A Doorway to Opportunities
If you are a registered nurse with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), equivalent degree, or Diploma in Nursing from an accredited nursing program seeking a bachelor’s degree, BSN@Home could be your pathway. Designed for working adults, all required coursework is online, so you can earn your degree without relocating.
While an associate’s degree in nursing provides much of the technical and scientific knowledge necessary for safe and effective patient care, the BSN@Home program builds on those skills in a way that stimulates critical thinking and provides the professional perspective necessary for a leadership role.
A BSN can open doors to teaching, management, and professional specialization. Many hospitals seeking Magnet designation look for BSN-trained nurses. A BSN is also a prerequisite for admission into graduate nursing programs, including those offered through UW-Madison.
Flexible Degree Program
Most students complete the program in 18 to 30 months. The program runs on a 14-week semester system (fall and spring; optional summer) with an occasional 7-week course. There is one required clinical, at the end of the program, which requires students to complete approximately 60 hours at a site of their choice.
Program basics
Delivery: Online
Credits: 24-30, if general education and other requirements are already met
Time Frame: 1½-2½ years
Tuition: $452 per credit for all BSN@Home Nursing courses
Audience: Licensed RNs who want to earn a bachelor’s degree without relocating
Application opens: August 1 (for January start) and December 1 (for September start)
Application Deadline: Oct 1 (for January start); March 1 (for September start)
“You won’t regret getting your BSN. It’s totally doable with your work and family schedule. Do it now!”
Laura Garcia ’21
BSN Students at the School of Nursing & Beyond
Q&A with Steffanie Walker '21
Steffanie Walker '21 reflects on her thirteen-year journey to getting a BSN and how the BSN@Home program allowed her to achieve that dream.
Meet More BSN@Home Students
Q&A with Zalei Lewis ’21
A conversation with with Zalei Lewis ’21, who works in regulation and investigation for the State of Minnesota.
Q&A with Laura Garcia ’21
A conversation with Laura Garcia '21, who currently works as a local travel nurse on a med-surg unit at Mercy Walworth in Lake Geneva, WI.
A Journey of Perseverance
UW–Madison School of Nursing Alumna, Riley Hilliard '20, talks about her dedication, struggles, and journey to becoming a Badger nurse.
Amy Hermes ’10
“For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to help people,” says Amy Hermes, a 2010 graduate of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s rigorous BSN@Home program. Now in her 34th year at Stoughton Hospital, and her third as chief nursing officer (CNO) and vice president of patient services, Hermes’ appetite for learning has not slowed down.
- More Stories
RN to BSN Online | BSN@Home Request for Information
Steps to Admission
Selecting a Home Institution
The UW–Madison School of Nursing is one of six UW System campuses offering the BSN@Home Program. Students typically select their home institution based on proximity or choice. All BSN@Home students are required to complete the same core nursing curriculum, but specific admission and degree requirements vary among campuses. Further information about each institution is available on the statewide BSN@Home website.
- Students with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), equivalent degree, or Diploma in Nursing from an accredited nursing program are eligible for admission consideration if they have completed the required coursework.
- Institutions outside the United States must be recognized by the Ministry of Education of the home country.
- Applicants must reside in 1 of the 50 United States and hold a RN license in that state. Applicants do not need to be a resident of WI or hold a WI RN license.
- Applicants must meet UW–Madison transfer admission requirements:
- At least 24 transferable semester college-level credits
- GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from all college-level coursework
- GPA calculations will include all grades received for repeated courses (i.e., the initial grade, as well as grades received in second and subsequent attempts will be included in the GPA calculation).
- Completed high school requirements during high school or at the college level:
- 2 years of a high school world language, or 2 semesters of a college world language, or 1 of each in same language
- 3 years of high school math including Algebra, Geometry & College Prep math (or similar courses at the college level)
- A high school transcript showing proof of graduation.
- If applicable, GED/HSED certification is also needed.
Transcript reviews:
The School of Nursing Admissions Coordinators will review transcripts of interested applicants and prepare a preliminary course evaluation to estimate the number of transferable credits. Email unofficial transcripts to admissions@nursing.wisc.edu to request a review.
You can begin the program in either spring (January) or fall (September).
Application opens: August 1 (for January start), December 1 (for September start)
Deadlines: Your application is due by 11:59 Pacific time on the noted deadline dates of the Transfer application and Materials Deadlines section.
Review of Applications: Your application will be reviewed by UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment. You will be evaluated on both high school and college records.
To Apply
- Complete the UW System Application for Admission:
- By answering questions on the application, your applicant status (e.g., transfer candidate, re-entry student, second-degree candidate) will be determined.
