LVN to RN Transition Associate of Applied Science Admissions Guide

• Courses may be online or in person.  If online (or hybrid), you will log onto your computer at the specified course day/time.  You are required to be in attendance, whether in person or online.
• Courses scheduled on campus will be held on the specified day/time. You are required to be in attendance.
• The course days and times will depend on whether you are in the day cohort or evening cohort, and you should plan to attend classes 4-5 days a week.
• Classes are scheduled between the hours of 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. However, there are some clinicals or labs that start earlier and end later.  Nursing clinicals are offered with flexible scheduling options, including day, evening, and night shifts to accommodate diverse student needs and availability. Clinicals are scheduled Monday through Sunday as early as 6:30 a.m. and end as late as 7:00 p.m.
• Clinical sites are located in the Medical Center and all of Greater Houston's surrounding areas. Please note that we will attempt to get students closer to their homes or the Medical Center, but it is not guaranteed.
• Clinical days vary from one (1) to three (3) times per week, depending on the semester level.

On average, 100 students apply for admission each application period. The program's capacity is 35-40 students.

HCC Application Requirements

Step 1: Register for the LVN to RN Transition Information Session:

It is mandatory to attend the Information Session. Please click the link to register. You will receive a confirmation email following registration. If you have questions, please contact coleman.nursing@hccs.edu.

Step 2: Apply for Admission to HCC:

New student to HCC: If you are new to college or transferring to HCC, your first step is to become an HCC Eagle by submitting a free admissions application to HCC. Please create a profile and complete a degree-seeking application at applytexas. Upon completing the application, you will receive your acceptance letter and a welcome email that contains your HCC Student ID number and P-number (if assigned). If you have filled out an HCC application at any point or you already have an HCC student ID number, please do not submit another HCC application. Multiple new HCC student applications and/or ID numbers are not allowed.

Returning student to HCC: If you have not been enrolled in HCC for the past 3 semesters, you must reactivate your HCC student account. If you need assistance with this process, please visit: Returning HCC Student | Houston Community College - HCC.

International Students: If you are an international student planning to attend HCC on a status F-1 (DACA, refugee, L visa, H visa, etc.), please visit the International Students page.

Veteran students: Please visit the Veterans Affairs page. Download and complete DD Form 214 & SF-180 Form and submit with the application.

Step 3: Official High School and College Transcripts:

Please submit your official sealed (unopened) transcript(s) from high school, GED, and any other colleges and/or universities previously attended. We do not accept unofficial copies or official copies that have been opened.

• If you have completed your courses only at HCC, you do not need to submit an official transcript.
• Official transcripts should be submitted 4 weeks before the application deadline.
• Internationally evaluated transcripts should be submitted 12 weeks before the application deadline.
  • All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an approved credential evaluation service. The evaluation must include a course-by-course evaluation and US equivalency for earned degrees. Then the official evaluation report must be submitted to HCC. The HCC Internal process can take up to 8 weeks for evaluation and transfer of course credits. To find a list of approved evaluation companies, please visit Foreign Transcript/ Foreign Credit Evaluators. For more information on transcript(s) submission, please visit Transcript(s).

There are two ways to submit an official transcript from your high school or previous institution:

• Submit Electronically: Have an official PDF transcript electronically sent from approved service providers such as Credentials Transcripts Network, Parchment, and National Student Clearinghouse to: admissions@hccs.edu 
• Submit by Mail: Please use the address: Houston Community College, Office of Admissions & Records, P.O. Box 667517, Houston, TX 77266-7517

If you have completed coursework outside HCC and need more information on transfer equivalency with HCC, please visit the Transferring Credits page.

Step 4: Apply for Financial Aid (this step is optional):

All students should apply for financial aid immediately after applying for admission to HCC. Filling out a financial aid application is the first step in learning your options to pay for college. HCC accepts financial aid applications throughout the year.

- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov, School Code: 010422
- Free Application for Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) at hccs.edu/tasfa.

If you need assistance paying for college, please visit the Coleman Financial Aid office for assistance or visit the Financial Aid page.

Step 5: Complete My Eagle HCC Account Checklist:

Please visit: myeagle.hccs.edu, and sign in to the Student System. Review and complete the HCC Policy and On-Boarding Checklist sections. To avoid delays in the processing of your application, please complete all To-Do List items.

