Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Where the future of nursing meets the challenges of today

Make an Impact on Health Care

At the UW–Madison School of Nursing, we prepare nurses to become leaders in the profession and society so they can make a difference in the communities they serve. This program is for pre-nursing, transfer, and second degree students. The two-year nursing curriculum is part of the four-year UW–Madison bachelor of science degree, and prepares students to make a positive impact on health care.

Applications Open:

November 24-January 15

TBSN Program at a Glance

2026 U.S. News & World Report

Make your education affordable—here’s how!

Your UW–Madison TBSN Experience

Use State-of-the-Art Technology

Experience advanced simulations and gain over 100 hours of hands-on clinical training each semester, all under the guidance of experienced professionals using the latest health care technology.

Students practice skills on a medical mannequin in the Center for Technology Enhanced Nursing in Cooper Hall.
BSN students smile as they use the computer and phone in the School of Nursing's simulated hospital suite.

Gain Experience in Varied Clinical Settings

Build confidence and clinical expertise through placements that we arrange for you across a wide range of settings—from schools and correctional facilities to rural and urban hospitals and clinics.

Join the Badger Nurse Community

Connect with an inclusive, supportive network of peers and Badger nurse alumni. Build lasting relationships that strengthen your nursing journey and open doors to future opportunities.

Graduating students pose with Buck at the 2024 student send off.
TBSN students Phurbu Bhuti x’26, Megan Boulton x’26, and Daunte Gordon x’26 (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) present their research poster to Dr. Kimmerer at the student poster session.

Expand Your Learning Opportunities

We offer many opportunities to enhance your undergraduate experience through optional programs including Honors, BSN to Master of Public Health, Early Entry PhD, and more.

Discover Madison

Madison, often voted one of the best places to live in the U.S., blends the city and campus, green spaces and urban areas, to create a place unlike anywhere else.

An aerial view of Madison's isthmus with the capitol at the center and lakes on either side.

Want to Learn More?

Our advisors are happy to talk with you and answer your questions at our online or in-person info sessions.

Career Outcomes

We prepare you for success with career fairs, NCLEX prep, and mentorship opportunities. UW–Madison BSN graduates achieve strong career outcomes:

  • 84% secured a job before graduation
  • 96% passed the NCLEX on their first try
  • 99% are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months
  • Graduates’ median starting salary is $82,170
Students chat with a potential employer at the School of Nursing's annual career fair.

Badger Nurses in Action

Student and Alumni Stories

A BSN student stands holding files as other students work behind her in the School of Nursing's simulated hospital suite.

Five Reasons to Choose a Career in Nursing

Nursing is more than bedside care. It’s about advocacy, critical thinking, and caring—driving innovation and making meaningful changes in communities locally and globally. Nurses stand at the intersection of science and humanity, compassion and problem solving, care and leadership.

Frequently asked questions

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No. A CNA is one way students learn about the nursing profession and gain experience in the field, but we do not require a CNA license for admission. There is a place to enter your CNA information in the Supporting Information section of the NursingCAS application.

No, we currently do not require applicants to complete the TEAS exam.

Yes and no. We do not require or accept letters of recommendation for the nursing application. If you are a transfer or second-degree applicant, you will need to provide a letter of recommendation with your UW–Madison application.

Yes, please send your official UW–Madison transcript to NursingCAS.

No, we prioritize enrollment in our program for students who do not already have a path to the BSN degree. It is possible to request an exception to this policy by submitting a petition. The percentage of decisions that are reversed on appeal is historically low.

Maybe. If you create a new NursingCAS application with the same email address, you will be given the opportunity to decide which sections you want to import from the previous application cycle and which ones you would like to submit anew. If you have taken additional courses between applications, you will need to submit updated official transcripts to NursingCAS for those courses.

Yes, once you enter the nursing online application, you can save it and return to it later. However, in the experiences and achievements section, you should complete all information and duties for each experience and/or achievement, as you may not be able to edit them after entering.

If you plan to use any of your scores to satisfy nursing prerequisites for Chemistry or Psychology, upload a copy of your AP/IB score report (test-taker copy is sufficient) through NursingCAS in the Program Materials section. A score of 4 or 5 on AP Psychology or on AP Chemistry will fulfill those nursing prerequisites.

If you are taking coursework in the fall or spring terms while your ABSN application is under consideration, you can enter your expected enrollment information in NursingCAS in the Academic History section for the term you intend to take those courses. Current and future terms will display the courses as “In Progress/Planned”.

After you have earned final grades for these courses, you can go back into NursingCAS and enter those grades.

If possible, you should wait to submit your transcripts until your fall grades are complete and reflected on your transcript.

While each admission cycle is unique and we cannot predict how competitive a given year will be, in recent years, we have typically admitted fewer than 50% of the applicants who apply each cycle.

When you submit your School of Nursing application, you’ll receive a confirmation email from NursingCAS. You will also be able to see the status of your application within NursingCAS.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will be invited to participate in a virtual group interview. Reschedules will not be allowed unless there are extenuating circumstances.

After your application is submitted, you will not be able to make changes. If significant mistakes are found in the transcript entry portion of your application during the verification process, your application will be given “undelivered” status or returned to you for corrections. When an application is “undelivered,” you receive a notification detailing the corrections that must be made before it can continue to be processed.

We use the email addresses supplied on your nursing admission application for all correspondence. It is your responsibility to monitor the email account associated with your nursing application.

The School of Nursing will send out admission decisions in mid-May via email.

Applicants placed on the waitlist are notified of their status when admission decisions are released. Applicants may be admitted from the waitlist if/when an admitted student declines the offer of admission, if admission is revoked, etc.

If a waitlisted applicant is admitted, they are typically notified between May and early July, prior to the program starting in September. The waitlist is unranked and unnumbered, and there is nothing an applicant can do to influence their status on the waitlist.

No. We have more applicants than we have spots for; as a result, admission decisions are final and can’t be appealed.

Applicants may apply up to three times to the TBSN program. Visit the BSN page for information about future application cycles.

Students applying to UW–Madison receive notification of their admission decision directly from the UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Please check your university application status and decision online.

Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the nursing program. Students must be admitted to UW–Madison to be eligible for admission to the nursing program.

Applicants offered admission to the nursing program have approximately one week to accept the offer of admission via an online admission response form. Students who accept our offer of admission will receive an admission packet via email in June. This packet contains vital information and required documentation.

Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing Request for Information

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