Welcome to the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing! We are thrilled to support you on your journey to becoming a nursing professional and are committed to providing an enriching and supportive educational experience across all our five sites: Lawton, Duncan, Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. The College of Nursing has five sites at which we offer educational experiences. Students are asked to indicate their preference of site on the application, admission to the first choice of site is not guaranteed. Site assignments will be based on multiple criteria, including the student’s preference, prior academic performance, and geographic location.
As part of the admissions process, each student is considered for placement at one of our clinical education sites. Site placement is carefully determined based on a holistic review of your academic progress and preparation. We use four key factors to guide these decisions, ensuring fairness and transparency for all students.
1. Cumulative GPA
- Your overall grade point average (GPA) reflects your academic consistency and success across all completed college coursework. A strong cumulative GPA demonstrates your readiness for the rigor of nursing education and is one of the primary factors in determining your site placement.
2. Science GPA
- Given the foundational role of science in nursing, we place special emphasis on your performance in science courses. Your science GPA includes every attempt at Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Microbiology, and Chemistry. A strong science GPA indicates a solid grasp of the scientific principles essential to nursing practice.
3. Number of Completed Prerequisites
- We evaluate how many of the required prerequisite courses you have successfully completed at the time of admission. Students who have finished more prerequisites are generally more prepared to transition smoothly into the nursing curriculum.
4. Number of Science Courses Completed
- Because science courses are critical to nursing education, we also consider how many of the four required science courses you’ve completed. The more science courses (Chemistry, Microbiology, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology) you’ve successfully finished, the better positioned you are for clinical and classroom success.
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Explore Our Five Destination Sites
We are proud to offer nursing education at five dynamic and supportive locations across Oklahoma. Each site provides a unique environment and close-knit learning community, along with excellent access to clinical resources and community partnerships.
• Lawton: Cameron University in Lawton offers a welcoming campus environment with strong ties to the southwest Oklahoma community. Students benefit from small class sizes, personalized faculty support, and hands-on experiences with local healthcare partners. Lawton also offers scholarships through the generous support of the McMahon Foundation and partnership with Comanche County Hospital.
• Norman: Norman Regional Hospital provides an immersive clinical experience at a well-respected health system known for its innovation, patient-centered care, and deep investment in nursing education.
• Oklahoma City is situated within the OU Health Sciences Campus, home to top-tier faculty, advanced simulation labs, and Oklahoma’s largest academic medical center.
• Duncan: Duncan Regional Hospital offers a personalized, high-touch learning experience in a supportive community healthcare setting. Students at this site enjoy meaningful clinical opportunities and strong mentorship, as well as summer externship opportunities.
• Tulsa: OU-Tulsa combines the resources of a comprehensive academic center with the hands-on support of a smaller campus. Students benefit from exceptional faculty access, robust clinical partnerships, and the rich culture and amenities of the Tulsa metro area.
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Our Commitment to You
We understand that site placement plays an important role in your nursing journey. Our goal is to match students with locations where they can thrive academically and professionally. No matter where you are placed, you’ll receive the same high-quality education, support, and access to experienced faculty, clinical partners, and resources.
We’re here to help you succeed—wherever your nursing path begins!
If you have any questions about site placement, please don’t hesitate to contact the College of Nursing Student Affairs Team. We’re happy to help!
Best Opportunities for Placement
We work to place students in their first or second site preferences whenever possible. The OU College of Nursing accepts all qualified applicants, but applicants most closely matching the highest scores for the cumulative GPA, science GPA, completed prerequisites, and completed science prerequisites will have the best opportunity for receiving their first or second site preference. We would encourage students to apply to the program when they have completed the most coursework and are the most eligible applicants. The time of application is not a factor in site placement; thus, it is important to submit your application when you have completed the most coursework possible prior to the application deadline. While you can start the application and begin uploading your items to NursingCAS in preparation for the deadline, it is vital to submit the application at the time when it is most complete for the most optimal site placement.
