Applying to the Nursing Program

Acceptance into the Nursing program is competitive. Because a specific application procedure is required, it is important to talk with a college advisor when applying to Peninsula College and to review the content within the links below.

The Nursing program begins once a year during fall quarter.

Application Deadline for Fall Entry:  May 1, 2026, 9:00 am

STAGE 1

Pre-Nursing at Peninsula College
In stage one, you will apply to Peninsula College (not the Nursing program) as a pre-nursing student and begin preparing your Nursing Program Application. The below requirements must be completed before applying to the Nursing program.

1. Nursing Information Sessions

Please join us for a nursing information session to learn more about the application process and the program expectations. No RSVP required, just join through the links below! Information sessions are highly encouraged for all applicants and are worth two points on your application.

Spring Quarter 2026: Nursing Information Sessions

Info Session 1: TBD

Info Session 2: TBD

2. Meet Technical Standards

The successful study and occupation of nursing requires mental alertness, ethical behavior and values, effective communication and conflict resolution skills, physical stamina, manual dexterity, and the ability to move and lift patients. These are the expectations upon which clinical performance is based for all levels of nursing. Therefore, all students will be expected to meet these same criteria during both campus lab sessions and clinical experience rotations. The inability to meet these expectations could result in failure of the course in which the student is enrolled.

After you are admitted to the program you will submit the form below attesting to your ability to meet the technical standards.

Peninsula College Nursing Program Technical Standards 

3. Complete Required Immunizations

Allow time to complete your immunizations. The approximate cost at the Clallam County Health Department, if all immunizations were needed, is approximately $900. It's recommended that you print the Clinical Passport and bring it with you to your health provider when getting immunizations. This will be your guide for deadlines as you apply to nursing school and for the two years you are in nursing school. Deadlines and requirements are outlined in the guide, please review it carefully.

Remember childhood immunizations are accepted as long as they are official and clearly documented. If you think you have had all of your childhood immunizations, but are not sure, your option is to have titers drawn and re-immunize as indicated.

Peninsula College Nursing Program Clinical Passport

4. Confirm Clearance of Criminal History Background Check

If accepted into the Nursing program, you'll be required to clear a criminal history background check in accordance with RCW 74.42.620 and 18.51.070. A clear record is required prior to any clinical courses through Peninsula College.

Discussing potential issues with the Program Coordinator should be one of your first tasks before applying as a pre-nursing student. Please reference the DSHS Disqualifying List of Crimes and Negative Actions for additional information.

Disqualifying List of Crimes & Negative Actions

5. Apply to Peninsula College & Transfer Prior Credits

All potential Peninsula College Nursing students must apply to Peninsula College prior to applying to the Nursing Program. Please also ensure that all previous credits are transferred to Peninsula College.

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6. Confirm Completion of All Prerequisite Courses

All potential Peninsula College Nursing students must complete all program prerequisites.

Nursing Program Prerequisite Courses

7. Take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is the entrance test specifically for the Nursing program. You may take the TEAS test a maximum of two times per application cycle. Please allow for adequate time prior to the application deadline to take the TEAS, since it is possible you may need to retake the test. You will want time to remediate prior to any retake. It is possible to retake just one section of the TEAS if necessary. For the purposes of application scoring we will take the high scores from each section if the test was completed more than one time.

TEAS Test scores will need to be scanned and submitted during the application process. 

Students earn application points by meeting the following minimum scores on the TEAS:

  • Reading: 69.0%
  • Mathematics: 63.3%
  • Science: 45.8%
  • English: 60.0%
  • Total Adjusted Individual Score: 64%

Schedule TEAS Test

8. Build a Competitive Resume

A total of 57 points is possible on the nursing application. Higher points mean a greater chance of being admitted. In the event of a tie, applications will be ranked by the total individual adjusted score on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS).

