Prince Edward Island was the first province in Canada to adopt baccalaureate education as the exclusive entry to nursing practice. This decision placed us at the forefront in the initiative across Canada to locate nursing education at the university level.
Students in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program are required to take the same courses and have the same number of clinical hours as students in the four-year BScN program.
The program starts each January, and the application deadline is July 15 of the previous year. The length of the program is two years with no breaks in the spring and summer.
Need more information about Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing?
NOTE: As per Academic Regulation 1h, all undergraduate degree programs require successful completion of IKE-1040 (new for students beginning or returning after re-application in Fall 2022); one of UPEI-1010, UPEI-1020, or UPEI-1030, and a Writing Intensive Course.
January – April
- NURS 1030 - Fundamentals of Nursing Practice
- NURS 2450 - Health Assessment
- NURS 2320 - Introductory Pharmacology
- NURS 2120 - Pathophysiology for Nursing Students
Mid-April – August
- NURS 2130 - Nursing of Young Families
- NURS 2230 - Adult Nursing: Transitions in Health
Students in the accelerated BScN Program merge with the year three BScN student cohort in N3230 and remain with this group until NURS 4020X.
September - December
- NURS 3230 - Partnerships with Clients and Families Living with Chronic Illness
- NURS 3030 - Issues in Nursing and Health Care
- NURS 3040 - Nursing Research Methods
Second Year Required:
January – April
- NURS 3050 - Health Teaching
- NURS 3060 - Nursing of the Childbearing Family
- NURS 3130 - Developing Partnerships with Clients in the Community
- NURS 4030 - Leadership for Health Professionals in a Primary Health Care Context
May - June
- NURS 3100 - Integrated Clinical Experience I
July - August
- NURS 4020 - Integrated Clinical Experience II
* Upon completion of NURS 4020, students in the accelerated program merge with year four students in NURS 4010 and remain with this group until completion of their program in December.
September - December
- NURS 4010 - Nursing and Population Health
- NURS 4040 - Conceptual Models and Nursing Theories
To be eligible for the Accelerated BScN Program, applicants must have:
- successfully completed Grade 12 Academic or equivalent courses in English, Math, Chemistry, and Biology;
- successfully completed 60 semester hours of university-level credit;
- of the 60 semester hours of credit noted above, 30 semester hours of credit must come from the list of courses below (at the credit weights noted), with a minimum average of 75% in these 10 courses (30 semester hours) with no individual course grade below 60%:
- Human Anatomy (3 semester hours) – lab required
- Human Physiology (3 semester hours) – lab required
- Microbiology (3 semester hours) – lab required
- Introductory Psychology (6 semester hours)
- Developmental Psychology (3 semester hours)
- Statistics (3 semester hours)
- Introductory Nutrition (3 semester hours)
- Two (2) English courses (6 semester hours)
(The above noted courses must be successfully completed at an undergraduate degree level at a recognized post-secondary institution. Courses must have been completed within the past 10 years and fulfill the criteria outlined for regular transfer credit equivalency review).
CASPer Test Requirement (worth 30% of overall admission score)
All applicants to UPEI’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program are required to complete a CASPer assessment (CASPer Test), in addition to meeting academic requirements. Successful completion of CASPer is mandatory in order to maintain admission eligibility.
CASPer is an online test which assesses for non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that are important for successful students and graduates of the Nursing program. In implementing CASPer, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our admission selection process.
Please note that the CASPer test can only be written once within an admission cycle. Multiple test attempts are not permitted. Additionally, CASPer test results are only valid for one admission cycle. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years must re-take it.
View UPEI CASPer test dates and learn more about CASPer
Please direct any inquiries on the CASPer test to Altus, the test provider.
Note: Required courses in Pathophysiology and Pharmacology can be taken during the Accelerated Program.
Note: Applicants whose first language is not English must also satisfy the UPEI English Language Proficiency requirements.
Please refer to the UPEI Academic Calendar for complete admissions information.


Tuition
$6,570 per year, based on 15 credit hours ($657 per 3 credit course).
International students pay $7,704 per year in addition to full-time student tuition.
For a complete breakdown of part-time or full-time study as a student in the Faculty of Arts, visit our Tuition and Fees page.
Scholarships and Awards
UPEI supports you and your educational goals. We administer millions of dollars in scholarships and awards to our undergraduate and graduate students every year. Depending on your faculty or program, and year of study, you may be eligible for available awards.
Search the complete list of scholarships for information and application forms.
Celebrating Student Achievement
Including Guaranteed Entrance Scholarships and Academic Excellence Awards, these awards recognize the academic achievements of all students who meet the eligibility criteria while studying towards their first undergraduate degree.
Visit the Scholarships site for complete information.
UPEI has about 250 faculty—exceptional scholars, teachers, and mentors, with more being hired each year as we open new, progressive, and unique programs. But the story isn’t just in the numbers. It’s in the quality of our people. Award-winning faculty from around the globe have made UPEI home. Here, you’ll learn directly from these world-class professors and researchers in small classes where you’ll have easy access to them.