Bachelor of Nursing (BN) – University of New Brunswick

SpaceCat Fit Notes

1. CASPer: Required. 40% of admission score. MAJOR asset for SpaceCat. details
2. GPA window & upgrading strategy: Transfer/university applicants need minimum 24 credit hours with 3.0 (B/70%) average; if more than 24 credits, the MOST RECENT 24 credit hours determine admission average. Also requires Grade 12 prereqs (Bio, Chem, English, Math at 70% each, 75% overall). GPA is 60% of admission score, CASPer is 40%. details
3. Experiential / written advantage: None beyond CASPer. details
4. Out-of-province: No NB residency restriction found for the 4-year BN. details
5. Overall assessment: Strong fit – UNB has one of the most favourable admission formulas for SpaceCat. THE KEY QUESTION: University applicants are evaluated on the MOST RECENT 24 credit hours (8 courses) with a 3.0/70% minimum. This is a resettable window: SpaceCat could take 8 courses (~1 year) to fully reset her GPA. PLUS, GPA is only 60% of the admission score – CASPer is a massive 40%. SpaceCat’s high CASPer could offset a GPA gap significantly. The Grade 12 prereqs (70% each, 75% overall in Bio, Chem, English, Math) are also required, and SpaceCat’s strong HS marks should easily meet these. The combination of resettable GPA window (24 credits) + 40% CASPer weight makes UNB one of the strongest fits across all programs. Fredericton is reasonably accessible from Ontario. The mature student pathway (12 credit hours, 3.0 average) could also apply.

“Admission decisions are based on the applicant’s admission average or Grade Point Average (GPA) (60% weight) and the CASPer score (40% weight).”

“Transfer students require a minimum of 24 credit hours of university course work with an average of 3.0 (B or 70%) or higher. For those exceeding 24 credits, the most recent 24 credit hours determine admission average.”

Quick Facts

• Institution: University of New Brunswick
• Program name: Bachelor of Nursing (BN)
• Degree granted: BN
• City, Province: Fredericton, New Brunswick (also Saint John campus)
• Program type: Standard (4-year)
• Duration: 4 years
• Delivery format: In-person
• Full-time / Part-time: Full-time only
• Language of instruction: English
• Start date(s): Fall (September)
• Intake frequency: Annual
• Application deadline(s): February 15 (rolling admissions with early offers starting November 15)
• Application system: Direct to UNB
• Program URL: https://www.unb.ca/fredericton/nursing/undergraduate/bn/index.html
• Accredited: Yes – CASN accredited. “The only English-language Bachelor of Nursing program accredited by CASN” (at UNB).

Admission Requirements

GPA

• Minimum GPA: 3.0 (B or 70%) on most recent 24 credit hours (transfer/university applicants); 75% overall on four Grade 12 courses (HS applicants)
• Competitive GPA (if known): Not published
• GPA calculated on: Transfer applicants: “most recent 24 credit hours of university course work.” HS applicants: four Grade 12 courses (Bio, Chem, English, Math).

“minimum of 24 credit hours of university course work with an average of 3.0 (B or 70%) or higher”

• Number of credits in GPA window: 24 credit hours (~8 courses at 3 credits each). At 5 courses/semester = ~1.5 semesters to fully reset.
• GPA scale used: 4.0 / percentage (3.0 = B = 70%)
• Do post-degree upgrading courses count? Yes (strongly implied) – “most recent 24 credit hours” regardless of degree status.
• “Entire record” caveat? Not stated for the GPA calculation, but all transcripts must be submitted.

Prerequisites

All applicants (including university/transfer) must present Grade 12 courses:

Overall average of 75% on the four courses required.

For SpaceCat: Grade 12 U Biology, Chemistry, English, and Math (MHF4U or equivalent) from Ontario would satisfy these.

CASPer

Required. 40% of admission score.

“All applicants to UNB’s Nursing programs are required to complete the CASPer test, an online Situational Judgement Assessment, as part of the application process.”

Formula: 60% GPA + 40% CASPer

For SpaceCat: This is the HIGHEST published CASPer weight among all standard BScN programs surveyed (tied with some accelerated programs). At 40% weight, SpaceCat’s very high CASPer could offset a GPA that is well below the competitive average. If her CASPer is in the top quartile, she could potentially gain admission with a GPA at or slightly above the 3.0 minimum.

Supplementary Requirements

• Interview: Not required
• Personal statement: Not required
• References: Not required
• Other: Criminal Record Check, immunizations, English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS for non-native speakers)

How Applications Are Evaluated

• Admission model: Formulaic (60% GPA + 40% CASPer)
• Published formula: 60% admission average/GPA + 40% CASPer score
• Rolling admissions: Early offers from November 15; final deadline February 15
• GPA cutoff: 3.0/70% minimum, then formulaic ranking

Mature Student Pathway

Mature applicants need: - Minimum 12 credit hours (4 courses) of university studies with 3.0 (B/70%) average - Preference given to those who completed this within one year prior to application - Same Grade 12 course requirements

For SpaceCat: The mature pathway requires only 12 credit hours (4 courses) at 3.0 – even smaller than the transfer pathway’s 24 credits. If SpaceCat qualifies as a mature student (criteria not fully detailed), she could reset with just 4 courses. However, preference is given for recent completion. She would still need Grade 12 prereqs (which she likely has).

The Key Question: BA Holder with Strong HS Marks

UNB requires BOTH: (1) university GPA (most recent 24 credits at 3.0+) AND (2) Grade 12 courses (70% each, 75% overall). SpaceCat’s strong HS marks satisfy requirement #2. For requirement #1, she can take 8 courses to reset the window. HS marks are checked as prerequisites but are NOT the ranking factor – the university GPA + CASPer formula determines ranking. This is actually ideal for SpaceCat: her HS marks clear the prerequisite gate, her CASPer carries 40% weight, and she only needs to reset 24 credits of GPA.

Out-of-Province Considerations

• Residency restrictions or quotas: None found for the 4-year BN. UNB appears open to all Canadian applicants.
• Out-of-province tuition differential: UNB nursing 2025-2026: ~$11,784/year domestic ($6,080 fall + $5,705 winter). This appears to be the same rate for all Canadian domestic students (NB does not differentiate in-province vs. out-of-province for domestic undergraduate tuition at UNB).

No residency restrictions found on the admissions page. Source

Cost

• Tuition (total program, approximate): ~$47,000 domestic over 4 years (~$11,784/year)
• Per-year domestic (2025-2026): ~$11,784

Competitiveness

• Cohort size: Not published
• Rolling admissions: May benefit well-prepared applicants who apply early

Fieldwork / Clinical / Practicum

• Placements guaranteed? Yes
• Settings: Fredericton and New Brunswick region
• Clinical practice from first year

Licensing & Career Path

• Licensing exam: NCLEX-RN
• Graduates eligible to practice in all provinces? Yes

Reputation & Notes

• CASN-accredited, well-established program
• Rolling admissions with early offers is unusual and potentially advantageous
• Two campuses (Fredericton and Saint John) increase total available seats
• The 60/40 GPA/CASPer split is one of the most generous CASPer weightings in Canadian nursing

Information Not Found

• Exact competitive GPA cutoff
• Cohort size per campus
• Whether “most recent 24 credit hours” includes courses in progress at time of application
• Whether there are separate seat allocations for NB vs. OOP applicants

Contact: UNB Faculty of Nursing – nursing@unb.ca

Sources

• Official BN page: UNB Bachelor of Nursing
• Academic calendar: UNB BN Calendar
• Program overview: UNB Nursing Fredericton
• Tuition: UNB Nursing Tuition 2025-2026 (PDF)