• Career Interest Assessment: All first-time HCC students must complete this module.
• Meningitis Vaccine – Future and returning students who are under the age of 22 are required to submit proof of vaccination. For more information on requirements, resources & any religious, medical, or online student exemptions, please visit the Meningitis Vaccine.
• To receive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit toward admission to the Licensed Vocational Nursing program, the applicant should not have previously taken or attempted the course (by title) that is the same as the PLA credit for which he/she is applying. For more information on PLA, you may visit the Prior Learning Assessment page.
• Texas Success Initiative requirements –If you have the "Texas Success Initiative College Readiness Requirements" Checklist on your To-do List in the Student Center, you have to be placed into core courses in one of two ways:
  • Have an approved exemption (reason) for not taking the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2); or
  • Take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2)
  • Please visit the Texas Success Initiative Assessment to learn about your options to complete this requirement.

Step 6: Meet with HCC Coleman College Advisor:

It is MANDATORY that applicants meet with an HCC Coleman Advisor via phone, in-person, or virtually to review program admission criteria. Proof of this meeting will be provided via email and is required to be attached to the application.  The advisor will provide this documentation to you after your advising session. To view up-to-date advising hours for Coleman College Student Services.

Licensed Vocational Nursing Program Application Requirements:

Complete Requirements and Submit Program Application:

• Complete Health Education Systems (HESI) – A2 Pre‐entrance exam, download assessment results from the website https://www.elsevier.com/, save them in PDF format, and attach them to the online application. The application will be incomplete if HESI exam results, including Critical Thinking and high school transcript/GED, are not attached to the online application by the application deadline.
• The application will be incomplete if all HESI exam scores, the Critical Thinking score, the official High school transcript or GED certificate, and all official college transcripts outside of HCC are not attached to the online application by the application deadline.
• Once you have completed all of your academic prerequisite courses, the HESI exam, and the previously mentioned PDF file documents, you are ready to submit a Nursing program application form online using your HCC Student ID number.
• Applicants can submit one application per program for the application period. Please note: After the application submission, the applicant will not be able to make further edits or upload supporting documents, including but not limited to HESI, unofficial transcripts, etc... Therefore, we strongly encourage the applicant to complete all listed academic requirements, including HESI, check and verify all information on the application and submit completed supporting documents by the application If the applicant is planning to retake any HESI sections, we encourage the applicant to wait to retake the sections and then only submit the completed application with supporting documents by the deadline.
• Complete immunizations and other health requirements, and upload proof of completion to the Complio website by the specified How to create a Complio account and instructions will be found in the section of Program Application: Immunization & Other Health Requirements.

Student Success Course: N/A

Prerequisite Courses GPA: Minimum Prerequisite and overall GPA - 3.0 or higher

Prerequisite Courses:

Completion of the following courses with a minimum grade of ‘B’ upon application deadline (students may be enrolled in the prerequisite course the semester prior to program entry, but the grade must be a B or higher, and the transcript for non-HCC students must be emailed immediately upon grades being posted). The courses below must be completed within 5 years of the application deadline.

Recommended Courses - Optional:

• PSYC 2301 – General Psychology
• PSYC 2314 – Lifespan Growth and Development
• PHIL 2306 – Introduction to Ethics or another approved language, philosophy, and culture elective.
• SPCH 1311 – Introduction to Speech Communication

Placement Test:

All new students enrolling in a Texas Public Institution of Higher Education must take the TSIA2 to determine college readiness unless they qualify for an exemption. Visit TSIA Exemptions for a list of exemptions. If your TSIA scores or transcript do not indicate college-level proficiency in reading, writing, and math, you are required to complete INRW 0420 and one of the specified MATH courses with a minimum grade of 'C' or higher.

• INRW 0420 - Integrated Reading and Writing
• MATH 0432P - Basic Mathematics & Contemporary Mathematics
  • OR MATH 0424P - Basic Mathematics & Introduction to Business Mathematics
  • OR MATH 0442P - Basic Mathematics & Introduction to Statistics

If you would like to determine your eligibility by calculating your cumulative points earned, please use our Admission Rubric.

