Overview
Career outlook
Employers hire BSN-prepared registered nurses for direct patient care as well as roles requiring expanded leadership, research, and community-health competencies across nearly every healthcare setting.
Getting in
What University of South Dakota asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Transcripts
- Prerequisite courses
Standard admission requires the HESI Admission Assessment exam, a 3.0 GPA in the designated BSN prerequisites with C or above in each, official transcripts, the Professional Licensure Student Location form and a general education coursework spreadsheet; no fee to submit the nursing application. Direct admission (ACT 27 or higher) waives the HESI. Deadlines: September 1 for spring, April 1 for fall.
Checked Oct 2026 on the school's site. Requirements change each cycle, so confirm before you apply.
Prerequisites
The prerequisites you'll need to meet to apply to this program at University of South Dakota. Open a category to see each one.
College courses
5
Entrance exams
1
Health and background checks
4
Application basics
1
Paths
Routes into BSN. The first step is where you enroll today.
Pre-Nursing to RN
University BSN pathway
Ready to become a nurse? Start with Pre-Nursing, find university BSN programs that fit your goals, and get help planning your prerequisites and applications.
- Timeline
- 4 years
Pre-Nursing to RN
HBCU BSN pathway
Ready to become a nurse? Start with Pre-Nursing, find BSN programs at historically Black colleges and universities, and get help planning your prerequisites and applications.
- Timeline
- 4 years
CNA Exam Prep to RN
University BSN pathway
Ready to become a nurse? Start by preparing for your CNA exam, gain patient care experience, and get help planning your path into a university BSN program.
- Timeline
- 4 years
Georgia CNA to RN
University BSN pathway
Ready to become a nurse in Georgia? Start with your CNA, gain patient care experience, and get help planning your path into a BSN program at a Georgia university.
- Timeline
- 4 years
Acceptees
Acceptees whose paths lead to this program, and how they got in.