Requirements to Apply

  • All prerequisite courses must be passed with a minimum grade of 2.0
  • Average combined GPA of 3.0 in the following courses is required: Human Anatomy & Physiology I (BIO 241L), Human Anatomy & Physiology II (BIO 242L), Microbiology (BIO 260L), Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM 121L)

Areas of the Application that are Scored

  • Prerequisite Courses: Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Chemistry, and Microbiology are scored a maximum of 4.0, depending on the grade received by the student. All other prerequisites are awarded 2.0, regardless if a higher grade was achieved. All required prerequisites, except for the two humanities courses, must be complete by spring quarter of the application year.
  • Two humanities courses (10 credits) are required to be completed sometime during the DTA program plan; however, completing these two courses by spring quarter of the application year will award 2.0 points per course to the application.
  • Attending a Nursing Information Session within 24 months from submitting the application will award two points.
  • Having completed healthcare training (CNA, EMT, etc) and having become certified/licensed/registered or having two years of healthcare work experience will award two points to the application.  Having completed a healthcare training course but not becoming certified or having 1 year of healthcare work experience will award one point to the application.
  • Having extensive healthcare work experience over two years will earn one additional point.
  • The essay will be evaluated for content, spelling and grammar in your responses to each question with the maximum points of four. The essay prompts will be available in the Nursing Application Course during the month of April.
  • The resume will be evaluated for presentation, format, job-specific and/or volunteer information, resume content, and spelling and grammar with the maximum points of four.
  • The quality of the application, including completeness and organization, is two points.

Nursing Application Scoring Grid

9. Other Requirements
  • 1. If you were a prior nursing student at any time in the past, a letter of reference is required from the Director of the previous program attended.
  • 2. If you have any healthcare licenses/registrations, please upload a screenshot or copy of your current or previous license/registration to the application.
  • 3. Current CPR Card: If you are admitted to the nursing program you will need to submit a valid CPR card during your first week of classes.
    • You will need to obtain an official American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR card that is valid through the end of June of your first year of nursing school (this is the only card that will be accepted).  
      • Make sure this is the card you will receive from your training course. Peninsula College's course of FA 180 qualifies, however, this course may be taken elsewhere.
      • The local hospital generally offers classes every month and offers a discount to nursing students. Contact the hospital education department for details and registration
      • You will submit your card as a scanned copy or screenshot of the electronic copy provided to you as part of the class
      • Renewal will be required for the second year of the nursing program and will be the responsibility of the student. If you take your CPR course during the summer after you are admitted to the program, it will last throughout the entire nursing program.
  • 4. Become Familiar with the Nursing Student Handbook

Nursing Program Handbook

  1. Attend a Nursing Information Session (highly encouraged and worth 2 points on your application).
  2. Meet the Technical Standards
  3. Complete Required Immunizations
  4. Confirm you can clear a criminal history background check
  5. Apply to Peninsula College and Transfer Prior Credit
  6. Confirm you have completed pre-requisite courses
  7. Take the TEAS test
  8. How to build a competitive application
  9. Other requirements
  10. Submit Your Application to the Nursing Program        

Please contact Kate Dexter, Nursing Program Specialist, with any general questions about the application or application procedure at kdexter@pencol.edu.

Please contact Student Services for general advising and planning pre-requisite courses at studentservices@pencol.edu.

Please contact Dr. Alana Murphy, Director of Nursing, at amurphy@pencol.edu with specific questions that your general advisor or the Nursing Program Specialist is unable to answer. 

STAGE 2

Submitting Your Application
Stage 2 is the process of applying to the Nursing program specifically. Once the above requirements are completed you can begin the application process by enrolling during winter or spring quarter in the Nursing Application Group (ANRA) for access to the Nursing Application Canvas course, which is open during Spring Quarter every year. 

  • Contact Student Services and ask to be part of the Nursing Application Group (ANRA) via email studentservices@pencol.edu or by phone at (360) 417-6340

Students in the ANRA group will be automatically enrolled in the Nursing Application Canvas Course when it opens, annually during Spring Quarter. Until the application is open there is nothing for students in the ANRA group to see. The Nursing Application Canvas Course is not open before Spring Quarter.

The Nursing Application Course is where you find and upload the required documents and items to be reviewed for the application process.

Specific instructions will be provided once logged in.

Meeting all requirements is not a guarantee of admission. Acceptance is competitive, and there are generally more qualified applicants than spaces available.  

A letter of acceptance or denial will be mailed by July 1.

Completing the core requirements at Peninsula College will likely allow you to apply to other nursing programs with most requirements met. This is not a guarantee as every school has a unique set of requirements.

All persons who are 18 years of age or older, graduates of accredited high schools, or participants in the Running Start Program are eligible for admission to Peninsula College; however, admission to the college does not guarantee admission into specific professional/technical programs. The nursing program is among those for which an additional application is required. The criteria for admission and directions for making an application to the nursing program are outlined on this website and within the application link. The professional judgment of the nursing admittance committee will be given major consideration in making decisions relating to admittance into the nursing program.

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