Payment of $75.00 must be made by either credit or debit card.

HESI-A2 Pre Entrance Exam must be taken between this period (June 5, 2023, to June 5, 2025), of the application deadline date – June 19, 2025.. 

The applicant may retake the unsatisfactory section(s). 

The applicant is allowed TWO ATTEMPTS to test per application period and must PAY for BOTH ATTEMPTS. If the applicant fails to get the required scores on BOTH ATTEMPTS, they must wait until the next application period opens and the New Admissions Guide is posted TO RETEST. During the application period, it is recommended to wait at least 60 days before retesting.

Please note that HESI official scores must be downloaded directly from the Elsevier/Evolve website in a .pdf format - No exceptions.

HESI Remediation through Elsevier is FREE.

1. Go to evolve.elsevier.com/cs/
2. Click on Sign in and log in to your account
3. Go to the My Other Products tab and click Student Access
4. Click on Admission Assessment Report under Exam History to save the report in PDF.

Critical Thinking Scores:

1. Go to evolve.elsevier.com/cs/
2. Click on Sign in and log in to your account
3. Go to the My Other Products tab and click Student Access
4. Click on the plus sign (+) next to Admissions Assessment Report.
5. Critical Thinking will appear in the drop-down list. Click on the link View Results.
6. Click on Results Report.pdf under View Your Detailed Scoring Report on the right (Save this document as a PDF)

The applicant must attach HESI-A2 exam scores to the HCC Coleman Nursing program online application. The application will be declined if the HESI-A2 pre-entrance exam scores are not submitted with the application by the application deadline.

Program Application: Immunizations and Other Health Requirements

Students must complete and upload the following documentation to houstoncccompliance.com/  by the specified deadline. A required fee of $32.00 must be made directly to Complio for access to the site. If you need assistance with Complio/American DataBank, call 1-800-200-0853.

Proof of the following (Please note that titers are blood work that is drawn to determine your immunity status; a titer is NOT the vaccine):

• Hepatitis B Positive Titer (within five years)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), and Positive Titer for each (within five years)
• Varicella Positive Titer (within five years)

****PLEASE NOTE: IF YOUR HEPATITIS B, VARICELLA, OR MMR TITERS ARE NEGATIVE, YOU WILL NEED TO CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN/PRACTITIONER FOR VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS. A REPEAT TITER WILL BE REQUIRED AFTER ADDITIONAL VACCINES TO DETERMINE IMMUNITY.  *****

• Tuberculosis (TB) skin test or blood test (TB test should be completed NO EARLIER than February 1^st of the current year for Fall admission; no earlier than August 1^st for Spring admission). If the results are positive, a chest x-ray (repeated every two years) is required. TB tests are only good for one year and will need to be repeated before the one-year expiration date and uploaded into Complio.
• Tetanus (Tdap) – valid for 10 years (per the Center for Disease Control – CDC)
• Influenza (seasonal flu shot) must be for the CURRENT season; therefore, it must be taken no earlier than August 1^st but before the first day of Fall semester classes; for Spring admission, no later than the vaccine due date listed on the top bar of this document.
• Meningococcal Conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine (Meningitis) is required for students aged 22 or younger. For more information regarding the bacterial meningitis vaccination, please click hhere.
• Proof of health insurance: The student’s name must be on the card. – Proof of personal health insurance: If you need to purchase health insurance, please visit the student health insurance page for a list of health care insurance providers that HCC has compiled as a courtesy to students who wish to contact a potential provider to meet their personal health insurance needs. Students are advised to contact more than one company and compare offerings. Please note that Harris County Gold Card and Legacy Health Clinic are not acceptable for this purpose.

• Current 2-year American Heart Association (AHA), Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR Card (course must follow AHA guidelines): Cards will not be accepted from any other source besides AHA: Cards will not be accepted from any other source besides AHA.

• Physical Examination Form (found on Complio) completed and signed by the physician. A physical examination is required and must be within one year prior to the start of the term. Once the form is complete, please upload the form back to Complio. The form is found under the Physical Exam category, click ENTER REQUIREMENT, and then it will give instructions with the document. 

