Accelerated BSN · Tennessee

University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) · Knoxville, TN · school's own site (opens the school's website in a new tab)

ActiveIn personlast verified Oct 2026
Next application deadline
December 1 each year
next: Dec 1, 2026 · Summer (late May) start
source · nursing.utk.edu
“December 1: Final Deadline”
Check your eligibility here
Free for your first 3 programs. We check every requirement on this page against your courses.
Program length
12 months
Format
In personFull-time, on campus
Start
Summer (late May), once per year
Admission GPA
3.0
Entrance exam
NoneNot required
Prereqs expire after
NoneNo time limit

Prerequisites

The courses UT Knoxville says you need before you start, as published on its own pages. Credits, labs, and minimum grades are shown where the school states them.

  1. 01
    Anatomy (standalone)Human Anatomy · EEB 250/251, ANTH 250/251, or NURS 250/251Lab not explicitly stated for ABSN (TBSN section says lecture + lab); 251 numbering suggests lab component. Year-long A&P sequences must be taken at the same university.
    source · nursing.utk.edu
    “Human Anatomy equivalent to EEB 250/251, ANTH 250/251, or NURS 250/251”
    min gradeC
  2. 02
    Physiology (standalone)Human Physiology · BCMB 230
    source · nursing.utk.edu
    “Human Physiology equivalent to BCMB 230”
    min gradeC
  3. 03
    MicrobiologyMicrobiology · MICR 210 or BIOL 220/229
    source · nursing.utk.edu
    “Microbiology equivalent to MICR 210 or BIOL 220/229”
    min gradeC
  4. 04
    Lifespan / Human Growth & DevelopmentHuman Development · HDFS 210 or CFS 210
    source · nursing.utk.edu
    “Human Development equivalent to HDFS 210 or CFS 210”
    labnomin gradeC
Minimum prerequisite grade
C (C- and D not accepted)
source · nursing.utk.edu
“No, prerequisite courses must be completed with a “C” or higher.”
Prerequisites in progress Not published. Confirm with the school. Our two readings of the page disagreed (“3 of 4 done by end of Fall; final one during Spring before Summer start” vs “One of four prerequisites may be completed in the Spring before the Summer start”), so we are not publishing a value yet.

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Do prerequisites expire?

Prerequisite time limit
No time limit
Repeating science prerequisites older than seven years is suggested but not required.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“There is no time limit on prerequisite course completion date. However, if your science prerequisite dates back more than seven years, it may be beneficial to repeat these courses for preparation for the accelerated curriculum.”
Attempt limits Not published. Confirm with the school.

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

GPA and grades

Minimum combined GPA for admission
3.0
Page says 'combined' GPA; calculation method not explained.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Minimum 3.0 combined GPA.”
Science GPA Not published. Confirm with the school.

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Is there an entrance exam?

Entrance exam (TEAS)
Not required
source · nursing.utk.edu
“No, the College of Nursing does not require this test as part of our admissions process.”

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Where can courses be taken?

Online courses
Online courses accepted if from a regionally accredited institution
Answer is to 'Do you accept online courses?'; online labs are not specifically addressed.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Yes, as long as the course is from a regionally accredited institution.”
Community college courses
Accepted from accredited two- or four-year institutions
Coursework must be equivalent to the UT course; remedial, occupational, technical, noncredit or career coursework not transferable.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“The University of Tennessee will accept transfer credit of similar content from any two- or four-year accredited institutions—normally institutions with regional accreditation status in the United States.”
Credit by exam
Not accepted
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Do you accept credit by exam courses? No, we don’t.”
Pass/fail courses Not published. Confirm with the school.

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Application deadlines and start dates

Upcoming cycles UT Knoxville publishes. A date without a year on the school's page is noted rather than guessed.

Summer (late May) start · KnoxvilleDue December 1 each yearnext Dec 1, 2026 · opens August 6Page also lists 'August 6: Application opens', 'November 1: Priority Deadline' (11-01; students who apply by this date may be given priority), 'Early September: First-round decisions sent', 'December 15: Second round decisions sent', and 'Late May: ABSN program begins'. No years printed; the degree requirement 'by May 2027' suggests this timeline is for a May 2027 start, but the year is not stated next to the dates. Applications must be verified in NursingCAS and have a completed UTK application to be considered.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“December 1: Final Deadline”
UTK Undergraduate Admissions transfer application (Summer 2027 entry) · KnoxvilleDeadline not publishedopens August 6University-wide transfer application (required in addition to NursingCAS for ABSN applicants). University lists Summer Entry application completion deadline as April 15, but the ABSN requires a completed UTK application by the December 1 ABSN deadline.
source · admissions.utk.edu
“The application for Summer 2027 and Fall 2027 opens August 1, 2026, and will begin releasing Summer 2027 and Fall 2027 decisions early fall, then rolling from that point forward.”
NursingCAS
Yes, plus a UTK Transfer Application
All transcripts must be sent to NursingCAS; external applicants also send transcripts to UTK Undergraduate Admissions.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“All applicants must complete a NursingCAS application .”

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Cost

Tuition and fees as the school publishes them. Living costs vary; the source link has the full table.

