French 1
First course in a two-course language sequence; 3 semester credits, NCCRS-recommended
Self-paced online French 1 course (French 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →FloridaNursing
Florida RN to BSN: the foreign language requirement and how to clear it
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
Many Florida RN to BSN students reach the last stretch and find two gaps: a foreign language and general education. Florida law requires 36 semester hours of general education in every bachelor's degree and language competence equal to two years of high school study. Your university decides how you meet it and which outside credit it takes, so ask in writing first.
The rule
Under s. 1007.25 and s. 1007.262, Fla. Stat., a Florida public bachelor's degree includes 36 semester hours of general education, and language competence is measured against 2 credits of sequential high school foreign language; UCF's RN to BSN asks for two years of one language in high school or one year of one language in college before the third semester.
The rule asks for 36 semester hours of general education; language equal to 2 years of high school (UCF: 1 year of college language). The legal source is s. 1007.25 and s. 1007.262, Fla. Stat..
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General education in a bachelor's | 36 semester hours, within a 120-hour degree | [1] |
| Language benchmark | Competence equal to 2 credits of sequential high school foreign language; each college sets the postsecondary credits that equal it | [1] |
| UCF RN to BSN timing | Language and general education done before the third BSN semester | [3] |
| UCF RN to BSN language options | Two years of one language in high school, or one year of one language in college, or an equivalent proficiency exam | [3] |
Who decides
Florida Department of Education (Florida College System) and the State University System of Florida; each university's nursing college sets its own RN to BSN admission terms decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Two sequential college courses in the same language, if your university counts them as one year of college language (ask whether two 3-credit courses are enough; some colleges count 8 hours)
- Two years of the same language on your high school transcript, which most universities check first
- A proficiency exam your university lists, or native-language proficiency under s. 1007.262
- General education courses in composition, mathematics or statistics, social science and humanities toward the 36 hours
What does not count
- Nursing major courses: they do not stand in for the language or general education
- Two different languages: the rule is about one language in sequence
- Any outside course your university has not reviewed: its transfer office decides course by course
Each nursing programme sets its own prerequisite list, its own time limits for science courses and its own rule on which credits it takes. Read the programme's published list first and ask its admissions office in writing before you enrol in any course.
UPI Study does not yet offer Microbiology with lab, Nutrition or Lifespan Development. Our courses carry no clinical hours, and they do not clear a deficiency for a board of nursing.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Florida Department of Education (Florida College System) and the State University System of Florida; each university's nursing college sets its own RN to BSN admission terms.
French 2
Second course in the same language; together 6 credits, so ask whether that equals your college's one-year rule
Self-paced online French 2 course (French 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Principles of Statistics
Statistics is a common Florida nursing prerequisite and a general education maths course
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
English Composition 1
Composition is part of the general education core at every Florida public university
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
Social science general education, also often listed for nursing
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Sociology
Social science general education option
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Read your own degree auditAsk your Florida university for an unofficial degree audit. It shows whether the language is already met by high school courses and how many of the 36 general education hours are still open.
- Ask the transfer office in writingSend the course outlines for French 1 and French 2 (and any general education course) and ask: will these two sequential courses meet the foreign language requirement, and for which general education area would statistics or composition count?
- Take the courses onlineStudy at your own pace on the PRO plan. Finish the sequence in order: French 1 before French 2.
- Move the credit via a college transcriptYour credit reaches a university via a college transcript. Our partner colleges consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; your Florida university then reviews that transcript under its own transfer rules.
- Check the audit againAfter the credit posts, ask for an updated audit and keep the written answer with your file.
TESU, UoPeople and Newlane are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; their own transfer pages explain how they review it. A Florida state university reviews outside credit on its own terms, so ask it first.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| UCF in-state tuition (one 3-credit course) | $212.28 per credit hour | About $1,274 for two 3-credit language courses, before fees | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning monthly plan | $99 a month | Monthly access; check its course list for a language course before you buy | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine membership | $99 a month plus a course fee | Membership plus a fee per course | 15 Nov 2026 |
Two French courses plus statistics is 9 credits. On PRO that is the monthly fee for as many months as you study; at UCF's in-state rate the same 9 credits are about $1,910 in tuition before fees.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; we cannot decide whether French 1 and French 2 meet your university's language rule.
- We cannot change the 36-hour general education rule or your degree audit.
- We do not offer Microbiology with lab, Nutrition or Human Growth and Development, which Florida nursing programmes often list as prerequisites.
- We cannot speak for the Florida Board of Nursing; this page is about your degree, not your licence.
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.
Confirm in writing first
Ask your university's transfer or nursing advising office in writing whether two sequential 3-credit French courses meet its foreign language requirement before you enrol.
Florida foreign language requirement for a bachelor's: who it catches
Most nurses who enter a Florida RN to BSN come from an associate degree in nursing. That A.S. or A.D.N. is a career degree, so it often skips the language and some general education that an A.A. would have included. When the university runs the degree audit, the gap shows up.
