Nursing, Registered

The Citrus College Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program accepts applications twice a year for fall and spring admission for both the generic and advanced placement (LVN-RN) options.

The online application is only available on the registered nursing website during the filing period. Additionally, application workshops will be offered during the filing period.

The amount of admitted students varies each application cycle. The program may accept up to 60 students per admission cycle contingent upon the applicant pool.

All complete applications that are submitted by the deadline are evaluated based on the multi-criteria guidelines. Qualified applicants are ranked based on points earned in the multi-criteria for selection. Students with the highest number of points are selected until all spaces in the program are filled. A limited number of alternate applicants are also selected to replace any selected applicants who do not meet requirements, deadlines, or decline their offer.

No, we do not maintain a waitlist. Qualified applicants who are not selected for entry are encouraged to reapply during the next application period.

Point cut off and/or averages fluctuates each application period. In addition, the Multi-Criteria for Selection is subject to change on an annual basis and may also affect the distribution of points.

The amount of alternates admitted varies each application period. Alternates are only offered an open position into the cohort contingent on availability and their multi-criteria point score for their application.

No. You must submit a new application for each admission cycle. There is no limit on the number of applications submitted.

No. A social security number is not required to apply and complete the program. However, a U.S. Social Security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) is required to apply for licensure in California.

This information is subject to change as a social security number may be required upon a clinical partner's discretion for background checks.

Yes. F1-Visa applicants may apply.

Yes, you can still apply to the Citrus College ADN program. If you are accepted, you are then required to complete a background check to be eligible to participate in the clinical component. There is a possibility that a prior conviction may prevent you from participating in the clinical component. Ineligibility to participate in clinical training will lead to non-progression in the program. All theory and clinical training courses must be completed concurrently in the program. If your background is not cleared, the student will need to request a meeting with the health sciences director or designee to discuss your background situation.

If you feel that you might not be eligible for licensure due to a prior arrest or conviction, please contact the Board of Registered Nursing at (916) 322-3350 or visit their website to research which background issues would prohibit you from taking the licensing exam.

** A student who completes the nursing program is not guaranteed their eligibility to sit for the State Licensing Examination. **

If you are unable to obtain your high school records, you may want to consider taking a high school equivalency test (HSET).

More information about HSETs are available on the California Department of Education High School Equivalency Tests (HSET) website.

Human anatomy (with lab component), human physiology (with lab component), microbiology (with lab component) and English are the prerequisites for the generic and advanced placement (AP) options.

Yes. Students must have a combined GPA of 2.5 or higher in human anatomy, human physiology and microbiology. Please note that a "C" in all coursework will not earn a GPA of 2.5.​

Online science/lab prerequisite courses are accepted. We strongly advise to meet with a nursing counselor about enrolling in an online prerequisite science/lab course and determine its articulation with Citrus College.

Students are not recommended to request "pass/no pass" as grades for science prerequisite courses.

Due to GPA requirements for admission, as well as the points allocated through the multi-criteria for selection for these grades, it is necessary that students take all science prerequisite courses for letter grades.

If you select P/NP as a grade on any of the science prerequisites, you may potentially impact your qualifying minimum GPA requirement of 2.5.

We strongly advise all students considering the option of P/NP as a grade, particularly in the science prerequisites, to make an appointment with a counselor before deciding on this option.

Only one repetition in the group of prerequisite science courses (human anatomy, human physiology and microbiology) is allowed within the last five years from the time of the application.

Science prerequisite courses attempted prior to five years due to expiration and withdrawals are not counted as a repeat.

A repeat is defined as an additional attempt in the same course that results in a grade or notation (including, but not limited to FW, F, D, C, C- or B).

Prerequisite sciences removed from a student's record (within the past five years) via academic renewal will still be considered as repeats in the prerequisite science courses. Prerequisite science courses completed without a lab component (within the past five years) will be treated as an attempt.

If a student exceeds one repeat within the last five years from the time of the application, they will not be eligible for consideration.

