Find the right starting route
Nursing needs closer program-level checking than most subject searches. An associate nursing degree, a nursing assistant certificate, and an RN-to-BSN route represent different stages and awards. Santa Monica College's nursing catalog includes classroom, lab, and clinical coursework; Valencia College says admission to its nursing program is separate from admission to the college. If your goal is registered nurse licensure, identify the exact prelicensure program and the state in which you intend to qualify. Ask the college and relevant nursing board to explain the sequence from admission through clinical placement, graduation, exam eligibility, and any later bachelor's study.
Where can you study nursing?
Our directory currently lists 12 relevant program and qualification entries across 4 colleges. Use the official program links to compare the exact awards. This selection is not a national ranking.
The table includes distinct qualifications and related pathways, not interchangeable courses. College locations identify the institution, not a confirmed teaching campus. Confirm current intake, international admission and F-1 program eligibility directly with the college.
Separate college and program admission
A general college acceptance does not necessarily reserve a nursing seat. Valencia explicitly describes its nursing program as limited access and requires a separate application after specified preparation. Ask for the current nursing admission guide, selection criteria, prerequisites, deadlines, and whether any courses must be completed before applying. Compare the timing with your own prior science and general education work. If you are considering multiple colleges, make a separate checklist for each; a prerequisite or clinical requirement at one institution may not carry across unchanged to another.
Understand clinical and licensure steps
Clinical learning is integral to prelicensure nursing, not an optional add-on to lectures. Santa Monica College's plan includes repeated nursing labs across adult health, mental health, maternal-newborn, pediatric, and leadership topics. Valencia describes classroom and clinical experiences and a route toward the National Council Licensure Examination. Confirm where clinical placements occur, how they are scheduled, and what health, background, or other clearance steps the program requires. Then confirm with the nursing board in your intended state how that particular degree relates to exam and license eligibility; a college award and a license are distinct.
Plan beyond the associate degree
A nursing associate degree can be one stage in a longer education plan. Valencia describes a traditional route and an RN-to-BSN continuation, as well as a concurrent track with UCF. Those routes have different applications and may have different availability to international students; Valencia's page specifically lists the concurrent program among its exclusions. Do not infer eligibility from a general nursing page. Ask both the nursing department and international office about the exact track, clinical participation, full-time schedule, and future transfer options before committing to a start date.
Questions to ask before you apply
- Is admission to this nursing track separate from admission to the college, and what are the current prerequisites?
- Where and when do clinical placements occur, and what clearances are required?
- Can the nursing department and international office confirm this exact track is available to me and explain its licensure pathway?
For the financial side, use our tuition comparison calculator with current international prices from each institution. For a bachelor’s goal, read how the 2+2 transfer pathway works.
Sources and further reading
Table entries link to the college sources used in our directory. Read our coverage and corrections policy.