Is It Possible To Get Your BSN Degree Completely Online?

Key Takeaways

• Online BSNs usually require an RN license. Non-RNs need in-person clinical hours, while RNs can often take their BSN coursework online.
• Even "fully online" BSN programs frequently require occasional in-person activities.
• Students without an RN can pursue a BSN through dual-enrollment or accelerated programs, depending on their academic background.

The BSN is the most popular and preferred degree for nurses, and more employers require or strongly favor it than ever. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 96% of 2023 BSN graduates had a job offer within four to six months of graduating. About 25% of hospitals and other employers require a BSN, and roughly 70% strongly prefer BSN graduates.

Clinical experience is central to nursing education, but you can earn a BSN entirely online, or close to it. It depends on the program and on whether you already hold a registered nurse (RN) license and have logged the required clinical hours. Your path splits on that one question: if you do not have an RN license, start with Pathway 1; if you do, skip to Pathway 2.

BSN Degree Pathways: An Overview

Traditional and direct-entry programs include intensive in-person clinical and lab work, which is essential for anyone who wants to become an RN. Most run at brick-and-mortar campuses with clinicals at partner hospitals. Depending on the program, students complete 600 to 1,000 clinical hours before graduating, then take the NCLEX-RN to become an RN, typically after four years.

Some BSN students have already earned an RN license through an associate degree in nursing (ADN), an associate of science in nursing (ASN), or a diploma program. In that case, many BSN programs waive the clinical requirement and let you take your BSN coursework online.

Prelicensure and dual-enrollment programs let you take BSN classes online while earning your RN license through an associate program at a community college, trade school, hospital, or other institution.

Pathway 1: Online BSN Programs for Students Without an RN License

You have several options on a prelicensure basis. You can complete some coursework online, but you must complete clinical experiences and other requirements in person.

Many schools require you to complete clinicals in their state, partly because it streamlines RN licensing for graduates who plan to practice where they trained. Other programs run training centers across the country.

Common prelicensure routes include:

• Dual-enrollment programs, where you complete BSN coursework online while working toward an ADN or ASN that leads to RN licensure. Associate training often happens at a local community college or a national university's satellite location.
• Single-state higher education systems. Maryland offers an online BSN curriculum alongside community college nursing courses; New Jersey offers a hybrid accelerated BSN with facilities in several locations.
• Accelerated BSN programs, which can shorten the timeline to as little as one year. You need a non-nursing bachelor's degree. Because RN licensure is not required upfront, these programs include in-person clinicals. Most run fully in person, though partial-online and hybrid options are increasingly available.

Online BSN Programs for Students Without an RN License

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Tempe, AZ

Arizona State University's RN-to-BSN concurrent enrollment program lets you complete an ADN and work on your BSN at the same time. Coursework covers professional nursing theory, research, and public health nursing, so you can start working as an RN sooner while building evidence-based practice skills.

California State University Stanislaus

Turlock, CA

California State University Stanislaus's online RN-to-BSN program requires one 90-hour practicum. It has two start dates with sessions of four to eight weeks, and you can finish in 12 months full time or 21 months part time. ADN students at a partner college can use sequential enrollment to complete five courses in the online RN-to-BSN program.

Davenport University

Grand Rapids, MI

Davenport University's Completion/Concurrent BSN lets ADN-prepared RNs, or those pursuing an ADN at partner colleges, earn a BSN faster. You can transfer up to 60 credits for ADN coursework and about 30 for RN licensure, then complete roughly 31 more credits through Davenport's online or partner-college courses. Graduation can come in as little as two semesters after the ADN.

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA

Drexel University's ADN-BSN Concurrent Enrollment Program lets you take Drexel's online BSN while completing an ADN at a partner community college. After you earn the ADN and pass the NCLEX-RN, you finish the remaining BSN coursework at Drexel, usually over two semesters, earning both degrees in a coordinated sequence.

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ

Northern Arizona University offers two paths for students without an RN license. The Concurrent Enrollment Program Format suits learners starting an associate of applied science (AAS) in nursing. The Associate to BSN Format suits students in ADN programs; partner-program learners take at least three credits per semester, and non-partner learners take at least six.

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA

Old Dominion University's RN-to-BSN program provides asynchronous online coursework for licensed RNs who have finished prerequisites. In the Concurrent Enrollment track, you take AAS/ADN courses at partner institutions while completing ODU's online BSN courses. ODU grants experiential learning credits and emphasizes faculty connection. After finishing the AAS/ADN and earning licensure, you complete the remaining BSN requirements.

Stephen F. Austin State University

Nacogdoches, TX

Stephen F. Austin State University's School of Nursing Integrated Curriculum (SONIC) lets ADN students earn their associate and BSN degrees on the same timeline. You must be attending or accepted into an ADN program to enter, then take one or two SONIC online courses each semester alongside your ADN work.

The University of Texas at Tyler

Tyler, TX

The University of Texas at Tyler's ADN/BSN Concurrent Enrollment Track lets students in a Texas partner ADN program start upper-division BSN coursework while finishing their ADN, with spring and fall admission. After prerequisites, motivated students can take 30 semester credits of BSN-level courses alongside ADN courses.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA

Virginia Commonwealth University's co-enrollment plan lets you work toward your BSN while earning your associate degree. ADN students at partner community colleges in the state can begin bachelor's-level courses at VCU. The 32-credit online program starts after the second semester of ADN coursework.

Western Governors University

Offices in nine states

Western Governors University's BSN Prelicensure program is built for students without an RN license. You finish four terms of prerequisites, then four terms of clinical nursing education. Asynchronous online coursework speeds learning, and in-person labs run in five states. Clinical rotations are prearranged with employers who supply coaches and preceptors.

Pathway 2: Online BSN Programs for Students With an RN License

If you already hold an RN license, RN-to-BSN online programs are widely available and let you finish your BSN entirely, or almost entirely, online.

These programs serve students who already hold an RN license and have met the required clinical hours. Some include clinicals; others waive additional in-person hours and offer fully online coursework with no clinical component.

Some programs replace traditional clinicals with service-learning projects, where you apply nursing knowledge in community settings instead of hospital rotations.

Check with each RN-to-BSN program on what they offer online versus in person, and what they will and will not waive for RNs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you earn a BSN entirely online?

Yes, but many programs require RN licensure, which cannot be earned fully online because of clinical requirements. Programs that admit non-RNs include in-person or hybrid clinicals. Many BSN programs waive in-person clinicals if you already hold an RN.

How long does an accelerated BSN take?

Accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs can be finished in as few as 12 months. Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field.

Is a BSN program hard?

Every nursing program is demanding. Expect a mix of complex science courses and nursing fundamentals.

How long does an online RN-to-BSN bridge program take?

Fully online RN-to-BSN bridge programs take about one to two years, depending on the curriculum, format, and whether you attend full or part time.