Anatomy and Physiology 2
Self-paced online Anatomy and Physiology 2 course (Biology 212). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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LPN to RN in Maine: prerequisite checklist and time limits
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Going from LPN to RN in Maine means finishing an RN programme approved by the Maine State Board of Nursing under 32 MRSA section 2153-A. Each programme sets its own prerequisites, grades and time limits. The University of Maine, for example, prefers prerequisites from the last 5 years. Ask your programme which courses it needs, what your LPN study counts for, and whether old science credit still counts.
Who sets the rules
The Maine State Board of Nursing approves programmes and may prescribe curricula and standards for them under 32 MRSA section 2153-A. It does not publish a list of prerequisites for LPNs moving to RN. Each programme decides what it asks for and how much of your practical nursing study it counts.
So two Maine programmes can treat the same LPN transcript differently. Ask each one for a written plan.
Prerequisite checklist
Get your programme's current list and tick off each line in writing with the admissions office:
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and whether labs are required.
- Biology with lab, and chemistry with lab.
- Microbiology or nutrition, if listed.
- Psychology, including lifespan or developmental psychology if listed.
- English composition, statistics and any other general education.
- Minimum grade for each course and how many repeats or withdrawals are allowed.
- Any entrance test, essay or application window.
One example of the rules in practice
The University of Maine BSN is not an LPN to RN programme, but its transfer rules show the kind of detail to ask about:
| Rule | University of Maine (transfer applicants) |
|---|---|
| Minimum grade | C (77 percent) or better |
| Time limit | Preferred within 5 years; after that at the school's discretion |
| Repeats | Not eligible with more than 2 repeated STEM courses, including withdrawals |
| Unlisted courses | Reviewed from the syllabus by the department |
| Application dates | 1 November and 1 May |
Time limits
Some programmes count science courses only within a set number of years; others leave it open. The board's statute does not set one, so this is a programme policy. If you took A&P during LPN training several years ago, ask whether it still counts or whether you must retake it.
The University of Maine's wording is a good model of what to ask: it prefers prerequisites completed within 5 years and decides older courses case by case. Ask whether your programme's limit runs from the date you finished the course or the date you apply.
Where UPI Study can help
If your programme agrees, UPI Study's NCCRS-recommended A&P I and II with labs, Chemistry with lab, English Composition and Introduction to Psychology can fill prerequisite or general education slots. UPI Study has no Microbiology, Nutrition, Lifespan or Developmental Psychology, Organic Chemistry or Pharmacology course. It has no biology lab either.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; courses reach a programme only via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. Take only the courses your programme has agreed in writing to count, and remember that a retake can count as a repeat.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your nursing programme's admissions office in writing which courses it will count, at what grade and from which college transcript, 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
how long does lpn to rn take in maine
It depends on the programme and on how much of your practical nursing study it counts. The board approves programmes but does not set a standard length for LPN to RN. Ask the programme for a written plan showing how many terms remain.
do maine nursing programmes have a time limit on science classes
Some do. The University of Maine prefers prerequisites completed within 5 years of applying and decides older ones at its discretion. Ask your own programme in writing whether your A&P and other sciences still count.
does my lpn training count toward an rn programme in maine
It may. Each programme decides how much of your practical nursing study it counts toward its own requirements. Bring your transcript and course descriptions, and ask for the answer in writing before you plan any new courses.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Chemistry Lab
Self-paced online Chemistry Lab course (CHEM 111L). NCCRS recommends 1 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
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 →Start when you have it in writing
Chemistry with lab, A&P with labs, English Composition, Statistics and Psychology, once your programme agrees in writing to count them.
Sources
- 32 MRSA section 2153-A, Maine State Board of Nursing: powers and duties (official)The board may prescribe curricula and standards for educational programs preparing individuals for licensure under the nursing chapter (subsection 3), may approve nursing educational programs within the State that meet the requirements of the chapter and of the board (subsection 5), and may place programs on probation or withdraw approval for failing to meet approved curricula or standards (subsection 6). It does not list prerequisite courses. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- University of Maine School of Nursing: undergraduate admissions (official)External transfer applicants submit official transcripts from all colleges attended and must complete, with a C (77 percent) or better, courses evaluated as transfer equivalents for: BIO100 Basic Biology with lab (4 credits), BMB207 Fundamentals of Chemistry (3), BMB209 Fundamentals of Chemistry Lab (1), BIO208 Anatomy and Physiology with lab (4) or FSN101 Introduction to Food and Nutrition (3), and ENG101 College Composition (3). Prerequisites are preferred within 5 years of application; after 5 years it is at the School of Nursing's discretion. Applicants with more than 2 repeated STEM courses, including withdrawals, are ineligible. Courses not in the UMaine transfer equivalency tool are reviewed from the syllabus by the department. Internal transfers need a 3.0 cumulative and 3.0 science GPA. More than 1,400 applicants a year for 80 seats per cohort. Application dates 1 November and 1 May; external transfers are not taken for a Spring 2027 start; Fall 2027 deadline 1 May 2027. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.