back to Pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing
What is NursingCAS?
NursingCAS is the Centralized Application Service for Nursing that provides accredited nursing colleges an admissions platform to manage application reviews efficiently.
Step 1.
Review Application Requirements
- Junior Standing – 60 semester (90 quarter) credits completed.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. This includes all college level coursework ever attempted. Official transcripts from every college and/or university you have attended will be required during the application process and go into that calculation.
- Please note that NursingCAS takes all attempts of all classes. If you are from a university that removes repeat course attempts from your official cumulative GPA, please contact an academic advisor at the campus where you plan to apply. They will need to know in advance that your transcript has that repeat policy so your NursingCAS GPA can be updated.
- Completion of prerequisite courses. Please note that you must have an average minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0.
- Further, every individual prerequisite course must be at least a C grade/2.0 GPA.
- You may have no more than 3 prerequisite courses in progress at the time of application submission.
- Prerequisite course information can be found on our BSN Transfer Guide.
- Minimum TEAS exam score of 70. Version 7 of the TEAS is accepted.
- TEAS must have been taken within one year of application submission
- For more detailed information, and study suggestions, please refer to our TEAS page for details.
- Work and/or volunteer experience within the last 3 years is recommended, but not required. Up to 500 total hours will be considered in your application, but there is no minimum hour amount to apply.
- Healthcare-related hours will be weighed more heavily than non-healthcare-related hours.
- Reference contact information will be asked of you during the application step to verify those hours.
- Successful completion of NursingCAS application. Additional details are outlined in Steps to Apply. Please note that application deadlines in CAS are for 11:59 p.m. EASTERN (8:59 p.m. Pacific) time. We recommend you do not wait until right before the deadline to submit your application.
Step 2.
Consult with an academic advisor
Undergraduate Advisors
Step 3.
Begin NursingCAS Application
- Navigate to Nursing CAS at https://nursingcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/. Select the term that you are applying for. Click apply to set up your account. Check your junk mail and spam folder for the initial account confirmation to ensure that NursingCAS emails are safely going to your inbox.
- You have two ways that you can find WSU applications that are currently available:
- Once you have either created or signed in to a NursingCAS account you can use this link to view available programs.
- Alternatively, Select “Add a Program.” Search for “Washington State University.” Select “BSN [TERM].” Depending on when you apply, there might be additional applications open for WSU, so it’s important you select the “BSN” with the correct start term so your application goes to the right place.
- Once you’ve found the program(s) you’re looking for, click the blue ‘+’ to add them to your application.
- If you wish to remove a program, you’ll do so from this list. Click the green checkmark next to the program and it will ask if you’d like to delete that program from your application.
- Note: In NursingCAS, all WSU campuses are combined as Spokane/Tri-Cities/Yakima, WA. After you begin the application, you will be able to select up to two campuses you want to apply for. The campus selection is a required question so you will have to answer it. You only need to choose one campus, but you are allowed to indicate a second campus if you like. Once you submit your application, your campus decision(s) cannot be changed.
- To help determine which campus(es) to pick, please check out our campus overview
- Select the “My Application” tab to begin filling out your application
Personal Information
- Fill out all 7 sections. Make sure you click “save and continue” at the bottom of each section.
- Ensure that your contact info is accurate – your email is what we use to contact you for issues and info.
- This information is captured for Nursing CAS’s end. They recently added in a section about COVID and how the shutdown affected you. If that is still being asked, and remains optional, you do not need to fill that out for WSU.
Academic History
- Fill out all 4 sections
- For Colleges Attended, click “add a college” and input every college you have ever attended. Complete the questions asked for each college you added.
- PLEASE NOTE: You must input every institution of higher education in which you have been enrolled AND provide a transcript for each. NursingCAS will reject your application if coursework from an unreported institution shows on a submitted transcript, or if a transcript for an attended institution is not submitted. Note that this includes coursework taken as part of a study abroad program (i.e. if you studied abroad from WSU to Canada, it would be WSU coursework and you need to include that)
- You will need to order official transcripts for every college/university you have attended. We recommend ordering an electronic transcript if possible. If you school does not offer electronic transcripts through one of the 3 companies that NursingCAS uses, please follow the instructions for “Option 2: Order a Mailed Paper Transcript.”
- For Transcript Entry, input every course exactly as it appears on that institution’s transcript. NursingCAS will reject an application if the transcript entry does not match the transcript.
- We recommend pulling up an unofficial transcript so you can copy over the classes accurately
- Note: We do not recommend using the Professional Transcript Entry (PTE) function as it takes far too long and may delay your admission. If you do use the Professional Transcript Entry (PTE) paid feature, please allow a large amount of time for CAS to finish that process. If you are late on a deadline or miss something due to PTE the responsibility is still with you. After you receive notification from NursingCAS that the PTE is complete, you must log back into your application and approve the coursework entry before your application will be submitted.
