Admissions · Planning
Nursing School Application Timeline for California
California RN programs set their own deadlines, and many open only once or twice a year. Working back from your target start date keeps you from missing a window or a requirement. A common approach is to plan around four rough checkpoints: about 18, 12, 6 and 1 month before your application is due. Adjust them to your own schedule. It works alongside the 9-step RN path and the application deadlines calendar, which list each program's dates with sources.
By the SEAPHE Editorial Team
Data from the California Board of Registered Nursing
About 18 months before: choose your route and your list
- Choose a route. Generic ADN, LVN-to-ADN, BSN or entry-level master's. See Pick your path and ADN vs. BSN.
- Build a list of several programs and note how each chooses students: points, lottery, hybrid, holistic or eligibility-based. See How California nursing schools choose students and the regional guides (Bay Area, San Diego, Sacramento, Orange County, Inland Empire).
- Map prerequisites across the list with the prerequisite planner.
- Check lab and recency rules before you register. San Bernardino Valley College doesn't accept science courses with online labs (except Spring 2020–Fall 2021), and LA Pierce College requires in-person labs (both checked Oct 13, 2026). Recency limits run up to 10 years at the programs we've checked. See Online labs, recency and repeats.
- Thinking about a concurrent ADN-to-BSN? Many require general education finished before the ADN starts or before you apply. See Concurrent ADN-to-BSN programs.
About 12 months before: finish sciences and plan the exam
- Complete or schedule anatomy, physiology and microbiology. At many programs they must be finished, with grades posted, before you apply. Antelope Valley College says: "All prerequisites must be completed and a grade posted in order to apply." (checked Oct 9, 2026).
- Know the repeat rules before retaking anything. LA Pierce College allows no more than one repetition of each science and counts a grade after a "W" as a repetition.
- Plan your entrance exam. Most ADN programs use the ATI TEAS. Check each program's minimum and retake rules. LA Pierce College accepts only the first TEAS attempt unless you complete its remediation plan. Antelope Valley College requires all attempts to be sent and says failing twice disqualifies you (checked Oct 9 and Oct 13, 2026). See Take the TEAS and the TEAS score checker.
- Start building points you can document. If a program awards points for work experience, certifications or languages, start collecting proof now. Use the points calculators.
- University applicants: Cal State Apply opens in August, and fall transfer submissions often run October 1–November 30 of the year before. CSU Northridge's ADN-BSN collaborative takes university applications October 1–November 30 (checked Oct 13, 2026).
About 6 months before: test, verify and get documents ready
- Take the entrance exam with time left for a retake where the program allows one.
- Request official transcripts from every college you've attended. Many programs need them by the deadline.
- Attend required information sessions. Long Beach City College, for example, requires an in-person information session before you apply (checked Oct 9, 2026).
- Get course equivalencies checked if you took courses at another college. Some programs evaluate them only after selection, and others before. LA Pierce College reviews them after you're selected.
- Draft essays and line up recommenders for holistic programs.
- Confirm each program's window in the deadlines calendar, and add every open and close date to your own calendar.
About 1 month before: submit and double-check
- Recheck every date on the school's own page. Windows are often short: Golden West College's Fall 2027 window is February 1–15, 2027, and Saddleback College's is the same (checked Oct 12, 2026).
- Check your application against the packet, item by item: transcripts, test score report, proof of experience, forms.
- Submit early. Some windows close at a set time of day.
- Keep copies of everything you submit and every confirmation email.
- Check BRN approval for every program: Is my nursing program BRN-approved?
Sample dates for a Fall 2027 start
| Program | What | Date | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego State University (BSN, transfer) | Cal State Apply closes | Nov 30, 2026 | nursing.sdsu.edu transfer criteria (Oct 12, 2026) |
| CSU San Marcos (Traditional BSN, transfer) | Cal State Apply window | Oct 1 – Nov 30, 2026 | csusm.edu nursing transfers page (Oct 12, 2026) |
| College of San Mateo (ADN) | Application window | Dec 1, 2026 – Feb 1, 2027 | collegeofsanmateo.edu/nursing/apply.php (Oct 12, 2026) |
| Golden West College (ADN) | Application window | Feb 1 – Feb 15, 2027 | goldenwestcollege.edu/nursing/application (Oct 12, 2026) |
| Chaffey College (ADN) | Application window | Mar 1 – Mar 31, 2027 | chaffey.edu ADN application page (Oct 12, 2026) |
These are examples only. See the deadlines calendar for all programs.
