Our nursing programs at UCI are known for being highly selective, with incoming students who are truly exceptional. For example, in the most recent admissions cycle, our undergraduate program had 2,887 freshman applicants, of which only 72 were admitted – resulting in an impressive admission rate of 2.5%. The admitted freshman class had a cumulative GPA range of 4.0-4.44, showcasing the academic excellence of our nursing students.

In order to be considered for admission to the UIC College of Nursing, applicants must meet certain GPA requirements. Specifically, a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 is required for review, with a 2.5 GPA needed in the required math and science classes. Applicants whose GPAs fall below these minimums will not be considered for admission. It is essential for prospective students to prioritize their academic performance in order to meet these requirements and increase their chances of being admitted to the nursing program.

The admission process at UCI also takes into consideration other factors beyond GPA, such as SAT scores. While there is no absolute SAT requirement, applicants are encouraged to aim for at least a score of 1180 to have a competitive chance at being considered for admission. Aspiring nursing students should aim to excel academically and achieve a strong SAT score in order to enhance their overall application and increase their chances of being admitted to the prestigious nursing program at UCI.

Program Admissions Statistics	UC Irvine Nursing Program
Cumulative GPA Range	4.0-4.44
Minimum Overall GPA Requirement	2.75
Minimum Math & Science GPA Requirement	2.5
SAT Requirement	1180

UCI Nursing Overview

The University of California, Irvine Medical Center (UCIMC or UCI Medical Center) is a major research hospital located in Orange, California. It is the teaching hospital for the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.

UCI Nursing History

Plans had been in place since the founding of the school for a medical center, and space was set aside on campus. This would model the hospital campuses at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, San Diego. The medical school wasn’t originally planned to begin until the university had time to establish itself and stabilize sources of funding. Political divisions between the American Medical Association and Californian osteopaths brought the medical school to UCI early.

The California College of Medicine was the oldest continuously operating medical college in the Southwest United States. Starting in 1896 as the Pacific College of Osteopathy, it was renamed as the College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons. Pressure by the AMA brought an end to its tenure in the osteopathic discipline, and the newly renamed California College of Medicine merged with the UC system in 1965, after efforts to keep it in LA or move to Long Beach broke down.

Dean of Medicine Stanley van den Noort was adamant about opening a teaching hospital on campus, placing him in political opposition to Governor Jerry Brown. Brown managed to block the release of funds earmarked for the hospital’s construction and then divert them toward the founding of UCSF’s dental school. He then vetoed a compromise for UCI to take care of Orange County Medical Center’s patients in exchange for a 200-bed hospital. Under pressure from Brown the UC purchased the OCMC in 1976 from the county who no longer wished to maintain the aging and problematic facilities. This acquisition effectively halted the push for an on-campus hospital.

 

UCI Health is a world-renowned health system. The UCI Medical Center, which opened in 1982 and was expanded in 2002, is home to the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated center for cancer treatment and research. Other onsite buildings include the Neuropsychiatric Center, the UCI Health Sciences Laboratories building and clinical outpatient pavilions on the medical center site, as well as community family health centers in Irvine, Santa Ana, Westminster and Anaheim. The university has since greatly expanded the facility and services of the medical center.

In an attempt to establish a hospital through private venture, an entire planning committee died in a plane crash. Those opposed successfully lobbied the state to build Irvine Medical Center against the school’s wishes, making a hospital at UCI impractical due to proximity issues. The new hospital will be completed in early 2009.

Just prior to UCI’s acquisition in 1976, the medical center had about 2,100 employees. Today UC Irvine Medical Center has more than 3,500 employees.

In 2000 the medical centre began publishing the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine. Since 2001, the U.S. News and World Report has listed UC Irvine Health programs in urology, gynecology, geriatrics, cancer, digestive disorders, nephrology, orthopedics, and ear, nose & throat among the top 50 nationwide. In 2016, two UC Irvine Health specialties were included among the top 50 nationally: 40th for orthopedics and 41st for ear, nose and throat. It has the county’s only Level I trauma center and its sole multiple-organ transplant center, and is the only hospital in the area offering a number of specialized surgeries. The medical center has been home to a number of firsts—including the first heart transplant in Orange County, the first implant on the West Coast of an insulin pump in a patient with diabetes, and a number of research breakthroughs involving therapy for cancer and other diseases.

how hard is it to get into uCI nursing program

Admission into the UC Irvine School of Nursing is competitive and highly selective. The number of students in the major is small due to the limited availability of clinical placements. Each year, the number of admitted students varies based on admission patterns from previous years.

UCI Nursing Acceptance Rate

2%

The nursing program has an acceptance rate of 2% for incoming freshmen. Although around 3,000 people applied for a spot this year, the university only admitted 51 freshmen and 11 transfers.

uCI nursing requirements

The Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) has approved a curriculum modification for our pre-licensure program beginning Fall 2022.  You may review the revised curriculum plan for our Bachelor of Science in Nursing Science program here.

Freshman Applicants

Application Information

Freshman applicants to the BS in Nursing Science program will apply by completing the online UC Application by November 30th.
Please note:  The Nursing Supplemental Application is no longer needed.

Admission Requirements and Enrollment Prerequisites

• A cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher 
• Completion of two years of high school laboratory science (biology & chemistry).
  – A minimum of a C grade is required for each laboratory course.