UTK application fee
$75 (UTK transfer application)
NursingCAS fee not stated.
source · admissions.utk.edu
“The $75 nonrefundable application fee can be paid online when you submit your application, or you can pay by money order.”
Tuition Not published. Confirm with the school.

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Other requirements

What the school asks for beyond courses and scores.

Prior degree
Non-nursing bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university, conferred by May 2027
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Conferred, non-Nursing bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited university by May 2027.”
Tennessee U.S. history requirement
1 high school unit or 6 semester hours of college U.S. history
UTK HIUS 221/222 fulfill it.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Students graduating after July 1, 1978 must have completed 1 unit of U.S. history in high school or 6 semester hours of collegiate U.S. history, as required by Tennessee law.”
International students
Accepted; foreign transcripts need NACES evaluation
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Yes, we accept international students into the program.”
  • Submit both a NursingCAS application and a UTK Transfer Application selecting 'Accelerated BSN' as first-choice major.
    source · nursing.utk.edu
    “Applicants must also submit a UTK Transfer Application through Undergraduate Admissions. Please select “Accelerated BSN” as your first-choice major on the UTK application.”
  • Send all transcripts to NursingCAS; external applicants also send to UTK Undergraduate Admissions.
    source · nursing.utk.edu
    “All transcripts must also be sent directly to NursingCAS. External applicants must additionally send transcripts to UTK Undergraduate Admissions”
Interview Not published. Confirm with the school.
Recommendations Not published. Confirm with the school.

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Good to know

What the school says about the program that is not a requirement: how it selects, how many it admits, what to expect.

Format
Full-time, on campus
No part-time option. Classes, clinicals and labs 5 days a week.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Ideal for second-degree students ready for an intensive full-time on-campus commitment.”
Start term
Summer (late May), once per year
Orientation is held directly before the start of summer term.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Late May: ABSN program begins”
Cohort size
72 students per year
A waitlist is used; students notified by email.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“The program enrolls 72 students per year.”
Working during program
Not recommended; part-time work possible if no conflicts
source · nursing.utk.edu
“The program does not recommend working while being enrolled.”
ABSN Scholars Program
$12,776 scholarship with 3-year UTMC work commitment; eight scholars per year
College of Nursing scholarship applications for newly admitted ABSN students also due March 1.
source · nursing.utk.edu
“The $12,776 scholarship will be awarded through a competitive process to students who will then commit to work for UTMC for three years.”
Waitlist
Waitlist used
source · nursing.utk.edu
“Yes, students will be notified by email if placed on the waitlist.”
Class size
72 students per year
source · nursing.utk.edu
“The program enrolls 72 students per year.”

Last verified Oct 2026 · Something wrong here? Report an error

Sources

Every page we read for UT Knoxville, with when we last checked it. Tier 1 is the program's own pages; tier 2 the nursing school's general pages; tier 3 university-wide pages.

  1. ABSN - College of Nursing
    tier 1 · program page · checked Oct 15, 2026
  2. Admissions and Aid - College of Nursing
    tier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 15, 2026
  3. Financial Aid and Scholarship - College of Nursing
    tier 1 · how to apply · checked Oct 15, 2026
  4. Transfer Course Search by State
    tier 1 · prereqs · checked Oct 15, 2026
  5. Transfer Students Application - Undergraduate Admissions - University of Tennessee, Knoxville
    tier 1 · prereqs · checked Oct 15, 2026
  6. Undergrad Admissions - College of Nursing
    tier 1 · catalog · checked Oct 15, 2026
Open questions we're still checking
  • Timeline dates (Aug 6 open, Nov 1 priority, Dec 1 final, late May start) print no year; the degree-by-May-2027 requirement implies the May 2027 cohort but this is not stated next to the dates.
  • Lab requirements for Anatomy, Physiology and Microbiology are not explicitly stated for the ABSN (only implied by UT course numbers).
  • Credit hours for each prerequisite are not printed.
  • Whether online labs are acceptable is not specifically addressed; only online courses generally.
  • Tuition, NursingCAS fee, interview, essays, recommendations, healthcare experience, and pass/fail policy are not published on these pages.
  • How the 'combined' GPA is calculated is not explained.
  • Exact year of the August 6 / November 1 / December 1 application timeline is not printed; 'by May 2027' degree requirement suggests the May 2027 cohort.
  • Whether Anatomy and Physiology must include labs for ABSN is not stated (the traditional BSN section specifies lecture + lab).
  • Tuition and NursingCAS fee are not published on the provided pages.
  • Definition of 'combined GPA' is not explained.
  • Interview, essays, and recommendation requirements are not addressed.
  • Two readings of the page disagreed on partial_completion: 3 of 4 done by end of Fall; final one during Spring before Summer start | One of four prerequisites may be completed in the Spring before the Summer start.

Something wrong here? Report an error

ABSNcheck summarizes requirements that schools publish on their own websites, with a link to each source and the date we last verified it. Schools change requirements, sometimes contradict themselves, and make individual decisions. Results show whether you meet published minimums; they are not an admission decision or a guarantee, and are not official advice from any school. Always confirm requirements with each program before you apply or enroll in a course.

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