Yes. Prerequisite science courses (human anatomy, human physiology and microbiology) must be completed within the last five years from the time of the application.

Examples: For the fall 2026 application period, prerequisite science courses cannot be older than spring 2021. For the spring 2027 application period, prerequisite science courses cannot be older than fall 2021.

There is no five-year recency requirement on other courses.

ADN program prerequisites (human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology and English) cannot be in-progress. These courses must be completed, with grades posted on transcripts, prior to applying to the ADN program. ​

Nursing general education courses and general education for the associate degree are not required for admission to the ADN (RN) program; rather, they are required for the completion of the associate in science degree in nursing. Most students complete these requirements before entering the ADN program due to the rigorous nursing student course load. Additionally, the number of remaining general education courses will be evaluated under the multi-criteria for selection.

It is very important that prerequisite courses are equivalent to the Citrus College courses listed on the application and catalog. Do not assume a class is an equivalent even if it is accepted by another nursing program. All official transcripts must be submitted to admissions and records prior to submitting an application. It is strongly recommended that you meet with a nursing counselor regarding equivalency.

Coursework completed in another country may be accepted to satisfy general education requirements only.

Foreign coursework will not satisfy Citrus College nursing prerequisites and nursing general education (BRN requirements). International transcripts must be evaluated by a Citrus College approved evaluation service.

Yes. Applicants must submit official College Board AP exam results to admissions and records.​

Yes, but only for general education requirements. CLEP scores are not accepted to satisfy prerequisites.

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam is an ATI pre-admission nursing exam used by nursing programs to assess competency in math, science, English, and reading.

No. Completion of the standardized Assessment Technologies Incorporated (ATI) Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is not required to apply to the ADN program. However, it is mandatory for all provisionally admitted and alternate students to have the ATI TEAS completed with a total score of 62% or higher in order to be enrolled in the subsequent fall semester. Only provisionally admitted and alternate applicants who have never taken the ATI TEAS exam or have not completed it within the last twelve months will be invited to take the ATI TEAS with Citrus College.

Provisionally admitted students who take the ATI TEAS with Citrus College and earn a total score below 62% will be offered the opportunity to complete a remediation plan. The student is allowed a second attempt on the ATI TEAS exam upon successful completion of the remediation plan. If a student fails to complete the remediation plan or who fails to successfully pass the second ATI TEAS with a score of 62% or higher across all four areas will need to reapply to the ADN program for future consideration. Deferral of admission is not allowed for incomplete remediation.

The Citrus College ADN program offers the ATI TEAS exam on an invitation-only basis to qualified provisionally admitted and alternate applicants twice a year.

Only provisionally admitted and alternate applicants who have never attempted the ATI TEAS exam within the last twelve months or have not passed with a total score of 62% or higher within the last twelve months will be invited to take the TEAS In-Person with Citrus College.

The Citrus College Health Sciences Department offers the TEAS In-Person and is typically offered in the months of December and May (dates and times are subject to change).

Yes. ATI TEAS scores from another location are accepted. If a provisionally admitted or alternate applicant takes or has taken the ATI TEAS at a different location, it is the student's responsibility to send their results through ATI to Citrus College.

ATI charges a fee for this service, which is the student's responsibility to pay.

Unofficial copies of ATI TEAS results will not be accepted.

The ATI TEAS exam score is only valid for one year (twelve months). The health sciences department will consider the application deadline as the cutoff to submit valid ATI TEAS scores from the previous year.

Only the first ATI TEAS total score of 62% or higher within the last twelve months will be accepted. Multiple attempts for higher scores are not reviewed. If a student has taken the ATI TEAS more than once during the past twelve months, only the first passing total score of 62% or higher will be required.

Only the ATI TEAS version 7 will be accepted.

Information about the content and format of the test may be found at the company's website at www.atitesting.com.

