Frequently Asked Questions
Second Degree Accelerated BSN FAQ's
Who should apply?
Persons interested in nursing, who have a bachelor's degree and who can attend school full time. Before you apply for the program, take time to consider your financial situation, career goals, family responsibilities and your ability to become a full time college student again. ABSN is a full time accelerated program which would require students to devote forty (40) or more hours per week to lectures and clinical work for a 12-month period.
How long is the Second Degree Accelerated Nursing (ABSN) Program?
Nursing core classes are to be completed in 12 months (3 semesters) with total of 55 units.
Is the ABSN Program accredited and by whom?
ABSN Program was approved by Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) on July 2008 and accredited by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) on March 2009.
Is there a part-time option for ABSN? Will I be able to work while enrolled in the program?
No, there is no part-time option for this program. Employment is strongly discouraged while students are enrolled in the program. ABSN is a full time accelerated program, and in order to be successful in the program, your time commitment will include hours during the day, evening and weekends for classes, class preparation and clinical rotations.
When is the application deadline for the ABSN Program?
- The ABSN Program admits students twice a year, Summer and Fall.
- Deadline for Summer admission is February 1st. Deadline for Fall admission is June 1st.
- If February 1st or June 1st falls on the weekend or public holiday, then the deadline is the following business day.
What is the cost for the ABSN Program? Is Financial Aid available?
The tuition for 2013 - 2014 academic year is $675.00 per semester unit. The ABSN Program required 55 units total (incl. Theology classes). Students need to plan approximately $40,000 - $ 42,000 for the program (includes tuition, books, uniforms, insurance, etc).
Yes, a limited amount of financial aid is available. Please contact financial aid department for financial aid related questions (grad.finaid@cui.edu).
What is the minimum required GPA?
Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA is required. Cumulative GPA is defined as a combination of B.A/B.S and classes taken after degree completion.
I received my first bachelor degree in another country. How would I know if it is equal to a degree earned at a US University?
All foreign transcripts must be detail-evaluated by the International Education Research Foundation (IERF). This organization will convert your transcript to US credit units and US semester grades. An official IERF report must be submitted with your application.
Who are International students? I completed my bachelor degree in another country, does that automatically qualified me as international students?
Completion of bachelor degree in another country does not necessarily mean you are an international student. It is possible for US Citizens and/or US Permanent Residents to earn a degree from a foreign school.
International students are defined as students who are enrolled at institutions of higher education in the US who are neither a US Citizen nor a US Permanent Resident.
When is the application due for International students? Do I need to submit TOEFL Score?
Summer Admission: December 15th; Fall Admission: April 15th
All international students to the ABSN Program are required to achieve a TOEFL score of 100 or better. TOEFL score is not required if international students earned their Bachelor degree from a US regionally accredited university/college
Where can I complete prerequisite classes? Can I complete them at CUI?
Prerequisite classes are transferable from any regional accredited colleges/universities, provided the course descriptions meet CUI's requirements.
Applicants may choose to complete prerequisite classes at CUI as "non-degree seeking" students. These classes will be offered as undergraduate class which will follow CUI's catalog requirement and undergraduate's schedules. Non-degree seeking students are limited to twelve (12) units per semester.
Do you accept transfers student from other nursing schools?
CUI will not accept any transfer students from other nursing schools. You will have to apply to the program and follow the admission procedure for general ABSN applicants. Core nursing classes are non-transferable. You'll have to repeat all classes upon acceptance into the ABSN program.
Are online prerequisite classes acceptable?
Online classes from a regionally accredited college/university are acceptable.
However, these following classes are not acceptable to be completed online:
- Chemistry (w/lab)
- Anatomy (w/lab)
- Physiology (w/lab)
- Microbiology (w/lab)
- Oral Communication (Public Speech and/or Interpersonal Communication)
Is there a time limit associated with prerequisite classes? I took my chemistry class 10 years ago; do I have to repeat the class?
Yes, there is a time limit on science prerequisite classes. All science classes with laboratory portion are required to be completed within five (5) years of intended admission term. Human Nutrition is required to be completed within seven (7) years of intended admission term (i.e. for Summer 2012 admission: the last acceptable science courses are from Spring 2007, and the last acceptable nutrition course is from Spring 2005). Non-science prerequisite classes (general education) do not have time limit.
Am I allowed to have classes in progress at the time of application?
Yes, applicants are allowed to have a maximum of two (2) classes in-progress by the deadline with proof of enrollment. However, please be advised that admission to the ABSN program is very competitive. Any in-progress classes at the time of application might give a disadvantage in the admission selection process.
Can I set up an appointment with an admission counselor to go through my transcripts?
Due to the high volume of applicants, the admission counselor will not grant individual appointments to discuss prerequisite classes or transcripts.
If you have questions about an individual course, send an e-mail to ABSN@cui.edu with the following information:
- Course name and number
- College name and the semester when course was completed
- Course description from the college official catalog
If you need to have your entire transcript evaluated, you must complete and follow the instructions of the "pre-evaluation transcript" form.
Philosophy/Theology 6 units must be completed at CUI (1 semester before nursing program begins). If I am applying for Summer Admission, does that means I have to take these classes in the Spring semester?
In the ABSN Program, Philosophy/Theology classes are offered online only to new acceptance students to the program. Students will be enrolled in these classes after acceptance and must be completed prior to enrolling in nursing core classes. I.e. if you apply for Summer admission, you'll enroll in Theology in Summer, upon acceptance, and will begin your nursing classes in Fall.
How do I apply to the ABSN Program? Do I have to submit a general application and nursing application?
Submit an application to ABSN using the online application portal available at Concordia University Irvine's website. Only one (1) application to ABSN Program is required. Re-apply students must submit the "Domestic ABSN Paper Application," instead of the online application.
What other supporting documents are required to complete my application?
Please refer to the "ABSN Application Checklist" for list of documents. All the forms are available at the same page.
How do I check my application status to know which documents I am still missing?
The best way to check on the status of your application is to review the weekly emails that the Admission Office will send to you after starting the online application. The weekly emails list each of the documents that are required for your files and the dates that each item was received. If there is no date listed next to any required item(s), it means that the Admission Office has not received them.
Is an interview required for admission?
Yes, an admission interview is required and it is by invitation only – not every applicant will be invited to an interview. ABSN Admission Committee will review all completed files after each deadline, and then, if the Committee determines you have a strong application profile, you will be contacted via email for your assigned schedule. If you are invited to interview, please plan on making your own travel arrangement. It is mandatory for invited candidates to be present on campus for the interview process. If you fail to appear during the interview, the Committee will automatically assume that you withdraw from the admission process.
How many students do you admit to each admission term? And what is the acceptance rate for ABSN program?
Each admission term the program is limited to forty (40) students. The average range of acceptance rate is 18% - 22%.
Is there a profile of generally successful applicants to the ABSN Program?
This is the general profile of successful candidates in the past.
Will I be able to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) after completing ABSN Program?
After you have successfully completed ABSN Program, and after passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), you will be eligible to practice as a Registered Nurse.