• Payment of $32.00 must be made directly to Complio. Payment methods including MasterCard, Visa, debit card, electronic check, money order, and installment payment. If you need assistance with Complio/American DataBank, call 1-800-200-0853. 

Instructions on How to Place Orders for Immunizations and Other Health Requirements on the Complio website:

1. Go to houstoncccompliance.com/ to create your Complio account.
2. Once you create your account, you will receive an email with an activation link.
   • Follow this login link and activate your account.
   • Click on the Get Started button to begin! From the Program Drop Down Menu, Select LVN Program.
3. After you have selected your Program of Study, click on “Load Packages.”
   • Under Immunization Packages, click: “Houston CC Tracking Package”. This action will also automatically click the button for the next section, “26 months ($32.00)”.
4. Step 2 will ask you to confirm all details you entered when you created your account.
   • This information will be used to run your criminal background check. It is imperative that you confirm that all details are correct. If you order incorrectly, you will have to place another order, and a refund is not available.
   • We encourage you to opt in to receive text notifications regarding your Complio account.
5. Signing Forms:
   • There will be several forms to sign. Review the document and scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you will check the box indicating you’ve read and agree to the documentation. Using your mouse or trackpad, sign your name and click Next to proceed. The form will refresh to show your signature in the form. You will click Next to move forward.
6. Order Review:
   • You will confirm your order on the Order Review page. Please double-check your package selections, as once you enter your payment information, your order is not eligible for a refund. Please confirm your order before proceeding.

**SEE COMPLIO INSTRUCTIONS PACKET FOR MORE DETAILS**

From within your COMPLIO account, you will be able to:

• View your order results.
• Upload and store important documents and records.
• Manage requirements specific to your program.
• Place additional orders as needed.
• Complete tasks as directed to meet deadlines.

COMPLIO is a third-party organization. Make your payments directly by following payment instructions on their website. Your COMPLIO Service Desk is available to assist you via phone, chat, and email Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. EST 800-200-0853.

Students who are reapplying to the program need to know the following:

• Contact Complio to update your profile for the current semester in which you are applying.
• Drug Screening will have to be repeated for the current semester in which you are applying.
• The Blue Card or Board of Nursing Clearance letter is only good for one year. If the Blue Card or clearance letter is beyond one year, you will need to contact TBON and request a new card or letter for the current semester in which you are applying.
• All immunizations must be up to date.
• Physical exams are only good for one year, but must be good through the entire semester.
• TB and the Flu shot are only good for one season, but must be good through the entire semester.
• CPR/BLS is only good for 2 years, but must be good through the entire semester.

Clinical Requirements for Program Progression & Completion

To provide students with the most robust clinical and educational experience and to ensure that students progress and graduate as scheduled, it is highly recommended that applicants weigh all of their options before agreeing to a conditional acceptance into their desired health science program. In order to facilitate this decision-making, students should understand all of the requirements of their program, including clinical education.

To be placed in a clinical educational experience, students must comply with the guidelines and requirements of HCC clinical sites, including health and wellness directives. Most clinical sites require background checks, health testing, drug screens, and immunizations, including proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Students are required to provide HCC proof that students meet all clinical requirements, with the exception of their COVID-19 vaccination status. Consistent with state law, HCC does not mandate the COVID-19 vaccination. Students have the choice to voluntarily disclose or not disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status through their HCC Complio account.

However, most healthcare facilities do require the vaccine as a condition of employment, volunteering, or student clinical placement. If a student chooses not to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status or is not vaccinated, HCC may not be able to place the student in clinical rotations. HCC will work to place such students into a clinical site that does not require the vaccine, provided such a site is available, and HCC has an active affiliation agreement in place that meets the necessary conditions to provide an appropriate learning opportunity for the student. However, HCC cannot guarantee that clinical sites that do not require the COVID-19 vaccine will be available at the time the student requires placement. At this time, many healthcare facilities are not accepting religious or medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine for clinical students.

If a student chooses not to receive or to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and no clinical sites are available to accept the student who does not require the COVID-19 vaccination, the student’s progression in the program and graduation will be delayed or stopped altogether. If a student cannot be timely placed in a qualifying clinical site, a student may not be able to complete the program. Our affiliate partners’ expectations are the same for our students as they would be when our students ultimately become employees in their chosen fields. Students with questions about clinical requirements and placement may contact the program director of their program of interest.

