Nursing Programs

Nursing Degree Program (A.A.S.)

The New Jersey Board of Nursing
124 Halsey Street, 6th Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102
1-973-504-6430 and in NJ 1-800-242-5846

Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Telephone (404) 975-5000

The goal of the admission process is to admit qualified students who will be successful in their pursuit of a professional nursing career. Acceptance to the program is on a competitive basis. Successful completion of all prerequisites does not guarantee acceptance into the program. All applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Must be at least 18 years of age by first day of nursing classes.
Complete the admission process for “Students Seeking a Degree.”
Have a high school diploma or GED and submit a copy to Atlantic Cape.
Have (if applicable) all international high school and college level course work evaluated (see “International Students” section of the catalog for more information).
Complete the following prerequisite courses: BIOL220, ENGL101, PSYC101 and SOCL101 with a grade of “C” or better.
Complete all prerequisite courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and an overall GPA of 2.5 to be eligible to apply to the nursing program.
Have all science courses completed within the last 10 years or courses must be repeated.
Applicants who transfer prerequisite courses from another accredited institution must have their credits evaluated by the Enrollment Services Office prior to the application deadline.
Submit the completed Nursing Program Evaluation Form together with the non-refundable fee to the Admissions Office by posted deadline.
Nursing program applicants must take the ATI TEAS exam. The test is a general, comprehensive assessment tool which evaluates several areas including reading comprehension, mathematics, science and English/language usage.
Applicants must receive a minimum total scaled score of 58.7 for their application to be considered. The admission process for the Nursing Program is very competitive. Applicants are ranked according to a composite score of the prerequisite GPA and their ATI TEAS scaled score.

The ATI TEAS is administered to Atlantic Cape students only. Students must have successfully completed two prerequisites required for the Nursing Program before registering for the ATI TEAS. Candidates may retest once per academic year at Atlantic Cape, after a 30-day time period has lapsed. This test must be taken within three years before applying to the Nursing Program. Additional information for the ATI TEAS exam can be located on the Testing Web site at www.atlanticcape.edu/admission/testing.

When all criteria have been met, applicants should submit their credentials to the Admissions Office with the completed Nursing Program Evaluation Form, available online or from the Admissions Office at any site. Credentials must be presented by the posted deadline for admission to the program the following fall. Only completed evaluation forms will be considered for admission. For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (609)343-5000 or email Nursing@atlanticcape.edu.

Selection Process

Admission to the Nursing program is on a competitive basis due to the limited number of spaces available in courses that require clinical practice in hospitals and other health care settings. The number of spaces can vary from year to year. Selection of students is made once a year. The deadline for applying to the Nursing program fall semester is posted on the current year’s program application. All students who meet the admission criteria are ranked according to the TEAS Exam score and the prerequisite GPA. The highest ranking students are offered the available program seats.

Admission to the Nursing program is offered only to students who meet the stated admission criteria and is based on the number of seats available and the applicant’s overall ranking. Students admitted to the program receive conditional acceptance. Conditional acceptances apply only to September of the year in which the student has applied.

Atlantic and Cape May County residents are given priority consideration in the selection process. Residents of other counties are admitted on a space-available basis.

Post Selection Process

Students admitted into the nursing program will receive a conditional acceptance as students are not considered accepted to the Nursing Program until all the following requirements are met. Student’s conditional acceptance letter will contain the information needed to comply with all requirements. Failure to comply with the Nursing Program requirements within the time frames allocated will result in a forfeit of the conditional acceptance.

Nursing Program Requirements

Students must begin the program in the fall of the year they receive the conditional acceptance. Students who are unable to do so must reapply to the program for a future class.
Students must complete the Nursing program in three years from the date of acceptance to the Nursing program.
Students must meet the health requirements of the State of New Jersey and the clinical agencies that are used for clinical experiences.

Students' Health Requirements include:

Physical Examination
Immunization Requirements: MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis B (proof of injections and titers), evidence of the TDAP vaccine within the last 10 years, influenza vaccination (flu shot) required annually, COVID-19 vaccination

Students are highly encouraged to discuss these requirements with their provider. Waivers are available to be completed, which must be approved by the program’s clinical partners. If a student is rejected by any clinical site and no replacement site is available, they will need to withdraw from the nursing program.