- Note: Do your best with the course subject drop-down. It will not cover every option possible, and as long as it is close enough we will know what you are going for. The same goes for freshman/sophomore class standings. Those are not reviewed. The prefix, title, grades, and credits sections are the most important to us.
- Once you have completed the transcript entry, choose to review and finalize your transcripts.
- Ensure that you accurately indicate repeated classes. Type out exactly what is on your transcript.
- For the BSN program, we require a TEAS test score of 70 or higher. In the Academic History section, select Standardized Tests. Scroll down to TEAS. Click the pencil to add in your TEAS score (scores are good for 12-months from time of submission). Be aware that you will also need to upload your TEAS Individual Performance Profile in the Documents section located in Program Materials.
- This section is the longest to fill out and often the most complicated. Do not hesitate to follow along on our video guide or reach out to nursing.admissions@wsu.edu if you have any questions.
Supporting Information
- You will need to opt out or fill out various sections. For the prelicensure BSN program we do not require “Achievements” or “Licensure/Certification” so we recommend that you opt out of those 2 sections to save yourself time. However, if you are also applying to another school that needs these sections, it does not hurt you to have information in there. We will just not review it either way. To opt out, click the “I am not adding any achievements or licensure/certification” button at the bottom of each respective section.
We do not require it, but will evaluate, any experiences in the “Experiences” section. - To add experiences, select Experiences. Select Add an Experience. From the Experience Type, select either Employment, Patient/Healthcare Experience, or Community Enrichment (select all that apply).
- Note: Employment = any job NOT related to healthcare (ex. customer service, retail, restaurant job, etc.)
- Patient/Healthcare experience = any work/volunteer experience that provides patient contact (ex. CNA/long term care volunteer/hospital volunteer)
- Community Enrichment = any volunteer work not related to healthcare (ex. Volunteering at animal rescue center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters-type mentoring programs)
- Fill out the Organization, Supervisor, Experience Dates, and Experience Details for EACH experience you selected. Save and continue. If you are adding an additional experience, select Add an Experience. If you are done, you can move on to the next section.
Program Materials
- Review the home tab first, then fill out the remaining 3 tabs (Questions, Documents, Prerequisites)
- For Questions, thoroughly read through each and answer appropriately – if you answer yes to a question, and later it turns out you should have answered no, you risk ineligibility.
- For Documents, upload the Individual Performance Profile of your TEAS test (under Test Score Report)
- For Prerequisites, select the assign course button to match your courses to each specific prerequisite course. Use the prerequisite descriptions to make sure you are including all that you need to include.
- Note: Use your best matching possible from what you have taken, but we will correct it after you submit your application if we notice a better prerequisite course fit. This helps you get a first rough idea that you have finished what we need. If you are unsure about whether or not a class will count as a prerequisite, reach out to your WSU Nursing campus advisor as they can provide input if the course may meet our prerequisite requirement.
Submitting Your Application
- Navigate to “Submit Application” on the top of the page and pay application fee. Note that the deadline time is 11:59pm EST (8:59pm PST) of that date.
- Wait. We typically send information about interview offers within 3 months of the application closing. We also send admissions decisions typically within 6 weeks of the interview process. Please continue to monitor your email as we will also reach out to address issues or questions on your application throughout the review.
- Remember – Email us early on if you anticipate any issues. We know it is a lot of steps and are happy to help!
Step 4.
After you submit your NursingCAS application
- DO NOT apply to WSU at this time. If you are admitted to the nursing program, you will receive instructions at that time on how to apply to the University.
- Consider applying for financial aid. The Deadline to apply to larger WSU scholarships is January 31 for the following academic year. WSU’s FAFSA code is 003800.
- If you do not complete all requirements in your last semester/quarter prior to admission with a 2.0 grade or higher, or if you fail a prerequisite course that you had in progress, your admission will will be revoked.
- Within 3 months of the application deadline, you will hear if you are invited for a personal interview. This is the second and last stage of the application process. Details are sent to the email you have on file with NursingCAS, and you must participate to complete the application process.
Ready to begin the process?
Frequently Asked Questions
General Application & Admissions Questions
- Should I include a letter of recommendation with my application?
- WSU College of Nursing currently does not review or accept letters of recommendation or essay responses.
NursingCAS FAQs – General
- How will I hear about decisions or issues with my application?
- All communication happens through the NursingCAS webadmit tool. Make sure you create an account with an email you check regularly, and check spam and junk emails regularly as well. Verify your information is accurate in the Personal Information section as well. Both WSU and NursingCAS can/will contact you through the email you provided when applying.
- What happens if I never get an email?
- Luckily for you, we also send you an email when you are fully reviewed! If you get an email saying that you have been reviewed, that means there were no errors in your application and you may rest easy until decisions go out.
- What happens if I get an email about issues I have?
