Vermont Tech
124 Admin Drive
PO Box 500
Randolph Center, VT 05061
(877) 337-7116
Fax: (802) 728-1321
admissions@vtc.edu
Vermont Technical College will join with Castleton University and Northern Vermont University to become Vermont State University on July 1, 2023. Learn more and apply for fall 2023.
Here are some frequently asked questions about applying to Vermont Tech’s nursing programs with no previous nursing licensure, including applicants who are Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNA).
FAQ
What is your application deadline?
When can I enter the program?
I already have an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree. For what program do I apply?
I want to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Can I apply directly to the BSN program?
What are the application requirements?
What pre-requisites are required for entry into the program?
Where can I take the college-level pre-requisites required?
Do I have to take the Vermont Tech placement tests?
How do I request my transcripts from high school and/or college(s)?
I took college courses over 10 years ago. Will they transfer?
What college-level math will transfer into Vermont Tech for the purposes of attending the nursing program?
Are there additional courses that can be taken in advance of starting the program?
Who should I ask to write my letters of recommendation?
Can I attend the program part-time?
Where does Vermont Tech offer the Practical Nursing program?
Is the program the same at all the sites?
What is the class and clinical schedule?
Is it helpful if I’m already a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA)?
Once I graduate from Vermont Tech’s Practical Nursing program, am I automatically a Licensed Practical Nurse?
What is your National Council Licensure Examination pass rate?
How does Direct Progression work?
Can I work full-time while attending the Practical Nursing program?
What type of CPR course is required?
Am I required to complete a background check?
Can I defer my acceptance (aka postpone when I start the program after I’ve been accepted)?
What happens if I’m waitlisted for the program?
If I’m waitlisted, when will I hear if a space becomes available?
How do I know where I am on the waitlist?
How long is your waitlist?
What happens if I am not admitted to the program?
Can I apply to the Practical Nursing program through the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST)?
I am an international student. Can I apply to this program?
Who can advise me?
What is your application deadline?
Our priority deadline is December 1. We recommend applicants submit their application and all supplemental materials prior to December 1 for the best chance of admission. Completed applications and supplemental materials received after December 1 will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
When can I enter the program?
We only allow entry into the nursing program for the fall term.
I already have an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree. What program do I apply for?
If you are not already a Licensed Practical Nurse, you must begin with the Practical Nursing program.
I want to get my BSN. Can I apply directly to the BSN program?
No. Unless you are already a Registered Nurse, who has graduated with an Associate Degree in Nursing, you are ineligible to apply directly to the BSN program.
What are the application requirements?
- Completed Vermont Tech application or Common App
- Official High School transcript or official GED scores if you have not already completed at least an associate degree
- Official transcript(s) from all colleges previously attended, whether seeking transfer credit or not
- Vermont Tech placement test scores. View our additional testing information for scheduling questions. Applicants must receive a 261 or above in both English sections and a 243 or above in Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics.
- Two letters of recommendation. Please read our Guidelines for Recommenders and share with your recommenders. You will be prompted to enter in the names of your recommenders when completing the application.
- Personal essay or writing sample.
What pre-requisites are required for entry into the program?
When reviewing applications, all applicants must demonstrate evidence of biology, chemistry, math and English.
- For high school students, your high school record must show lab biology, lab chemistry, math through at least Algebra I and preferably Algebra II, and 4 years of English
- Applicants who have already graduated from high school, science competency can be shown through completion of college level Anatomy & Physiology part I.
- If you are applying to attend at the Bennington or Brattleboro sites, we require the following college level courses prior to entry into the program in August:
- If you are applying to the Keene, Lyndon, Middlebury, Newport, St. Albans, White River Junction, or Williston West sites, we require the following college level courses prior to entry into the program in August:
Where can I take the college-level prerequisites required?
These courses can be taken through regionally accredited colleges and universities. In Vermont they can be taken through Vermont Tech or the Community College of Vermont or any other regionally accredited institution. Please contact us should you have questions about transferability from other colleges and universities.
Do I have to take the Vermont Tech placement tests?
Placement tests are required for all applicants who do not have transferable credits in English and/or math. We will automatically require the tests if we do not see these courses on your transcript(s).
How do I request my transcripts from high school and/or college(s)?
You must contact your high school or college/university and request that official copies be sent to Vermont Technical College. We cannot make these requests on your behalf.
I took college courses over 10 years ago. Will they transfer?
College-level science credits cannot be older than 10 years to transfer into the program. For example, if you took A&P in 2009, the last year we would accept those credits is fall of 2019. Other courses, for example English and math, do not expire.
What college-level math will transfer into Vermont Tech for the purposes of attending the nursing program?
Most math courses will transfer other than remedial courses or statistics. Please contact us for additional information.
Are there additional courses that can be taken in advance of starting the program?
We encourage you to have a conversation with us regarding transferability of credits. Generally, any courses that are not nursing specific can be taken elsewhere and transferred to VTC provided they meet credit hour and GPA requirements.
Who should I ask to write my letters of recommendation?
We typically suggest that you ask someone who can address the following:
- The applicant’s work ethic and communication skills.
- The applicant’s potential for adaptation to a fast-paced clinical environment.
- The applicant’s potential to completely and compassionately deliver health care to patients across the lifespan.
Letters often come from professors, teachers, school counselors, employers, mentors, clergy, etc. We cannot accept letters from family members and friends.
Can I attend the program part-time?
No, the program requires full-time attendance. Your course load may be lighter if you bring in eligible transfer credit.
Where does Vermont Tech offer the Practical Nursing program?
We anticipate the following, which are subject to change without notice:
- Bennington (30 students)
- Brattleboro (27 students)
- Central Long Term Care* (6 students)
- Central Vermont Medical Center (18 students; pre-approved employees only)
- Keene, NH (8 students)
- Lyndon (9 students)
- Middlebury (9 students on even years)
- Morrisville (9 students)
- Newport (9 students)
- Northeast Long Term Care* (6 students)
- Northern Vermont University site**
- Northwest Long Term Care* (6 students)
- Randolph (30 students)
- Rutland (9 students)
- Southeast Long Term Care* (6 students)
- Southwest Long Term Care* (6 students)
- St. Albans (18 students)
- White River Junction (8 students)
- Williston (30 students)
- Williston West (9 students)
* Applicants for the Long Term Care Practical Nursing Program must be sponsored by their employer to be eligible candidates for admission review. The employer facility is required to attest to providing sponsorship as part of the application process.
**Applicants for the Northern Vermont University Lyndon site must be current pre-nursing students.
Is the program the same at all the sites?
Yes, the curriculum delivered is the same from site to site. The method of delivery may vary. We offer both a virtual classroom experience through Telepresence as well as online and in-person classes.
What is the class and clinical schedule?
Due to the clinical aspect of the program, the schedule varies depending on term and site. We generally recommend students be available to attend class and clinical Monday-Friday from early morning to early evening. Accepted applicants will attend an info session at their sites in late spring/early summer. Schedule information will be discussed at that time.
Is it helpful if I’m already a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA)?
Although we do not required previous nursing experience, it is helpful for us to know when applicants have exposure to the nursing field. Being an LNA does not guarantee admission to the nursing program. Many of the LNA skills are learned during the fall semester of the PN program, so having this experience ahead of time can be helpful.
After completing the fall term of the PN year, students are eligible to take the VT LNA Licensing Exam.
Once I graduate from Vermont Tech’s Practical Nursing program, am I automatically a Licensed Practical Nurse?
No. You must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to receive your nursing licensure.
What is your National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate?
Our NCLEX pass rates have historically been higher than the national average for the last five years. For a breakdown by program, by year, please view our pass rates online.
How does Direct Progression work?
Due to the nature of our career-ladder program, students can opt to stop the program after the first year or continue on through a process called Direct Progression. If a student maintains a 3.0 GPA in each of the three PN year semesters, they become eligible to directly progress into the Associate Degree/RN year of the program and then onto the final 2 years in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Please read our Direct Progression policy for detailed information.
Can I work full-time while attending the Practical Nursing program?
Due to the demanding nature of the program, the nursing department strongly recommends no more than 20-24 hours of outside work per week.
What type of CPR course is required?
Vermont Tech requires BLS for Healthcare Providers or BLS for Professional Rescuer valid thru at least June 2022. BLS certification must be issued by the American Heart Association or the Red Cross.
Am I required to complete a background check?
Accepted applicants will be provided information to complete their background check through our third party service. Fingerprinting is required for all sites and information will be provided through our third party service. Some nursing sites additionally require drug testing.
Can I defer my acceptance?
No. Applicants are admitted to the term for which they applied. If you are unable to attend, we require you complete a reactivation process for a future year. This does not guarantee acceptance.
What happens if I’m waitlisted for the program?
Applicants who we feel are qualified, but we do not currently have space for, will be placed on the waitlist for the site to which they applied. Waitlisted applicants may also choose to add their names to other site waitlists as available.
If I’m waitlisted, when will I hear if a space becomes available?
Our waitlist is constantly changing and is maintained until August 1. If a space becomes available, we will notify the applicant as soon as possible. We will notify you via email and phone, so please check your emails and voicemails. Often we are unable to hold a seat and will move on to the next candidate if we do not hear back within 24 hours.
How do I know where I am on the waitlist?
We do not disclose any information about our waitlist to applicants. When a space becomes available in the program, we will accept the applicant we feel is most qualified at that time.
How long is your waitlist?
Our waitlist does not carry over from year to year. For that reason, our waitlist varies yearly.
What happens if I am not admitted to the program?
Vermont Tech’s nursing program is highly competitive. For that reason, we are unable to admit all applicants and must choose the most qualified candidates in our pool. Some applicants must apply more than one year to gain admission. If you are denied admission to the program, please contact us to learn about what you can do to improve your chances of admission for a future term.
Can I apply to the Practical Nursing program through the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST)?
No, we are unable to admit VAST applicants to the Practical Nursing program.
I am an international student. Can I apply to this program?
Yes! Please contact us for specific information and refer to our information for international applicants.
Who can advise me?
We strongly encourage you to contact Admissions at Vermont Tech for program or transfer related questions. Things can and do change yearly. Every year, applicants are misinformed by non-Vermont Tech personnel. Don’t be one of them!
Once you have reviewed our Frequently Asked Questions, we encourage you to reach out to us if you need more information. Although it’s not required, we can arrange for one of our Admissions Counselors to answer your questions. We also recommend you attend an info session or Open House to get more information.
Office of Admissions
Nursing programs start terms:
Nursing (PN & ADN) – applications accepted for fall term only
Nursing (BSN) – applications accepted for fall, spring and summer terms
Application Deadlines
Dental Hygiene: December 1
Practical Nursing: Priority Deadline December 1
Associate Degree Nursing: March 15
Radiologic Science: December 1
VAST: Priority Deadline May 1
All other majors are reviewed on a rolling basis.