Nursing Application
Submit your application to TCC's Nursing Program
Nursing Application
Things to do before applying to the Nursing Program:
- Apply to be a student at Tacoma Community College (TCC).
* If you are a current TCC student or have been enrolled during the current academic year you do not need to apply to TCC
- Once accepted, please meet with a Healthcare Advisor to make an academic plan.
- Complete all prerequisite courses, assessing that you have met the minimum grade for each course.
- Submit official transcripts to the Enrollment Services department, for prerequisite work completed at other colleges. Official transcripts need to be submitted to TCC by the deadline.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Once you have submitted your application, you will receive further correspondence at the email address you created your account with. Due to a high volume of applications, please allow approximately 4-6 weeks after application deadlines for your admission status updates.
Apply to the Nursing Program
Nursing Admission Process
The nursing program has created a new, more holistic admission process. Review the changes below.
Apply to Tacoma Community College and once accepted, meet with a Healthcare Advisor to make your academic plan.
Complete the courses listed below with a 'B' or higher. There are no attempt or expiration date rules.
- ENGL& 101* (English Composition I) Please note: If you get a B-, C+, or C in this course, you can take your second English course in the section below and if you get a B grade or higher, it meets the English requirements.
- CHEM& 121 (Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry or CHEM& 161 (General Chemistry w/lab I)
- BIOL& 241 (Human Anatomy and Physiology I)
- BIOL& 242 (Human Anatomy and Physiology II)
- BIOL& 260 (General Microbiology)
- PSYC& 200 (Lifespan Psychology)
Completion of the courses listed below with a 'C' or higher. There are no attempt or expiration date rules.
- ENGL& 102 (English Composition II: Argument and Persuasion) or ENGL& 103 (English Composition III: Writing about Literature) or ENGL& 235 (Technical Writing)
- CMST& 210 (Interpersonal Communications) or CMST 320 (Professional and Organizational Communication) or CMST& 220 (Public Speaking) or CMST& 101 (Introduction to Communications) or CMST 110 (Multicultural Communications) or CMST& 240 (Intercultural Communication)
- Nutrition 250 (Nutrition in Health Care) or NUTR& 101
- PSYCH&100 (General Psychology)
- BIOL&160 (General Cell Biology). BIOL& 211 (Majors Cellular) or BIOL& 222 (Introduction
to Cellular & Molecular Biology) may also be used to meet this requirement.
NOTE: If you are a Tacoma Community College student and have taken a higher-level Biology class, you can contact Ken Cushman to arrange taking a challenge exam for BIOL&160 credit. - MATH&146 (Statistics)
- Humanities - 5 credits (Choose from the Approved Humanities Distribution List)
All prerequisite coursework must be complete, and all official transcripts must be to our college before application deadlines. There will be no exceptions to this. We ask that you please don't apply to the nursing program until you have completed all prerequisite courses.
We have three 2-year program application cycles and one LPN to RN application cycle per year as follows:
Application cycles will open at 12:00pm on the first day of the application cycle and close at 11:59pm on the last day of the application cycle.
2-Year Students:
- Fall (Starts in September): The application is open from June 1 - July 1.
- Winter (Starts in January): The application is open from August 1 - September 1.
- Spring (Starts in April): The application is open from Dec 1 - Jan 1
LPN to RN Students:
- Winter (Starts in January): The application is open from July 1 - Oct. 1
Students will be evaluated and scored by the following criteria:
Criteria for Admissions Points Possible Completion of prerequisites that require a 3.0 (B) grade or higher 0-required Completion of prerequisites that require a 2.0 (C) grade or higher 0-required Combined GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.5 for BIOL& 241, BIOL& 242, and BIOL& 260 2 Documented veteran/Current military (must have honorable discharge) 2 Documented low income or low socioeconomic household 2 Documented healthcare licensing 2 Students who have earned TCC college level credits (courses 100 or above): 15-29 credits would receive 1 point. 30 or more credits would receive 2 points 1-2 Documented community service, or paid work, with underrepresented populations 1 Caregiver for a family member 1 Bilingual/Multilingual 1 First generation college student 1 A maximum of one point will be added to an applicant's score if they have submitted a complete application to the new holistic admission process in the last year. 1 point available starting Winter 2025 - Base Requirements:
-
Upload unofficial transcripts showing Nursing program prerequisite coursework from all colleges and universities you have attended, including Tacoma Community College (TCC), as part of your Nursing application.
-
You must also submit official transcripts from any college or university where you completed Nursing program prerequisite courses. Official transcripts are not required for courses taken at TCC. All thirteen prequisites must be completed by the application deadline. There are no exceptions. If you haven't finished these thirteen courses, you must complete them and apply in a future cycle.
-
If you previously applied to the Nursing program and submitted official transcripts, you do not need to send them again if you received confirmation from us that they were received.
