Easiest Nursing Schools to Get Into in Virginia (2026)

Searching for the "easiest" nursing schools to get into in Virginia? Here is the honest framing: "easiest" does not mean guaranteed, and it does not mean low quality. Every accredited Virginia BSN program is rigorous, and all of them prepare you for the same NCLEX-RN exam. What we can do is rank Virginia 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.
• Many Virginia programs weigh prerequisite GPA harder than cumulative GPA, so a low cumulative floor often sits next to a stricter science expectation.
• 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 Virginia requirements, or browse all Virginia nursing programs side by side.

How we ranked "most accessible"

We pulled the published cumulative GPA floor and entrance-exam requirement for each Virginia 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 Virginia BSN programs by published GPA floor

1. Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 2.5
• Exam: None
• Deadline: Application closes August 1

VCU's Traditional BSN has the lowest published cumulative floor in the state at 2.5, with no prerequisite grade below C- and no standardized entrance exam. That combination (lowest floor, no test) makes it the most accessible published entry point in Virginia on paper. Expect competitive admits to sit well above 2.5.

2. George Mason University (Fairfax)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 3.0
• Prerequisite GPA: 3.0, no grade below C
• Exam: None

Mason's Traditional BSN pairs a 3.0 cumulative GPA with a 3.0 prerequisite GPA across A&P, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, and more. No entrance exam and no CASPer means your transcript does all the talking.

3. James Madison University (Harrisonburg)

• Prerequisite GPA: 3.0 minimum, C- or higher in each prerequisite
• Exam: None

JMU publishes no separate cumulative floor: the number that matters is a 3.0 prerequisite GPA across anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, nutrition, and lifespan. No entrance exam is required, which keeps the application file simple.

4. Norfolk State University (Norfolk)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 3.0
• Exam: HESI A2, 75% or greater in all categories
• Deadlines: March 1 for Fall, October 5 for Spring

Norfolk State's Traditional BSN asks for a 3.0 cumulative GPA, a C or above in prerequisites, and a HESI A2 at 75% in every category. The clear published exam target makes it easy to know exactly what to prepare for.

5. Liberty University (Lynchburg)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 3.0 (3.25 for the Fast Track)
• Exam: HESI A2, 75%

Liberty's residential traditional BSN requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA, C or better in A&P I/II with lab and chemistry, and a 75% HESI A2. Note these numbers apply to the residential traditional track only.

6. Shenandoah University (Winchester)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 3.0
• Science GPA: 3.0
• Exam: ATI TEAS, 65% overall (max two attempts)

Shenandoah publishes one of the lower TEAS targets in the state at 65% overall, alongside 3.0 cumulative and science GPAs. Rolling admissions is a plus if you are applying later in the cycle.

7. Old Dominion University (Norfolk)

• Prerequisite GPA: 3.0 (3.6 considered competitive)
• Exam: HESI A2, 80 composite minimum

ODU sets a 3.0 departmental prerequisite GPA but openly states 3.6 is competitive, which is a useful reality check on how floors work. The HESI A2 composite minimum of 80 is the highest published exam bar on this list.

8. Hampton University (Hampton)

• Cumulative GPA floor: 3.0
• Exam: TEAS required, no minimum score published

Hampton admits students to Pre-Nursing first, then reviews for the Professional Nursing Program on GPA, math/science GPA, TEAS, and recommendations. With no published TEAS cutoff, a strong score is a chance to stand out.

No entrance exam: the quiet advantage

If standardized tests are not your strength, three schools above require no exam at all: VCU, George Mason, and JMU. Your GPA and prerequisite grades carry the entire application, so protect those science grades.

Direct admission: apply once, through general admissions

Several Virginia programs admit freshmen directly through university admissions, with no separate nursing application. 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.

• [Longwood University](/programs/longwood-university) (Farmville) direct-admits freshmen with a 3.2 high school GPA plus one standardized test (SAT 1000, ACT 20, or TEAS 60). Nursing applicants must apply Early Decision by November 1 or Early Action by December 1. (Partially verified; confirm on the official page.)
• [Marymount University](/programs/marymount-university) (Arlington) requires only general university admission for first-year nursing applicants, with no nursing-specific GPA or exam published. (Partially verified.)
• [University of Virginia](/programs/university-of-virginia) (Charlottesville) admits to its BSN through central undergraduate admission with no published nursing minimums. Do not mistake that for accessible: UVA's general pool is highly selective.

We left Radford University off the ranked list because its official pages publish application windows and a C-or-better grade rule but no numeric GPA floor.

How to actually get in

1. Aim well above the published floor, especially in A&P and microbiology.
2. If your target requires the HESI A2 or TEAS, prep for the published cutoff plus a margin.
3. Map each deadline early: Virginia deadlines range from August 1 (VCU) to rolling.

For the deeper playbook, read how to get into nursing school in Virginia, see what GPA you need for nursing school, or browse nursing schools you can get into with a 3.0 GPA.

Find your best-fit Virginia program

Published minimums are the starting line, not the finish. See your odds free against real Virginia cutoffs, or compare every Virginia 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.*