The BSN admission application will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
All applicants must meet the following requirements prior to admission into the BSN nursing program:
Successful completion of required courses by the end of Summer term for Fall admission or by the end of Fall term for Spring admission:
| GPA Category | Minimum Required |
|---|---|
| Science courses (Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Microbiology, Chemistry) | 2.5 GPA |
| Core elective courses and prerequisite courses (degree plan) | 2.5 GPA |
| Overall career GPA | 2.0 GPA |
| Lamar University GPA and/or good academic standing | 2.0 GPA |
To be considered eligible for admission to the Dishman School of Nursing, students may have no more than 6 unsuccessful prerequisite course attempts.
Students must schedule and complete the Evolve Reach Powered by HESI® Admission Assessment (A2) exam no later than the application deadline. All required components must be taken during the same testing session to be considered for admission (the Critical Thinking component can be taken as a separate component if needed).
Students must submit a copy of their self-identified best HESI® A2 exam scores with the online admission application, via email to nursing@lamar.edu, or to the Dishman School of Nursing Information Center (MMW 100) by the application deadline. Please note: the application may be submitted prior to taking the HESI® A2 exam. Please submit both the HESI® A2 component scores and the Critical Thinking score summary pages.
Minimum Score Requirement
A minimum score of 79% is required on the Reading Comprehension section by the application deadline.
Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary & Knowledge, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, and Mathematics must be taken during the same testing session. A four-hour testing session will be reserved. The Critical Thinking component may be taken separately or during the same testing session but must be submitted by the application deadline.
Students will self-identify their best HESI® A2 exam session scores and submit one set of scores to nursing@lamar.edu or in person to the Dishman School of Nursing Information Center (MMW 100). Only one set of scores from one testing session will be accepted for consideration; best scores will not be taken from multiple testing sessions. Critical Thinking Scores and Reading Comprehension retake scores may be submitted separately.
If the required minimum score of 79% in Reading Comprehension is not achieved, the student must repeat that section of the exam. The student can repeat the entire exam or the Reading Comprehension section only and submit those scores for consideration. Scores used for eligibility and ranking will be used from the single testing session that students submit, with the exception of retake of Reading Comprehension to achieve a minimum score of 79%.
To obtain your HESI® A2 scores, access your Elsevier Evolve Account: How do I locate my HESI exam reports – Evolve Support Center (elsevier.com)
The HESI® A2 scores used for the admission application must be less than two years old at the time of the application deadline.
The HESI® A2 test must be taken in person at a testing center. Scores from HESI® A2 tests taken online will not be accepted.
Prior to scheduling a testing appointment, students are required to register for the HESI® A2 exam through the Elsevier Evolve website: HESI Registration, 1st Edition (elsevier.com)
Register for the HESI® A2 exam
Fees associated with registration and scheduling the HESI® A2 exam may vary. Students will need to select one of the following exam options:
Applicants may take the HESI® A2 exam at the Lamar University Center for Career and Professional Development or another Prometric Testing Center:
Register online at HESI – Lamar University. Contact: (409) 880-8878
After signing into the Elsevier Evolve website, click “My Evolve” and select “HESI Assessment Student Access.” Click “Distance Testing” → “Register for a Distance Exam.” Complete required information — be sure to include the Lamar University School of Nursing ID (197020) and your name exactly as it appears on your government-issued photo ID.
To confirm registration, click “Distance Testing” → “View My Registered Exam.” Add elsevier@candidate.prometric.com to your email’s safe sender list. After receiving the confirmation email, schedule your exam at a Prometric testing site: Elsevier Test Center Exam | Prometric.
Students should bring both their government-issued ID or driver’s license, and their Elsevier Evolve account username and password to the testing center on the day of their scheduled appointment.
Please Read Carefully
Follow all instructions. Failure to submit all requirements as outlined may disqualify your application to the program.
The number of applicants admitted to the BSN Nursing Program is based on faculty and clinical space availability. Qualified applicants meeting early admission criteria will receive early acceptance notices. All other students who apply will receive notices of their application status (conditional acceptance, alternate list, or otherwise) by email in May/June for Fall admission or October/November for Spring admission. Applicants on the alternate list may be contacted based on ranked order and offered conditional acceptance as space becomes available up to first class day of the admitting semester.
Applicants not currently enrolled at Lamar University must apply for admission to the university following the guidelines in the General Catalog through Apply Texas or Common App. Declare University Studies (B.S.) Health Science, Pre-Nursing Concentration, as your major. Your major will appear as University Studies – Health Science until acceptance into the nursing program.
The Lamar University application is separate from the one required for the BSN program. Applicants will be considered for admission to the BSN nursing program only after students are admitted to Lamar University.
Students should schedule an appointment with their assigned academic advisor, if not already done. Potential transfer students should first apply to Lamar University, submit official transcripts for evaluation, and then make an appointment with their assigned academic advisor. Transfer students can contact the UAC Transfer Advocate at transferadvocate@lamar.edu to schedule an appointment.
Students must be advised before registering for NURS 2373 Basic Pathophysiology. An online NURS 2373 course is available for students who live outside of the local area. Students who want to take the online class must first contact their advisor, who will then request approval from the BSN nursing program.