Additional student requirements include:

Completion of an Assumption of Risk and Release form, which indicates an understanding of hazards inherent in the health care field.
Completion of a Criminal History Background Check (CHBC). Any student, who fails to pass the criminal background check, or is refused by a clinical facility due to results of his/her criminal background check, will be unable to continue in the Nursing program.
Completion of Urine for Drug Screening (UDS). Any student who fails to produce a negative Urine for Drug Screening (UDS) will be unable to continue in the Nursing program. Students who produce a diluted urine sample will be allowed one additional attempt to produce a negative Urine for Drug Screening (UDS). If the second urine sample remains a diluted sample and/or produces a positive finding, the student will be unable to continue in the Nursing program.
Health Insurance – Proof of health insurance is required each semester while in the Nursing program.
Completion of CPR certification. The only acceptable CPR certification program for admission to the Nursing program is Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider offered by the American Heart Association.

For more information on Nursing & Health Science programs, you are strongly encouraged to attend a Health Career Planning Session and/or contact Admissions Office at (609)343-5000 or email nursing@atlanticcape.edu.

Licensed Practical Nurses

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) currently licensed in the State of New Jersey, who qualify for admission, may be eligible for advanced placement. To be eligible, LPNs must meet the same admission criteria as all RN applicants and complete, with a grade of “C” or better, BIOL221-Human Anatomy & Physiology II prior to submitting the program evaluation form. The program evaluation deadline for LPNs is June 1. All LPN candidates selected, on a space limited basis, must take the LPN Nursing Transition course, NURS109, offered in the fall, and must complete that course with a grade of “C” or better. Successful applicants who pass the NURS109 Transition course will be admitted for the spring term in NURS112. You may also contact the Admissions Office, (609)343-5000 for more information or email nursing@atlanticcape.edu.

Optional Nursing Program

(On-Site Online Nursing Program at SOMC)
The Atlantic Cape Nursing program, in collaboration with Ocean County College and Burlington County College, offers an online, on-site with faculty, A.A.S. degree in Nursing. The clinical portion of the program is completed at various locations throughout Southern New Jersey in a one-day a week (12 hour) format. The didactic portions of the program are online. The student completing this program receives an A.A.S. degree from Ocean County College. This program has limited seating and the criteria for acceptance differ from the traditional program requirements. Further information about the On-Site Online Nursing Program can be found on the Ocean County College website (www.ocean.edu).

Practical Nursing Certificate Program

The New Jersey Board of Nursing
124 Halsey Street, 6th Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102
1-973-504-6430 and in NJ 1-800-242-5846

The goal of the admission process is to admit qualified students who will be successful. Acceptance to the program is on a competitive basis. Successful completion of all prerequisites does not guarantee acceptance into the program. All applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Must be at least 18 years of age by first day of their practical nursing (PN) nursing classes.
Complete the admission process for “Students Seeking a Degree.”
Have a high school diploma or GED and submit a copy to Atlantic Cape.
Have (if applicable) all international high school and college level course work evaluated (see “International Students” section of the catalog for more information).
Complete the following prerequisite courses: BIOL220, ENGL101, and PSYC101 with a grade of “C” or better.
Have overall GPA of 2.0 to be eligible to apply to the practical nursing (PN) program.
Have all science courses completed within the last 10 years or courses must be repeated.
Applicants who transfer prerequisite courses from another accredited institution must have their credits evaluated by the Enrollment Services Office prior to the application deadline.
Submit the completed Practical Nursing (PN) Program Evaluation Form together with the non-refundable fee to the Admissions Office by posted deadline.
Practical Nursing program applicants must take the ATI TEAS exam. The test is a general, comprehensive assessment tool which evaluates several areas including reading comprehension, mathematics, science and English/language usage.
Applicants must receive a minimum total scaled score of 58.7 for their application to be considered. Note: Beginning June 3, 2025, a passing score of 63.0 or higher on the TEAS Exam will be required for admission to the Registered Nursing (RN) and Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) to RN programs (note added, 10/9/24). The admission process for the Practical Nursing Program is very competitive. Applicants are ranked according to a composite score of the prerequisite GPA and their ATI TEAS scaled score.
Atlantic and Cape May County residents and applicants currently employed in healthcare are given some consideration in the selection process.

