• Fall Admission to the University of South Florida
  • Submit an undergraduate application to USF through the Office of Admissions.
  • Apply directly for the fall semester at the university. We only admit FNR in the fall, so if you apply for summer or spring admission to the university you will not be considered for admission to this program.
  • Choose nursing as your major and select Tampa as your campus as a degree-seeking student. We only host FNR on the Tampa campus.
  • If you apply to the university for Summer or Spring and choose nursing as your major, you will be redirected to Health Sciences.
• Must have the necessary SAT -or- ACT scores and high school weighted GPA to be admitted for Freshmen Nursing Pathway
  • FNR criteria for Fall 2024: 24 ACT/1180 SAT/81 CLT AND 3.9 weighted High School Grade Point Average (as calculated by USF Office of Admissions).  

• GPA Requirement
  • Students must have a 3.6 overall GPA and 3.0 prerequisite GPA by the end of the fall semester of their sophomore year as this is the requirement for admission to the Upper Division program.
  • Dual enrollment CAN cause ineligibility of FNR status
• Complete the state-mandated nursing prerequisites with a minimum grade of ‘B-’ or better.
  • 5 of 8 prerequisite courses must be completed PRIOR to the fall semester of their sophomore year (the remaining 3 prerequisite courses must be successfully completed in the fall semester of their sophomore year)
  • Students must receive a ‘B-’ or better in all eight of these courses on their first attempt (CANNOT be a ‘C+’)
  • Students CAN satisfy prerequisites with exam credit
  • Students are NOT able to use Grade Forgiveness for prerequisites and dual enrollment CAN cause ineligibility of FNR status.
• Complete mandatory semesterly appointments with FNR advisor.
  • FNR students are required to meet with their academic advisor every semester prior to registration.
  • This is to ensure you are getting the necessary credits and courses to keep you on track for matriculation into Upper Division.
• Complete all general education requirements including FLENT and Civic Literacy
  • These requirements must be completed by the end of the spring semester of their sophomore year
  • General Education Information
  • FLENT Information
  • Civic Literacy Information
  • Students CAN satisfy requirements with exam credit
  • Students who have obtained an AA from a public Florida College System institution automatically meet the general education requirements (FLENT and the Civic Literacy exam are not satisfied by the FL AA degree and must be completed separately)

• Successfully complete NUR 3825 - Introduction to the Profession of Nursing
  • FNR students have the advantage of being able to take their first nursing course prior to their entrance into the Upper Division program.
  • Please review the nursing student handbook to determine the minimum score required for passing an undergraduate nursing course at USF.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in ineligibility to matriculate into Upper Division and the need for major re-selection.

• Communication: ENC 1101, ENC 1102, 6 credits (satisfied in the nursing program)
• Humanities: 3 credits
• Mathematics: 3 STA credits and 3 credits
• Natural Sciences: satisfied through nursing prerequisites
• Social Sciences: satisfied through the nursing prerequisites
• Creative Thinking: 3 credits
• Human & Cultural Diversity: 3 credits
• Information & Data Literacy: 3 credits
• Ethical Reasoning & Civic Engagement: satisfied in the nursing program (DOES NOT need to be completed prior to entrance to the nursing program)
• High Impact Practice: satisfied in the nursing program (DOES NOT need to be completed prior to entrance to the nursing program)
• Civic Literacy: AMH 2020 -or- POS 2041
• FLENT: 0-8 credits
  
  Students who have obtained an AA from a public Florida College System institution automatically meet the general education requirements (FLENT and the Civic Literacy exam are not satisfied by the FL AA degree and must be completed separately)

Students must receive a grade of a B- or better on the first attempt state-mandated prerequisite grade (C+ or below will cause ineligibility)

Human Anatomy and Physiology I w/ Lab – 4 credits

• BSC X085C or (BSC X085 and BSC X085L) or BSC X093C or (BSC X093 and BSC X093L) or APK 2100C or ZOO 3733C or ZOO 3731 and 3731L

Human Anatomy and Physiology II w/ Lab – 4 credits

• BSC X086C or (BSC X086 and BSC X086L) or BSC X094C or (BSC X094 and BSC X094L) or APK 2015C or PCB 3703C or PCB 2099 and PCB 2099L

Microbiology w/ Lab – 4 credits

• MCB X010C or (MCB X010 and MCB X010L) or MCB X013C or (MCB X000 and MCB X000L) or (MCB X004 and MCB X004L)

Introduction to Statistics – 3 credits

• STA X014 or STA X023 or STA X122
• Research based courses with a statistics component will not satisfy this requirement, such as Research Methods.

Human Growth and Development – 3 credits

• DEP X004 or DEP X054 or DEP X000
• Must cover the development of an individual from birth to death in one course.

Human Nutrition – 3 credits

• HUN X201
• Special topics nutrition courses will not satisfy this requirement, such as Sports Nutrition, Nutrition & Drugs, etc.

Any Psychology or Sociology Course – 3 credits

• PSY XXXX or SOP XXXX or SYG XXXX

Any Chemistry, Biology, or Physics – 3 credits

• CHM XXXX or BCH XXXX or BSC XXXX or PCB XXXX or PHY XXXX
• CHM 2045 General Chemistry preferred
• No lab required

If you have taken a prerequisite at a different university and it is not populating in your DegreeWorks, please contact the FNR advisor, Holli McLean, at hlmclean@usf.edu.

