CU Denver/CU Anschutz Nursing Bridge BSN admission requirements and application process

Have a question about our Bachelor's application process? Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions to see if we have already addressed it.

Admission to the CU Denver/CU Anschutz Nursing Bridge program is competitive. This bridge pathway is designed to be a 3+2 program consisting of 3 years of prerequisite coursework at the CU Denver downtown campus (Phase I) + 2 years of nursing coursework at CU Anschutz Nursing (Phase II), resulting in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Students accepted to the CU Anschutz Nursing Bridge program will be required to meet the minimum requirements below to enroll in the Traditional BS program. All admission offers are contingent upon meeting these criteria, including all pre-enrollment requirements, which are outlined in the letter of admission.

• Resident of the state of Colorado.
• All nursing prerequisites earned at the University of Colorado Denver.
• 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher in the required 60 semester credits. A grade of C or better is required for each prerequisite.

Requirements overview

In order for an application to be reviewed for admission, the following requirements must be met by the application deadline:

• 3.0 cumulative prerequisite GPA in all required prerequisites for application. A grade of C or better is required for each prerequisite.
• Document enrollment in the following courses at CU Denver in the spring term of application:
  • ENGL 2030
  • BIOL 2020
  • BIOL 2021
  • CHEM 2031 and CHEM 2038 or Chem 2061 and 2068
  • MAT 1110 or MATH 2830
• Note: It is acceptable for applicants to have AP/IB, and or completed college credits, if taken prior to admission into CU Denver as a freshman student.
• Ability to have all outstanding prerequisites completed by the start of the term with no more than 18 prerequisite credits outstanding in the semester prior to transitioning into the Traditional BS in Nursing Pathway.

Prerequisite course requirements while at CU Denver

• ENGL 1020- Core Comp. I-3
• ENGL 2030-Core Comp. II-3
• BIOL 2010- Organisms to Ecosystems-3
• BIOL 2011-Organisms to Ecosystems Lab-1
• CHEM 2031- Gen CHEM I-3 or CHEM 1000
• CHEM 2038 - General Chemistry Lab
• MATH 1110
  

Prerequisite course requirements for entry into the Traditional BS in Nursing Pathway

• Human Anatomy (or A&P I)
• Human Physiology (A&P II)
• Microbiology
• Statistics
• General Chemistry*
• Science*
• College Algebra
• General Sociology
• General Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Cultural Anthropology or Multicultural Studies
• English Composition II
• Creative Arts
• Nutrition
• Two courses from: Foreign Language, History, Microeconomics, Philosophy or Political Science (courses must be from two different content areas)

*One of these science lectures must have an accompanying lab.

The majority of your courses must be completed at CU Denver. You may have up to 9 prerequisite college credits earned after high school transferred into the program.

You may take a maximum of 18 semester credits, including only one science course, the semester before you start the program.

Due to the clinical nature of the nursing profession, all students must meet the following communication standards, as outlined in the Technical Standards of our Student Handbook:

1. A student must be able to communicate clearly and effectively in English with clients, teachers, and all members of the health care team. Written and oral communication must use standard, professional medical terminology.
2. A student must communicate with clients clearly and effectively in English to elicit information regarding history, emotional status, and activity, and to perceive nonverbal communications.
3. Communication includes speech, hearing, reading, writing, and computer literacy.
4. A student must be able to clearly and effectively report in English to members of the health care team. Additionally, students must be able to relay appropriate information to clients, as well as teach, explain, direct, and counsel a wide variety of individuals.
5. In some instances, the student will be required to provide clear, direct communication in English during highly stressful, crisis situations. These skills necessitate a strong command of the English language and prompt timely interpretation of pertinent patient data.
6. A student must be able to communicate online in a timely, professional manner, e.g., enter an electronic medical record immediately after the patient visit.

