Home » Nursing Programs at Vermont State
Nurses treat, teach, and lead in patient healthcare. From supporting patient health in critical care and long-term settings to strengthening systems and guiding staff as clinical leaders and preparing new nurses for this in-demand field, the opportunities in nursing are many.
Vermont State’s respected array of Nursing degree and certificate programs will prepare you to enter the field and build your credentials on a timeline that meets your goals and educational experience.
In each program, you’ll gain diverse clinical experience across long-term care, acute care, critical care, and the specialties in both clinical agencies and laboratory experiences.
Option 1:
VTSU’s 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is located at the Castleton campus.
The program follows a four year degree plan culminating in a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and providing eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-RN (otherwise known as the State Board Licensing Exam).
Please refer to Program Admission Requirements for Nursing.
Option 2:
VTSU offers a career ladder approach to building nursing credentials for students who want to enter the field quickly and build expertise step-by-step through the three programs that ultimately lead to a BSN.
- Year 1: Apply to our Practical Nursing Certificate Program, a three-semester, ten-month program. Once completed, you will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
- Year 2: Enroll in the two-semester Associate of Science degree program. Once completed, you will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam to become a Registered Nurse.
- Years 3 & 4: Enroll in the online Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Completion program for practicing Registered Nurses. All classes are taught fully online with local precepted experiences. You may attend part-time or full-time.
Note: If you are not currently a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Nurse (RN), then you are new to nursing. Please review your options in the “New to Nursing?” accordion.
Already a Licensed Practical Nurse? Apply to the Associate of Science in Nursing program to prepare to become a Registered Nurse.
Already a Registered Nurse? Apply to our Nursing Online Degree Completion program to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with online classes and local precepted nursing experiences completed where you work.
Already hold your BSN.? Explore how our Master of Science in Nursing will expand your opportunities in the field and choose between the Clinical Nurse Leader and Nurse Educator concentrations to reach your career goals. Please note: We are no longer accepting applications for a fall 2025 start for this program. We will begin accepting applications for a fall 2026 start in the coming academic year.
All nursing programs offered at VTSU maintain Vermont State Board of Nursing approval. The LPN, A.S., and RN-B.S.N. programs are accredited by the:
The NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA)
The Watergate
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Eighth Floor
Washington, DC 20037
CNEAaccreditation@nln.org
Nursing, B.S.N.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Vermont State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001. Phone: 202.887.6791.
Nursing, M.S.N.
The master’s in Nursing program at Vermont State is accredited by the the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001. Phone: 202.887.6791.
Nursing is both an in-demand and growing field and there are many ways to make your education affordable. To begin, VTSU offers a reasonable tuition rate for nursing education, along with financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Please contact Admissions@VermontState.edu to explore affordability with VTSU.
In addition, many of our clinical affiliates offer tuition assistance for nursing students who agree to work for the facility as an LPN or RN after graduation. Several facilities offer additional scholarship programs to help their employees pay for nursing school, including:
- Central Vermont Medical Center
- Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
- Southwestern Vermont Health Care
- University of Vermont Medical Center
We encourage you to reach out to your local facilities to learn about opportunities available close to home. You can also contact Admissions@VermontState.edu for assistance.
At Vermont State, you’ll build your critical skills through clinical experiences, career coaching, and more. Clinical placements are a key part of your educational experience; they also quickly grow your professional network and expand your job opportunities. Our clinical affiliates span the field, providing a rich professional network and many ways to enter and build your nursing career. The following is a sample of sites across our Nursing programs.
Acute Care
- Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC), Rutland, VT
- Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), Lebanon, NH
- University of Vermont Medical Center (UVM-MC), Burlington, VT
- Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), Bennington, VT
Long-Term Care
- Genesis Mountain View Center (Genesis), Rutland, VT
- Rutland Health and Rehabilitation Center (RHH), Rutland, VT
- Vermont Department of Health
- Local elementary and high schools
- Doctor’s offices or clinics
- Senior residential centers
- Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Southwest Region
- Bayada Home Healthcare
- Addiction and recovery centers
- Outpatient diabetic centers
The Vermont State University Practical Nursing Certificate Program, Associate of Science in Nursing Program (LPN-ADN), and RN-BSN Online Degree Completion Program are pursuing accreditation from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA), located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20037; phone 202-909-2487. Interested parties are invited to submit third party comments in writing directly to NLN CNEA (cneaaccreditation@nln.org) no later than Friday October 10, 2025
