Nursing FAQ

1. Do I have to be a resident of the District to be eligible to apply?
No you don’t, however all applicants are required to attend a mandatory Nursing Information Meeting prior to applying which may make applying challenging for someone living out of our district. All students must have a valid social security number and be eligible to work outside of campus.

2. Do you keep a waiting list?
We do not keep a waiting list. If an applicant is not accepted into the program, the applicant must re-apply for the next selection period.

3. Do you have a part-time or evening program?
No, the Nursing Program is a full-time program with classes from Monday through Friday, occasionally there may be an evening assignment; or weekend clinical.

4. How long does the Nursing Program take to complete?
It is two years or 4-semester program. No required courses are offered in the summer session.

5. How long does it take to complete the program from starting the prerequisites and general education courses to finishing the nursing curriculum?
If you start slowly and take one science course per semester, it could take as long as six years. If you take a full load of coursework for your prerequisites and general education requirements each semester, you can complete the program in about 3 years.

6. Can I work while I am in the program?
There is no restriction against working while enrolled in the Nursing Program. However, it is not recommended to work more than 16 hours a week as it can interfere with your success in the program. It is not advised to work on days in which classes or clinical experiences are assigned. You will not be permitted to leave early or arrive late to clinical or class. Limited scholarship money is available. Financial aid and low-cost loans are available please contact the Financial Aid Office.

7. Is there a pre-test I need to take to qualify?
Yes, students will be required to take and pass the ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) as part of the application process. Information about the test please see www.ATITesting.com

8. When can I submit an application for the 2-year program?
Applications are accepted only from November 1st thru end of January of the application year. The application will be available through your Class-Web account. You first need to apply to Chabot College to obtain a Chabot Student (W) number. Please follow the steps as outlined in Application Procedures. If you are an LVN or transfer student, please refer to LVN-RN/Advanced Standing for application procedures.

9. How do you select your students for the 2-year program?
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements are will be by chosen by a merit calculation (Criterion Score or Eligibility Worksheet). The top third of the merit based list will be entered into a lottery pool for the initial selection of 40 students and alternates.

10. Can I bring my transcripts to you?
No, Do not send a copy to the Nursing Program Office. Admissions and records will accept electronic transcripts. You must submit a copy of the request receipt with your application.

11. How many students do you accept?
We accept up to 40 students once a year for the incoming Fall Semester.

12. Do you have a Spring entry period?
No. The program accepts students once a year for the 2-year program that begins in the Fall Semester.

13. What are the prerequisites for applying to the 2-year program?

1. Grneral Human Anatomy (BIOS 42), Human Physiology (BIOS 43) , Microbiology (BIOS44)  (or their equivalents) are the three science course prerequisites. You can earn only one "C" in the three courses.  There is a seven (7) year recency on science courses only. Incoming Fall 2025 your course must be completed AFTER 08/01/2018
2. You must complete four fixed education courses; English 1A, Sociology 1, Psychology 1 and Communications 1, or 10.
3. All seven (7) pre-requisites must be completed by December 31st. If you are enrolled in classes for any courses in Fall you may submit an application in January after Fall grades have been posted.

14. How can I find out if the courses I am taking at another college are equivalent to the courses at Chabot College?
Chabot College will make the final determination during the Nursing Program application period. It is best to check early to see if your courses are equivalent to Chabot College courses. See a General Counselor, located upstairs 700 Building, for assistance in determining course equivalencies. Counseling appointments should be made well ahead of time, as the Counseling department is very busy at certain times of the year. Or you can check www.Assist.org for matching coursework. Equivalency Chart  

15. I took a combined Anatomy and Physiology course with a lab. Will that count?
If you took only 1 combined Anatomy and Physiology course, once semester course it will not be equivalent. If you took Part A of an  A/B, it is recommended to have completed a 2nd combined Anatomy and Physiology (B)course with a lab  at the same institution.  If you choose to go to two different schools for a combined class note you may miss vital systems. Many colleges offer these combined courses over 2 semesters or 3 quarters. A General Counselor can help you determine whether your combined course will transfer. The courses must be the equivalent of the Anatomy 1 and Physiology 1 at Chabot College.

16. Will someone in the Nursing Program go over my transcripts with me to see if I am missing anything?
The Nursing Program office cannot evaluate individual transcripts. Please seek the assistance of the General Counseling Department, located upstairs 700 Building.  You can call to make an appointment please check the counseling website.

17. I have a Bachelor’s Degree (or higher) from another college. What courses will count towards my AA in Nursing?
Students with a bachelors degree or higher from a U.S. regionally accredited college/university are exempt from completing Chabot General Education. You are not exempt from the pre-requisite coursework. We do not substitute courses.

18. I was educated in another country. Will my coursework transfer to Chabot College?
You will need to have a professional evaluation of your foreign transcript completed. You may obtain a brochure from the Counseling Division that explains how you may obtain the evaluation, or you may visit NACE. The evaluation is not simply a translation of the courses, but rather it consists of a careful analysis of the actual content of the coursework you took in your country's college or university. 

19. How much will the program cost?
The approximate cost of the 2-year program is approximately $8,500.00. This includes tuition fees, books, uniforms, shoes, medical/dental examinations, in-program and NCLEX-RN testing fees, and background check/drug screen clearance. The advanced-standing student can expect to pay approximately $5000.00, inclusive of testing fees and background check/drug screen clearance.

20. Why do I have to have a background check?
Hospitals are now requiring all nursing students to have a background check and drug screen prior to coming to the hospital for clinical experience. The estimated one-time cost is $120.  The Board of Registered Nursing has an informational webinar for basic information for applicants with a history of criminal or discipline actions; Applicant Enforcement Webinar

21 My coursework is old. Do I have to re-take any classes?
Effective for the application of Fall 2024 the Chabot Nursing Program has a seven (7) year recency requirement for any of the Nursing program prerequisites science course only.

• Fall 2025, AFTER 08/01/2018,
• Fall 2024, AFTER 08/01/2017.

There is no recency for the fixed courses; English, Sociology, Psychology, or Communications 1 or 10.

22. What hospitals do you use for clinical experience?
Hospitals include Kaiser-San Leandro, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, St. Rose Hospital, Tri-Valley Stanford Health System, Fremont Hospital, Regional Medical Center (this is not an exhaustive list). Students are assigned by the nursing faculty.

23. Do you teach individual courses for foreign trained nurses as required by the BRN?
No, due to the limited clinical space we do not offer individual classes to RN's trained outside of the United States.

24. I have taken A/P course for the fixed coursework. Do you accept these courses and how do I calculate my GPA?
We will accept with coursework with an official A/P transcript included with your application packet. Most A/P course work is ranked 5 to 1 score. We will use the course as 3 units and 5 = A, 4 = B, 3 = C. If you score less than 3 on the testing we will not accept the courses as equivalent. If you received Pass /No Pass as your score, the grade will be 3 units as a grade of C.