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Spring 2026: Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
- For a student applying to the Spring 2026 RN-BSN pathway, we would encourage you to submit your application no earlier than September 1, 2025, so that your transcripts in NursingCAS reflect your Summer 2025 grades (if applicable) and show your in-progress coursework for Fall 2025.
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) Summer 2026: Application Deadline: January 15, 2026
- For a student applying to the Summer 2026 ABSN pathway, we would encourage you to submit your application no earlier than December 15, 2025, so that your transcripts in NursingCAS reflect your Fall 2025 grades and show your in-progress coursework for Spring 2026.
- Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (TBSN) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- For a student applying to the Fall 2026 TBSN pathway, we would encourage you to submit your application no earlier than January 15, 2026, so that your transcripts in NursingCAS reflect your Fall 2025 grades and show your in-progress coursework for Spring 2026.
- Licensed Practical Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (LPN-BSN) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- For a student applying to the Fall 2026 LPN-BSN pathway, we would encourage you to submit your application no earlier than January 15, 2026, so that your transcripts in NursingCAS reflect your Fall 2025, as well as any eight-week courses you have taken in Spring 2026, and show your in-progress coursework for Spring 2026.
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- For a student applying to the Fall 2026 RN-BSN pathway, we would encourage you to submit your application no earlier than January 15, 2026, so that your transcripts in NursingCAS reflect your Fall 2025 grades, as well as any eight-week courses you have taken in Spring 2026, and show your in-progress coursework for Spring 2026.
Third-Science Waiver for Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 (Undergraduate Students)
The third-science waiver applies to undergraduate students applying to the following pathways:
• Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) (Summer 2026)
• Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (TBSN) (Fall 2026)
• Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) (Fall 2026)
• Licensed Practical Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (LPN-BSN) (Fall 2026)
The purpose of the waiver is to allow students, for Summer 2026 and Fall 2026, to apply with two sciences completed and the third science in progress.
This form will allow incoming students for Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 to request a waiver for the third science requirement to apply to the ABSN, TBSN, LPN-BSN, or RN-BSN pathways for the Summer 2026 or Fall 2026 Semester. To complete the waiver, you will need to have completed two science courses (Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Microbiology) and will need to have the third science course in progress. The waiver will need to be completed prior to the issuance of a letter of admission. Please note that two completed sciences are required at the time of the application deadline (January 15, 2026, for ABSN and February 2, 2026, for TBSN, LPN-BSN, RN-BSN). Please note that the submission of this waiver showing two sciences completed and the third science in progress is required at the time of application (January 15, 2026, for ABSN and February 2, 2026, for TBSN, LPN-BSN, RN-BSN). Please note that all sciences and prerequisites are required to be completed by the time of the enrollment deadline: June 30, 2026.
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Application Deadlines for Graduate and Undergraduate Programs
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Spring 2026: Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by November 5, 2025. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application, third-science waiver (if applicable), or does not have a verified application in CAS by November 5, 2025, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) Summer 2026: Application Deadline: January 15, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by February 5, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application, third-science waiver (if applicable), or does not have a verified application in CAS by February 5, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (TBSN) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by February 23, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application, third-science waiver (if applicable), or does not have a verified application in CAS by February 23, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Licensed Practical Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (LPN-BSN) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by February 23, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application, third-science waiver (if applicable), or does not have a verified application in CAS by February 23, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by February 23, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application, third-science waiver (if applicable), or does not have a verified application in CAS by February 23, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Graduate (Certificate, Master of Science in Nursing—MSN, Doctor of Nursing Practice—DNP) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by February 23, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application or does not have a verified application in CAS by February 23, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD in Nursing) Fall 2026: Application Deadline: April 1, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by April 22, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application or does not have a verified application in CAS by April 22, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Spring 2027: Application Deadline: October 15, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by November 5, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application or does not have a verified application in CAS by November 5, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP): CRNA Spring 2027: Application Deadline: October 15, 2026
- Please note that all applicants must be in a verified status with all required materials to be considered a qualified applicant finalized in NursingCAS by November 5, 2026. If the application is not verified in CAS by this date, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle. If the applicant is missing the supplemental application or does not have a verified application in CAS by November 5, 2026, the applicant will need to reapply in the next cycle.