If you took two years of one language in high school, you may already be done; send the university your high school transcript. If you studied two different languages, or one year only, the gap is still open. Nurses educated abroad may meet it through native-language proficiency, which s. 1007.262 allows.
- UCF: before the third semester of the BSN
- Other Florida universities set their own point, from admission to graduation; read your own catalog
- Some colleges describe one year of college language as 8 credit hours; two 3-credit courses may fall short, so ask
RN to BSN online in Florida: the 36 hours of general education
Section 1007.25 sets 36 semester hours of general education for every Florida public bachelor's degree. An A.A. from a Florida College System or State University System institution normally meets it in full. Nurses with an A.S. in nursing usually have part of it: English, a maths course, psychology and the sciences.
The rest tends to be composition, humanities, social science and a maths or statistics course. Online courses can fill those slots only if your university reviews the transcript and places each course in a category. That is a decision for the university, made before you start if you ask early.
Why two 3-credit courses need a written answer
French 1 and French 2 are 3 credits each, 6 in total. UCF's wording is one year of one language in college. Some Florida colleges count that year as two 4-credit courses. Your university may count a 6-credit sequence, may want a further course, or may ask you to take a proficiency exam instead.
Ask before you pay for anything. Send both course outlines, name the requirement exactly as your catalog does, and ask for the reply by email. Keep it with your degree audit.
Questions people ask
Do I need a foreign language for an RN to BSN in Florida?
Often, yes. Florida public universities expect language competence equal to two years of high school study. UCF asks for two years of one language in high school or one year in college before the third BSN semester. If your high school transcript shows two years of one language, you may already meet it. Check your own degree audit.
How many general education hours does a Florida bachelor's degree need?
Thirty-six semester hours, under s. 1007.25(10), Fla. Stat., inside a 120-hour degree. An A.A. from a Florida College System or State University System institution usually covers it. An A.S. in nursing often covers only part, so the audit may show composition, humanities or social science still open.
Can I take the language online?
Many universities review online college courses that arrive on a college transcript, but each decides for itself. Send the course outlines to your university's transfer office and ask in writing whether two sequential courses in one language meet the rule before you enrol.
Are two 3-credit French courses enough for Florida's language rule?
It depends on your university. Some describe one year of college language as about 8 credit hours; others look at the sequence. French 1 and French 2 are 3 credits each. Ask your university in writing whether 6 credits in sequence meet its requirement.
Does the Florida Board of Nursing require a foreign language?
No. The language rule is a degree requirement set by Florida law and your university, not a licensing rule. Your RN licence is not affected. It matters only for finishing the bachelor's degree.
What if English is not my first language?
Section 1007.262 says a student who shows proficiency in a native language other than English is exempt from foreign language courses at the secondary or Florida College System level. Universities have their own ways to document this, so ask your advisor which proof they need.
Read next
- Florida's foreign language rule for bachelor's degrees: what RN-to-BSN students needFlorida's foreign language requirement for RN to BSN students comes from state law: competence equal to two years of high school study in one...
- 36 hours of general education: what Florida RNs still owe for a BSNEvery Florida public bachelor's degree includes 36 semester hours of general education under s. 1007.25(10), Fla. Stat. An A.A. usually covers all of...
- CLEP or a course? Ways to meet Florida's language requirementThere are four common ways to meet Florida's language requirement as an RN to BSN student: high school study, native-language proficiency, a...
The same topic in nearby states
- Nursing prerequisites online for Delaware students: what to check with your programme firstDelaware
- Nursing prerequisites online for District of Columbia students: what to check with your programme firstDistrict of Columbia
- Nursing prerequisites online for Georgia students: what to check with your programme firstGeorgia
Ready when you have it in writing
French 1, French 2 and Statistics are on PRO. Confirm with your university first.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 1007.262: Foreign language competence; equivalence determinations (official)The benchmark is the competence shown after 2 credits of sequential high school foreign language; each Florida College System institution sets the minimum postsecondary credits that equal it; native-language proficiency exempts the student. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Florida Statutes s. 1007.25: General education courses; common prerequisites; other degree requirements (official)Subsection (10): a baccalaureate degree includes 36 semester hours of general education within a 120-hour cap; subsection (9)(a): the A.A. must include demonstrated foreign language competency. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- University of Central Florida: Nursing (RN to BSN) degree page (official)Two years of one foreign language in high school, or one year of one foreign language in college (or an equivalent proficiency exam), before the third BSN semester; 120 total credit hours; in-state tuition $212.28 per credit hour. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- UCF Nursing (RN to BSN) degree pagePrice for UCF in-state tuition (one 3-credit course), checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning monthly plan, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- StraighterLine: PricingPrice for StraighterLine membership, checked on 15 Nov 2026.