Revised Traditional BSN Upper Division Application Procedures

Upper Division Eligibility Requirements

  • Students eligible to apply for the Upper Division must be admitted to the University of Louisville and the Lower Division of Nursing. Transfer students must have a complete undergraduate application on file with the UL Office of Undergraduate Admission for lower division admission review by October 1 for spring term consideration and by April 1 for fall term consideration.
  • Current UL students in a non-nursing major are not eligible to apply until they have submitted a change of major request in ULink to Lower Division (program code NU BSN). Deadline to submit change of major request: October 1 for spring consideration and May 1 for fall consideration.
  • Students eligible to apply to Upper Division must have either completed all Lower Division requirements or be in the last semester of completing Lower Division requirements.
  • Minimum program of study grade point average of 3.0 and minimum cumulative college grade point average of 2.8 are required to be considered for admission. Please contact your assigned advisor for your most recent program of study to determine eligibility to apply.
  • Students who plan to apply for fall admission can complete remaining Lower Division course work the summer prior and still be eligible for fall semester admission.

If you are unsure if you are eligible to apply for Upper Division, please contact your academic advisor.

Upper Division Application Process- Revised Curriculum Cohort

Admissions Deadlines

Fall Cohort: Open March 1 - May 1
Spring Cohort: Open September 20 - November 1

*This application is for students on the revised 5-semester upper division curriculum plan.

Note: Late applications and/or background check orders are not accepted.

All students applying for admission to the BSN Upper Division portion of the degree program must submit the following application materials online by the appropriate deadline:

1. Background Check:

Students are responsible for the $59.00 order fee for the required CastleBranch background check. Students do not need to complete the drug test for the application process. The background check should be ordered no later than 5 business days prior to the application deadline. Keep your CastleBranch login username and password for future use.

Instructions: 

    1. Go to CastleBranch.
    2. Select Place Order
    3. Select BSN and then the appropriate program location (Louisville or Owensboro) for your background check.
    4. Select the background check package and then continue the prompts to payment.
  • CastleBranch will submit the results of your background check directly to the School of Nursing. Once you have placed your order, you will not need to submit results on your own.
  • If additional information is needed, a School of Nursing official will contact you regarding your results.
  • Outside background checks are not accepted.
  • A new CastleBranch background check must be submitted each time you apply for Upper Division. Background check must be resubmitted if original check was ordered more than 9 months prior to the planned Upper Division start date.

2. Prepare your Goal Statement

Do not start the online application until you have completed your Goal Statement.

Write 500 words or less describing your personal qualities as they pertain to a successful nursing career. Address your perception of the profession of nursing and how you came to choose this career. Describe your short and long term nursing goals. The Goal Statement must be ready to attach as a Word or PDF document to the nursing application. Please save as the following file name: last name, first name ID#.

  • Chrome, Firefox, or Edge are recommended for completing the form.
  • You will have 10 minutes to complete the application.
  • Please provide your louisville.edu email address on the application.
  • Attach your Goal Statement. If you have trouble attaching your goal statement, try using a different browser or computer.
  • If you continue to have trouble attaching the goal statement, please contact . Do not resubmit the application.
  • Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email to the email address you provided on the application. Check your junk/spam folder if you do not receive the email to your inbox. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact the Office of Student Services to verify your application was submitted before attempting to submit your application again.