The ATI TEAS is administered to Atlantic Cape students only. Students must have successfully completed two prerequisites required for the Practical Nursing (PN) Program before registering for the ATI TEAS. Candidates may retest once per academic year at Atlantic Cape, after a 30-day time period has lapsed. This test must be taken within three years before applying to the Practical Nursing (PN) Program. Additional information for the ATI TEAS exam can be located on the Testing Web site at www.atlanticcape.edu/admission/testing.

When all criteria have been met, applicants should submit their credentials to the Admissions Office with the completed Practical Nursing (PN) Program Evaluation Form, available online or from the Admissions Office at any site. Credentials must be presented by the posted deadline for admission to the program the following fall. Only completed evaluation forms will be considered for admission. For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (609)343-5000 or email Nursing@atlanticcape.edu.

Selection Process

Admission to the Practical Nursing (PN) Program is on a competitive basis due to the limited number of spaces available in courses that require clinical practice in hospitals and other health care settings. The number of spaces can vary from year to year. Selection of students is made once a year. The deadline for applying to the Practical Nursing (PN) Program fall semester is posted on the current year’s program application. All students who meet the admission criteria are ranked according to the TEAS Exam score, prerequisite course grades, Atlantic and Cape May County residence, and status as healthcare employees. The highest-ranking students are offered the available program seats.

Admission to the Practical Nursing (PN) Program is offered only to students who meet the stated admission criteria and is based on the number of seats available and the applicant’s overall ranking. Students admitted to the program receive conditional acceptance. Conditional acceptances apply only to September of the year in which the student has applied.

Atlantic and Cape May County residents are given some consideration in the selection process. Residents of other counties are encouraged to apply.

Post Selection Process

Students admitted into the nursing program will receive a conditional acceptance as students are not considered accepted to the Practical Nursing (PN) Program until all the following requirements are met. Student’s conditional acceptance letter will contain the information needed to comply with all requirements. Failure to comply with the Practical Nursing (PN) Program requirements within the time frames allocated will result in a forfeit of the conditional acceptance.

Practical Nursing (PN) Program Requirements

Students must begin the Practical Nursing (PN) Program in the fall of the year that they receive the conditional acceptance. Students who are unable to do so must reapply to the program for a future class.
Students must complete the program in 1.5 years from the date of acceptance into the Practical Nursing program. Students who are unable to progress to the next consecutive nursing course at the planned time, for any reason, must withdraw from the program.
Students must meet the health requirements of the State of New Jersey and the clinical agencies that are used for clinical experiences.

Students' Health Requirements include:

Physical Examination
Immunization Requirements: MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis B (proof of injections and titers), evidence of the TDAP vaccine within the last 10 years, influenza vaccination (flu shot) required annually, COVID-19 vaccination

Additional student requirements include:

Completion of an Assumption of Risk and Release form, which indicates an understanding of hazards inherent in the health care field.
Completion of a Criminal History Background Check (CHBC). Any student, who fails to pass the criminal background check, or is refused by a clinical facility due to results of his/her criminal background check, will be unable to continue in the Nursing program.
Completion of Urine for Drug Screening (UDS). Any student who fails to produce a negative Urine for Drug Screening (UDS) will be unable to continue in the Practical Nursing (PN) Program. Students who produce a diluted urine sample will be allowed one additional attempt to produce a negative Urine for Drug Screening (UDS). If the second urine sample remains a diluted sample and/or produces a positive finding, the student will be unable to continue in the Nursing program.
Health Insurance – Proof of health insurance is required each semester while in the Practical Nursing (PN) Program.
Completion of CPR certification. The only acceptable CPR certification program for admission to the Nursing program is Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider offered by the American Heart Association.