Application deadline: March 1 – Fall 2027 materials are not yet available.
Those interested in applying for possible consideration for Fall 2026 must submit all application material by March 1. All application material is processed by the Health Professions Advising and Applications Office (HPAAO) at Virginia Western.
We encourage applicants to apply as early as possible for advising purposes. By applying early to Virginia Western and submitting official transcripts of high school and College coursework, one of the HP Team Advisors will be able to help you with your course selections each semester, even if you are not yet ready to apply to the program. This allows us to advise you in a timely manner of any prerequisite requirements you have not met and how you may meet those requirements, as well as selecting courses that can be utilized to increase your GPA.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the Best Practices for Application to Health Professions programs that are held the first Friday of each month (except July) at 1:00 PM in Fralin Center Room HP210. The sessions outline the application processes for Health Professions programs, the timeline for programs, tips and best practices, etc. so applicants can be better prepared for the application process and be in the best place that they can be for admission.
How to Apply
All application material(s) must be submitted directly to the HPAAO at Virginia Western. If you fail to do so, we will not be responsible for any delays in processing your file. Complete the following and submit in one envelope (if possible) to:
Pam Woody, Health Professions Advising and Applications Office
Virginia Western Community College
3091 Colonial Ave SW
Roanoke, VA 24015
A meeting with an advisor is not required. If you have questions, advisor meetings should not be scheduled until until after all transcripts have been submitted and reviewed. You may contact the Health Professions team of advisors at healthprofessions@virginiawestern.edu.
1. Apply to Virginia Western.
If you are not a current Virginia Western student, apply to the college by completing a Virginia Western Application. Indicate your plan of study as Career Studies Certificate: Introduction to Nursing. You must apply with the correct plan of study prior to submitting any additional application materials.
All NEW students intending to enroll in classes at Virginia Western are encouraged to contact the Enrollment Center if they have questions about direct enrollment, course requirements, financial aid, etc. Visiting the Enrollment Center is a great way to learn more about what the College offers and available resources. They will refer you to a New Student Advisor or to one of the pre-admission advisors for Nursing if necessary. Find out about New Student Advising here.
2. Apply to the Nursing Program.
Apply to the Nursing Program by completing the online 2026 Nursing Application below. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible so that we can begin the initial review.
Application Instructions (PDF)
If you’ve applied to the college and have your MyVWCC username and password:
- Use this link: Nursing Application (login with your MyVWCC username and password)
- Complete the application and click Submit Form.
- If you save your progress, use this link to go to the Dynamic Forms User Portal. Once there, go to My Forms to find it under Pending/Draft Forms and choose Complete Form.
If you have not yet applied to the college and do not have a MyVWCC username and password:
- Use this link: Nursing Application
- Select Create New Account in the bottom left corner of the sign-in screen.
- Submit the requested information. An email will be sent to the provided email address with an activation link. This link will take you to the Nursing application. If the link fails to open the application, click the application link above.
- Complete the application and click Submit Form.
- If you save your progress, use this link to go to the Dynamic Forms User Portal. Once there, go to My Forms to find it under Pending/Draft Forms and choose Complete Form.
Current Healthcare Experience
Applicants with current healthcare experience will be given consideration in the application process. Prior healthcare experience is established by the following credentials: Nurse Aide, Certified Medical Assistant, EMT, Paramedic, or Phlebotomist.
If you have no credential but prior healthcare experience of at least one year, you may submit to Pam Woody a letter of recommendation from your employer stating your work role in patient care and including the length of your employment (must be at least 12 months).
Please submit either your healthcare licensure/credential or the letter of recommendation with your Nursing application by the deadline of March 1.
3. Obtain and submit your transcripts.
Before you continue: You need to have an active Virginia Western application with a plan of study of CSC: Introduction to Nursing before you submit your official transcripts.
Official transcripts are required from:
- Your high school (even if you have graduated college). If you graduated from a foreign high school, see below.