HB 1508 requires the following information be given to students:

If you are applying for admission to a program that prepares an individual for an initial occupational license or certification and/or if you later decide to change to a program that prepares you for an initial occupational license or certification, in accordance with state law, please be advised of the following:

1. An individual who has been charged or convicted of an offense or who is on probation may not be eligible for issuance of an occupational license or certification upon completion of the educational program.
2. It is the responsibility of the individual to immediately report to the program any change in status that would affect that individual’s eligibility to apply for a license or certification.
3. Local, state, or national licensing and certification authorities may issue additional guidelines related to criminal history.

Applicants should contact their respective licensing or certification authority for more details. Most healthcare programs require all students admitted to the program to submit to a national background check, which may include fingerprinting. Applicants are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license or Certification. Questions related to eligibility requirements should be directed to the individual program and applicable licensing or certification authority.

Pre-Enrollment Process & Requirements

When the number of eligible applications exceeds program seat availability, selective criteria are used to determine which applicants are offered admission.

•  Once the student has met the minimum requirements and received acceptance from the college, the following requirements must also be met for acceptance into the nursing program:
• Please note that your name is automatically submitted to the TBON - Texas State Board of Nursing by the nursing program at the same time that we receive your Letter of Intent. TBON does a criminal background check. Students will receive either a Blue Card or an Outcome/Approval Letter. If you receive a blue card, take a picture of the FRONT and BACK and upload it to Complio under Nursing Board Clearance. If you receive an outcome/approval letter, upload all pages to Complio under Nursing Board Clearance.
• Also note that the card (or letter) is only good for ONE year (the date is the postmark date on the front of the card). If a student has an older clearance card or letter, they will need to contact the TBON at https://bon.texas.gov/.
• For the Background Check question on Complio, answer NO, as TBON is the one conducting the check.
• Drug screen - Order your 10 Panel Drug Screening through Complio by the specified deadline. The cost is $35.00. You will select your collection site during the ordering process. DO NOT ORDER YOUR DRUG SCREEN BEFORE SUBMITTING THE LETTER OF INTENT.  THE DRUG SCREEN CODE WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE LETTER OF INTENT EMAIL.
• Influenza (seasonal). Flu shots must be taken after August 1 but before the first day of class for Fall and between August 1 – September 7 for Spring.
• If you miss the drug screen deadline, you will no longer be considered for the current application period and will need to reapply during the next application period.
• Attend the mandatory In-Person Orientation on the dates provided in your admission email. You will be notified of the orientation date. Fall orientation will be held in July, and Spring orientation will be held in December.

Tuition is estimated using the Texas resident rates. Out-of-district and out-of-state residents will have higher tuition fees. Please visit the tuition calculator for more information. Tuition is for core coursework only. General Education and Support courses are not included. These are high estimates; actual costs will vary depending on health insurance coverage.

Due to increases/decreases in books and supplements, please check the bookstore website at the bookstore website for updated cost information. Only required books are included in the estimate.

Estimated Costs per Semester for Associate Degree of Nursing Courses – (In District)

Paying For College

You can use a valid MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express card to pay for tuition and fees. You can also use a debit card with a Visa or MasterCard logo, but not a non-USA credit card. Online payment via check is also available.

Check or e-check payments have a 10-day hold on the release of official transcripts. International students or their parents can also pay online from their country of origin with their local currency, where applicable. Online payment from other countries can be made through the “International Fund Transfer” payment option.

Additional Options for Payment:

1. Financial Aid
   • If you need assistance paying for college, please visit the Coleman Financial Aid office for assistance or visit the financial aid page.
2. Scholarships
   • In addition to federal and state aid, scholarships are a great way to offset all or part of the cost of your education. Please visit the scholarship page for more information.
3. Capital IDEA Houston fully funds participants’ tuition, fees, and books for an Associate’s Degree or College level Certificate with no loans or paybacks required. Please visit College Degree Programs | Capital IDEA Houston to see the List of Sponsored Programs.
4. Installment Payment Plan
   • If you are paying out of pocket and need assistance on how to set up a payment plan please visit the Business Office at HCC Coleman or visit the student financial services page for more information.