Easiest Nursing Schools to Get Into in Illinois (2026)

Searching for the "easiest" nursing schools to get into in Illinois? Here is the honest framing: "easiest" does not mean guaranteed, and it does not mean low quality. Every accredited Illinois BSN program is rigorous, and all of them prepare you for the same NCLEX-RN exam. What we can do is rank Illinois schools by how accessible their published minimum requirements are: the lowest GPA floors, the programs with no entrance exam, and the direct-admit paths that skip a separate nursing application.

Three truths before the list:

• Minimums are floors, not guarantees. A 2.5 GPA floor means you cannot apply below that line, not that a 2.5 gets you in. Competitive admits usually land well above the minimum.
• Illinois splits cleanly into exam and no-exam camps. Several strong programs require no TEAS at all, while others publish exact TEAS cutoffs as low as 58.7%.
• Cutoffs change every cycle. The numbers below are accurate as of July 2026; always check the school's page for current numbers before applying.

Want to skip the guesswork? Check your odds free against real Illinois requirements, or browse all Illinois nursing programs side by side.

How we ranked "most accessible"

We pulled the published cumulative GPA floor and entrance-exam requirement for each Illinois BSN program in our database, then sorted lowest GPA first. Only schools with real, published cutoffs appear in the numbered list. Where a school leans on a prerequisite GPA instead of a cumulative one, we say so.

The most accessible Illinois BSN programs by published GPA floor

1. Illinois State University (Normal)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.5
• Exam: None
• Deadlines: Freshmen priority August 1 to November 1; transfers priority January 15, application closes January 31

Illinois State's Mennonite College of Nursing has the lowest published floor among Illinois publics at 2.5, with no entrance exam. Reality check: the middle 50% of admitted students lands roughly between 3.07 and 3.65, so treat 2.5 strictly as the door, not the destination.

2. Millikin University (Decatur)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.5
• Exam: None

Millikin lets students enter the first nursing courses with a 2.50 cumulative GPA and a C- or better in the science prerequisites (chemistry, A&P, microbiology). Transfer direct-entry applicants need a 3.0. (Partially verified; confirm on the official page.)

3. University of Illinois Chicago (Chicago)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.75
• Science GPA: 2.5
• Exam: None
• Deadline: Priority January 15

UIC's College of Nursing asks for a 2.75 cumulative GPA, a 2.50 natural-science GPA, and 57 prerequisite credit hours all at C or higher, with the four science courses completed within seven years of enrollment. No entrance exam at one of the state's flagship nursing schools is a real advantage.

4. Northern Illinois University (DeKalb)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.75
• Prerequisite GPA: 2.75, C or better in all prerequisites
• Exam: None
• Deadlines: Fall closes January 15; Spring closes June 15

NIU's five-semester program pairs matching 2.75 cumulative and prerequisite floors, and its official FAQ states outright that no entrance exam is required.

5. Saint Xavier University (Chicago)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.75
• Science GPA: 2.5
• Exam: ATI TEAS at Proficient (58.7% or higher, first three attempts only)
• Deadlines: Priority April 1 for summer/fall; October 1 for spring

Saint Xavier publishes the lowest numeric TEAS bar in the state at 58.7%, next to a 2.75 cumulative and 2.5 science GPA. If you need an exam-required school with a forgiving cutoff, start here.

6. Lewis University (Romeoville)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.75
• Exam: ATI TEAS, 67% composite (Kaplan KAT, SAT, or ACT accepted as alternatives)

Lewis requires a 2.75 cumulative GPA with C or better in each prerequisite. The flexibility to substitute SAT or ACT scores for the TEAS is rare and can save you a test.

7. Chicago State University (Chicago)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.75
• Science GPA: 2.75
• Exam: ATI TEAS required, no minimum score published
• Deadline: April 1 (by 4pm) for Fall

Chicago State uses two-phase admission: pre-professional first, then competitive entry to the professional program on 2.75 GPAs, prerequisites at C or better, TEAS results within one year, and a 400-word essay.

8. Aurora University (Aurora)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.75
• Exam: None stated
• Deadlines: Rolling with priority dates each cycle (Spring 2027 priority July 10, 2026)

Aurora publishes a 2.75 cumulative floor with C or better in all prerequisites and science courses within ten years. Qualified freshmen can direct-admit with a 3.0 high school GPA. (Partially verified; confirm on the official page.)

North Park University (Chicago) also publishes 2.75 cumulative and science floors, but its TEAS requirement is "Proficient level" with no numeric percentage published, so know the score bands before counting on it.

No entrance exam: the quiet advantage

If standardized tests are not your strength, Illinois gives you real options. Illinois State, Millikin, UIC, NIU, and Aurora above require no exam. Two more worth knowing:

• [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](/programs/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville) (Edwardsville) dropped the TEAS for its traditional option. It requires a 3.0 prerequisite and 3.0 cumulative GPA with six prerequisites at C or better. Fall deadline February 1.
• [University of St. Francis](/programs/university-of-st-francis) (Joliet) explicitly states the TEAS is not required: 3.0 cumulative nursing GPA, 2.75 science GPA, C or above with no repeats in the sciences, and rolling admissions year-round.

Direct admission: apply once, through general admissions

Several Illinois programs admit freshmen directly through university admissions, with no separate nursing application and no published nursing GPA or exam cutoffs. That is not the same as "easy": you are competing in the general admission pool, and staying in the major has its own progression rules. All three below are partially verified, so confirm details on official pages.

• [Loyola University Chicago](/programs/loyola-university-chicago) admits freshmen directly to its four-year BSN with no prerequisite course requirements and no entrance exam; the only published GPA threshold (2.5) governs transfer entry, not freshman admission.
• [Illinois Wesleyan University](/programs/illinois-wesleyan-university) (Bloomington) direct-admits first-year students to the School of Nursing with no separate application, and clinicals begin sophomore year. Test-optional applicants interview with the School of Nursing.
• [DePaul University](/programs/depaul-university) (Chicago) direct-admits high school students with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and B or higher in high school biology and chemistry; testing is optional.

We left Olivet Nazarene University off the list because its official program page publishes no numeric GPA, exam cutoff, or deadline for the traditional track.

How to actually get in

1. Aim well above the published floor, especially in A&P and microbiology.
2. If your target requires the TEAS, prep for the published cutoff plus a margin; if it does not, protect your science GPA, because it carries the whole file.
3. Map each deadline early: Illinois deadlines cluster in mid January (UIC, NIU, Illinois State transfers), so fall of the prior year is your prep window.

For the deeper playbook, read how to get into nursing school in Illinois, see what GPA you need for nursing school, or browse nursing schools that don't require the TEAS.

Find your best-fit Illinois program

Published minimums are the starting line, not the finish. See your odds free against real Illinois cutoffs, or compare every Illinois nursing program side by side.

*This guide is for planning purposes only, not official admissions advice. Confirm current requirements on each school's official admissions page before applying.*