Admissions

What are the scores and GPA needed to get into the Freshmen Nursing Pathway?

• The Freshman Nursing Pathway admissions criteria can change from year to year based on the competitive freshman profile compiled by the Office of Admissions. FNR criteria for Fall 2024: 24 ACT/1180 SAT/81 CLT AND 3.9 weighted High School Grade Point Average (as calculated by Office of Admissions).

Can I apply to the Upper Division nursing program before my junior/third year?

• Not from Freshmen Nursing Pathway. If you would like to apply early, you would need to exit FNR and apply to the nursing program from a different major after you have completed all of your general education requirements and nursing prerequisites.

FNR Progression

What happens if I don’t meet the FNR progression requirements?

• Students who fail to meet progression would be required to change majors (NOT nursing), so they can complete another degree from USF in the four-year timeframe. Students CAN complete nursing requirements from this other major and apply for the Upper Division in the competitive pool of internal and external transfer applicants in the future.

Major Eligibility

I am a current student at USF, can I change my major to nursing?

• Not to Freshmen Nursing Pathway. You can complete your general education requirements and nursing prerequisites and apply to the Upper Division program once you have met the criteria.

I am an incoming freshman at USF. Can I change my major to nursing?

• Only if you meet the admission criteria for your freshman class and have not been admitted or applied to the spring/summer semesters. We are not able to change majors to FNR after the first week of class has passed. Contact the FNR advisor, Andrew Archibald at andrewarchibald@usf.edu to request a major change if you meet the admissions criteria.

I am a transfer incoming student at USF. Can I change my major to nursing?

• No, transfer students are not eligible to join the Freshmen Nursing Pathway. Please connect with our College of Nursing Admissions team to discuss options for completing your BSN.

Nursing Prerequisites

Can I use exam credit to satisfy prerequisite courses?

• Yes, please find exam equivalents here.

I got below a ‘B-’ on a prerequisite when I took it for dual enrollment. Can I still be in the Freshmen Nursing Pathway?   

• If you received a grade below a B- in a prerequisite via dual enrollment, you would need to complete the nursing prerequisite at USF and earn a B- or better. If you received a grade below a B- in more than one prerequisite via dual enrollment, you would not be eligible to remain in the FNR major. You would need to complete the nursing prerequisites and general education requirements in another major and apply to the Upper Division program with the competitive pool of applicants once you’re ready.

I got below a ‘B-’ on a prerequisite when I took it for AP/IB/AICE. Can I still be in the Freshmen Nursing Pathway?

• Yes. Test credit only depends on the score you received on the test. We do not look at what you received as a grade for the course. If you did not pass the exam, you can still be FNR, you would just need to take the course at USF to get the credit for the prerequisite.

Can I use Grade Forgiveness if I get below a ‘B-’ in one of my nursing prerequisites?

• You can use Grade Forgiveness on any course you take; however, it will only impact your overall GPA. You will still be ineligible for FNR as we only look at first attempt grades for nursing prerequisites. 

I took a prerequisite at a former university, but it’s not populating in DegreeWorks under my state-mandated nursing prerequisites. How do I fix this?

• Contact the FNR advisor, Andrew Archibald at andrewarchibald@usf.edu.

Registration

How do I register for courses?

• Please view the videos provided by the Office of the Registrar to learn about finding and registering for courses.

Can I enter the nursing program early if I finish all of the necessary requirements early? 

• No. If you would like to enter the Upper Division program prior to your third year on campus, you would need to exit the Freshmen Nursing Pathway and apply to the Upper Division program from that major with the competitive pool of applicants. 

What should I do if I brought in dual enrollment/exam credit, but want to stay in the Freshmen Nursing Pathway? 

• You can pursue a concurrent degree or a minor. We also have students in the Honors College or studying abroad. It is entirely up to you and how you would like to spend that time.

Do I have to take the math placement test? 

• No. We do not require any specific level math courses for nursing. College Algebra and Statistics are all you need. 

Do I have to take summer courses prior to entering the nursing program? 

• No. You will be taking summer courses during the nursing program which will satisfy your graduation requirement. 

If I took the Civic Literacy exam in high school, do I have to take the Canvas Civic Literacy exam? 

• Please connect with Undergraduate Studies to see if the exam you took counts as a transfer equivalent. 

What should I do if I am registered for a course that I have already taken or am in progress for? 

• Contact the FNR advisor, Andrew Archibald at andrewarchibald@usf.edu. 

My dual enrollment/exam credit is not populating in DegreeWorks. How do I fix this? 

• Contact admissions@usf.edu, or if you haven’t already, send your final transcripts/test scores to USF Admissions. 

Why should I add/drop a course? 

• Drop a course if you already have credit in that area. Add a course if you need more credits per semester to meet scholarship/financial aid requirements. 

What courses can I choose from to satisfy my general education requirements? 

• Courses to satisfy general education requirements can all be found here. 

More information regarding the Nursing Trailblazers LLC can be found here along with the application process.  If you have specific questions, please reach out to Andrew Archibald at andrewarchibald@usf.edu.