URMC Is Across the Street. Faculty Are Its Nurses. 100% NCLEX Pass Rate.
University of Rochester School of Nursing occupies an unusual position: the program’s primary clinical partner — University of Rochester Medical Center — is directly across the street. Students don’t commute to affiliated hospitals; they walk to Strong Memorial Hospital, Golisano Children’s Hospital, and Wilmot Cancer Institute for clinical rotations conducted in groups of 8–10.
Ninety-one percent of faculty are actively practicing clinicians within the UR Medicine system — what instructors teach on Monday reflects what they did with patients on Friday.
The program’s 100% pass rate on the Next Generation NCLEX is the credential that closes the argument.
For eligible students, the UR Nursing Scholars program offers something no other program in this review can match: 100% tuition coverage, career mentorship, and guaranteed employment at a UR Medicine hospital with a three-year work commitment.
The 12-month program distributes 650+ clinical hours and 90 lab/skills hours across three semesters, with every student receiving an iPad preloaded with all course books and materials bundled into the program fee.
ABSN Admission Summary
Admission is holistic — each application receives individual consideration from reviewers who assess the whole applicant, not just GPA. Eligible applicants may be invited for an interview after initial application review. No standardized nursing entrance exam required.
Program eligibility:
- Bachelor’s degree in any field other than nursing from an accredited institution
- Minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA from the most recent relevant degree
- All prerequisite courses completed before the program start date (not required at application, but at least three weeks before the program begins)
- English language proficiency (international applicants: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores required)
Four required prerequisite courses:
Sciences — B or above; preferably within 5 years; lab required:
- Anatomy and Physiology I with lab — human-specific only; stand-alone Anatomy + stand-alone Physiology courses with labs also accepted
- Anatomy and Physiology II with lab — human-specific only
- Microbiology with lab — also titled Medical Microbiology or Microbiology for Healthcare Professionals
General — C or above; no lab required:
- Human Growth and Development — must cover full lifespan from birth to death; also titled Lifespan Development or Developmental Psychology
- Statistics — any statistics course accepted including field-specific variants (e.g., Biostatistics)
Prerequisite notes:
- All science prerequisites (A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology) preferably completed within 5 years; prior completion of hard sciences before application helps reviewers assess likelihood of success
- Prerequisites do not need to be complete at application — but all must be done at least 3 weeks before program start; official transcripts as proof of completion required by that deadline
- The UR School of Nursing’s Center for Lifelong Learning offers all required prerequisites 100% online and self-paced at discounted tuition — courses are guided by UR faculty and seamlessly accepted
- Questions about course equivalency: contact sonprovisions@urmc.rochester.edu
Application materials:
- Complete online application through UR Nursing’s application portal
- Official transcripts from all schools attended — submit at time of application for all completed prerequisite coursework
- Current resume or CV
- Several short-answer questions (150 words each) — submitted as part of the online application
- TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores for non-native English speakers
Post-acceptance requirements:
- Non-refundable $1,000 enrollment deposit (applied toward tuition) — typically four weeks from decision date to commit
- Access to Incoming Student Portal — includes outstanding prerequisite status, compliance requirements, course registration, housing info, and financial aid
- CPR certification and background check — compliance requirements completed before orientation
- Mandatory 4-day on-site orientation the week before classes start — full cohort attends; meet faculty, advisors, and peers; training on campus resources
- iPad setup — each student receives an optimized iPad preloaded with all apps, books, and course materials through the iROC initiative (cost bundled into Mobile Device and Resource Fee)
UR Nursing Scholars program:
- Available to eligible 12-Month ABSN applicants only — not available for international students
- Awards: 100% tuition coverage + career mentorship + dedicated career support
- Commitment: guaranteed employment at a UR Medicine hospital with a 3-year work commitment post-graduation
- Selection: eligible students are notified in their admission decision letter — all qualifying applicants are automatically considered; no separate application
- This is the most comprehensive tuition + employment guarantee of any program reviewed in this compilation
Curriculum
Forty-nine nursing credits are distributed across three consecutive semesters — a front-loaded first semester (17.5 cr., 60 lab hours, 120 clinical hours), a specialty-intensive second semester (17 cr., 30 lab hours, 180 clinical hours), and a capstone-heavy final semester (14.5 cr., 360 clinical hours).
The integrated Pathophysiology and Pharmacology course (NUR 370, 6 credits) is the highest-credit single-discipline course in the program.
