Students apply for the nursing program on the Portland campus approximately nine months before their anticipated entry semester. For example, if they are planning to enter Spring 2024, the student would apply in the Summer of 2023. You can view a detailed BSN application timeline at the bottom of the Applying to the Portland Campus Pre-Nursing Advising page.

All students interested in applying to Linfield's traditional BSN program must apply through the NursingCAS online platform. Once the desired application becomes available, students can access it through NursingCAS. 

Along with a completed online application through NursingCAS, students will be required to pay a $60 NursingCAS application fee and send in all prerequisite transcripts (including Linfield transcripts) to NursingCAS for evaluation. The NursingCAS application also requires the submission of a professional letter of recommendation from an instructor/professor, advisor, supervisor, mentor, or anyone else who can speak on behalf of your ability to thrive in nursing school. 

*For more detailed information about how to apply through NursingCAS, please refer to the 'Instructions on How to Apply to the BSN Program' dropdown on the Applying to the Portland Campus Pre-Nursing Advising page!

McMinnville students who have been admitted to the Linfield School of Nursing move or “advance” to the Portland campus from McMinnville to complete their BSN degree.

Please refer to the Prerequisites and eligibility requirements page for the requirements for entry to the School of Nursing.

62 completed semester credits are required at the time of admission (Note: This is only the minimum requirement.  By the time of graduation students must have completed 125 credits; the nursing program requires 54 credits.) The 62 credit requirement can cover all needed prerequisites and Linfield Curriculum requirements before advancing to the Portland campus, but 9 additional elective credits will need to be taken at some point before graduation to achieve the 125 credits required to complete a Bachelor's degree.

The following GPAs must be attained at the time of application and by the final materials deadline for each student's anticipated semester of entry: 

1. 3.000 cumulative GPA in all nursing prerequisite courses
2. 3.000 cumulative GPA in prerequisite science courses (biology/chemistry, anatomy & physiology, and Microbiology)
3. 2.650 GPA between anatomy & physiology (Students may attempt each course in the Anatomy & Physiology sequence no more than twice each.)

No, the requirement is a 3.000 GPA or above at the time of application and entry; there are no exceptions.

Not necessarily. McMinnville students will be admitted to the nursing major pending space availability. Currently, a maximum of 72 seats are available to McMinnville campus transfers each fall and spring semester. If there are more applicants than spaces available, admission will be competitive, based on college academic records and supporting application materials. Students not admitted on this basis will receive first priority for admission the following semester. 

Students who have successfully completed and passed BIOL 210 during their first semester may take BIOL 275 in their second semester. However, it is usually difficult to get a seat in BIOL 275 during your first year. If you plan to take BIOL 275 in your first year, it is recommended to have another course in mind as a backup for registration. 

Most students wait until their third or fourth semester to take BIOL 275.

The School of Nursing has created a transfer course guide that outlines all prerequisites at regional institutions and how they would transfer to Linfield.

• A student does not meet the GPA requirements at the time of application but meets them at the end of their next semester, and all of their prerequisites eligibility requirements are completed.  The application deadline to advance has passed, so they would apply at the next available opportunity and take a leave of absence until their start term on the Portland campus. 
• Ex: A student has an overall prerequisite GPA of 2.981 at the end of the fall semester so they are ineligible to advance the following fall. They then complete all eligibility requirements and have a 3.105 GPA at the end of spring. They apply to transfer for the next spring and take an LOA in the fall semester, prior to starting major level nursing coursework at the Portland campus in spring. 

If a student is planning to take a leave of absence, they must complete a Leave of Absence form available from the Registrar’s Office in Melrose 030.  This form requires signatures from many offices on campus such as Student Accounts and Mailing Services.  Once the form is complete with all signatures, it is to be submitted to the Registrar's Office. If you have further questions regarding a leave of absence, contact your advisor or 1reg@linfield.edu. 

Yes, but it may/will be necessary to transfer in credits, or take two lab science courses in the same semester, or take summer and January Term courses, etc.  Students should work closely with their faculty advisor and utilize their Program Evaluation to design an individualized academic plan. The pre-nursing peer advising specialist can also provide supplementary support.

No, students are not required to complete all of the Linfield Curriculum, but we highly recommend it because once on the Portland campus there is very little flexibility in the BSN Curriculum.

First Semester Pre-Nursing students receive advising by their faculty advisor (First Semester Seminar instructor) whom they were initially assigned to when they registered for courses in McMinnville. After their first semester, students may declare their major and/or switch to a designated pre-nursing faculty advisor. Transfer students are assigned to a designated pre-nursing transfer advisor following matriculation. Additional advising support is offered by Academic Advising in Melrose 010. A Pre-Nursing Peer Advising Specialist is available during office hours and by appointment.

Students who are interested in pre-nursing should declare their major as soon as possible (as early as November of their first year). Students must declare pre-nursing before applying for admission to the School of Nursing, or after they have earned 45 credits or more.