If you are searching for Ohio State ABSN prerequisites, you are likely looking at the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing at The Ohio State University College of Nursing in Columbus. It is a true BSN for people with a bachelor’s degree in another field, completed in five consecutive full-time semesters. Timing matters now: the Summer 2027 application opened Oct. 1, 2026, and closes Jan. 10, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET, and every prerequisite must be finished before that deadline.

This guide covers the six required courses, grade and GPA rules, what Ohio State says about labs and online coursework, and realistic start dates if you have gaps. PrereqCourses offers self-paced courses through Upper Iowa University (UIU), which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Credit appears on a UIU transcript. PrereqCourses does not guarantee that Ohio State will accept any course, and admission decisions rest entirely with Ohio State.

Table of contents

Ohio State ABSN prerequisites at a glance

Requirement (Ohio State wording) Credits Lab Content note Minimum grade Gap-fill candidate
Human Anatomy 3 Required All body systems B- BIO 270 Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/ Lab (only paired with BIO 275)
Human Physiology 3 Not stated All body systems B- BIO 275 Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/ Lab (only paired with BIO 270)
Human Nutrition 2-3 Not stated Lifespan focus B- BIO 165 Human Biology & Nutrition (uncertain fit)
Microbiology 3 Required Not stated B- BIO 210 Microbiology w/ Lab
Psychology 3 Not applicable Not stated B- PSY 190 General Psychology
Chemistry 4 Required Not stated B- CHEM 151 General Chemistry I w/ Lab

Program snapshot: B- or higher in all six (B if your school has no plus/minus grades); every course completed and graded before the deadline; a 3.0 cumulative GPA; a non-nursing bachelor’s from a regionally accredited institution, conferred by the first of the month the program begins; one summer start per year; five semesters in Columbus. Official source: the Ohio State ABSN program page.

Last verified: Thursday, October 8, 2026, on Ohio State College of Nursing and Graduate and Professional Admissions pages. Every gap-fill course is a candidate until Ohio State confirms it fits.

What the Ohio State ABSN is (and is not)

Ohio State’s ABSN is a second-degree bachelor’s program. You graduate with a BSN, prepared to take the NCLEX-RN. That sets it apart from master’s entry programs such as the Duke and Vanderbilt Master of Nursing. Our overview of accelerated nursing programs explains the trade-offs.

Key facts from Ohio State’s official pages:

  • Length: five consecutive full-time semesters, including summers (as few as 18 months).
  • Credits: 59 major credit hours plus 3 credit hours toward Civic Literacy, an Ohio requirement. Your prior degree covers general education.
  • Format: online and in person, with clinical and lab experiences in person.
  • Start: one cohort per year, in summer.
  • Accreditation: the baccalaureate program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Ohio State does not admit applicants who hold a nursing diploma, an Associate Degree in Nursing, or a bachelor’s degree earned outside the United States. Its Graduate Entry Master of Science in Nursing is a separate program with a different prerequisite list.

Course-by-course Ohio State accelerated BSN prerequisites

Ohio State gives credit hours, lab rules, and content notes for each requirement. UIU pricing on PrereqCourses is about $695 for a 4-credit lab course and about $675 for a 3-credit course. Textbooks and lab materials are purchased separately. Courses begin on the 1st of each month, and the next start is Nov. 1, 2026. Confirm prices on each product page.

Human anatomy (3 credits, lab required, all body systems)

Anatomy must include a lab, cover all body systems, and carry 3 semester credit hours.

Human physiology (3 credits, all body systems) and the combined A&P rule

Physiology also needs 3 credits covering all body systems. Ohio State does not state a lab requirement for it.

Many colleges, including UIU, teach anatomy and physiology as a combined two-course sequence. Ohio State’s evaluation page says that when the two are offered as a combined sequence, both courses are required for credit. So BIO 270 Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/ Lab alone is not enough. You would need it with BIO 275 Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/ Lab, which together cover all body systems. Confirm the pair through an Ohio State course evaluation before you enroll.

Human nutrition (2 to 3 credits, lifespan focus)

BIO 165 Human Biology & Nutrition (3 credits) fits the credit range, but its description does not mention a lifespan focus. Treat it as an uncertain fit and send the description to Ohio State first. If the answer is no, choose a dedicated lifespan nutrition course elsewhere.

Microbiology (3 credits, lab required)

BIO 210 Microbiology w/ Lab (4 credits) is a strong content match, with lab work in aseptic technique, staining, and biochemical testing. Confirm the online lab question first.