The three-part Medical-Surgical Nursing sequence (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced) runs across all three semesters and culminates in NUR 377 Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing (7.5 credits) — the largest single course in the program.
Prerequisite Overview
Four prerequisite courses required — three sciences with labs (B or above, preferably within 5 years), two general courses (C or above). All available online through UR’s Center for Lifelong Learning. See the admission summary for the full list.
Semester 1 — 17.5 credits | 60 lab hours | 120 clinical hours:
NUR 362 – Nursing Health Assessment (3 cr.) Builds core skills in collecting health histories and performing focused and regional body system assessments — proper techniques, therapeutic communication, health promotion, and documentation. Lab sessions provide repeated hands-on assessment practice; the foundational clinical toolset applied in every subsequent patient care rotation.
NUR 370 – Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice (6 cr.) The highest-credit course in Semester 1 — integrated examination of how disease alters normal body function linked directly to common acute and chronic conditions. Covers major drug classes, mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, side effects, and nursing responsibilities. Emphasizes safe medication practice and pharmacology-informed clinical decision-making.
NUR 372 – Beginning Medical–Surgical Nursing (4.5 cr.) Introduces basic concepts and skills of medical-surgical nursing — applying the nursing process and clinical judgment to adults with common health problems. Lab, simulation, and clinical experiences at URMC reinforce safe, evidence-based, team-based, and patient-centered care.
NUR 373 – Foundations of Nursing Practice (1 cr.) Presents the role of the professional nurse and the broader healthcare team — how communication and collaboration affect patient outcomes. Historical, ethical, and professional themes help students begin to shape their nursing identity.
NUR 365 – Sociology for Nursing: A Population Health Perspective (3 cr.) Examines health and illness through a community and population lens — social, political, economic, environmental, and cultural factors influencing health outcomes. Draws on public health, epidemiology, and health promotion frameworks applied to diverse communities.
Semester 2 — 17 credits | 30 lab hours | 180 clinical hours:
NUR 301 – Principles and Application of Evidence for Nursing Practice (3 cr.) Introduces evidence-based practice — forming focused clinical questions, searching the literature, and judging research quality and clinical relevance. Covers quantitative and qualitative methods, scientific inquiry, and research ethics with direct links to clinical problems.
NUR 375 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (3 cr.) Core principles of psychiatric and mental health nursing — major mental disorders, current treatments, relevant standards, and legal issues. Clinical experiences at URMC apply the nursing process, therapeutic communication, and team collaboration with patients living with mental health conditions.
NUR 376 – Intermediate Medical–Surgical Nursing (4 cr.) Builds on Semester 1’s medical-surgical content for patients with chronic and more complex conditions — refining critical thinking, prioritization, and culturally aware holistic care planning. Simulation and URMC clinical experiences support safe, evidence-based practice.
NUR 374A – Nursing Care and Health Promotion for Childbearing Clients and Their Families (3.5 cr.) Nursing care for pregnant, laboring, and postpartum clients and their newborns — health promotion, risk reduction, and early recognition of perinatal complications. Didactic, simulation, and URMC clinical work apply clinical judgment and interprofessional team coordination.
NUR 374B – Nursing Care and Health Promotion for Pediatric Clients and Their Families (3.5 cr.) Nursing care for infants, children, and adolescents across developmental stages — growth, development, health assessment, and age-appropriate interventions. Classroom, simulation, and Golisano Children’s Hospital clinical experiences support family-centered assessment, education, and collaboration.
Semester 3 — 14.5 credits | 360 clinical hours — capstone semester:
NUR 371 – Management of Care (4 cr.) Leadership and coordination of nursing care in complex systems — setting priorities, delegating tasks, and using interprofessional communication to build a culture of safety. Focuses on managing resources to deliver high-quality, organized patient care at the professional nurse level.
NUR 377 – Advanced Medical–Surgical Nursing (7.5 cr.) The highest-credit course in the program and the capstone clinical immersion — emphasizes care for patients with serious, acute, or unstable medical-surgical conditions. Students synthesize all prior program knowledge, clinical judgment, and evidence to manage complex situations. The final semester’s 360 clinical hours are concentrated primarily through this course at Strong Memorial Hospital and Wilmot Cancer Institute.