- Intended campus: UW–Madison
- From the Choose A Major/Program page:
- Scroll down and select Nursing-Collaborative; OR,
- from the search bar, select Career Cluster: Health Science, and then select Nursing-Collaborative.
- The system requires you to select a backup Major/Program. Undecided is sufficient and is located under the filter search box.
- Include two essays highlighting your passion for nursing and leadership skills.
- Complete the following tasks for UW-Madison Office of Undergraduate Admissions:
- Send an official transcript from high school to UW-Madison Office of Undergraduate Admissions. GED/HSED is also needed, if applicable.
- Send all official transcripts from all college-level coursework directly to UW-Madison Office of Undergraduate Admissions (not to School of Nursing). This should include all college-level coursework completed to date, including any courses currently in progress, and (if applicable) college classes taken while in high school.
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- Send in one letter of recommendation from a supervisor or instructor.
- Submit the application fee of $70.
*For this program, there is no additional application needed for the School of Nursing. If you are admitted to UW-Madison, then you are admitted to the BSN@Home program. More information can be found at admissions.wisc.edu.
NOTE: If you previously attended UW–Madison as a degree-seeking student, but did not earn a degree, you should submit a Reentry Application. Policy requires undergraduates return to the major they were in when they last attended, so you will be readmitted to your previous classification (e.g., Letters & Science), and then should email UW-Madison’s main admissions office (onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu) indicating that you’d like to be considered for admission to the BSN@Home/Nursing Collaborative program.
The UW-Madison School of Nursing awards more than $1,000,000 in scholarships each year to undergraduate nursing students. All School of Nursing applicants and current students are highly encouraged to apply for scholarships.
Application Information
BSN@Home applicants are encouraged to apply for School of Nursing scholarships via the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH). Scholarships are awarded each semester to students who are enrolled in the BSN@Home program, so a scholarship application should be submitted every semester during the appropriate application cycle. Students who wish to have financial need considered as part of their application scoring criteria must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Applications will be considered for all School of Nursing scholarships depending on a variety of factors including academic achievement, leadership experiences, community involvement, personal qualifications, financial need, and career interests. Please visit the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid for additional information about financing your education.
Scholarship Timeline
The BSN@Home scholarship application periods are from mid-September through late October (for the upcoming spring semester) and mid-January through late February (for the upcoming fall semester). Email scholarships@nursing.wisc.edu for more details.
Students in the Associate’s Degree in Nursing are eligible to sign a transfer contract which guarantees admissions to the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s BSN@Home program as long as all parts of the contract are met.
In order to sign the transfer contract (view the contract), Madison College students must schedule an appointment with their assigned academic advisor and they will go over all eligibility requirements and submit the contract during that meeting.
Current Madison College students working on completing BSN@Home Degree requirements can use this guide (view the equivalencies guide) to help them choose courses that meet general education requirements for this program.
Begin working on your BSN while still finishing your ADN! Students in the 3rd and 4th semesters of their Associate’s Degree in Nursing program are eligible to take BSN@Home nursing classes as a special student. If you are interested in doing so, you should email us and apply as a special student.
Curriculum
BSN@Home builds on the foundation of an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Diploma in Nursing. If you have previously completed University General Education and other degree requirements, it is possible to complete the 24-30 credits of required BSN@Home coursework in 1½-2½ years while studying part-time (6 credits per semester, 3 credits per optional summer).
A virtual orientation is held during the first week of the program. The classes are not self-paced but they are asynchronous. General education courses can be completed elsewhere but at least 30 course credits must be completed through UW-Madison. One required clinical requires students to complete approximately 60 hours of clinical work, plus class assignments. This clinical is arranged by the student, with assistance from UW-Madison’s School of Nursing Clinical Placement Coordinators, and can be close to where students live.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at the UW–Madison is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Degree Information
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Program Learning Outcomes
Each academic program at UW-Madison has student learning outcomes that describe what students are expected to know or be able to do upon completion of the program. The BSN program’s learning outcomes are listed in The Guide.
School Nursing Certificate
Undergraduates interested in careers as school nurses can enroll in the 18-credit School Nurse Certification Program and become eligible to apply for licensure through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. BSN@Home students may complete some requirements concurrently with their degree work and the remainder after graduation by re-enrolling as University Special students.
To make an appointment, email admissions@nursing.wisc.edu. Current UW–Madison students can schedule online using Starfish.
Contacts
To make an appointment, email admissions@nursing.wisc.edu. Current UW–Madison students can schedule online using Starfish. Visit the Student Site for additional advising information.