Psychology (3 credits)

Ohio State’s equivalent is its introductory psychology course. PSY 190 General Psychology (3 credits) is a strong fit, needs no lab, and is the most realistic single course to finish quickly.

Chemistry (4 credits, lab required)

Ohio State’s qualifying courses include general chemistry, so CHEM 151 General Chemistry I w/ Lab (4 credits) is a strong content and credit match. Confirm the online lab question first.

Statistics and lifespan development are not on the list. The ABSN teaches life span development inside its own curriculum.

Grades, GPA, and AP credit

These OSU ABSN requirements are firm minimums:

  • Course grades: B- or higher in every prerequisite, or B or higher if your school does not use plus/minus grading.
  • Ohio State ABSN GPA requirement: a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for all college-level work, reviewed by Graduate and Professional Admissions. No science GPA is published.
  • AP credit: scores of 3 or higher may be accepted for chemistry and psychology only.
  • Recency: Ohio State does not publish a time limit. If your sciences are many years old, ask during your course evaluation.

Online courses and labs: what Ohio State does and does not say

Ohio State requires a lab for anatomy, microbiology, and chemistry. The ABSN page and the GPA office evaluation page do not say whether online, virtual, or at-home labs qualify, and they do not address online lecture courses. The policy is unpublished, so confirm before you pay.

For context only: Ohio State’s Graduate Entry MS page, a different program, says lab components may be completed in person or online (Spring 2020 or later). The ABSN page does not repeat that line, so do not assume it carries over.

The confirm-first workflow:

  1. Check Transferology and Ohio State’s equivalency tools for your course.
  2. If no equivalent appears, email up to three courses to ESUE-gpevaluation@osu.edu. For more, use the evaluation request form.
  3. Include the course number and title, institution, term, credit hours, and course description. Mention the lab format and send the syllabus if asked.
  4. Wait for the written answer, then enroll.

Evaluations may take several weeks and are valid for the current application cycle only. If Ohio State says online labs do not satisfy a lab-required prerequisite, UIU online lab courses will not meet that requirement. Take an in-person lab course at a local regionally accredited college, or at Ohio State as an extended education student (extendeded@osu.edu).

More background: do nursing programs accept online labs and ABSN prerequisites online.

The Jan. 10, 2027 deadline and the completion rule

The Ohio State ABSN application deadline for Summer 2027 is Jan. 10, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Two rules make it stricter than it looks:

  • Completed, not in progress. Courses in progress at the deadline will not be considered.
  • Final grades on official transcripts. Transcripts must show final grades for all completed courses, including prerequisites, by the deadline.

Your last course has to end, receive a grade, and reach Graduate and Professional Admissions on an official transcript before Jan. 10. Holidays slow grading and mail, so aim to finish by about Dec. 18, 2026.

How to apply, costs, and decisions

Ohio State accelerated nursing program requirements for the application itself:

  • Application: online through the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, not NursingCAS.
  • Fee: $60 at submission.
  • Essay: one required essay question.
  • Transcripts: official transcripts from every college attended, including dual credit or College Credit Plus. Do not send Ohio State transcripts.
  • Decision: late March. Admitted students accept within two weeks and pay a $100 acceptance fee (waived for current Ohio State students).

Not listed on the ABSN page: an interview, the GRE, the TEAS or another entrance exam, recommendation letters, or healthcare hours. Not listed is not the same as not required, so read the application checklist and ask nursing@osu.edu if anything appears there.

Costs: Ohio State does not publish a separate ABSN tuition figure. Its tuition and fees page points to university tuition tables and estimates added expenses: a background check (about $62), equipment ($150 to $250), an NCLEX preparation package ($200 to $1,000), and scrubs (about $150 for two sets). Drug screening varies.

A recorded Accelerated BSN session is on the information sessions page. Questions go to nursing@osu.edu or 614-292-8900.

Ohio State ABSN vs Duke MN vs Vanderbilt MN

Ohio State ABSN Duke MN Vanderbilt MN
Credential BSN Master of Nursing Master of Nursing
Prerequisites due Before the application deadline Before enrolling Before the term begins
Grade floor B- in all six B- in A&P and micro; C in others Not published
Recency None published 5-year refresher recommended Anatomy, physiology, and micro within 5 years
Online prerequisites Not addressed; confirm Acceptable from accredited schools Referenced; confirm third-party labs
GPA 3.0 minimum 3.0 minimum 3.0 recommended
Admission rhythm Once a year Rolling Rolling
Application fee $60 $50 $75

Ohio State is the strictest of the three on timing. See our Duke ABSN prerequisites, Vanderbilt ABSN prerequisites, and Johns Hopkins ABSN prerequisites guides for the master’s entry side.

