Application & Admission

Obtain general college admission to Colorado Northwestern Community College through our application page.

* The State of Colorado mandates that incoming students to Colorado's state-supported institutions of higher education take an assessment test of basic skills, either the CNCC guided self assessment, or ACT.

Before you can be admitted into Colorado Northwestern Community College’s Nursing Program, you must show a good prerequisite completion and proficiency rate. This critical first step will become the foundation of your nursing school educational experience and future career. Please take a moment to review the prerequisite requirements outlined on our Pre-Nursing Pathways page.

Complete at least 12 credits of the prerequisite courses with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.8 or higher for these five courses. Science courses must be completed within seven years of admission to the Nursing Program.

Please review the following documents and submit to CNCC Allied Health Department for application process.

Welcome to the CNCC Nursing Program

Guide to Nursing Program Application Requirements

Letter of Self Recommendation 

Nursing School Application 

Students interested in applying to the Nursing Program must take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)** entrance exam prior to applying.

A score of proficient or higher is required for entrance consideration. Students can only submit one test score per admission year. The deadline to have your TEAS results to us is May 15th.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nursing Department has made the decision to provide all TEAS testing remotely through ATI.  You are responsible for registering with ATI directly to receive a testing date and instructions. The deadline to have your TEAS results to us is May15th. When registering with ATI you must choose an institution, CNCC is listed as CO Northwestern CC. 

For information on registering for TEAS testing please visit: info.atitesting.com 

To register for TEAS testing please visit: TEAS Online

* The TEAS is not a placement test! It requires prior study. Using the study guide and taking practice tests prior to testing is strongly recommended.

To ensure that all your prerequisite courses are accounted for during the application process, please send an unofficial copy of your transcripts to the Allied Health Nursing Program Coordinator for inclusion in your application packet. Unofficial transcripts are for reference only! Official transcripts will still be required and must be evaluated by the Registrar for official transfer credit to be applied.

Provide official transcripts confirming completion of prerequisite courses and GPA to the CNCC Office of the Registrar.

Email digital transcripts to: Admissions

For paper transcripts please mail to:

Colorado Northwestern Community College
ATTN: Office of Registrar
500 Kennedy Drive
Rangely, CO 81648

Admission materials must be submitted by May 15th of the admission year.

Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen

Following conditional acceptance, all nursing students will be required to submit to a criminal background check and a drug screen. Further information will be provided by the Allied Health Coordinator with timing and next steps for completion. Failure to meet the criteria for either will prevent admission into the program. See the following link for the list of CCCS Disqualifying Offenses.

Minimum Functional Abilities

Nursing students are required to meet certain minimum functional abilities in order to succeed in this course of study (please see link below). Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request for persons with disabilities.Minimum Functional Abilities.

Once you have completed the application process listed in steps 1-6 above your application packet will be marked as complete and submitted for review by the selection panel.

Applications will NOT be evaluated until after all spring course grades at CNCC are posted. If you are completing your required prerequisites during the spring semester, you are responsible for sending new transcripts to both the Nursing Department and the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible once your final grades have been posted.

Submission deadline for final grades and new transcripts is May 20^th each year. Any grades or transcripts not submitted by midnight on May 20^th will not be considered in the application evaluation.

Notifications of acceptance into the program are sent out in the last week of May each year. Follow-up letters with additional information and requirements will be sent out to successful applicants by the first or second week of June.

Incoming nursing students will be required to sign an acknowledgement form after reading the Nursing Program Student Handbook at orientation in August. If you are accepted into the Nursing Program, you can start preparing for orientation by reading the CNCC Allied Health Student Handbook ahead of time.