How to Apply - Upper Division

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The Next Step in Your Nursing Career 

Applying to the Upper Division Program

Our program is designed to prepare you for a successful and rewarding nursing career. Follow the steps below to begin your application process and join our esteemed program.

The Upper Division application is an internal application, and students must be admitted into the university and into the lower division program prior to applying for the Upper Division.

Upper Division Admission Requirements

The University of Louisville School of Nursing welcomes aspiring nurses to apply for our Upper Division program. Each fall and spring semester, we admit up to 100 dedicated students who meet our selective admission criteria. To ensure you are well-prepared, review the following requirements:

  1. University and Lower Division Admission:
    • Students must be admitted to the University of Louisville and the Lower Division of Nursing.
    • Transfer students must have a complete undergraduate application on file with the UL Office of Undergraduate Admission by October 1 for spring term consideration and by April 1 for fall term consideration.
  2. Current UL Students:
    • Students in a non-nursing major must submit a change of major request in ULink to Lower Division (program code NU BSN) by October 1 for spring consideration and May 1 for fall consideration.
  3. Former UofL Students:
    • Former students not currently enrolled at UL and who have not taken coursework elsewhere must submit a request to reenroll through the Office of the Registrar by the application deadline.
  4. Completion of Lower Division Requirements:
    • Students must have either completed all Lower Division requirements or be in the last semester of completing them.
  5. Grade Point Average Requirements:
    • A minimum program of study GPA of 3.0 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 are required for admission consideration. Contact your assigned advisor to determine your eligibility.
  6. Coursework Completion:
    • Students applying for fall admission can complete remaining Lower Division coursework in the summer prior and still be eligible for fall semester admission.
  7. Course Failures:
    • Students with 2 or more NURS course failures of C- or below are not eligible for consideration.

If you are unsure about your eligibility to apply for Upper Division, please contact your academic counselor for guidance.

Application Deadlines

Fall start

Open March 1 - May 1

Spring start

Open September 15 - November 1

Application Steps for Upper Division

1

Background Check

Students are responsible for the $59.00 order fee for the required CastleBranch background check. Students do not need to complete the drug test for the application process. The background check should be ordered no later than 5 business days prior to the application deadline. Keep your CastleBranch login username and password for future use.

Instructions: 

  1. Go to CastleBranch.com
  2. Select "Place Order"
  3. Select BSN and then the appropriate program location (Louisville or Owensboro) for your background check.
  4. Select the background check package and then continue with the prompts for payment.
  • CastleBranch will submit the results of your background check directly to the School of Nursing. Once you have placed your order, you will not need to submit results on your own.
  • If additional information is needed, a School of Nursing official will contact you regarding your results.
  • Outside background checks are not accepted.
  • A new CastleBranch background check must be submitted each time you apply for Upper Division. Background check must be resubmitted if the original check was ordered more than nine months prior to the planned Upper Division start date.

Request a background check on CastleBranch about

2

Prepare your goal statement

Do not start the online application until you have completed your goal statement.

Write 500 words or fewer describing your personal qualities as they pertain to a successful nursing career. Address your perception of the profession of nursing and how you came to choose this career. Describe your short and long-term nursing goals. 

The goal statement must be ready to attach as a Word or PDF document to the nursing application. Save as the following file name: last name_first name_ID#

3

Submitting your application

  • Chrome, Firefox, or Edge are recommended for completing the form
  • You will have 10 minutes to complete the application
  • Please provide your louisville.edu email address on the application
  • If you continue to have trouble attaching the goal statement, please contact nursserv@louisville.edu. Do not resubmit the application.
  • Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you provided on the application. Check your junk/spam folder if you do not receive the email in your inbox.  
    • If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact the Office of Student Services to verify that your application was submitted before attempting to submit your application again.
  • Note to transfer students only:  Please ensure your updated official college transcript(s) are on file with the Admissions Office. You do not need to submit your UofL transcript.

Admission decisions will be sent to the email address provided on your application 4-6 weeks after the application deadline.