Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing

An unofficial transfer credit evaluation to check for completion of the nursing prerequisite courses and the university’s General Education Requirements will be completed by the School of Nursing prior to the decision release date. Admission is contingent upon official verification by the UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

Applicants will be required to submit Proof of Enrollment at the time of application for any prerequisites not yet completed. If enrollment has not opened for a particular course, students will be asked to submit a statement of Intent to Register that lists the course, institution, dates of instruction, and enrollment date.

Tuition is a flat rate of $45,000 for Wisconsin residents (including reciprocity for MN residents) or $60,000 for nonresidents.

Federal and state financial aid is limited for students seeking a second bachelor’s degree, however the School of Nursing has scholarship funds for qualified applicants. Everyone who applies will receive instructions on how to apply for a School of Nursing scholarship. Instructions are sent after the ABSN application deadline.

All prospective accelerated students will also need to submit an additional application to UW–Madison’s Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Candidates who were previously enrolled at UW–Madison (whether or not a degree was earned), as well as candidates who are applying to enter UW–Madison for the first time, must complete the UW System application for second-degree seeking students in addition to the School of Nursing application. Click here for more information.

Note: Admitted applicants to the accelerated BSN (May start) program are ineligible to apply to the traditional BSN, which would start in the same calendar year.

Applications

To be considered, you must complete two application forms:

1. UW–Madison Application: Candidates who were previously enrolled at UW–Madison (whether or not a degree was earned), as well as candidates who are applying to enter UW–Madison for the first time, must complete the UW System application for second-degree seeking students in addition to the School of Nursing application.
   • Major: Nursing (Accelerated)
   • Start term: Summer 2026
2. School of Nursing Supplemental Application for the Accelerated BSN Program:
   • Application period open: May 1
   • Application deadline: September 15 @ 11:59 pm (CT)
   • Zoom Interview: Interview invitations sent in October for early November interview dates.
   • Notification of decisions: End of December

Applications are accepted once a year to start the program in May.

Review of Applications

Successful applicants have strong academic ability as well as intellectual curiosity, leadership, resilience, cultural competency, and enthusiasm for nursing. Admission is offered to students who present the strongest overall applications and who are anticipated to contribute to the university and nursing profession. Admission is competitive and based on a thorough and holistic evaluation of each application by a faculty admissions committee.

About the Application

Two applications are required: one to UW–Madison’s School of Nursing and one to UW-Madison:

1. Applications to the School of Nursing are submitted online through NursingCAS, with a fee of $60.
2. Applications to UW–Madison are submitted to UW–Madison’s Office of Admissions & Recruitment as a second-degree student, with a fee of $70. (This fee is waived for UW system alumni who graduated within one year of application.)

There is no limit to the number of times a prospective candidate may apply to the Accelerated BSN program.

There are four main sections in the NursingCAS application:

1. Personal Information
2. Academic History
   1. List EVERY college and university you’ve attended (including any you may have attended while still in high school), including dates of attendance, total credits received, and degree(s) earned.
   2. Request official transcripts for all colleges or universities from which you obtained credit
   3. Enter transcript details for each course in which you enrolled.
3. Supporting Information
   1. In total between the Achievements and Experiences sections, provide five or fewer of your most notable entries. These might include leadership roles, employment experiences, community/volunteer experiences, participation in the arts or athletics, and/or special awards or recognition.
   2. Include the amount of time you dedicated to the activity, a detailed description of your participation or accomplishments, and why this experience was meaningful.
4. Program Materials
   1. There are five required statements.

The School of Nursing sends admission decisions via email in December. Admitted students have until mid-January to accept the offer of admission and confirm intent to enroll, as detailed in the admission letter.

Appealing a Decision

Every application denied has already been through an extensive faculty review. For an appeal to have merit, it must bring to light new compelling academic and/or personal information, as well as details pertaining to extenuating circumstances, that were not addressed in the initial application. Essentially, the appeal must present information that clearly shows the student to be stronger than had been earlier evidenced.

While all appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, the percentage of decisions that are reversed based on an appeal is historically very low.

There is no special form. Appeals should include a letter outlining the argument for an appeal. Supporting documentation may also be included. The following rules apply:

• Applicants can only appeal once and decisions resulting from an appeal are final.
• Appeal letters must be written and submitted by the applicant, along with supporting documentation as appropriate, within 10 business days of the deny decision.
• Waitlist decisions cannot be appealed.

Submitting Your Appeal

Appeals must be submitted to the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. Email and regular mail are both acceptable formats for submission. It is our usual practice to respond to appeals within 10 business days of the receipt date.

Email admissions@nursing.wisc.edu.