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Applying Frequently Asked Questions

Go to Apply Texas and create a new account. 

If you are a current student working on your nursing prerequisites or a prospective Second Degree student and have been accepted to UTRGV, you have an assigned academic advisor at the Academic Advising Center.  Please schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with the Academic Advising Center.

If you are not a new prospective student and are seeking information on how to get started at UTRGV, you may contact a recruiter at Undergraduate Admissions.  

If you are a current School of Nursing student or have been accepted to a nursing program, contact the appropriate School of Nursing Program Coordinator for advising.   Program Contacts may also assist you with your general questions.  

-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Generic)?

-Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing?

-RN-BSN-Accelerated Online?

You may contact the appropriate undergraduate program staff member under Program Contacts or if you would like advising, contact the Program Coordinator for your program.

-Master of Science in Nursing-Administration (MSN)?
-Master of Science in Nursing- Education (MSN)?
-Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner?
-Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health?
-Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate?

You may contact program staff member under Program Contacts or if you would like advising, contact the Program Coordinator.

Each program has admissions criteria that explains the minimum GPA and/or grade requirements you need to apply to each nursing program.  See the link below for the program you are interested in.

Undergraduate programs:
-Bachelor of Science in Nursing-Generic (BSN)
-Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)  
-RN to BSN Accelerated Online

Graduate programs:
-Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Administration
-Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Education
-Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Family Nurse Practitioner

Post-Master's Programs:
-Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health 

-Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate

Doctorate program:
-Doctorate of Nursing Practice

You may review the HESI FAQs and the HESI Admissions Assessment Exam Flyer

Or, you may contact the UTRGV EDINBURG/ BROWNSVILLE TESTING CENTERS:

-Edinburg Testing Services: testing@UTRGV.edu or call (956) 665-7570

-Brownsville Testing Services: brtesting@UTRGV.edu or call (956) 882-8875

Per UTRGV admission policy, applicants to the nursing program must achieve a 75% or higher on the required individual components of the HESI Admission Assessment Exam. These components consist of: English Language, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Math, Anatomy & Physiology, and Critical Thinking.

HESI policy requires a wait period of three weeks before students are allowed to retest.  UTRGV School of Nursing allows two (2) attempts at the HESI exam during an academic year academic year (August 31-September 1).

There are two HESI score sheets that you must download as a PDF to CastleBranch. 

  1. HESI Scores for Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary & Knowledge, Anatomy and Physiology and Math; and
  2. HESI Critical Thinking Exam Results

Steps to Download:

1. Log on to evolve.elsevier.com

2. Click on Student Access

3. Click on Admission Assessment Report under Exam History (this is for the bar graph page of the HESI—Save this document as PDF)

4. Go back to My Exams

5. Click on the plus sign (+) next to Admissions Assessment Report

6. Critical Thinking will appear in the drop down list. Click on the link View Results.

7. Click on Results Report.pdf under View Your Detailed Scoring Report on the right (Save this

document as PDF)

HESI can be taken onsite at Prometric Test Center. Remote tests are not accepted.

  Univ of Texas - Rio Grande Valley_Distance Testing.pdf

 See attached PDF with instructions for distance testing from UTRGV’s Testing Center.  If you have further questions, regarding taking the HESI exam contact the UTRGV Testing Center. 

They are called the Undergraduate Admission, Progression & Graduation Committee (UAPG).
All applicants will receive an email that is sent to their University of Texas Rio Grande Valley email address.  The email will indicate if you were accepted or not accepted into the program.

Once the registrar processes your change of Major to Nursing, we will send you an email to register for the courses. 

Our Dean of School of Nursing and Liaison the Provost is Dr. Lilia A. Fuentes. 

That is not a School of Nursing requirement but a UTRGV requirement. If you already have health insurance, you can request a Waiver.

Yes, you will maintain at least $1 million in professional liability insurance (you will be billed for “blanket” malpractice student insurance coverage through student fees. 

https://www.utrgv.edu/campus-card-services/_files/documents/online-vonecard-process.pdf