Documented Veteran/Military:
- You must be active-duty military or a veteran with an honorable discharge.
- Active-duty military applicants: Upload a copy of your current military orders with your Nursing application.
- Veteran applicants: Upload a copy of your DD Form 214 with your Nursing application.
- You may redact (black out) personal information on these documents before uploading them.
Documented Low Income:
Upload documentation showing that you or one of your dependents currently receive one or more of the following benefits:
- Financial aid (such as a Pell Grant or Washington College Grant)
- Free or reduced-price school meals
- Unemployment benefits
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Basic Food Employment and Training (BFET)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- State Food Assistance Program (FAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Child Care Subsidy Program
- Medicaid
Acceptable documentation includes an official award letter, benefits statement, or other verification issued by the agency providing the benefit.
TCC College Level Credits:
- This criterion will be evaluated and calculated using the unofficial transcripts that you submit.
Combined GPA for BIOL& 241, BIOL& 242, and BIOL& 260:
- This criterion will be evaluated and calculated using the unofficial and official transcripts that you submit.
Healthcare Licensing and Certification
Traditonal 2-Year Program Applicants
- Healthcare experience is not required for admission. However, it may earn additional points on the admissions rubric.
- To receive healthcare experience points, upload documentation of your healthcare license
or certification.
- Washington State applicants should provide documentation from the Department of Health's Provider Credential Search.
- If your license or certification was issued by another state, submit documentation from the appropriate state licensing agency.
- Licenses and certifications must be current or, if expired, must not have been expired for more than seven years.
- CNA and EMT program completion certificates may be submitted in place of a license or certification.
LPN To RN Program Applicants
- You must be a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to be eligible for admission to the LPN to RN Program.
- Your nursing license must be active and unencumbered.
- You must maintain an active LPN license throughout the program until graduation.
Accepted Healthcare Licenses and Certifications
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) (program completion certificate accepted)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) (program completion certificate accepted)
- Paramedic
- Medical Assistant
- Home Care Aide
- Dental Assistant or Dental Hygienist
- Occupational Therapist
- Mental Health Counselor
- Physical Therapist
- Pharmacy Technician
- Substance Use Disorder Professional
- Radiologic Technologist
- Radiologic Assistant
- Respiratory Care Practitioner
- Phlebotomist
- Surgical Technician
Other Healthcare Experience that may be Accepted
If you provide direct patient care but hold a healthcare license not listed above, submit the following:- Documentation from your employer's Human Resources department verifying your current employment, and
- A job description for committee review.
- Certain non-licensed healthcare positions may also qualify. In these cases, you must
upload an official HR letter on organizational letterhead that includes:
- Your job title and duties
- Current employment status
- Dates of employment
- Applicants must be currently employed in the position or have been employed within the six months preceding submission of the Nursing application.
Documented Community Service with Underrepresented Poplulations:
For the purposes of Nursing program admissions, an underrepresented population is a group that has historically experienced barriers to resources, services, opportunities, or representation. This may include individuals who are underrepresented based on:
- Race or ethnicity
- Age
- Sex or gender
- Socioeconomic status
- Limited English proficiency
- Rural residency
- Disability status
- Disadvantaged backgrounds
Family Caregiver Experience:
-
Upload an official letter from the appropriate state agency, on agency letterhead, verifying that you are currently a paid caregiver or have served as a paid caregiver for a family member within the last five years.
-
If you are the legal guardian of a child who requires in-home medical care and you are not compensated for providing that care, submit:
- A personal statement describing the child's medical care needs, and
- Documentation from a healthcare provider or other appropriate source explaining the care you provide and your role in managing those healthcare needs.
Bilingual or Multilingual Communication Skills:
-
Bilingualism is the ability to speak and understand two languages. Multilingualism is the ability to speak and understand more than two languages.
-
To meet this criterion, you must be able to communicate effectively with patients in at least two languages.
-
This information will be collected through a question in the Nursing application.
- No documentation is required.
First-generation college student:
-
A first-generation college student is someone whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not earn a four-year college or university degree.
-
This information will be collected through a question in the Nursing application.
-
No documentation is required.
Previous Nursing Program Applicant:
-
Applicants who have previously applied to the Nursing program under the holistic admissions process may be eligible to receive this point.
-
This holistic admission process was implemented with the Fall 2024 nursing application cycle.
-
This information will be collected through a question in the Nursing application.
-
No documentation is required.
-
The Selection Process
In the first few weeks following a deadline, applications are reviewed and evaluated. You will want to check your Tacoma Community College student email at least three times a week, in case the nursing program is trying to communicate with you.
If Not Selected
If you are not selected, you must reapply in the next application cycle. You do not need to resubmit official transcripts, unless you have completed more coursework. Before re-applying, please review the program admission requirements, as these are subject to change. You may also wish to explore a Pre-Nursing transfer degree or other allied health program offerings at TCC.