Students can prepare for the TEAS with resources such as the ATI TEAS SmartPrep. ATI’S SmartPrep for TEAS is an unmatched preparation resource for students. It provides self-paced learning modules, two practice assessments, customized student remediation, and a comprehensive TEAS study manual. Study material to prepare for or help raise your TEAS score can be found in ATI's Smart Prep for TEAS at atitesting.com/teas/smart-prep-tutorial. (ATI TEAS Smartprep is available for unlimited use for 90 days. After 90 days, there will be a $30 fee to activate your SmartPrep account for an additional 90 day period.)

Note: We recommend you wait to take the ATI TEAS exam after you've completed all the RN prerequisites which include: human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology, and English composition. You should also take the math requirement for an AA/AS degree prior to taking the exam.

Transfer students are taken on space availability only. After you have applied to Citrus College and submitted a nursing application, you will need to write a letter of interest to the health sciences director, submit a letter of recommendation from current nursing director/chair, and submit official transcripts along with nursing course syllabi. After your file is reviewed, the health sciences department will contact you to discuss your options.

Yes, you may still apply to this program.

Individuals applying to the ADN program at Citrus College who previously were unsuccessful or were dismissed from another registered nursing program will be asked to submit a letter from the director of the former registered nursing program.

A student who has taken coursework in nursing at another registered nursing program must present a letter from the director of the former nursing program. The letter must provide their academic standing, eligibility for re-entry and an evaluation of clinical safety. Students who have been deemed unsafe in the clinical area are not eligible for the Citrus College Associate Degree Nursing Program.

No. Currently the Citrus College ADN program does not accept students for individual courses. We have an impacted program and only admit students that will complete our full program.

No. LVNs may only apply to the advanced placement (AP) option.​

Students who completed an LVN program, but are not licensed as a LVN, must apply to the generic option. ​

To obtain a transcript from a private or vocational college, you will need to contact the institution directly. If the institution appears to be closed, we recommend that you ensure the institution is closed, as some institutions will close a branch or location, yet remain open. Also, institutions may be a member of a larger organization; therefore, we recommend that you try to contact the parent organization, if applicable. If the institution is closed, or not part of a larger organization that maintained their records, you may contact the organization noted below to try to obtain your records.

• The Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary Secondary Education (BPPE) website provides information on which records are in their possession. Additionally, there is a link to their transfer request form on the BPPE Transcripts web page.

Citrus College awards the associate degree in nursing (ADN) by offering the generic and advanced placement (AP) options. The advanced placement (AP) and LVN-RN 30 unit (non-degree) option is available for all eligible and currently licensed vocational nurses who graduated from a BVNPT accredited program. Additionally, the program may accept transfer and challenge students based on space availability and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. ​

An excellent nursing education can be obtained from either type of degree.

ADN – Associate degrees (two-year programs) are offered at technical schools, community colleges or universities. They focus on the core of nursing information, sciences, and general education to support nursing. These programs provide the foundation to enter the nursing discipline at a beginning level.

BSN – Baccalaureate degrees (four-year programs offered at colleges and universities) prepare nurses to provide comprehensive service to individuals, families, groups and communities. These programs are designed to develop critical thinking and nursing skills at a higher level.

All programs prepare students to sit for the same National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The difference is in the academic degree conferred by the college or university. Many facilities hire RNs from any level; others hire only those with baccalaureate degrees or higher. Most management opportunities go to those with the higher degrees. A baccalaureate degree in nursing is needed to pursue graduate nursing education.

Yes. We have collaborative partnerships with BSN programs at CSU Fullerton, Azusa Pacific University, National University and Mount Saint Mary's University. These partnerships allow qualified ADN students to transfer into the ADN-BSN program.

This depends on how long it takes you to finish the prerequisites. Most students spend two or more years completing the prerequisites for the program.​

Once admitted, the generic option is a two year program and the advanced placement (AP) option is a one year program. ​

No, the Citrus College ADN program does not offer evenings, weekends or online courses. The program is a full-time commitment.

That varies on the student's academic ability and time for study. It is recommended that the students give 100% of their attention to the program. The program is full time and hours vary (may include weekends) between classroom lecture, labs, clinical, studying and homework obligations. We are unable to work around student work schedules.