Practical Nursing Admission Guidelines

for Fall 2025

Please refer to BCI Policy before applying

APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2025 (Apply in May from 5/1 - 5/31)

Students interested in taking the nursing pre-admission HESI A-2 exam for the PN program in preparation for the May (PN) admission period should send an email to [email protected].

Students should complete the pre-requisite courses prior to taking the pre-admission exam.

 Fall Practical Nursing Program:

• Warwick/Day
  
  

Minimum requirements to apply to the Nursing program:

1. CCRI Application for Enrollment into General Studies with a pre-practical nursing concentration.

2. Official copy of a high school transcript, GED® transcript or baccalaureate transcript from an accredited institution, including date of graduation or completion.

                                                                                                

   • Reading Comprehension Requirement:

     • Score of 90 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension or score of 259 or above in Next Generation Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension or ENGL 0890: Critical Reading with a grade of "B-" or better, OR ENGL 0950 Integrated Critical Reading and Writing with a grade of B- or better.

   • Mathematics Requirement:

     • Score of 80 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic)

       or score of 255 in Next Generation Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic)

       or MATH 0100: Fundamentals of Mathematics with a grade of "B-" or better

     • ACCUPLACER test issued by CCRI's Department of Advising and Counseling.                                                                                                         .                                                                                             

3. HESI A2 Test. Score 70 percent or better on each section.*
   
   

4. Complete the following required prerequisite courses. (These courses are limited to two attempts.)

   • BIOL 2201 (Anatomy & Physiology I) OR BIOL 1010 (Human Anatomy) with a grade of "C" or better and BIOL 1020 (Physiology) with a grade of "C" or better.

   • Please read the important message regarding Biology changes and Nursing Admissions

   • ENGL 1010: Composition I with a grade of "C" or better

   • Note #1: All attempts for the three (3) above prerequisite courses prior to January 1, 2015, including transfers, are considered ONE ATTEMPT regardless of the number of times the class was taken. If a student fails to meet the satisfactory grade requirements within the two (2) attempts, the student must wait five (5) years from the last attempt to retake the course.
     
     

   • Note #2: BIOL 1010 is a companion course of BIOL 1020. Another college-level 4-credit, human physiology course (with lab) may be substituted for BIOL 1020. BIOL 1020, or a substitution, cannot be more than six (6) years old at the time of application.

     If you have taken BIOL 1010 or another course in Human Anatomy, you will have to take a stand-alone Human Physiology course at another institution before you apply to the Nursing program. CCRI does not offer a stand-alone Human Physiology course.

   • BIOL 2201 is a companion course of BIOL 2202. Neither of these can be more than six (6) years old at the time of application and both courses are limited to two attempts. 

     If you have taken BIOL 2201 (A&P1) as a prerequisite, you will have to take BIOL 2202 (A&P2) before you begin your second semester in the Nursing program. You may choose to complete A&P2 prior to entrance into the Nursing Program, if desired. 

   • The transfer of Anatomy and Physiology courses is subject to approval by the CCRI Biology Department Chairperson.

5. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.0 is required to apply to the program and must be maintained while enrolled in Nursing.

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   All the above requirements must be met satisfactorily BEFORE submission of the Performance-Based Health Science (PBHS) application and does not guarantee acceptance. Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester must resubmit a PBHS application for the program and meet current requirements.

   Once accepted in the Practical Nurse Program, the student must attend a mandatory orientation conducted by the Nursing Department.

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6. Complete and submit an online performance-based Health Sciences application at: www.ccri.edu/onestop/admissions/performancebasedapplications.html. The deadlines are listed on the form.
   
   

7. Conditionally accepted students are required to complete the following:

   • When notified by the Office of Enrollment Services, submit a background check and health record requirements through CastleBranch.com by the deadlines identified. Results of BCI may prevent admission due to clinical agencies' requirements. Please refer to the Criminal Background Check Policy before applying.

   • Only Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Medical Exemptions are permitted. There are No Religious Exemptions accepted. RIDOH Medical Exemption Form

Final acceptance is based upon completion of the above criteria.

Please note: Requirements are subject to change.

For more clarifying information regarding any of the above, please visit www.ccri.edu/nursing/admissionfaq or contact the Office of Enrollment Services at:

Deb Watson, Newport County Campus: 401-851-1637, [email protected]

* HESI A2: Students are limited to two (2) attempts. Students who do not meet the benchmark after the second attempt can retest after three (3) months from the second attempt. Please note: HESI test scores do not expire.

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Practical Nursing Program
Admission Criteria Point System

Example: If Reading score = 70, 7.0 points will be added. If Math score = 90, 9 points will be added.

Current CNA Certification*.................................. 12 Points

Maximum Total Points........................................... 172 Points

In the event of a tie, the prerequisite GPA will be used as the tie-breaker.

Credits granted through AP, CLEP, challenge exams or assessment of prior learning will be recognized as satisfying course requirements and will be assigned points equivalent to a grade of “B”.

Please review the Department of Health website to learn about licensing requirements for the health sciences professions.

Please Note:

A Social Security number is required to begin the licensing process for the health sciences professions.

*CNA Certification is not required for entry into the program. These 12 points are in addition to other points acquired and do not guarantee entrance into the program.

The ADN and PN programs have competitive admissions. The ADN program and LPN-to-RN Option admit students twice per year, while the PN program admits students only once per year. Each application period, qualified students are denied admission due to limited space. Registered Nursing and Practical Nursing are different professions; therefore, students who have accepted a seat in the ADN program, LPN-to-RN Option, or PN program are not eligible to apply to other nursing programs or options. Students must, in advance of the application process, determine which career path they would like to pursue. Effective September 5, 2018, if a student does apply to both programs, the first program to which the student is accepted invalidates the application to the second program. Students who are not accepted into the program of their choice may reapply to that program, or apply to a different program, during the next application period.