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Associate Degree Nursing Program

Applications for Fall 2025 entrance (NURS)

 (Application period is February 1st 2025 - March 31st 2025)

PBHS Nurse Application Period

  • The deadline for the Fall 2025 PBHS Nursing application period is March 31st 2025.
  • Students must have completed the initial series of the COVID-19 vaccine, and boosted when eligible, upon final acceptance to the Nursing program.
Application Timeline Campus Location
Fall Enrollment - Apply in February/March. Warwick/Providence/Newport  - Day

Warwick/Lincoln - Evening/Weekend

   
Spring Enrolllment Apply in August/September Warwick/Providence/Newport - Day

Warwick/Lincoln - Evening/Weekend

   

Admissions Guidelines

Minimum requirements to apply to the Nursing program:

1. CCRI Application for Enrollment into General Studies with a pre-nursing concentration.

2. Official copy of a high school transcript, GED® transcript or baccalaureate transcript from an accredited institution, including date of graduation or completion.

3. ACCUPLACER test issued by CCRI's Department of Advising and Counseling. 

Please Note: If you come into CCRI with a bachelor's degree you don't have to take the reading Accuplacer.

  • Reading Comprehension Requirement:
    • Score of 90 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension or score of 259 or above in Next Generation Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension or ENGL 1002: Reading and Study Skills with a grade of "B-" or better, or ENGL 0890: Critical Reading with a grade of "B-" or better, or ENGL 0950 Integrated Critical Reading and Writing with a grade of "B-" or better.
  • Mathematics Requirement:
    • Score of 80 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic)or score of 255 in Next Generation Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic)or MATH 0100: Fundamentals of Mathematics with a grade of "B-" or better

4. HESI A2 Test*

  • Reading comprehension and Math with a score of 80 percent or better and Vocabulary/General Knowledge and Grammer with a score of 75 percent or better. 

5. Complete the following required prerequisite courses. (These courses are limited to two attempts.)

Note #1: All attempts for the three (3) above prerequisite courses prior to January 1, 2015, including transfers, are considered ONE ATTEMPT regardless of the number of times the class was taken. If a student fails to meet the satisfactory grade requirements within the two (2) attempts, the student must wait five (5) years from the last attempt to retake the course.


Note #2: BIOL 1010 is a companion course of BIOL 1020. Another college-level 4-credit, human physiology course (with lab) may be substituted for BIOL 1020. BIOL 1020, or a substitution, cannot be more than six (6) years old at the time of application.
If you have taken BIOL 1010 or another course in Human Anatomy, you will have to take a stand-alone Human Physiology course at another institution before you apply to the Nursing program. CCRI does not offer a stand-alone Human Physiology course.

BIOL 2201 is a companion course of BIOL 2202. Neither of these can be more than six (6) years old at the time of application and both courses are limited to two attempts. 
If you have taken BIOL 2201 (A&P1) as a prerequisite, you will have to take BIOL 2202 (A&P2) before you begin your second semester in the Nursing program. You may choose to complete A&P2 prior to entrance into the Nursing Program, if desired. 

  • The transfer of Anatomy and Physiology courses is subject to approval by the CCRI Biology Department Chairperson.

6. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.7 is required to apply to the program and be maintained until enrolled in Nursing.


All the above requirements must be met satisfactorily BEFORE submission of the Performance-Based Health Science (PBHS) application and does not guarantee acceptance. Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester must resubmit a PBHS application for the program and meet current requirements. Once accepted in the Nursing program, the student must attend a mandatory orientation conducted by the Nursing Department.


7. Complete and submit an online PBHS application here.
Deadlines are listed on the form.

8. Conditionally accepted students are required to complete the following:

  • When directed by notification from the Office of Enrollment Services, submit a background check through CastleBranch.com.
    Results of BCI may prevent admission due to clinical agencies' requirements.
    Please refer to the BCI policy before applying.
  • Submit all health care requirements to CastleBranch.com.
  • Only Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Medical Exemptions are permitted. There are No Religious Exemptions accepted.  RIDOH Medical Exemption Form

Final acceptance is based upon the completion of the above criteria.

Please note: Requirements are subject to change.
For more clarifying information regarding any of the above visit the CCRI Nursing website or call (401) 825-2162. Students may also contact the Office of Enrollment Services at:

*HESI A2: Students are limited to two (2) attempts. Students who do not meet the benchmark after the second attempt can retest after three (3) months from the second attempt.  Please note: HESI test scores do not expire.


Nursing Program Admission Criteria Point System
 Cumulative GPA   27-40 points (e.g., 2.7 = 27 points or 4.0 = 40 points)
 Maximum points   40 points
   

 Grade in BIOL 1010 /BIOL 2201

 

A (4.0)

40 points

A- (3.7) 

37 points
B+ (3.3)  33 points
B (3.0) 30 points
B- (2.7)  27 points
C+ (2.3) 23 points
C(2.0) 20 points
Maximum points  40 points
   
Grades in ENGL 1010 and PSYC 2010  Each course's letter grade is converted to points and added
A (4.0)  40 points
A- (3.7)  37 points
B+ (3.3)  33 points
B (3.0)  30 points
B- (2.7)  27 points
C+ (2.3)  23 points
C (2.0)  20 points
Maximum points  80 points
   
HESI A2 Preadmission Test  
HESI Categories  Points awarded for each of the four sections
 Reading   8 - 10 points (e.g., 80% = 8 points or 100% = 10 points)
 Math   8 - 10 points
 Vocabulary/General Knowledge   7.5 - 10 points
 Grammar   7.5 - 10 points
 Maximum HESI A2 Preadmission Test points   40 points
   
 Maximum Total Points  200 points

In the event of a tie, the students' pre-requisite GPA will be used as the tie-breaker.

The Associate Degree Nursing program is very competitive. Due to the limited number of seats and the high volume of applicants, it is recommended that students who are not accepted meet with an advisor (see above) to discuss how to increase total points for the PBHS point system before reapplying to the program.

Credits granted through AP, CLEP, challenge exams or assessment of prior learning will be recognized as satisfying course requirements and will be assigned points equivalent to a grade of "B."

Please review the Department of Health website to learn about licensing requirements for the health sciences professions.

Please note: A Social Security number is required to begin the licensing process for the health sciences professions.


For all potential applicants to the Nursing Program, please look to our FAQ page for answers to some of the most common questions asked about the Nursing program application.

For any questions regarding the application process, please contact Enrollment Services: