Can You Really Get a BSN Completely Online?
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Key Takeaways
- Online BSNs typically require an RN license. Non-RNs need in-person clinical hours, while RNs can sometimes take their BSN coursework online.
- Occasional in-person activities are often required even in “fully online” BSN programs.
- Students without RNs can pursue BSNs through dual-enrollment or accelerated programs, based on their academic background.
A bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) is the most popular and preferred degree for nurses. Now more than ever before, employers require or strongly favor BSN-trained candidates.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, in 2023, 96% of BSN graduates had received a job offer within 4-6 months after graduation. Further, 25% of hospitals and other healthcare employers require a BSN, with 70% expressing a strong preference for BSN graduates.
While clinical nursing experiences are an integral part of nursing education, it is possible to get your BSN degree entirely online — or close to it. It all depends on the program and whether you’ve already earned your registered nurse (RN) license and logged the required clinical hours.
Pathway 1
Looking to earn a BSN online, but you don’t have your RN license? Keep reading to find out more about how you can earn your BSN online.
Pathway 2
Are you interested in getting your BSN and already have your RN license? Jump down to learn more about your options.
BSN Degree Pathways: An Overview
Traditional or direct-entry BSN programs contain intensive, in-person clinical and lab experiences — an essential part of education for any learner hoping to become an RN. Most of these programs occur in person at brick-and-mortar institutions, with clinical components completed at hospitals. Depending on the program, students must typically complete 600-1,000 clinical hours for graduation. After four years, traditional BSN students take the NCLEX-RN exam to become an RN.
In some instances, however, BSN students have already earned their RN license through an associate degree in nursing (ADN), associate of science in nursing (ASN), or a diploma program. In this case, some BSN programs will waive clinical requirements, allowing you to take your BSN coursework online.
Generally known as pre-licensure degree or dual-enrollment programs, some BSN programs allow students to take BSN classes online while earning their RN license through an associate degree program at a local community college, trade school, hospital, or other institution.
Pathway 1
Online BSN Programs for Students Without an RN License
You have several options to earn your BSN on a “pre-licensure” basis. While you can complete some coursework online, you must complete clinical experiences and other requirements in person.
Many schools require students to complete clinical requirements within their state partly because it streamlines the state RN licensing process (assuming graduates intend to practice in the state where they trained). Other programs have training centers spread across the country.
Common approaches to getting your pre-licensure BSN include:
- In a dual-enrollment program, students complete BSN coursework online while working toward an ADN or ASN degree, both of which lead to RN licensure. Associate training often occurs at either a local community college or the satellite location of a national university.
- Dual-enrollment programs sometimes occur through a higher education system within a single state. Maryland and New Jersey offer two examples: the former offers an online BSN curriculum alongside community college nursing courses, and the latter offers a hybrid accelerated BSN plan with school facilities in different locations in New Jersey.
- Accelerated BSN programs can shorten the time to earn a BSN, sometimes to as little as one year. Students must have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. However, because RN licensure is not initially required to pursue this degree, students must complete in-person clinical experiences as part of the program. These programs usually happen entirely in person, but increasingly, partially online or hybrid options are available.
Pathway 2
Online BSN Programs for Students With an RN License
If you’re planning to pursue your BSN and already have RN licensure, good news: RN-to-BSN online programs are widely available and allow you to get your BSN entirely (or almost entirely) online.
These online RN-to-BSN bridge programs cater to students who already hold an RN license and have fulfilled the required clinical hours. Some online RN-to-BSN programs include clinicals, while others waive additional in-person clinical hours and offer fully online coursework, often with no clinical component.
Other programs replace traditional clinicals with service‑learning projects, allowing students to acquire and apply nursing knowledge in community settings instead of through hospital rotations.
Check with the RN-to-BSN online programs to determine their online vs. in-person offerings and what they are (and are not) willing to waive for RNs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is possible to earn a BSN degree online. However, many programs require RN licensure, which cannot be earned entirely online because of clinical requirements, or offer their own in-person or hybrid formats. Some BSN programs waive in-person clinical requirements if you have your RN.
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