Gap-fill plan: start-by months for the Jan. 10, 2027 deadline

If you are still missing any Ohio State ABSN prerequisites, work backward from Jan. 10. You can register for a UIU course up to 7 business days before its start, so about Oct. 22, 2026, for Nov. 1. Most students take 3 to 5 weeks per course, grades usually post within a few business days, and UIU sends transcripts within 3 business days of a request.

UIU start Time to Dec. 18 Realistic load Verdict
Nov. 1, 2026 About 7 weeks 1 to 2 courses; a third only if one is PSY 190 and your science background is strong Best and last comfortable start
Dec. 1, 2026 About 2.5 weeks (about 5.5 weeks to Jan. 10 with no buffer) One lighter course, if any High risk
Jan. 1, 2027 Under 10 days None Not realistic
Missing 3 or more Not applicable Spread across 2027 Target Summer 2028

Ohio State has not published Summer 2028 dates yet. Send evaluation requests before you pay. UIU courses are listed in our exclusive self-paced courses catalog.

Scenario A: Missing only psychology. Start PSY 190 on Nov. 1, or Dec. 1 at an aggressive pace. An AP psychology score of 3 or higher may already cover it.

Scenario B: Missing chemistry or microbiology. Email the course details to ESUE-gpevaluation@osu.edu now and ask whether an online lab satisfies the lab requirement. If Ohio State confirms in writing before the registration cutoff (about Oct. 22), CHEM 151 or BIO 210 can start Nov. 1. If the answer is no, UIU online lab courses will not meet that requirement, so take an in-person lab course at a local regionally accredited college or at Ohio State. If no answer arrives in time, an in-person course is the safer route.

Scenario C: Missing anatomy and physiology. You need both BIO 270 and BIO 275. Start BIO 270 on Nov. 1 and keep a steady pace. This is very tight. If either half cannot finish with a B- or higher by mid-December, plan for Summer 2028.

Scenario D: Missing three or more. Target Summer 2028 and spread the work across 2027 so each science earns a B- or higher. Other true ABSN programs run on different calendars, including Northeastern, NYU Meyers, Rush, and Baylor. If your gap is too big for January, compare other accelerated nursing programs with later deadlines on My Nursing Schools while you finish your courses. For schools closer to home, see our Ohio nursing prerequisites hub.

Our advisory service can help you sequence courses around one deadline or several.

FAQ

Can I apply with prerequisites in progress?

No. Courses in progress at the deadline will not be considered. Every prerequisite must be complete, with final grades on official transcripts, by Jan. 10, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Does Ohio State accept online labs for the ABSN?

Ohio State does not publish an online lab policy for the ABSN, so it has not said either way. Before enrolling in an online lab course, email the course details to ESUE-gpevaluation@osu.edu and get an answer in writing.

Will my A&P I and II sequence count?

Ohio State requires both courses of a combined anatomy and physiology sequence, so A&P I alone will not count. Confirm your sequence through a course evaluation.

Does AP credit count for Ohio State ABSN prerequisites?

AP scores of 3 or higher may be accepted for chemistry and psychology only.

Is there a recency limit on science prerequisites?

Ohio State does not publish one on the ABSN or GPA office pages.

Is the Ohio State ABSN the same as the Graduate Entry MS?

No. The Graduate Entry Master of Science in Nursing is a separate program with a different prerequisite list.

Next steps

  1. Review the official ABSN page and GPA office prerequisite evaluation page (verified October 8, 2026).
  2. Check each prerequisite against the B- minimum and your GPA against 3.0.
  3. Email ESUE-gpevaluation@osu.edu today about any course you plan to take.
  4. For one or two missing courses, register for a Nov. 1 UIU start by about Oct. 22.
  5. Request UIU transcripts as soon as final grades post, and submit everything by Jan. 10, 2027.
  6. Missing three or more courses? Plan for Summer 2028.

Finish every course before the deadline, protect your B- grades, and confirm online labs in writing. That is the practical path behind every search for Ohio State ABSN prerequisites.