Admission Requirements

Learn about the requirements for becoming a student at West Coast University.

Want to know if you’re eligible for admission at WCU? Review our general university requirements and then search the admission information for your specific program of interest. 1 If you have any questions along the way, our admissions advisors are ready to assist you!

Undergraduate Admission Requirements

An undergraduate student applying for admission into West Coast University must:

• Show proof of high school graduation or its equivalent
• Meet any additional admission criteria required by the selected program
• Participate in an interview with a university admissions advisor
• Submit a completed application for admission
• Complete an enrollment agreement (must be signed by a parent or guardian if the applicant is under 18 years of age)
• Be 18 years of age prior to clinical rotations (if applicable to the program)

Start Date Information for California BSN Students

The following information applies to California students applying for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or LVN to BSN program.

WCU accepts students based on seat availability. Your application must be accepted before we assign you a seat in a program. If you do not complete your application, enrollment, and acceptance requirements, we cannot assign you a seat, which could delay your start date.

Circumstances that might affect your program or core nursing start date include:

• Transfer credit evaluations
• Courses in progress at another institution or organization
• Challenge exams

Graduate Admission Requirements

A student applying for admission to a graduate program at West Coast University must:

• Show proof of a completed bachelor’s degree
• Meet program-specific admission requirements
• Submit a completed application for admission
• Attend an admissions interview with a university admissions advisor
• Complete an enrollment agreement

Requirements for International Students

Are you a non-immigrant international student who is interested in attending WCU? If so, you may be eligible to enroll in one of our on-campus undergraduate programs. We do not, however, accept foreign applicants with student visas for our graduate programs or our programs that are offered primarily online.

International students must meet the same program admission criteria as all other prospective students. To be considered for admission, prospective international students must be eligible to apply for a student visa (F-1) or must be a resident in the United States in a temporary residency status that does not require a change of status in order to attend a university.

Instruction at WCU is provided in English only. Students are required to be able to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English. WCU does not offer English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction.

Prior to admission, an international prospective student must:

1. Be officially enrolled or accepted by the university
2. Show proof of financial support
3. Provide evidence of English proficiency, which can be established by providing documentation of one of the following:
   • Graduation from an American / international high school program where the curriculum is given in English
   • Graduation from a high school in the United States as an exchange student
   • Graduation from a high school in a country where English is the official language
   • A passing score on the entrance exam required for admission to the program
4. Have an I-20 form for attendance at the school
5. Other individuals already in the U.S. under a temporary status, which requires a change of status, must file an I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) and pay the required fee to the United States Bureau of Customs and Immigration Services prior to admission.

Prospective international students must submit a copy of the student visa or approved Change of Status Form and I-94 entry/departure form to WCU prior to starting their classes. Approval of a change of status can take 60 to 120 days.

For additional information, see the International Admissions – Undergraduate page in our online catalog.