Anatomy and Physiology I
Self-paced online Anatomy and Physiology I course (Biology 211). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →ArizonaNursing
LPN to RN in Arizona: prerequisite checklist and time limits
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
For Pima Community College's LPN to ADN pathway, an Arizona LPN needs Accuplacer Reading, MAT 142 or higher, BIO 201 and BIO 202 with a B or better, WRT 101 and the NLN entrance exam, all on the Pima transcript before applying. Pima states no science time limit; other programmes may, so ask in writing.
The checklist
This list comes from Pima's LPN to ADN page, checked on 15 November 2026. Other Arizona programmes write their own lists, so use it as a model and check your own programme's page for the year you apply.
- Accuplacer Reading score.
- MAT 142 College Mathematics or a higher maths course, C or better.
- BIO 201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I, B or better.
- BIO 202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II, B or better.
- WRT 101 Writing I, C or better.
- NLN nursing entrance exam, taken through Proctor360.
- All grades on the Pima transcript before you apply.
Time limits on science courses
Pima's LPN to ADN page states no age limit for A&P. Other programmes may set one, and some put it on the course listing rather than the admission page. If your A&P is more than a few years old, ask the programme in writing whether it still counts before you plan a retake.
If you do need to retake A&P, the grade bar matters more than the platform. Pima wants a B or better, so plan enough study time to reach it.
Outside credit and transcript timing
Pima says transfer credit from another regionally accredited institution must be officially evaluated and posted before you apply. That rules out sending a course certificate on its own. Any outside course has to reach Pima via a college transcript, and Pima still decides whether it meets the local course.
With UPI Study the route is: finish the course, have a partner college such as TESU or UoPeople place the credit on its transcript, then send that transcript to Pima. Both partners consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Allow several weeks for each step.
- Step 1: written yes from the programme for the exact course.
- Step 2: finish the course on UPI Study PRO.
- Step 3: partner college places the credit on its transcript.
- Step 4: official transcript to Pima, evaluated and posted before you apply.
Where UPI Study fits the checklist, and where it does not
UPI Study has English Composition 1 for writing, College Algebra and Principles of Statistics for maths, and A&P I and II with labs, which are NCCRS-recommended only. MAT 142 is a college mathematics course, so ask whether College Algebra would meet it.
UPI Study has no Microbiology, Nutrition, Lifespan Psychology, Organic Chemistry or Pharmacology, and no clinical hours or nursing courses. UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. Entrance tests such as Accuplacer and the NLN exam are taken through the programme, not through UPI Study.
Cost check
A Maricopa college lists $97 per credit hour for county residents in 2026-27; A&P I and II at about 8 credits comes to about $776 before fees and books. UPI Study PRO is $99 a month for every course. The cheaper route only helps if your programme says yes in writing first.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your Arizona nursing programme in writing whether it would evaluate each course, including each online lab, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Does Pima set a time limit on A&P for LPN to ADN?
Pima's LPN to ADN page, checked on 15 November 2026, does not state an age limit for BIO 201 and BIO 202. Other Arizona programmes may set one. If your science course is older, ask the programme in writing whether it still counts, and keep the reply with your application.
What grade do I need in A&P for Pima's LPN to ADN pathway?
A B or better in both BIO 201 and BIO 202. MAT 142 or higher and WRT 101 need a C or better. The grades must already be on the Pima transcript when you apply, so outside credit must be evaluated and posted before the application window.
Can UPI Study help with the NLN entrance exam or Accuplacer?
No. Those tests are taken through the programme and its testing partners. UPI Study offers college-level courses that are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended, which may help with the course part of the checklist if your programme says yes in writing first.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
College Algebra
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask your programme first; then study only the courses it said it would consider.
Sources
- Arizona Revised Statutes 32-1606: Powers and duties of the board (official)32-1606(B)(1)-(2): the board approves training and educational programmes and sets approval and reapproval processes for nursing programmes by rule. It does not rule on where a student took a prerequisite. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Pima Community College: LPN to ADN Nursing, Associate of Applied Science (official)Prerequisites: Accuplacer Reading, MAT 142 or higher (C), BIO 201IN or 201H and BIO 202IN (B or better), WRT 101 (C), NLN entrance exam; grades must be on the Pima transcript before applying; transfer credit from another regionally accredited institution must be evaluated and posted. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Maricopa Community Colleges: tuition and fees (official)$97 per credit hour for Maricopa County residents, 2026-27. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.