Nursing at Wichita State runs through the School of Nursing's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) traditional program, and it is a meaningfully different admissions process from WSU's general undergraduate pathway. Rather than the university's broad Option 1 / Option 2 admission structure, BSN admission depends on a specific GPA and a set of completed science prerequisite courses, which makes it one of the more selective programs at an otherwise high-admit university.
This article covers the acceptance picture for BSN specifically, cost, admission requirements, English-test rules, and career outcomes.
Acceptance Rate
WSU does not publish a BSN-specific acceptance rate. What is published and verifiable is the academic bar applicants must clear: students must have an overall cumulative GPA of at least 2.750 across all completed coursework, no grade lower than a 2.000 in any specified required course, and a cumulative GPA in science prerequisite courses of 3.000 or better. Applicants must also have completed three of the four required science courses (Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and Biology) before applying.
Because the science-GPA requirement (3.0) sits meaningfully above the general GPA floor (2.75), BSN admission functions as a more selective, criteria-based gate than WSU's general undergraduate process, even though WSU itself is a high-admit university overall.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
Nursing students pay WSU's standard international undergraduate cost structure; the School of Nursing does not publish a separate, higher tuition rate for BSN specifically.
| Cost item (9-month academic year) | Without scholarship | With Global Select Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Total estimated cost | ~$36,300/year | ~$30,800/year |
Breaking this down: tuition and fees are approximately $20,100, housing and meals approximately $12,700, books approximately $1,200, and mandatory medical insurance approximately $2,300. For the full university-wide cost picture, see the Wichita State guide.
Admission Requirements
- Admission to Wichita State University as an active, degree-seeking undergraduate student (via Option 1 grades-based or Option 2 test-based admission)
- Official transcripts from all schools showing completed courses with final grades
- An overall cumulative GPA of at least 2.750
- No grade lower than a 2.000 in any specified required course
- Completion of at least three of the four required science prerequisites (Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Biology) with a cumulative science GPA of 3.000 or better
- Evidence of English proficiency (see below), unless exempt
- Certification of Financial Support and supporting financial documents
- Application deadlines: January 15 for Fall semester admission, August 15 for Spring semester admission
How to Get Into Wichita State's BSN Program
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Protect your science-course GPA specifically, not just your overall average. Because the 3.0 science-GPA requirement is stricter than the 2.75 general floor, a strong overall GPA with weak grades in Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, or Biology can still block BSN admission.
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Complete at least three of the four required science prerequisites before applying. Because this is a hard requirement rather than a preference, plan your coursework sequence (at WSU or a prior institution) with this specifically in mind.
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Apply well ahead of the January 15 (Fall) or August 15 (Spring) deadlines. Because nursing programs often have limited clinical placement capacity, applying early within the cycle is a reasonable precaution even where WSU doesn't publish a hard cap.
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Confirm international-student-specific nursing requirements directly with the School of Nursing, since the published admission criteria reviewed for this article did not include international-specific additions beyond WSU's general international admission process.
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Clear the English proficiency bar with real margin. Nursing coursework and later clinical communication are unusually language-intensive, so scoring comfortably above WSU's stated minimum matters more here than in many other majors.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
BSN applicants follow WSU's standard full-time academic admission English proficiency minimums; the sources reviewed for this article did not show a separately published, higher Nursing-specific threshold.
| Test | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 72 (before Jan 21, 2026); 4 on the redesigned scale (from that date) |
| PTE Academic | 49 |
| Duolingo English Test | 105 |
Because nursing coursework and clinical placements involve substantial reading, writing, and verbal communication, students close to this floor should treat it as a minimum to clear comfortably, not a target. For the full set of waivers and WSU's conditional admission pathway, see the Wichita State guide.
Career Outcomes
WSU's career outcomes data is managed through individual college career offices, and a single, published, university-wide Nursing-specific employment rate or starting salary figure was not located during this research. Nursing is a licensure-linked field in the US, graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam after completing the BSN before practicing as a registered nurse, so your path to employment runs through that exam as much as through WSU's own career services.
Nursing (BSN) is generally not STEM-designated, so graduates typically rely on the standard 12-month OPT period rather than the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Separately, international nurses pursuing US licensure and long-term work authorization should research the specific visa pathways for registered nurses (including the possibility of employer sponsorship), since OPT alone does not substitute for RN licensure requirements.
FAQ
What GPA do I need for Wichita State's BSN program? An overall cumulative GPA of at least 2.750, no grade below 2.000 in any required course, and a science-prerequisite GPA of 3.000 or better.
Which science courses do I need before applying? At least three of: Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and Biology.
When are the application deadlines? January 15 for Fall admission, August 15 for Spring admission.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need? The same as WSU's general full-time academic minimums: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 72 (4 on the redesigned scale from January 2026).
Does a BSN qualify for STEM OPT? Generally not. Nursing degrees use the standard 12-month OPT period, and RN licensure (via the NCLEX-RN) is the more directly relevant post-graduation requirement.