Nursing Schools That Don't Require the TEAS (2026)

The ATI TEAS is the most common nursing entrance exam, but it is far from universal. A large number of BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) programs skip it entirely. Some are GPA-driven, meaning admission rests on your cumulative and prerequisite GPA rather than a test score. Others are direct-admit (also called freshman-entry), where you apply straight out of high school and the nursing decision is made through a holistic review of your record.

One thing to be clear about up front: "no TEAS" does not mean "easy." Many of the schools below are highly competitive, and removing the exam often just shifts the weight onto GPA, prerequisites, or your high school application. Skipping the TEAS simply means one fewer hurdle, not a lower bar.

Below are real BSN programs in our database confirmed against official sources as requiring no TEAS, grouped by state. Requirements change often, so always confirm on each school's official admissions page before you apply. Want a quick read on where you stand? Check your odds free against real program requirements, or browse all nursing programs to compare.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one of the deepest benches of no-TEAS programs, split between direct-admit privates and GPA-driven publics.

• Villanova University and Drexel University (Philadelphia) are four-year direct-admit programs; you apply to the nursing major as a freshman through central admissions, with no nursing entrance exam.
• Duquesne University and University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh) are also direct-admit. Pitt's admitted freshmen are highly competitive (middle-50% weighted GPA 4.10-4.44).
• University of Pennsylvania (Penn Nursing) is direct-admit and highly selective, with roughly a 6-8% acceptance rate.
• Gwynedd Mercy University and Penn State (University Park) round out the direct-admit options.
• On the GPA-driven side, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University, West Chester University, La Salle University, and Widener University admit into the upper-division major based on cumulative and science GPA (typically a 3.0 floor), with no TEAS.

Browse the full list on the Pennsylvania programs hub.

Michigan

Michigan is a strong GPA-driven state, with several large publics admitting on prerequisite GPA alone.

• Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University, Western Michigan University, Ferris State University, Saginaw Valley State University, University of Michigan-Flint, and Calvin University select by GPA with no nursing entrance exam.
• Wayne State University and Oakland University compute admission on prerequisite GPA plus essays and references, with no entrance exam or Casper.
• University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), University of Detroit Mercy, and Madonna University offer direct-entry/direct-admit freshman paths with no TEAS.

See them together on the Michigan programs hub.

New Jersey

New Jersey leans heavily toward direct-admit, freshman-entry programs.

• The College of New Jersey, Stockton University, Seton Hall University, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, Ramapo College, and Rutgers University admit freshmen directly with no nursing entrance exam; decisions are made on your high school record.
• Monmouth University is freshman direct-admit with a published 2.75 overall GPA and no TEAS or HESI.
• Rowan University uses a cooperative diploma-plus-BSN model and, per its official criteria, does not require the TEAS.

Compare them on the New Jersey programs hub.

New York

New York's no-TEAS schools split cleanly into two paths.

• University at Buffalo, Stony Brook University, and Binghamton University (all SUNY) are GPA-driven upper-division programs requiring no nursing entrance exam.
• New York University, Pace University, Adelphi University, St. John's University, and Molloy University are direct-admit freshman-entry programs. (Molloy uses the TEAS only after admission for remediation screening, not as an admission cutoff.)

Ohio

Ohio offers a healthy mix of both models, none requiring the TEAS.

• The Ohio State University, Xavier University, Capital University, and Otterbein University offer direct-admit or pre-nursing freshman entry.
• Kent State University, Cleveland State University, Ohio University, and The University of Toledo admit into the upper-division major on cumulative and prerequisite GPA.

California

• California State University, Fullerton is a freshman-entry impacted program that explicitly does not require or accept the TEAS or HESI.
• UCLA, UC Irvine, and University of San Francisco are direct-entry freshman programs with no nursing entrance exam (UC Irvine's FAQ states this outright).
• Azusa Pacific University and Point Loma Nazarene University are GPA-driven/direct-entry programs with no published entrance exam.

More are on the California programs hub.

Virginia

Virginia is notably exam-light across its public BSN programs.

• Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Radford University, and University of Virginia admit on GPA and prerequisites with no standardized entrance exam.
• Marymount University and Longwood University offer freshman-entry paths (Marymount's TEAS applies only to transfer/ABSN entrants and is currently suspended).

Illinois

• University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are GPA-driven, with SIUE having dropped the TEAS for its traditional option.
• Loyola University Chicago and DePaul University are direct-entry freshman programs.

Oklahoma

• University of Oklahoma, University of Central Oklahoma (TEAS no longer required), University of Tulsa, Oklahoma City University, and Oklahoma Baptist University admit on GPA and prerequisites with no entrance exam stated.

Arkansas

• University of Central Arkansas (Conway) is GPA-driven with no TEAS or HESI.
• Arkansas State University, John Brown University, University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, and UAMS Northwest also confirm no TEAS for their BSN tracks.

Other states with no-TEAS programs

Single strong examples worth noting:

• Texas: University of Texas at Austin (direct-entry, holistic), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and St. Edward's University (no TEAS or HESI).
• Florida: Florida State University, University of South Florida, Florida Atlantic University (direct admit), University of North Florida, and Jacksonville University.
• Louisiana: Southeastern Louisiana University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Louisiana at Monroe, and Loyola University New Orleans.
• North Carolina: UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, and Appalachian State University.
• Georgia: Emory University and Berry College (direct-admit option).
• And single programs in Alabama (University of Alabama at Birmingham), Iowa (University of Iowa), Massachusetts (Boston College, direct-admit), and Washington (University of Washington).

How to use this list

Skipping the TEAS changes your strategy, not your effort. For GPA-driven schools, your cumulative and prerequisite GPA become the whole game, so see what GPA you need for nursing school. For direct-admit programs, your high school record and essays carry the weight.

If a school you want still requires an exam, it helps to know your options. Read TEAS vs HESI A2 to compare the two most common entrance tests.

Requirements shift year to year, and a program that dropped the TEAS this cycle may bring it back. Confirm every detail on the official page, then check your odds free to see how your numbers line up against real program requirements.

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