Registered Nursing AAS

Highline College’s Registered Nursing program provides a comprehensive curriculum that includes study in nursing theory and practice. Participants gain practical experience through supervised clinical practice in hospitals, long-term care settings and community health care agencies.

Students who are interested in Nursing but have not yet started or completed admission requirements can connect with the Advising Center for pre-nursing advising.

The RN AAS program requires two years of full-time, face-to-face attendance to complete after admission.

Program Admission

The Registered Nursing program requires selective admissions. Students must apply to Highline College and then apply to the Nursing Program. The application is available during specific application periods for Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. Application requirements are subject to change. Please read the RN Application Informational Packet for a thorough explanation of the requirements and selection process. For inquiries related to the Registered Nursing selective admission process, please contact nursingapp@highline.edu. 

RN Application Informational Packet

All students must have the following to submit an application:

• NA-C certificate of completion/Washington State NA-C License
• Unofficial transcripts from school where your pre-requisite coursework was completed

These additional experiences may increase your chance of being accepted, and documentation must also be provided:

• Health-Related Community Service – A letter from a Community Service supervisor.  Must state: Institution name, Student name, and dates of community service.
• Previous Associate’s Degree or Higher – Transcripts showing a degree or diploma for an associate’s degree or higher.
• U.S. Military Service – Active Military Identification, DD-214, etc.
• 1+ Years of Direct Patient Care Experience as an NA-C – A letter from your supervisor. Must state: Institution name, Student name, and dates of employment.

2024-2025 RN Application Cycle – Program Status and Updates

Program Overview

The AAS is for those who want to acquire specific job skills and enter the nursing profession in the very near future. This is different from an AA in Pre-Nursing, which has no nursing courses. The AA in Pre-Nursing requires 90 credits and is designed to help you transition smoothly into the third year of a BSN program. It can be a less expensive route, but it is not always the quickest. Spaces in AAS programs are limited and getting into a program can be a competitive process.

The program provides you with a comprehensive curriculum that includes study in nursing theory and practice. You will gain practical experience through supervised clinical practice in hospitals, long-term care settings, and community health care agencies. This program is consistent with the profession: both are mentally and physically challenging. Successful candidates must be able to complete tasks sequentially, remain calm in an emergency, respond swiftly and think critically. Participation in clinical sites involves background checks and immunizations.

Following admission, the AAS requires two additional years of full-time attendance to complete. Classes start in September and run through June; a new cohort begins every fall, winter and spring quarter. Not all classes are offered every quarter. RN students take a full class schedule and are in class or on campus for up to 30 hours per week. Working more than 20 hours a week or attempting additional coursework is strongly discouraged. We encourage you to attend an information session for a more detailed description of what to expect.

Program Application Requirements 

• NA-C certificate of completion from a WA State Nursing Commission approved course or NAC licensure active and unrestricted on the deadline/s.
• Completion of prerequisite classes from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of 4.5 credits and 3.0 minimum grade in each class (2.7 minimum grade for math). Each class can be attempted no more than 3 times.
  • BIOL&241 (Human Anatomy & Physiology I)  
  • BIOL&242 (Human Anatomy & Physiology II) 
  • BIOL&260 (Microbiology) 
  • CHEM&121 (Introduction to Chemistry), or CHEM&161 (General Chemistry with Lab I)
  • ENGL&101 (English Composition I), or ENGL&102 (English Composition II), or ENGL&235 (Technical Writing)
  • CMST 200 (Intercultural Communication), or CMST&210 (Interpersonal Communication), or CMST& 220 (Public Speaking), or HEAL 226 (Healthcare Communication)
  • NUTR&101 (Nutrition)
  • MATH&146 (Introduction to Statistics) 
  • PSYC&200 (Lifespan Developmental Psychology) 
• Selective Admission Application Fee ($45)
• Applicants must also be admitted to Highline.

Refer to the RN Informational Application Packet for a full list of admissions requirements as well as detailed instructions and information. To be considered complete, all requirements must be met on or before the deadline. We use a random selection process to ensure all eligible applicants have an equal opportunity.