Admission

Admission into the UC Irvine School of Nursing is competitive and highly selective. The number of students in the major is small due to the limited availability of clinical placements. Each year, the number of admitted students varies based on admission patterns from previous years. Due to the increasing number of applicants and the selective nature of the program, it is strongly recommended that you research other nursing programs as well.

Please note that the School of Nursing Student Affairs Office does not manage the Undergraduate Admissions process (including application review, admission decisions, and/or appeals to admissions decisions). Our office is not a part of the selection process, nor do we have any influence on decision making.  The Undergraduate Admissions process is handled centrally within UC Irvine’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Change of Major Applicants

Application Information

UCI undergraduate students wishing to change their major and apply to the BS in Nursing Science program must complete the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing Change of Major Application.

Note that incoming first-year/freshman students are not eligible to change their major to Nursing Science before starting coursework at UC Irvine.  Students admitted as Transfers to UC Irvine in a non-nursing major are not eligible to apply to change their major to Nursing Science.

2021-22 Application Deadlines and Requirements

The Fall 2021 Change of Major Application (for continuing UCI students) is now open! Students can view and submit the application here.  Students submitting an application this fall should follow this Change of Major planning guide.  The application is due Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 11:55pm PT.

• Continuing UCI students interesting in applying to change their major to Nursing Science in Fall 2021 should carefully review our guidelines about course planning, prerequisites, and requirements in our Change of Major planning guide.  
• Newly admitted Freshmen and continuing students interested in applying to change their major to Nursing Science in Summer 2022 should carefully review our new guidelines about course planning, prerequisites, and requirements in their Change of Major planning guide.

Fall 2021 will be the final application cycle in the fall term.  Starting in Summer 2022, all Nursing Science Change of Major applications will open and close during the summer terms.  Please continue to monitor our website carefully to ensure that you submit your application by the appropriate deadline.

Change of Major Admission Requirements and Enrollment Prerequisites

• A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
• The completion of all prerequisite courses as described in our Change of Major planning guide (linked above) with:
  • A letter grade of C or higher in all prerequisite courses completed at UCI
  • A letter grade of B or higher in all prerequisite courses completed at a public California college or university

Applicants will be asked to upload transcripts from all institutions where they have taken college/university-level coursework.  In addition, the Change of Major application will also ask students about the following:

• academic honors or recognition
• leadership, volunteer and work experiences
• program and organization involvement
• language abilities (e.g. fluency in a language other than English)
• two short essay responses
  • Fall 2021: The two essay prompts are available below (please note that these questions are subject to change each year):
    • ESSAY PROMPT 1 (max 250 words): Describe how your prior education and experience have contributed to your future nursing career goals.
    • ESSAY PROMPT 2 (max 250 words): Describe a challenging or difficult time in your life. What motivated you to persist through this challenge and how did you overcome it?

Human Physiology Lecture and Lab: Change of Major applicants can take Pharm Sci 120 and Pharm Sci 120L OR Bio Sci E109 and Bio Sci E112L to satisfy  Nursing Science Major Requirements.

Students interested in changing their major to Nursing Science should also review our supplemental costs sheet to better understand and plan for unique financial requirements associated with being a Nursing student and applying for licensure after graduation.

UCI nursing transfer requirements

Transfer applicants to the BS in Nursing Science program will apply by completing the online UC Application by November 30th.
Please note:  The Nursing Supplemental Application is no longer needed.

The UC Irvine Office of Undergraduate Admissions manages the transfer review and admission process for the Nursing Science major.  Any questions about acceptable prerequisites and admissions for transfer applications should be directed to their office.

Please note, the School of Nursing Student Affairs Office does not review course equivalencies until a student has matriculated to UC Irvine.

NOTE: Although some institutions are allowing Pass/Not Pass grading for certain courses in the Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall 2020 term, we are still requiring letter grades as a feature of our admissions requirements. If your institution required Pass/Not Pass grades only for this time period, be sure to communicate this within the additional comments section of the UC application.

General Transfer Admission Requirements and Enrollment Prerequisites

Students interested in applying to the Nursing Science major via the UC Transfer Application should review the information on the UCI Office of Undergraduate Admissions website.  Please refer to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Transfer Requirements by School page and review the information under “Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing” to learn about the requirements and specific prerequisite courses needed to apply.

Still have questions about applying to the Nursing Science major as a transfer applicant? Contact UC Irvine’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions for clarification.

UCI Nursing Tuition & Fees

Undergraduate Tuition & Fee Schedule

All tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change without notice, and the University may impose additional tuition and fees. Consult the University Registrar’s website for the most up-to-date information.

Nursing students have additional supplemental costs associated with upper division Nursing Science courses and should plan accordingly.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

If you need help to pay for your studies, you may be eligible for several types of financial aid.
Visit UCI Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to find out more about financial aid and scholarship options.

Additionally, please check the UC Irvine Financial Aid office’s database of external scholarships.

Scholarships Application Periods

Continuing Students: Fall 2021 (Dates TBD)

Prospective Students (Freshman and Transfer Students): Early 2022 (Dates TBD)

Scholarship Application Link: https://apply.admissions.uci.edu/portal/scholarships