Common mistakes
- Starting with the deadline instead of the prerequisites. Sciences and their recency rules usually take the longest.
- Taking the TEAS too early at a program that accepts only the first attempt.
- Missing the university application when a program needs both a university and a nursing application.
- Relying on last year's dates. Programs change windows from cycle to cycle.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I start planning for nursing school in California?
A common approach is to start about 18 months ahead, because prerequisites, exam timing and short application windows all need to line up.
When do California nursing applications open?
It varies by program. Cal State Apply opens in August, and fall transfer submissions often run October 1–November 30 of the year before. Many community college windows for fall entry fall between November and March. See the deadlines calendar.
What if I miss a window?
Look for programs with a different start term or a later window, and see Rejected or missed a cycle: what to do next.
More SEAPHE guides
How to Choose a California BSN Program
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ADN vs. BSN: Which Nursing Degree Is Right for You in California?
Community college or university? What the pass-rate data says, and how RN-to-BSN pathways change the math.
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TEAS vs. HESI A2: Key Differences and Which Exam to Take
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Where California Nursing Programs Have the Most Seats per Application
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How Much RN Programs Cost in California
BRN averages for tuition, cost of attendance and debt, and how to compare listed program costs.
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Rejected from Nursing School in California: What to Do Next
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Lottery vs. Points Nursing Programs in California, by Region
Which programs use a lottery, points, both or holistic review, region by region, from each school’s own pages.
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Do California Nursing Programs Accept Online Labs?
Online lab, recency and repeat rules for anatomy, physiology and microbiology, school by school.
SEAPHE Editorial Team · 10 min read
LVN to RN in California and the 30-Unit Option
LVN-to-ADN programs, advanced placement and the non-degree 30-unit option, with BRN rules and data.
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How CEP and collaborative programs let you earn an ADN and a BSN with fewer repeated courses.
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How to Get Into Nursing School in the Bay Area
Every open BRN-approved RN program in the Bay Area, with selection method, approved enrollment and listed cost.
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How to Get Into Nursing School in San Diego
Every open BRN-approved RN program in San Diego and Imperial counties, with selection method, enrollment and cost.
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How to Get Into Nursing School in Sacramento
Every open BRN-approved RN program in the Greater Sacramento region, with selection method, enrollment and cost.
SEAPHE Editorial Team · 4 min read
How to Get Into Nursing School in Orange County
Every open BRN-approved RN program in Orange County, with selection method, enrollment and cost.
SEAPHE Editorial Team · 5 min read
How to Get Into Nursing School in the Inland Empire
Every open BRN-approved RN program in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, with selection method, enrollment and cost.
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ACEN vs. CCNE: Does Nursing Accreditation Matter?
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Sources
- San Bernardino Valley College, Nursing prerequisites: https://www.valleycollege.edu/academics/pathways/hwa/nursing/pre-requistes.php (checked 2026-10-13).
- LA Pierce College, Nursing application requirements: https://www.lapc.edu/academics/pathways/stem/nursing/application-requirements (checked 2026-10-13).
- Antelope Valley College, Generic RN Application (timing; TEAS rules): https://www.avc.edu/sites/default/files/Generic%20RN%20Application.pdf (checked 2026-10-09).
- CSU Northridge, ADN-BSN Community College Collaborative: https://www.csun.edu/nursing/adn-bsn-collab (checked 2026-10-13).
- Long Beach City College, ADN application info: https://www.lbcc.edu/pod/adn-application-info (checked 2026-10-09).
- San Diego State University, BS pre-licensure transfer criteria: https://nursing.sdsu.edu/ (exact PDF URL in deadlines_verified.csv) (checked 2026-10-12).
- CSU San Marcos, Traditional BSN transfer apply: https://www.csusm.edu/nursing/programs/traditional-bsn/apply/transfers/index.html (checked 2026-10-12).
- College of San Mateo, Nursing apply: https://www.collegeofsanmateo.edu/nursing/apply.php (checked 2026-10-12).
- Golden West College, Nursing application: https://www.goldenwestcollege.edu/nursing/application/index.html (checked 2026-10-12).
- Saddleback College, Nursing: https://www.saddleback.edu/programs-degrees/all-programs/nursing (checked 2026-10-12).
- Chaffey College, ADN application: https://www.chaffey.edu/acc/hwa/hwa-academics/adn-application.php (checked 2026-10-12).
Last updated Oct 13, 2026. Figures change every year; check each source for the latest release.