completing this program.

The program is divided into three educational components:

• Didactic: Online, asynchronous with optional collaborative sessions
• Clinical/Simulation and Lab Experiences:
  • Unit 1: Students attend on-ground lab and simulation sessions 2 days per week (96 hours total across weeks 1-7) in our high-fidelity lab
  • Unit 2: Students begin 12-hour direct patient care clinical experiences in healthcare settings
  • Unit 3: Students continue with 12-hour direct patient care clinical experiences
  • Unit 4: Direct patient care clinical experiences increase to 2 days per week
  • Unit 5: Students complete one direct patient care clinical day per week plus required community volunteer hours
  • Remaining Units: Typically, one to two 12-hour direct patient care clinical day per week
  • Direct patient care clinical experiences may be scheduled in the evenings, nights, or weekends
• Online Coursework: Students complete readings, videos, class preparation, discussion forum posts, and assignments independently outside of scheduled collaborative sessions and lab/clinical time

Admission to the Accelerated BSN Program is a two-step process: you must first apply and be admitted to Thomas Edison State University, then complete additional requirements to apply to the Accelerated BSN Program.

Step 1: Apply to Thomas Edison State University

Submit your application to TESU:

• Online application with nonrefundable application fee submitted through the TESU Online App
• All official transcripts from every higher education institution you have attended, including Advanced Placement (AP) test scores. Transcript reviews take up to 10 business days. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred for consideration in the Accelerated BSN program.

Submit your official transcripts to the Office of the Registrar.

Submit your resume (optional), personal statement online.

Step 2: Completing Requirements

After submitting your application, your transcripts will be evaluated, and you will be admitted to TESU as a either a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (BS.HLTSTD) student or an Associates in Applied Science (AAS.HLTSTY1.NUR) if you do not have a previous degree. Admission to the University and the Health Studies program does not guarantee admission to the Accelerated BSN program.

To be eligible for Accelerated BSN admission, you must complete all prerequisite coursework with at least a minimum GPA of 3.0. Meeting the GPA requirement does not guarantee admission; the Admissions Committee reviews all completed applications holistically and admission is competitive.

At this stage, you will need to:

• Schedule an appointment with your Nursing Program Advisor to review prerequisite and general education requirements
• Submit a personal statement addressing the following:
  • Background and Motivation:
    • Your educational and professional background, including any healthcare-related experience
    • What specifically draws you to nursing and your career goals in the field
  • Program Readiness:
    • Why you selected the TESU Accelerated BSN Program and how it aligns with your career goals
    • Your strategies for managing the intensive demands of an accelerated program
    • Previous experiences in a healthcare or nursing program, if applicable
  • Professional Competencies:
    • Examples demonstrating your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
    • Experience working collaboratively in team environments
• Official ATI TEAS Exam Score Report: If you do not have a previous bachelor's degree, schedule and take the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS®) Exam and submit your official score report (scores of 70% or better overall and in all subcategories required). The ATI TEAS Exam measures basic essential skills in the academic content areas of reading, mathematics, science, English, and language usage.
  • This requirement is waived for students with a previous bachelor's degree.
    *Any applicant found to be in violation of ATI's testing policies will have their test scores invalidated. Violations will result in ineligibility to apply.
• Monitor your application progress
• Schedule follow-up advising appointments as needed until your application is complete and ready for Admissions Committee review

Step 3: Application Review

When all requirements are complete, your application will be reviewed by the Accelerated BSN Program Admissions Committee. Please note: a completed application does not guarantee admission to the program.

Applications are reviewed based on the candidate pool for each cohort. Applicants should expect to receive an admission decision after the application deadline (decision timelines may vary). If you meet all program requirements but are not accepted, you may reapply to a subsequent cohort. All admission decisions are made by a committee and not by any one admission officer. As a result, we cannot provide applicants with specific or detailed reasons for why they were not offered admission. If an applicant inquires as to why they were not offered admission, we will not be able to provide this information. The program is competitive.

All application requirements described in Step 1 and Step 2, including prerequisite courses, must be completed by the following application deadlines:

• Winter cohort: September 1
• Spring cohort: January 1
• Fall cohort: May 30
  

BAYADA Scholars track is accepting applications on a rolling basis.

You may call the Office of Admissions to check on your documents/application status at (609) 777-5680.

A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred, but you can still apply and your application materials will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

All applicants without a prior bachelor's degree are required to take the ATI TEAS Exam.

Before Registering:
We recommend speaking with the a Nursing Program Advisor to discuss the exam requirements and preparation strategies.

Registration and Scheduling:
Visit the ATI’s website, to register and schedule your exam at a time and location convenient for you. You may take the exam online with TESU as your proctor—simply select Thomas Edison State University when registering.