- If the issues with your application are minimal and not duplicitous, we will reach out via email and give approximately 2 business days to update your application with fixed information. Again, for that reason, regularly check for emails from NursingCAS itself and in all folders.
Replying to that email will put you in contact with your reviewer, so if you do not understand what you need to fix, or have fixed what you needed to, please let your reviewer know. This will continue the review process of your application. There is often something called an Academic Update needed, which can take time. Letting us know you’ve seen what you need to do and are working on it is good practice.
- If the issues with your application are minimal and not duplicitous, we will reach out via email and give approximately 2 business days to update your application with fixed information. Again, for that reason, regularly check for emails from NursingCAS itself and in all folders.
- I was asked a question on how COVID impacted my life, why was this asked?
- That was a question included by NursingCAS itself. We will not use the answer in our admissions process, so you may opt out of answering that if you so wish.
- Why am I not able to submit my application?
- There could be a few issues. First, double check that everything is filled out (all 4 quadrant circles are green) to show you’ve completed everything. If that is the case and you still are not sure, contact your campus advisor who can look over it with you.
- How do I reach out to NursingCAS?
- If you look at your name on the application, there will be a “?” icon next to it. If you click that you will be connected with the CAS helpdesk as well as find their contact email.
NursingCAS FAQs – Academic History & Transcripts
- What if I took classes in high school, like Dual Enrollment classes?
- Those are technically college credits and will be included in your history as well. Make sure you list that institution and order transcripts from them as well.
- What if I did AP credit instead?
- You will also need to enter these so we know. It can be tricky as you combine them into one sum of units. For example, if you took AP U.S. History and AP English Literature, and you got 3 units of work for history and 4 units of work for English, you would list it as: “AP Credits” for 7 units total for your first term for the school that granted you the credit. For the grade you may put CR to indicate it is for credit.
- Do I really need to order official transcripts from everywhere I’ve been?
- Yes. We need CAS to verify your coursework before we can take a look as reviewers, and CAS only verifies once they have everything. We recommend ordering your transcripts as soon as you can to mitigate issues.
- How do I order my transcripts then?
- For 99% of institutions, you will be able to order them through the application on NursingCAS. If your college is not listed within CAS, please contact us.
- Where do my transcripts go to? What if there is a mail delay?
- You want to make sure your transcripts go to NursingCAS, and NOT to WSU. We are unable to pass them to CAS if you send them to us. Please make sure that transcripts are ordered at minimum 6 weeks before the start of the term as well.
Additionally, we understand that life does happen, and tech issues may rarely occur. We recommend that you save ordering receipts for this reason. Further, you are able to submit your completed CAS application with pending transcripts if this does happen.
Lastly, it can take a few days for CAS to process your transcripts. It is normal to get confirmation they were sent, then have a few days before CAS notes them as received on your account. If it has been more than a week between sending and receiving, please reach out, otherwise the timing is normal.
- You want to make sure your transcripts go to NursingCAS, and NOT to WSU. We are unable to pass them to CAS if you send them to us. Please make sure that transcripts are ordered at minimum 6 weeks before the start of the term as well.
- Do I need high school transcripts too?
- Luckily no! CAS will ask you where you attended, but you do not need to provide proof or transcripts for that section.
- When I put in my classes, what do I pick for the status?
- You can do your best guess here. If you were taking it early on, it’s okay to put first year/freshman there. Same thing if it’s been about a year you can put sophomore. We do not look in detail at this section, so you do not need to worry about mistakes here.
- I took a random class, what do I put for the subject area?
- Subject is another part that doesn’t matter as much to us. Use your best guess as to what makes sense, and when in doubt you can pick the “Special Topics” option without issue.
NursingCAS FAQs – Supporting Information & Experiences
What type of experience counts toward this requirement?
The goal of the experience is to have a better understanding of the role of professional nurses in healthcare. All volunteer/paid experiences should be in the last 3 years. Up to 500 hours will be considered, with healthcare experience weighted more heavily than non-healthcare experience.
A non-exhaustive sample of approved healthcare experiences is below. These should have direct patient interaction.
- Long-term care agencies
- Formal hospital volunteer programs
- Camps for disabled/chronically ill children (e.g., diabetes)
- Homeless shelters with a healthcare clinic
- Free health clinics
- Volunteer with school nurse in health-related activities
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Emergency Nurse Technician
- Outreach programs or health-related missions
- Volunteer at First Aid stations
A non-exhaustive sample of approved non-healthcare experiences is below. These will not have direct patient interaction but may showcase interest in nursing, or transferrable skills in dealing with diverse types of people. Please include them if you do not have other healthcare experience!
- Cleaning or stocking support in a healthcare agency (i.e. sanitizing toys in a peds unit)
- Vaccination volunteerism outside of patient monitoring (i.e. car direction for drive-in clinics)
- Camp staff buddy/mentorship
- Customer service jobs (i.e. retail or food service)
If you have any other questions about the application email us!
