Practical Nursing Admission Criteria

Please note that meeting the minimum requirements described below—including passing the TEAS admission assessment exam and conducting an interview with the program chairperson—does not guarantee acceptance into the Practical Nursing diploma program. Due to limited capacity, only a select number of students can be accepted.

Requirements include a minimum age of 17 and proof of United States citizenship, permanent residency, or eligible non-citizenship.

All components of the approval process are considered in making the decision to accept a Practical Nursing student. For additional admission criteria, please see the Admissions section in the School Catalog.

Steps to Be Considered for Acceptance

Students applying for admission to the Practical Nursing program must complete and submit these items.

  • Hunter Business School Information Sheet, provided by the Admissions department
  • Interviews with the Admissions department and Practical Nursing chairperson
  • Official copy of high school diploma or transcript, Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™), General Equivalency Diploma (GED®), or equivalent
  • Official copy of any or all transcripts from each institution previously attended
    • Failure to submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended, regardless of status upon leaving those institutions, may result in denial.
  • Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS Test) admission assessment exam score of 58.7 percent or better
    • To register for the exam, applicants must call Jada Williams at 516.796.1000, ext. 121, and pay the $97 fee over the phone or meet with her at the school to pay with cash or debit or credit card. This fee is nonrefundable.
    • Once the fee has been paid, applicants will be provided with written instructions describing how to register for the exam, along with the dates and times.
    • Applicants must submit official TEAS pre-entrance exam scores and scores for all TEAS Tests attempted.
    • To purchase a TEAS® Study Manual, please contact Jada Williams.
  • Proof of Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association, either current or pending, prior to student orientation
  • Essay (Admissions department to supply essay topic)
  • Three original copies of signed reference letters written by a professional, such as an employer, colleague, educator, medical professional, religious/volunteer group leader, or coach
    • All letters should be given to the Admissions department at the interview and must include contact information for the individual providing the reference.
  • Proof of any certifications, if any, such as Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Home Health Aide, etc.
  • Documentation of previous employment in health care, if applicable
  • Compliance with all Core Performance Standards for clinical practice for admission (verified when meeting with Admissions representative)

Upon Acceptance into the Program

After being accepted to the program, but before student orientation, the following requirements must be met.

  • Physical examination by a New York State licensed medical practitioner and proof of immunizations by titer and seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines
    • You can download all appropriate health forms here. Please call Jada Williams, Admissions representative, at 516.796.1000, ext. 121, with any questions. You can tap here, as well, to email her.
    • These must be presented prior to student orientation.
    • All costs related to the physical exam, immunizations, vaccine, background check, and drug screening are the sole responsibility of the applicant and cannot be reimbursed by the school.
    • Proof of Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association, either current or pending, prior to student orientation
  • Basic background check
    • Official proof of the background check must be submitted by the end of the first week of school.
    • The cost of the authorized background check is the sole responsibility of the applicant and will not be reimbursed by the school.
    • A Basic Background Check must be completed by CastleBranch, a company we have partnered with. Go to CastleBranch and order your background check online by entering package code HS14bg (for background check and drug screening, use HS14bgdt) in the upper right corner of the screen.
    • Follow the instructions on the handout provided by the Admissions department.
  • Drug screenings other than those mentioned above may be required, as needed, depending upon the policies of the clinical site to which a student is assigned
    • Drug screenings can be completed through CastleBranch by following the same procedures for your background check as outlined on the handout provided by the Admissions department. Enter package code HS14dt.
  • Hunter Business School now requires all newly enrolled students in the Practical Nursing program to be COVID vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person is considered fully COVID vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of a two-step immunization (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech) or one dose of a one-step immunization (J&J/Janssen). Students must provide proof of complete vaccination to the program chairperson prior to orientation.

Legal Considerations

If you have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, you must contact the New York State Education Department at 518.474.3817, ext. 330, for advisement.

In order to become licensed and work as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in New York State, you will have to pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN) upon graduation from the Practical Nursing program at Hunter.

Student Orientation

It is mandatory that all applicants who have been accepted into the Practical Nursing diploma program attend student orientation. Date and time will be provided.