NUR 379 – Capstone: Transition to Professional Nursing Practice (3 cr.) The program’s professional transition course — moves students from the student role into entry-level professional practice through guided URMC clinical experiences demonstrating clinical judgment, communication, and teamwork. Class sessions integrate NCLEX preparation, professional identity development, and personal wellness for workforce entry.
More curriculum details available at: UR 12-Month ABSN Curriculum
Clinicals
Clinical rotations begin in Semester 1 and accumulate to 650+ total hours across all three semesters — with the bulk (360 hours) concentrated in the final semester. All primary clinical rotations occur at URMC, directly across the street from the School of Nursing.
- Clinical proximity: University of Rochester Medical Center is physically adjacent to the School of Nursing — no commute to the primary clinical site
- Total clinical hours: 650+ — distributed as 120 (Semester 1), 180 (Semester 2), and 360 (Semester 3)
- Clinical group size: 8–10 students — one of the smallest clinical group ratios of any program in this review; direct faculty supervision and personalized instruction in clinical settings
- Total simulation/lab hours: 90 — in a state-of-the-art experiential learning building; simulation includes patient interaction practice, skills-building in a safe environment, clinical problem-solving, and interprofessional team communication
- Named clinical facilities within URMC:
- Strong Memorial Hospital — adult medical-surgical, critical care, and complex adult health clinical rotations
- Golisano Children’s Hospital — pediatric nursing clinical rotations (NUR 374B)
- Wilmot Cancer Institute — oncology clinical exposure
- Faculty integration: 91% of faculty are actively practicing clinicians within the UR Medicine system — clinical instructors bring current, direct patient care knowledge from the same facilities where students rotate; clinical and academic instruction are unified
- Specialties covered: Health assessment, medical-surgical (beginning, intermediate, and advanced), psychiatric/mental health, maternal-child and childbearing family, pediatrics, population health, management of care, and capstone clinical transition to practice
- Technology in clinicals: iPad distributed to all students with all course materials, apps, and resources preloaded through the iROC initiative — used in both classroom and clinical settings
Tuition
Estimated total tuition and fees: $89,349 (3 semesters)
The University of Rochester publishes a complete per-semester cost breakdown for the 12-Month ABSN. Notably, the Mobile Device and Resource Fee covers the iPad and all books and course materials — students have minimal additional book costs beyond what is bundled.
| Component | Per Semester | × 3 Semesters | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Tuition | $28,030 | 3 | $84,090 |
Health Professions Fee | $33 | 3 | $99 |
Lab Fee | $270 | 3 | $810 |
Technology Fee | $65 | 3 | $195 |
Mobile Device & Resource Fee (iPad + all books) | $1,385 | 3 | $4,155 |
Total tuition & fees | $29,783 | 3 | $89,349 |
Additional mandatory health fees:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Mandatory Health Fee | $960 (2025–26) |
Health Insurance (if not waived) | $3,720 (2025–26) |
NCLEX and licensure fees (at graduation):
- NCLEX-RN exam: $200
- New York State RN licensure: $143 (other states vary: $90–$350)
UR Nursing Scholars — full tuition coverage:
For eligible 12-Month ABSN students: 100% tuition coverage + career mentorship + guaranteed UR Medicine hospital employment with a 3-year post-graduation commitment. All eligible applicants are automatically considered; notification arrives with the admission decision. International students are not eligible for the Scholars program.
Federal financial aid:
FAFSA code: 002894; Grade Level: Fifth year/other undergraduate; Degree Type: Second bachelor’s degree. Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans available; Parent PLUS available for dependent students. Federal aid alone typically does not cover total program cost — UR recommends supplementing with private loans; ELMSelect is recommended for comparing private lender rates.
At $89,349 in program tuition and fees, UR is the second-highest ABSN cost in this review — below NYU Meyers ($131,244) but above all other programs. The UR Nursing Scholars program effectively reduces net cost to zero for eligible students, making it potentially the best financial value for qualified applicants who commit to working at UR Medicine. For non-Scholars students, the cost reflects the program’s research university pedigree, URMC clinical integration, iPad-inclusive curriculum, and small clinical group structure.
See the official tuition page for more details: UR Nursing Tuition & Fees
Accreditation
The University of Rochester School of Nursing holds full accreditation — the program is described as a “fully-accredited nursing degree” and the #1 nursing school in Upstate New York.
The University of Rochester is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination; the program reported a 100% pass rate on the Next Generation NCLEX. Students pursuing licensure outside New York should confirm state-specific requirements with the applicable Board of Nursing.