If your primary language is not English, or if you are an International Student, you will need to demonstrate required English language proficiency by meeting one of the following criteria:

1. You are a citizen of a country whose official, language of daily use and language of instruction is English.
2. You have obtained at least a total minimum score on one of the following tests:
   

Test	Minimum Required Score	CU Anschutz Nursing Exam Code
Internet Based TOEFL, if taken AFTER January 1, 2026	Overall score of 4, speaking sub-score of 5	3377
Internet Based TOEFL, if taken PRIOR to January 1, 2026 *scores are valid for 2 years after the test	Overall score of 83, speaking sub-score of 26	3377
IELTS	Total score of 6.5 minimum speaking sub-score of 8	Send directly to CU Anschutz College of Nursing

3. For other minimum sub-scores see CU Denver Internal Admissions.
4. You have graduated from the University of Colorado Denver’s ESL Academy or comparable post-secondary program earned at a regionally accredited institution.
5. You have graduated from a USA or UK accredited school abroad with English as the medium of instruction.
6. You have earned a Bachelor’s degree in the U.S. or you have successfully completed a minimum of 2 semesters of full-time study in a master’s program at an accredited institution in the U.S.
7. Successfully completed English Composition and English Literature at a regionally accredited institution.

For non-international applicants whose primary language is not English (i.e.permanent residents), there may also be an opportunity to complete an English language evaluation to demonstrate language proficiency if adequately trained staffing is available. Candidates may be identified and contacted during the application cycle if proof of English language proficiency is required.

After graduation, CU Anschutz Nursing students will seek licensure by taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). This exam must be successfully passed in order to practice as a registered nurse. Although the NCLEX is offered in every state, each state has its own rules and regulations governing eligibility and licensure. The CU Nursing curriculum is designed to meet Colorado’s NCLEX requirements.

If you plan to attend CU Anschutz Nursing but intend to obtain licensure in a state other than Colorado, please follow these steps:

1. Review the information provided on the State Authorization Regulations page.
2. Confirm the licensure requirements for the state in which you intend to practice.

Please keep in mind that some state-specific requirements may not be part of CU Anschutz Nursing’s curriculum but may instead be met through admission prerequisites which can still satisfy the requirements

The Traditional, Fort Lewis College, and UCAN Pathways are all eligible for F‑1 visa enrollment.

If you need an F‑1 visa, please reach out to the Office of International Admission before starting your application. They can help you understand the steps to obtain and maintain your F‑1 visa status.

Healthcare experience is recommended for all paths, but required only for the UCAN Path.

Although not mandatory for other paths, healthcare experience can strengthen your application. If you’re interested in gaining experience, consider CNA opportunities in your community—many hospitals offer on site training that leads to certification.

Only completed healthcare experience hours completed at the application deadline will be evaluated; future or anticipated hours cannot be considered.

For volunteer opportunities, start by exploring major hospital systems and health-focused non-profits in your area.

Healthcare Experience Requirements by Path

Path	Amount Required	Types of Experience	Other Information
UCAN	No minimum amount required.	Paid or Volunteer, but a preference for paid experience with at least 400 recorded hours.	To be competitive, 400-700 hours of healthcare experience is advised.
FLC, TRAD, CU Denver, INP	Not required.	Any healthcare experience is beneficial, but not required for admission.

 

Primary application fee ($65) paid directly to NursingCAS and supplemental application fee ($50) paid to CU Anschutz Nursing directly. Both must be paid for an application to be considered complete. Please have a payment method ready when you submit your application. Instructions for payment are included in the NursingCAS application.

Personal statement responding to the following: “Given your personal background, describe your interest in nursing and what makes you special or unique.” Statements must be no more than 500 words, 12-point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.

Upload your CV/resume into your NursingCAS application.

NursingCAS will ask you to upload the names and emails of recommenders who can attest to your skills and abilities. The number of recommendations vary by path. Recommendations can be professional or academic; however it is recommended that at least one submission is from someone who has known you in an academic capacity.

References will be contacted by NursingCAS to complete an online Likert-scale reference form, which is then submitted directly back to NursingCAS. Letters of reference are not accepted.