The online admission application is available under Applications and Forms on the Dishman School of Nursing webpage. The application must be completed in its entirety in one sitting. Ensure you have all the information needed available before beginning the application, including current unofficial transcripts for all university/college coursework in PDF format and HESI® A2 scores in PDF format (if available).
Important
Screenshots and photos of documents will not be accepted. Unofficial transcripts and HESI® A2 scores must be downloaded or printed directly from the original source/website and then scanned and/or uploaded as a PDF document into the application.
A transcript from every university you have attended MUST be submitted (Lamar transcript showing transfers is not acceptable). Every transcript MUST have your name and the institution name on it.
Current or reserved military service members will need a copy of their military identification card in PDF format. Veterans will need a copy of their DD214 in PDF format. Current or previous military service will be considered in the ranking process.
After the online application has been completed, your electronic signature verifies acknowledgment of the Dishman School of Nursing Criminal Background Check (CBC) Policy and the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) Licensure information, and certifies that the information you provide is true and accurate.
See Texas Board of Nursing – Licensure Eligibility for more information on TBON Licensure Eligibility requirements. See BSN Pre-Licensure Policy for Criminal Background Check for more information on the Dishman School of Nursing’s CBC policy.
All applications require payment of the non-refundable $30 Nursing Application Fee, paid online at the time of application submission. Checks, money orders, and cash will not be accepted. Applications submitted without payment will not be processed.
After the application deadline, the Dishman School of Nursing will submit the names of all applicants to the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) for the required Criminal Background Check. If this is your first application, you should receive an email from TBON and/or Identogo with instructions on scheduling a fingerprint appointment. Previous applicants who have recently had their fingerprints done for TBON may not need to be re-fingerprinted but will still receive a new Blue Card or letter for the current application period.
Action Required
Failure to schedule and complete your fingerprint appointment in a timely manner may result in ineligibility for admission to the nursing program.
Required Notice to Students
The personal email address that you provide to TBON is required in order to schedule fingerprinting for your criminal background check. The personal email address that you provide to TBON is subject to release to the public pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act.
Students conditionally accepted into the Dishman School of Nursing will be provided with detailed information on the following requirements in their admission packet:
When submitting your online application, the following information will be needed. Please remember, you will need to submit the online application in one sitting, so it is necessary that you have all needed documents ready before starting. Please note — all core courses and prerequisites (*) must be complete before entering the BSN Nursing Program, with the exception of Political Science (POLS 2301 and POLS 2302).
For courses with multiple attempts, please record the highest grade received. Planned or in-progress courses should be noted with an “IP” for grade. CLEP or AP credits should be noted with a “TS” for grade.
| Course | Course Number | Semester | Year | Grade | College/University |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Elective Courses Required Prior to Admission | |||||
| 060 History 1301 (3 sch) | |||||
| 060 History 1302 or 2301 (3 sch) | |||||
| 010 Communication Elective (3 sch) | |||||
| 050 Creative Arts Elective (3 sch) | |||||
| 080 Social/Behavioral Science Elective (3 sch) | |||||
| 040 Language, Phil, & Culture Elective (3 sch) | |||||
| Prerequisite Courses Required Prior to Admission | |||||
| 010 English Composition I* (3 sch) | |||||
| 090 English Composition II* (3 sch) | |||||
| 020 Math for Allied Health, College Algebra, or Contemporary Math* (3 sch) | |||||
| Nutrition* (3 sch) | |||||
| Psychology Lifespan* (or Child Psychology AND Adult Development & Aging) | |||||
| Math or Psychology Statistics* | |||||
| Pathophysiology (NURS 2373 or equivalent)* Must be taken within three years prior to entering the Nursing Program; maximum of three attempts in 3 years. | |||||
| Prerequisite Science Courses Required Prior to Admission | |||||
| Anatomy & Physiology I* (3/1 or 4 sch) | |||||
| Anatomy & Physiology II* (3/1 or 4 sch) | |||||
| Microbiology* (3/1 or 4 sch) | |||||
| Chemistry* (3/1 or 4 sch) | |||||
The Board of Nursing looks at responses to questions relating to criminal conduct to determine eligibility for renewal. To check your eligibility, please review the following questions:
NOTE: Expunged and Sealed Offenses
While expunged or sealed offenses, arrests, tickets, or citations need not be disclosed, it is your responsibility to ensure the offense has, in fact, been expunged or sealed. It is recommended that you submit a copy of the Court Order expunging or sealing the record in question to our office with your application. Non-disclosure of relevant offenses raises questions related to truthfulness and character. (See 22 TAC §213.27)
NOTE: Orders of Non-Disclosure
Pursuant to Tex. Gov’t Code § 552.142(b), if you have criminal matters that are the subject of an order of non-disclosure you are not required to reveal those criminal matters. However, such matters may become a character and fitness issue. Pursuant to Gov’t Code chapter 411, the Texas Nursing Board is entitled to access criminal history record information that is the subject of an order of non-disclosure.
Important Notice
Applicants who answer “yes” to any of the above questions are not automatically disqualified from consideration for admission. However, it is important to note that a criminal background may affect your ability to obtain licensure as a registered nurse in Texas or other states. For more information, please visit the Texas Board of Nursing – Licensure Eligibility page.
Revised Spring 2026 | JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing | Lamar University