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 →WashingtonNursing
LPN to RN in Washington: prerequisite checklist and time limits
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
LPN to RN prerequisites in Washington are set by each programme. Highline College lists nine classes with at least 4.5 credits and a 3.0 in each, and says they have no time limit; it no longer runs a 1-year LPN-RN track, so LPNs join the 2-year or 3-year RN programme. Check your programme's list and ask in writing about online courses.
LPN to RN at Highline: what changed
Highline College's 2025-26 RN packet says it no longer offers a 1-year LPN-RN programme. Applicants with an LPN license can still apply to the RN programme, but should expect to complete either the 2-year full-time programme or the 3-year part-time programme. The full-time programme is in person; the part-time programme, from Fall 2025, is hybrid with online and in-person parts.
Other Washington colleges may still run an LPN to RN route, and each sets its own list. Use Highline's published rules below as a worked example and check the current packet for any programme you apply to.
The Highline prerequisite checklist
Highline lists nine prerequisite classes. Each must come from a regionally accredited college or university, carry at least 4.5 credits and earn a 3.0 or better, with 2.7 the minimum for math. Each class can be attempted no more than three times.
| Highline prerequisite | Class code | UPI Study option to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I | BIOL& 241 | Anatomy and Physiology I with lab |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II | BIOL& 242 | Anatomy and Physiology II with lab |
| Microbiology | BIOL& 260 | None: take at a college |
| Introduction to Organic/Biochemistry | CHEM& 131 | None: take at a college |
| English Composition I or II, or Technical Writing | ENGL& 101, 102 or 235 | English Composition I or II |
| Communication | CMST& 210, 220 or 240 | None confirmed: ask the programme |
| Nutrition | NUTR& 101 | None: take at a college |
| Introduction to Statistics | MATH& 146 | Principles of Statistics |
| Lifespan Developmental Psychology | PSYC& 200 | None: take at a college |
Do Washington nursing prerequisites expire?
At the two public programmes we checked, no. Highline's FAQ says the prerequisite classes do not have a time limit. The UW School of Nursing BSN worksheet says there is no expiration date for prerequisite courses, and that retaking a course to improve the grade or refresh the content is acceptable.
Some programmes in other places set a limit on science courses, often several years. Do not assume either way for a Washington programme you have not checked. Ask the programme directly: is there a time limit on Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology or Chemistry for my start term?
Timing, grades and attempts
Highline wants every prerequisite complete by the application deadline; a class still in progress at the deadline means the application is not considered. Unofficial transcripts go in with the application, and official transcripts are needed only after you are selected. Highline also says that if you want a review before applying, you can email an unofficial copy of your transcripts to its nursing admissions address.
Because of the 3.0 grade floor and the three-attempt limit, take each science class when you can give it full attention. An LPN who has the nursing knowledge may still find A&P II or Microbiology demanding at a 3.0 standard.
- Every class done by the application deadline.
- 3.0 or better in each, 2.7 in math.
- At least 4.5 credits per class.
- No more than three attempts per class.
Using online courses without risking your application
Ask the programme in writing before you enrol whether it would evaluate each online course and lab, then ask a partner college how it would list the credit. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Highline converts semester credits to quarter credits by multiplying by 1.5, so a 3 semester credit course equals 4.5 quarter credits. UPI Study is not accredited, and its courses reach a programme only via a college transcript. It offers no clinical hours, nursing courses, Microbiology, Nutrition, Lifespan Psychology or Organic Chemistry.
For the classes you take at a college, the 2026-27 resident lower-division tuition ceiling at Washington community and technical colleges is $1,697 for a 15-credit quarter, per the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your Washington nursing programme in writing whether it would evaluate each course, including each online lab, before you enrol, and keep the reply.
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 Highline College still have an LPN to RN bridge?
Highline's 2025-26 packet says it no longer offers the 1-year LPN-RN programme. LPNs can still apply to the RN programme and should expect the 2-year full-time route or the 3-year part-time hybrid route. Other Washington colleges set their own routes, so check each current packet.
Can I apply to Highline nursing before my prerequisites are finished?
No. Highline says all required prerequisites must be complete by the application deadline, and an application with classes still in progress is not considered. Plan your last science class so its grade is posted before the deadline, and keep unofficial transcripts ready to upload.
How do I convert semester credits to quarter credits for Washington nursing?
Highline publishes the formula: quarter credits equal semester credits times 1.5. A 3 semester credit course equals 4.5 quarter credits, which is Highline's minimum per class. Ask the college that lists your credit how many credits it would post, and ask your programme to confirm in writing.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
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.
See the course →
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 →Start when you have it in writing
Ask your programme first; then study only the courses it said it would consider.
Sources
- Highline College: Registered Nurse, AAS information packet 2025-26 (official)Nine prerequisite classes from a regionally accredited college or university, at least 4.5 credits and a 3.0 grade each (2.7 for math), at most 3 attempts; all done by the application deadline; prerequisite classes do not have a time limit; quarter credits = semester credits x 1.5; recommends completing biology and chemistry sequences at one institution; the 1-year LPN-RN programme is no longer offered. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- UW School of Nursing: BSN prerequisite courses worksheet (updated October 2024) (official)No expiration date for prerequisite courses; 2.0 minimum grade in each; 3 natural sciences at a 3.0 cumulative GPA or 4 at 2.8 to apply; 6 natural sciences and 28 quarter credits (General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, A&P I, A&P II, General Microbiology with lab, Nutrition); Statistics, Lifespan Growth and Development, English Composition; 74-81 prerequisite credits and 90 quarter credits before the start date; formal audit at application. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- WAC 246-840-510: Approval of initial (new) in-state nursing programs (official)The board approves new in-state nursing programmes in phases, ending in full approval once the programme meets the nursing education standards; the rule governs programmes, not individual prerequisite courses. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- SBCTC: Tuition and fees (official)2026-27 resident lower-division tuition ceiling of $1,697 for a 15-credit quarter and $5,092 for a 45-credit year; rates vary slightly by college. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.