The University of Houston's Gessner College of Nursing runs a Traditional BSN program with a structure that catches some international applicants off guard: unlike Computer Science or Business at UH, Nursing is not something you're admitted into directly as an incoming freshman. You complete prerequisite coursework first, then apply into the nursing major itself. Understanding this two-stage structure matters more than any single acceptance-rate figure.
This article covers the acceptance picture, the two-stage admission structure, cost, admission requirements, English-test rules, and career outcomes.
Acceptance Rate
UH does not publish a Nursing-specific acceptance rate distinct from its university-wide figures. What matters more in practice is the admission structure: the Traditional BSN requires completing 45 credit hours at UH before you can apply into the nursing major itself, meaning you're admitted to UH generally first (where, per UH's Fall 2025 Common Data Set, international applicants are admitted at the highest rate of any group, around 85.35%), and then separately admitted into the competitive nursing major once prerequisites are complete.
International applicants with 15 or more college credits from an institution outside the US apply to UH as International Transfer students, and must meet the same Traditional BSN requirements as domestic applicants from that point forward. Applicants to UH's RN-BSN, Second Degree BSN, MSN, and DNP programs must have international transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES); Second Degree BSN applicants specifically need an accredited bachelor's degree or higher in a non-nursing major already in hand.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
Nursing students pay UH's standard tuition structure for their pre-nursing coursework, then nursing-specific costs once admitted to the major; we could not confirm a separate, published nursing-specific tuition rate distinct from UH's general undergraduate schedule in the sources reviewed.
| Cost item | Undergraduate (International/Non-Resident) |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, per semester (Natural Sciences & Math rate band, as a reference point) | ~$14,032.64 |
| Estimated annual tuition & fees (two semesters) | ~$28,000-29,200/year |
| Room and board (on-campus) | ~$8,000-12,000/year |
| International student health insurance (mandatory) | ~$1,800-3,000/year |
Confirm the exact nursing-program fee structure directly with the Gessner College of Nursing, since clinical-placement and simulation-lab costs are common additions at other universities' nursing programs and were not independently confirmed for UH specifically in this research. For the full university-wide cost and aid picture, see the University of Houston guide.
Admission Requirements
Stage 1: General UH admission (or International Transfer)
- Completed application and international application fee
- Official secondary school transcripts, or for International Transfer applicants with 15+ non-US college credits, those transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES)
- Evidence of English proficiency (see below)
- Financial documentation for I-20/visa processing
Stage 2: Admission into the Traditional BSN major
- Completion of 45 credit hours at UH, including required prerequisite coursework (science and general-education requirements)
- A competitive GPA in prerequisite coursework; this stage is reported as more selective than general UH admission, though an exact published cutoff was not confirmed in the sources reviewed
- Program-specific application to the Gessner College of Nursing once prerequisites are complete
Alternative routes (RN-BSN, Second Degree BSN)
- RN-BSN: for applicants who already hold RN licensure; international transcripts evaluated by WES
- Second Degree BSN: requires an accredited bachelor's degree or higher in a non-nursing major already completed; international transcripts evaluated by WES
How to Get Into UH's Nursing Program
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Plan for two admission stages, not one. Because the Traditional BSN requires 45 completed UH credit hours before you can even apply into the nursing major, build your first two years around prerequisite coursework and GPA, not around getting into "nursing" directly as a freshman.
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Protect your prerequisite-course GPA specifically. The second-stage admission into the nursing major is reported as more competitive than general UH admission, so treat your science and general-education prerequisites as the courses that actually decide your nursing-program outcome.
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If you already have college credits or a bachelor's degree, check the transfer or Second Degree pathways first. International Transfer (15+ non-US credits) and Second Degree BSN routes may be faster than starting as a first-time freshman, but both require WES evaluation of your existing transcripts.
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Clear the English proficiency bar with real margin. Nursing coursework and clinical communication both carry a genuine language load beyond general academic English, so don't aim for just the bare minimum.
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Confirm clinical-placement and immunisation prerequisites directly with Gessner College of Nursing, since these are standard for nursing programs generally but were not independently confirmed for UH specifically in this research.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
Nursing applicants follow the University of Houston's university-wide English proficiency minimums; there is no separately published nursing-specific override confirmed in the sources reviewed, though clinically-facing programs elsewhere often carry additional spoken-English expectations in practice.
| Test | Undergraduate minimum |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall |
| TOEFL iBT | 79 |
| Duolingo English Test | 105 |
For the full set of waivers and score-validity rules, see the University of Houston guide.
Career Outcomes
Nursing graduates from UH's Gessner College of Nursing become eligible to apply for Registered Nurse licensure through the Texas Board of Nursing after passing the NCLEX-RN, opening roles across Houston's large medical center and hospital systems, one of the largest concentrations of healthcare employers in the US. A single, confirmed Gessner-specific employment rate or starting salary figure was not found from a primary UH source during this research.
Nursing degrees are generally not STEM-designated, so Gessner graduates typically rely on the standard 12-month OPT period rather than the 24-month STEM OPT extension available to engineering and computer science graduates at UH.
FAQ
Can I apply directly into UH's Nursing program as an incoming freshman? Not into the major itself. The Traditional BSN requires completing 45 credit hours at UH first, with a competitive GPA in prerequisite coursework, before you apply into the nursing major as a second stage.
What if I already have college credits from outside the US? If you have 15 or more non-US college credits, you apply as an International Transfer student and must have your transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES).
Is there a faster route if I already have a bachelor's degree? Yes, the Second Degree BSN is designed for applicants who already hold an accredited bachelor's degree or higher in a non-nursing field, though it still requires WES evaluation of international transcripts.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for UH Nursing? The same as UH's university-wide minimums: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79, though confirm directly with Gessner College of Nursing whether any additional spoken-English expectations apply.
Does a UH Nursing degree qualify for STEM OPT? Generally no. Nursing degrees are not STEM-designated, so graduates typically use the standard 12-month OPT period.