Scoring Requirements:
A score of 70% or better in all content areas and overall is preferred. You may take the exam up to two times. The official score report can be ordered and sent directly from ATI. Choose “Thomas Edison State U TEAS” from the list of schools.

Preparation:
We strongly recommend studying before taking the exam. ATI offers study materials for purchase on their website.

Important Note:
Official score reports expire one year after the exam date.

The W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions has the discretion to require a nursing applicant to take the TOEFL, regardless of the applicant’s native language, if there is a concern about a student’s ability to communicate in English.

Yes, you can take prerequisite courses at TESU. Make sure to contact our Program Advisor at nursing@tesu.edu before doing so.

Before taking any courses, make sure to schedule an appointment with a Nursing Program Advisor at nursing@tesu.edu. There are no time limits on prerequisite courses. All prerequisite and general education requirement credits must be completed prior to applying to the Accelerated BSN program.

If you have a prior bachelor’s degree, the following courses must be completed before you are eligible to apply to the Accelerated BSN program. Please meet with a nursing advisor before taking any of these courses:

If you do not have a prior bachelor’s degree, the following courses must be completed prior to applying to the Accelerated BSN. Please consult with a nursing advisor before registering for any of these courses.

• Statistics: HPS-2000 (Statistics for the Health Professional)
• Anatomy and Physiology 1 (with Lab): BIO-2110
• Anatomy and Physiology 2 (with Lab): BIO-2120
• Microbiology (with Lab): BIO-2510 (Introduction to Microbiology)
• Chemistry: CHE-1110 (General Chemistry I), or CHE-1120 (General Chemistry II)
• Nutrition: BIO-2080 (The Science of Nutrition)
• Ethics: PHI-2860 (Contemporary Ethics) or PHI-3840 (Ethics and the Business Professional) or ETH-2200 (Leading the Way: A Path Towards Ethical Learning)
• Introduction to Sociology: SOC-1010 (Introduction to Sociology)
• Introduction to Psychology: PSY-1010 (Introduction to Psychology)
• Developmental Psychology/Lifespan: PSY-2110 (Developmental Psychology)

Yes, the credit by examination option is available for the following prerequisite courses:

• Nutrition
• Ethics
• Introduction to Sociology
• Introduction to Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Please check with the School of Nursing and Health Professions Advisor at nursing@tesu.edu for more information on credit by examination and accepted exams.

The credit by examination option is not available for the following prerequisite courses:

• Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab
• Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
• Chemistry
• Microbiology with Lab
• Statistics

These must be taken as classes and have grades from regionally accredited institutions.

Please check with the School of Nursing and Health Professions Advisor at nursing@tesu.edu for more information on test for credit and accepted exams.

TESU prefers to receive transcripts electronically through one of the many secure services with which we participate. If transcripts must be sent by mail, please send to:

Office of the Registrar - Accelerated BSN
Thomas Edison State University
111 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608

You can find more information about sending transcripts to TESU. Please do not send your transcripts to the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions.

Evaluation Timeline:
The Office of the Registrar will complete an initial transcript evaluation within 10 business days of receiving all official transcripts. Once the review is complete, you will receive an email notification. At that point, you can schedule an appointment with a School of Nursing and Health Professions Advisor to discuss the results and next steps in the application process.

TESU will not evaluate transcripts from other countries. We will accept credit recommendations from one of the following agencies when the recommendations are based on a course by course evaluation and sent on an official transcript to TESU.

• Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc.
• Center for Applied Research Evaluations & Education, Inc.
• Education Credential Evaluators, Inc.
• World Educational Services, Inc.
• SDR Educational Consultants
• TEC The Evaluation Company
• Transcript Research

A $500.00 nonrefundable deposit is required within 7 days of acceptance into the program in order to secure your place in the cohort. This will be applied to your first tuition payment.

Yes, you can get financial aid, but please be advised that if you have a previous bachelor’s degree, you may not qualify for Pell Grant funding. You must submit your FAFSA in order to be considered for financial aid. It is advisable to do this as soon as possible. Furthermore, do not rely on federal and state financial aid to cover your entire tuition, living expenses, books, equipment, uniforms, or other expenses. You may have to seek private, credit-based sources of funding, scholarships, etc. For questions, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at (609) 633-9658 or email at finaid@tesu.edu.

Here is a helpful video explaining how to accept financial aid:

Financial aid and any private loans must be in place and accepted prior to the start of your first term. If you plan to pay all or a portion of their tuition out of pocket, that payment must be made prior to the first day of class. Students with outstanding balances on their accounts will not be permitted to attend class or clinical.

Scholarships are available. View scholarship information or visit Johnson & Johnson Nursing for outside scholarship information.

Current Students:

• Phone: (609) 633-6460
• Email: nursing@tesu.edu

Prospective Students:

• Phone: 609-777-5680 (Admissions)
• Email: admissions@tesu.edu

You can also attend one of our information sessions. Check our calendar for dates.