Prospective Students

Why Pre-Nursing?

  • A pre-nursing program will qualify you to apply for – and to succeed in – nursing school. Pre-nursing students take prerequisite, general education courses that make them eligible to enter traditional BSN programs.

Additionally, pre-nursing programs:

  • Prepare pre-nursing students for the application process for nursing programs
  • Develop academic skills and learning habits needed for nursing programs
  • Prepare students through courses that advance their professional potential
  • Support career aspirations in the nursing profession

How Long is the Pre-Nursing Pathway Program

The length and time it takes to complete a pre-nursing pathway program differs depending on the college or university, as well as the student. 

Here at UHWO, students complete their pre-nursing pathway coursework in three semesters. 

The UHWO Pre-Nursing Pathway program is designed to start in the Fall Semester.  

After taking 32 courses in their first three semesters, pre-nursing pathway students may be eligible to begin the traditional UHM BSN Program in the spring semester of their 2nd year. 

Special Admissions

The BAS-HP, GHS concentration with a Pre-Nursing Pathway at UH West Oʻahu program is a select admissions program; transcripts and/or other required documentation are submitted and reviewed during designated application periods. Applicants attend an informational session and are then selected and notified by the Pre-Nursing Pathway Program.

The Pre-Nursing Pathway program at UH West Oʻahu is designed for students to take prerequisite courses for a nursing degree. Students should plan to take the courses listed within the Pre-Nursing Program Academic plan at UH West Oʻahu. Students who have completed courses within Early College programs or that have AP or IB credits that have been accepted are welcome to apply. Transfer students who have already completed courses within the program can apply and will be considered on a case by case basis.

Eligibility to Apply

High school graduate, with at least a 2.7 GPA

Current high school students, recent high school graduates, and transfer students are welcome to apply.

How to Apply

  • Submit an application to UH West Oʻahu
    • choose General Studies for major
  • Once accepted to UH West Oʻahu, complete the steps outlined on the Accepted Student website.
  • Sign up for one of the mandatory Pre-Nursing Pathway Program informational sessions.
    • UH Users click here to sign up for an informational session
    • non-UH Users (if you are a student without a UH user name or email) click here to sign up for an informational session
  • Attend one of the required Pre-Nursing informational sessions :
    • Tuesday October 22, 4:30pm-6:30pm, C-141 (Student Services Lobby)
    • Monday, November 4, 10:00am -12:00pm, Waianae High School Students only, 
    • Tuesday, November 19, 4:30pm-6:30pm, C-141 (Student Services Lobby)
      • NOTE:  November 19 is the last informational session for students interested in transferring into the pre-nursing pathway in Spring 2025 
      • Spring 2025 information session dates will be added shortly
      • A current schedule of Pre-Nursing Pathway informational sessions is also available on News and Events
  • After attendance at an informational session is confirmed, students can submit the UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway Intent to Apply Form.  The form will be sent directly to the applicantʻs UH email.

Speak to an advisor today!

Advisors assist students with academic planning, program and university graduation requirements, and registration policies and procedures. The advisor for Applied Science majors such as Pre-Nursing is Carrie Larger.

Phases of the Admissions Process

There are four phases to the admissions process.

Phase I: Initial UH West Oʻahu General Application Submission and Evaluation

Applicants are evaluated by UH West Oʻahu Admissions to ensure that they meet the standard eligibility requirements. Students entering UHWO directly from high school and students transferring from another college or university will be required to submit transcripts for Early College, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or other college courses for evaluation for transfer credit.

Phase II: Informational Sessions

All applicants are required to attend a Pre-Nursing Pathway program informational session. Students are responsible for signing up for a session (add link). These sessions may occur before applicants are accepted into UH West Oʻahu. Once student attendance at an Informational Session is confirmed and students are accepted into UH West Oʻahu, students will receive notification that they can proceed to Phase III.

Information sessions are designed to introduce students to the pre-nursing pathway program. Students will meet the program directors and learn about UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway program admissions requirements, program curriculum, selection criteria, program costs, financial aid, and about the nursing career pathway, admission requirements and program curriculum.

Attendance at an information session within one year of your application submission is mandatory. Please be sure to register for and attend an information session to record your attendance.

Phase III: Secondary application review and Intent to Enroll to the UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway

After attending an Informational Session, applications will be reviewed by Pre-Nursing Pathway Program Coordinators to determine student eligibility for the Pre-Nursing Pathway Program. Selected students will receive notification in which they confirm intent to enroll in the UHM-UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway program. After students confirm acceptance, they will be placed in the UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway program. Students that are not outright accepted into the pre-nursing pathway program will either be placed on the waitlist or denied.

Phase IV: Course registration

Accepted students will be enrolled in the Pre-Nursing Pathway program and will be expected to register for the required courses by a specified date. Students that do not register for classes by the deadline will be notified of their withdrawal from the Pre-Nursing Pathway program and a member of the waitlist will be placed in the now vacant spot.

*Applicants should not pursue course registration until accepted into the Pre-Nursing Pathway program. Pre-Nursing pathway students have a block schedule with selective and specific courses offered only to the pre-nursing pathway students. UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway students must enroll in the required courses on UH West Oʻahu campus (i.e. students cannot take one class at KCC, another at LCC, and another at UH West Oʻahu when accepted into the UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway program)

Continued Enrollment Requirements

  1. Attendance at in person orientation
  2. Monthly grade verifications
  3. Maintain minimum grade of “B” or higher (not B-) in PHYL lectures, PHYL labs, MICR 130, BIOC 141, and MATH
  4. Maintain minimum grade of “C” or higher (not C-) in all other prerequisite courses
    Completion of continued enrollment form each semester
  5. Enrollment in the required pre-nursing pathway program courses, many of which require in person attendance

Progression from Pre-Nursing Pathway to UH Mānoa’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Once UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway program students have completed the first year of classes and met program the requirements, UH West Oʻahu Faculty will work with the students to begin the process to apply to the BSN program. UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway program students have a distinct application time period for UH Mānoa’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, applying to enter in the Spring semester of each academic year. Entry into the UH Mānoa’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is competitive and rigorous, and the Spring entry is reserved only for students that successfully complete the UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway Program.

To progress from the UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing Pathway program to the UH Mānoa’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, students must complete UH Mānoa’s application process, which includes the following:

  • Complete UH Mānoa‘s two-step application process after the 2nd semester to be admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. Deadline for UH West Oʻahu pre-nursing pathway students to apply is September 1. (NOTE: Admission to the UHM BS in Nursing is highly selective and seats are limited).

*Acceptance into UHM’s program is not guaranteed for UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing students.