Practical Nursing Certificate

• Direct clinical experience: Learn hands-on beginning in nursing simulation centers. 
• High NCLEX-PN pass rates: 99% of our students passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) in 2024.
• Great earning potential: LPN positions offer a median annual salary of $59,730.* 
• One-year program: You can start working in the field within one year of starting this program. See the Practical Nursing academic calendar.
• Multiple career paths: LPNs work in long-term care and outpatient clinics, physicians’ offices, and healthcare agencies, and work under the supervision of an RN, physician, or dentist, with increasing responsibilities as you build experience. 
• Seamless transition to your associate degree in nursing: You’ll be prepared to enter Vermont State’s one-year A.S. in Nursing program while you work as an LPN. 

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Vermont State University is providing a high-quality, affordable certificate in Practical Nursing to students across Vermont and beyond. More than 80 percent of Vermont State students are awarded financial aid, including new students, transfer students, international students, out-of-state students, and first-generation students.

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, but not limited to:

• Central Vermont Medical Center
• Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
• Rutland Regional Medical Center
• Southwestern Vermont Health Care
• University of Vermont Medical Center

We encourage prospective students to reach out to local facilities to learn about available opportunities. Contact Admissions@VermontState.edu for assistance

Program Specific admission requirements are located at https://vermontstate.edu/admission/program-admission-requirements/.

Students must also show proficiency in math and English preparation as demonstrated through minimum accuplacer scores and/or approved transfer credit. It is recommended that applicants complete high school math preparation in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry.

Start your application today at https://vermontstate.edu/apply

In addition to nursing courses, the student is required to complete the following courses or their equivalent with a minimum final grade of C+ prior to graduation. Science courses must be taken within the last ten years. The program highly recommends that the student complete these required courses prior to enrolling in the program to reduce the scheduling demand of nursing and requisite courses. 

• BIO 2011 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
• BIO 2012 Human Anatomy & Physiology II
• BIO 1030 Nutrition
• PSY 2070 Lifespan Developmental Psychology

Practical Nursing is offered at a number of learning sites throughout the state.

Students are expected to attend all in-person experiences and lab sessions, as well as in-person and hybrid classes, as part of their learning. Travel is required between learning sites and clinical sites and students should be prepared to meet all travel requirements to complete this program successfully.

• You will meet for class, simulation, and skills lab at a learning site.
  
• You will gain clinical experience through observations and hands-on clinical practice in clinical placements. We will work with you to arrange your clinical placement, but cannot guarantee your placement will be at a specific location. 
  
• Please note: The White River Junction, Middlebury, and Newport sites are clinical learning sites only. Students in one of these clinical cohorts must take their classes at one of the main campuses. 
  Courses at the Johnson Campus are offered only on even-numbered years.
  
• Please also note: Circumstances beyond our control may require students to travel beyond their immediate regional healthcare facility for the clinical practice. 

The Vermont State University Practical/Vocational Nursing Program (system) holds continuing accreditation from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA), located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037. 202-909-2487

Our Academic Calendar is available for prospective students to review at their convenience.