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School of Nursing
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    About

    Discover exceptional nursing education at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Our School of Nursing offers accredited programs, including BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-master's certificates in Psychiatric Mental Health and Family Nurse Practitioner specialties. Approved by the Texas Board of Nursing and CCNE accredited, we prepare future leaders in healthcare.

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    Explore comprehensive nursing programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Family Nurse Practitioner, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). With online, campus, and hybrid options, these accredited programs provide the knowledge and skills to excel in patient care, critical thinking, and advanced nursing practice.

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    Student Success Network

    The UTRGV School of Nursing Student Success Network supports nursing students through mentorship, academic coaching, and experiential learning. Led by Dean Dr. Lilia Fuentes, the program enhances student resilience, career readiness, and professional growth. Key faculty members, including Dr. Eloisa Tamez and Dr. Roda Galang, provide dedicated academic guidance and mentorship.

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    Access essential nursing resources for UTRGV students and faculty, including study materials, clinical guidelines, certification requirements, academic support, and faculty tools. Stay updated with the latest nursing program information, exam prep resources, and career development support to enhance nursing education and teaching at UTRGV.

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NursingCAS Frequently Asked Questions

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BSN Program Overview Menu

  • When and How to Apply
  • HESI Requirements and Information
  • How Generic and 2nd Degree BSN Applicants are Ranked
  • NursingCAS
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  • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Applying FAQs
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    • NursingCAS FAQs
  • Requirements for Conditionally Admitted Generic and 2nd degree BSN Students before Admission
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Contact Us

Brownsville Office:
Life and Health Science Bldg (BLHSB) 2.720
956-882-5070
Fax: 956-882-6827

Edinburg Office:
Health Affairs Building East (EHABE) 2.201
956-665-3491
Fax: 956-665-5253

Education Verification Forms: Elizabeth Salinas
Program Coordinator-Student Services
Graduate or DNP Program requests.
elizabeth.r.salinas@utrgv.edu
956-665-8906

Lourdes Sanchez, BAAS-IS
Program Coordinator-Student Services
Undergraduate Program requests.
lourdes.sanchez@utrgv.edu
956-882-5070

(Graduates must complete their section of the form before submitting. Provide your UTRGV Student ID# in your email.)

General Information and Program Inquiries: Maria Pilar Pedraza, BS
Administrative Assistant
maria.pedraza@utrgv.edu
956-665-2194

Karina Gutierrez
Program Specialist-Student Services
karina.gutierrez@utrgv.edu
956-882-5072

Carmen Vela, BS
Program Specialist-Student Services
carmen.vela@utrgv.edu
956-665-2204

Graduate Programs: Elizabeth Salinas
Program Coordinator-Student Services
MSN-FNP, Post Master's PMHNP and FNP Certificates, MSN-Education, MSN-Administration and DNP
elizabeth.r.salinas@utrgv.edu
956-665-8906

Undergraduate Programs: Lourdes Sanchez, BAAS-IS
Program Coordinator-Student Services
BSN Generic, 2nd Degree and RN to BSN
lourdes.sanchez@utrgv.edu
956-882-5070


NursingCAS FAQ's

NursingCAS Checklist

NursingCAS is a service of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) that allows prospective students to discover and apply to nursing programs offered by participating nursing schools. NursingCAS is the nation's only centralized application service. It allows students to research and apply to multiple participating nursing schools with a single online application.

Benefits

  • A convenient and efficient process to apply to multiple programs using a single, secure web-based application.
  • Applicants can track the receipts of the application, transcripts and references 24/7
  • A comprehensive online checklist and instructions to help applicants easily navigate through the application.
  • Eliminates the need for duplicate application data and transcripts for those applying to multiple colleges or universities.
  • Provides applicants with a real-time way to check the receipt of applications, transcripts, etc.
  • For more NursingCAS information, go to https://nursingcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/ .

The application service fee is set by NursingCAS.  Applicants pay NursingCAS $60 for the first undergraduate-level BSN program application and $45 for each additional program application.  The fee is due when you submit your application. You can create an account and complete all application sections and requirements before you pay the NursingCAS fee.

NursingCAS offers a fee waiver program and they provide a limited number of application fee waivers. Review their requirements and instructions on this link for more information.

You may request a fee waiver as soon as you create an application, but keep in mind that fee waiver funds can be quickly depleted. Contact customer service at 617-612-2880 before you submit a fee waiver request to determine if waivers are still available.

Do not procrastinate when applying to nursing school by applying at the last minute.

The application process includes submitting Official Transcripts from every college or university you have attended and HESI scores so you must allow enough time to complete these requirements.

The best practice for a NursingCAS application is to start about six weeks before the nursing program’s application deadline.

Six weeks before the deadline, you’ll want to create a NursingCAS account and start to familiarize yourself with the application requirements.

The next step is to request transcripts from your high school or colleges attended if they are required. You might also have to request references if they’re required.

Four weeks before the deadline, you should begin the application and gather any other required materials, such as a personal statement and certification documents.

Three weeks before the application deadline, follow up to make sure your transcripts have been received.

Finish and try and submit your application at least two weeks before the deadline.

IMPORTANT: After completing the NursingCAS application, check your email to see if any additional materials are needed. You can check the status of your application by logging into your account.