Path	Number of References Required
UCAN Path	3
Fort Lewis College	3
TRAD Path	3
CU Denver Path	3
Integrated Nursing Path	2

 

All applicants must request official transcripts from each former/current institution attended. You will need to order all official transcripts to be sent directly to NursingCAS for verification (regardless of the years attended or previous coursework completed).

This includes any concurrent/dual enrollment courses you took in high school; you must submit official transcripts for any post-secondary school(s) from which you earned college credit while in high school. Yes, we want to know about the bowling class you took freshman year!

For additional information regarding submitting official transcripts, please visit the NursingCAS transcripts help section.

Applicants who were previously enrolled in another nursing program (prerequisite courses excluded) are required to submit as part of the NursingCAS application a letter of good standing from the previous school indicating that the student left in good academic standing.

Applications usually open one year before the start of a program. A priority deadline occurs approximately 6 months after they open. Give yourself time to fill in your application details and upload documents. If you submit your application by the posted deadline, we provide a 10-day grace period to allow any outstanding materials to arrive.

Application tip: You can submit your application before your recommendations and transcripts are posted to your NursingCAS account. If the application is received by the deadline and materials are posted within the 10-day grace period, your file will be reviewed. Please note the specific application deadline to calculate the grace period timeframe and end date.

Apply by the application deadline for your chosen pathway. This increases your chances of admission and scholarships. We may extend the deadline if space is available. Check the website and your email regularly for updates.

Did you miss the deadline? If there is capacity to accept more students, the application deadline may be extended. Please check the College of Nursing Application Deadlines page to see if dates have been extended. 

If you meet the minimum criteria, your application is verified in NursingCAS, and you submit all the required materials by the deadline, our faculty will review your application. They will then select candidates for interviews.

If you're selected, you will get an invite via email. Please check your email regularly. If you don't respond to the interview request, you will be withdrawn from the application process.

All programs’ interviews will be held via Zoom.

A select group of applicants will be invited to participate in CU Anschutz Nursing’s Interview Day. The day includes small group interviews where you will respond to questions as a group and individually, group discussions, and presentations from various CU Anschutz Nursing offices. Students must be available for the full event, which typically runs from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. MST. The specific interview date will be posted in the NursingCAS application.

If you are applying to the TRAD, FLC, CU Denver, UCHealth, or INP Paths, you will be required to complete the Spontaneous Writing Sample (SWS). This essay-writing activity allows CU Anschutz Nursing to assess your college-level writing skills. The 30-minute SWS is conducted via Zoom and is typically scheduled either before or after Interview Day, with options offered during evenings and weekends. There is no preparation needed for the SWS. Details about the SWS will be included in your interview invitation.

We are often asked if there are any tips to make a good impression on Interview Day. Our best advice is for you to show up as your authentic self and to approach interview day as you would a job interview. Similar to interviewing for a job, do your research, peruse the website to learn more about CU Anschutz Nursing and why we are the top-ranked school in Colorado and nationally.

All students at CU Anschutz Nursing are admitted conditionally pending successful completion/passing of the pre-enrollment requirements, including, but not limited to, background checks, drug screens (including marijuana), immunizations, etc. Prospective students who have criminal convictions (or pending criminal activity) are encouraged to contact an admissions representative prior to applying. If criminal history or a pending criminal charge prohibits the possibility of clinical placements, admission will be rescinded/denied.

Admitted students should not start any of the pre-enrollment requirements until properly informed and instructed to do so. Many of the pre-enrollment requirements are timed, and starting items prematurely can result in a financial loss to the student.

Admitted students are considered CU Anschutz Nursing students and are held to all policy and procedures that govern the university and college.

Admitted applicants must complete a background check prior to enrollment.

Admission may be revoked if a criminal history or pending charge prevents participation in required clinical placements.

You’ll need to be up to date on required immunizations before you start school and participate in clinical activities.

You are required to complete and pass a drug screening, which includes screening for marijuana.