Nursing School Prerequisites: A Complete Checklist

Before you can apply to most BSN programs, you have to finish a set of prerequisite courses. These are the foundation classes nursing schools use to judge whether you're ready for the curriculum. The exact list varies by school, but the core is remarkably consistent. Here's the complete checklist, what each course is for, and the rules that trip applicants up.

The core prerequisite checklist

Across the BSN programs in our database, these are the courses you'll see required again and again.

• Anatomy & Physiology I. The most important prerequisite. Expect a lab.
• Anatomy & Physiology II. The continuation; usually must be taken in sequence after A&P I.
• Microbiology. Typically with a lab.
• General Chemistry. Often "chemistry for health sciences" or introductory general chemistry, with a lab.
• Statistics. Many programs require it specifically; some accept College Algebra instead, so check.
• Nutrition. Common but not universal.
• Lifespan / Human Development (developmental psychology). A social-science requirement at many schools.
• English Composition I (and often II). Required nearly everywhere.

Most programs also fold in General Psychology and sometimes Sociology as general-education requirements. Use this as a starting list, then confirm the exact set for each target school, because the details differ. Some Arkansas programs, for instance, require College Algebra rather than Statistics, while others require both.

Why each course matters

Nursing schools don't pick these subjects at random. Anatomy & Physiology is the language of clinical practice; you can't understand pathophysiology or pharmacology without it, which is why A&P grades carry so much weight. Microbiology underlies infection control and how diseases spread. Chemistry is the basis for understanding medications and lab values. Statistics prepares you to read research and interpret data, a core skill in evidence-based practice. The English and psychology courses build the communication and human-development foundation nursing leans on constantly.

The science courses also do double duty in admissions: they form your science GPA, one of the numbers programs scrutinize most. For how that fits into the bigger picture, see what GPA you need for nursing school.

The rules that trip applicants up

Finishing the courses isn't enough. You have to finish them the way each program requires.

A C or better in every prerequisite

This is nearly universal. Most BSN programs will not accept a grade below C in a required course, and some are stricter still, barring even a C-minus in a science or requiring you to repeat any prerequisite you didn't pass cleanly. The University of Central Arkansas, for example, requires a grade of C or better in all prerequisites. One weak science grade can sink an otherwise strong file, so treat every prerequisite as if it counts, because it does. See UCA's requirements.

Science courses can expire

Many programs won't accept science prerequisites older than a few years, because the field moves and your knowledge has to be current. The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith notes that science courses older than five years may be ineligible, and some programs set a seven-year window for A&P and Microbiology. If you took A&P years ago, confirm it still counts before you build your plan around it, because you may need to retake it.

Sequence and labs

A&P II almost always has to follow A&P I, and most science prerequisites require the accompanying lab. Plan the chain so you don't stall a term waiting on a missing prerequisite.

How to sequence your prerequisites

You don't have to take everything at once, and you shouldn't.

1. Start with A&P I. It gates A&P II and shapes your science GPA, so give it a clean term where it's the only hard course.
2. Spread the sciences out. Avoid stacking A&P, Microbiology, and Chemistry in the same semester. Strong students earn B-minuses when they overload, and on a science GPA built from only four or five courses, that's costly.
3. Use the non-science courses as buffers. English Composition, Statistics, and Nutrition are the easiest places to earn A's that lift your overall GPA. Pair one with each hard science term.
4. Mind recency from the start. If you're a year or two from applying, take A&P and Microbiology late enough that they won't have "expired" by your application date.
5. Match the list to your specific schools. Some programs require Nutrition or Lifespan; others don't. Confirm each school's exact list before you register so you don't take a course you don't need, or skip one you do.

Confirm the exact list for your schools

Prerequisites are where many applicants quietly disqualify themselves, whether through a missing course, an expired science, or a single C. The fix is to verify each program's requirements early. See where you stand: check your admission chances free with the courses and grades you already have. Then browse programs by state on our Texas and Arkansas hubs, read more in our guides library, and use the Nursing School Planner to compare required courses across BSN programs side by side and see how your record stacks up.

*This guide is for planning purposes only. Always confirm the current prerequisite requirements on each school's official admissions page.*