Once you create an application, you will come to the main page. You can now navigate through the application either by the top menu items or the Checklist. This page will also display the FAQ's, Status of your application, and Messages from NursingCAS. The Checklist allows you to navigate to each section and will have a green check once the section is complete. Once all items are checked and completed, this is the page to e-submit your application.

My Profile - Use this section to change Account information (name change, email address, etc.) and change your password.

My Application - Use this section to access each section of your application. This is also available through the Checklist.

Applicant Information - Use this section to input your Biographic Information, Personal Data, Parent and Family Information, and Background Information. It’s very important that you enter your Social Security Number and information in this section accurately.

Education - You must complete the Colleges Attended section before you can enter your coursework. The coursework will be entered by the semester, quarter, or term that you attended by creating a Session/Term. Under the Session/Term, you will enter each course taken or that you are planning to take.

My Programs - This is where you select your designations (programs you're applying to). You will have the ability to continue to designate programs after you have e-submitted your application as long as the deadline hasn't passed.

Status: Use this section to view the status of your transcripts received by NursingCAS. Once you have e-submitted your application and your application has been verified by NursingCAS, you may see the dates your applications have been fully processed.

Instructions - Use this section to access instructions for each of the application sections or use the instruction button available within each section.

Personal Statement or References. While other Nursing Schools may require these items, the UTRGV School of Nursing does not require or accept them as part of our application process.

NursingCAS: Each applicant will need to submit their Official Transcripts from every college or university they attended to NursingCAS. This step is crucial to complete your application in NursingCAS and have your application verified by NursingCAS. Unofficial transcripts are not accepted. You do not need to send your high school transcript to NursingCAS to apply to UTRGV’s Nursing Program.

NursingCAS provides service to multiple colleges and universities. Students will only need to submit one set of Official Transcripts to NursingCAS to apply to other institutions. To send Official Transcripts to NursingCAS, see detailed instructions here.

UTRGV Undergraduate Admissions: Reminder, NursingCAS requirements are different from UTRGV’s Undergraduate Admissions requirements. The UTRGV School of Nursing also requires you to send Official Transcripts from every institution where you earned any required prerequisite or core coursework to UTRGV’s Undergraduate Admissions Office for evaluation. A “transfer notation” on a transcript cannot be utilized to determine if your credits transfer to UTRGV. To determine if your credits will transfer to UTRGV, your Official Transcripts need to be evaluated by UTRGV’s Undergraduate Admissions.

This step is crucial to determine if you meet program requirements, need course substitutions, or if you need to take any required courses. See detailed instructions here.

UTRGV School of Nursing requires a full transcript entry to review your application and you must enter all of your coursework for each institution you attended. You only need to input this information once, as it can be used for every program you apply to. Note that different schools/programs have different transcript entry requirements and not all schools you apply to require full transcript entry. 

Need Help? Use this search tool to get help and to find helpful resources.

Quick Start Guide and NursingCAS Faqs

How to Apply to NursingCAS

Review Help Center

Recorded Webinar: Watch Now: Preparing & Strengthening Your NursingCAS Application - NursingCAS

VIDEO: Submitting and Completing your NursingCAS Application Video

NursingCAS can help with application-related or system questions.

Log in to your application and contact NursingCAS by using the chat icon in the lower right corner. Or, contact NursingCAS by email at support@nursingcas.myliaison.com or by phone at 617-612-2880.

NursingCAS hours of operation: Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM ET.

For the quickest response, log in to your application and contact NursingCAS by chat.

NursingCAS responds to emails within two business days; however, response times can take up to three business days when they are at their busiest.

Be sure to have your CAS ID number (located under your name in the upper-right corner of the application) when contacting NursingCAS.

Detailed information can be found on our website, be sure to review the Admission and Application Requirements for the program you are applying for.

2nd Degree BSN Applicant and Admission Requirements. Be sure to review the Application Checklist on that webpage.

Attend a BSN Information Session.

Utilize the Contact Us form.

UTRGV School of Nursing (SON) does not review or consider information in the Supporting Information tab on NursingCAS’s application.

To complete your UTRGV SON application, opt out of Achievements, Experiences, and Licensure Information under Supporting Information to complete that section.

No, UTRGV School of Nursing does not require your high school transcript to be sent to NursingCAS.

No, UTRGV School of Nursing only requires that you enter your HESI Scores under the Standardized Test Scores tab.

Enter your Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Math, Anatomy, and Physiology scores. We do not require Chemistry and Biology to be entered.

NursingCAS does not have a place for Critical Thinking, but you will provide it under the Program Materials main tab and Questions tab.

Report your scores under Standardized Tests and in your transcript entries. 

You can only list test credits in transcript entries if they were awarded by one of the schools you attended and they appear on your transcript. Test credit types include Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP, DANTE, Regents, and courses you "tested out of" at college or university. List these credits under your first term at the school that awarded you the credit and enter "CR" as the grade. If no course prefix or number appears on the transcript, enter "N/A" for Not Applicable.

Your official score report for AP, CLEP, etc. must also be sent to UTRGV Undergraduate Admissions.  If you have an official transcript from a university that provided you with AP credit, Undergraduate Admissions may be able to utilize that transcripts to reflect your AP Credits at UTRGV.  Contact Undergraduate Admissions for any questions related to AP credits or CLEP.

School of Nursing


Brownsville

BLHSB 2.720
Phone: 956-882-5072
Fax: 956-882-6827

Edinburg

EHABE 2.201
Phone: 956-665-3491
Fax: 956-665-5253 

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Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST

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