- Any institution attended/attempted, even if transferred classes appear on a later institution’s transcript.
Your application packet must include all official sealed transcripts (high school and college) and a copy of your GED scores (if applicable). Exception: You do not need to request transcripts from Virginia Western or any other community college in Virginia.
Home-schooled students must provide a detailed curriculum completion report (course listings and grades achieved) from their school administrator (including a statement indicating if a lab component was completed for any Biology and/or Chemistry classes).
We suggest you request your transcripts be sent to your own mailing address, so you know whether they have been received. Do not open any envelope that contains a transcript, because it will no longer be “official”. If a school’s policy prevents them from issuing official transcripts directly to you, please request they be sent addressed to Pam Woody at the address above.
Transcript Request Form (PDF)
Note: Official Electronic transcripts (from high school and colleges) can be accepted from such platforms as Parchment, Scribbles, National Clearinghouse, etc. Please use pwoody@virginiawestern.edu or if using Parchment, select, VWCC-Health Professions as the destination.
Foreign high schools and universities
Applicants who graduated from a foreign high school can complete the GED and submit official scores of the GED to the HPAAO. They can also submit their transcripts to one of the organizations who are members of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) and have the official report that verifies completion of United States High School education equivalency sent to the HPAAO. Either the copy of the GED scores or the official report from a NACES organization member must arrive by the application deadline of March 1 to be considered for the fall program. Here is a link to the current members of the NACES.
Foreign university transcripts must be evaluated by an approved organization (such as WES) and sent to Pam Woody from the organization before transfer credit can be determined.
4. Attend Mandatory Information Session
Attendance at an Information Session is required of all program applicants or those who intend to apply. Covered topics include: cost of the program, rigor of the program, faculty/student expectations, concept-based nursing education, the role of nurses in 2026, employment while enrolled in the nursing program, and other related information.
To register for an Information Session, please register through the Virginia Western Extended Services Application.
You must have already applied to become a Virginia Western student (See Step #1 above) to obtain a username (your MyVWCC username) for the log-in. You do not need to have applied for the Nursing Program to register for the Information Session, only to the college. For assistance with this log-in, please call the Help Desk at 540-857-7354.
Once logged in, click “Health Professions Services,” which is typically listed third on the list. Click through to Schedule an Informational Session. When registering for an Informational Session, do not select “Register for Discover”, you must select Health Professions Services.
Note: If this is the first time you’ve logged into the Extended Services App, you will be required to input your text messaging preferences for the College. This lets us know if you would like to receive text messaging from the College and lets you choose which options you wish to receive notifications on.
Informational Session dates will be added to the Extended Services App website in September for the fall and spring sessions. Typically, the fall sessions focus on the LPN to RN bridge components and the spring sessions focus on traditional nursing applicants.
All applicants for fall 2026 must register for and attend an Information Session between January 2026 and March 2026 to qualify for fall 2026 consideration.
5. Submit your application materials.
Before submitting your application packet, review the Nursing Checklist (PDF) to make sure you have completed everything.
We recommend mailing your application packet to Pam Woody at the address above.
If necessary, packets can be hand-delivered to the HPAAO in Fralin Center Room HP339 (open daily 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM). If the office is closed, you may slide your packet beneath the door.
Once your application and all transcripts have been received by the HPAAO, you will be sent a two-page letter to your application email address verifying your prerequisites and support classes. If you have not received this letter in 3-5 weeks, please contact the HPAAO because there is likely something missing from your application packet and we are unable to consider you for a seat in the next cohort.
Note: Applicants should remember to update the HPAAO (healthprofessions@virginiawestern.edu) with any changes to their email address throughout the process. The application email address is used for all future contact from the advising office regarding the application unless the HPAAO is contacted to change it. Please note that advisors will contact you with the email address in Navigate, so you should turn on your notifications in Navigate. If you need assistance with this, please contact the Help Desk at Virginia Western.
6. Review the Nursing Checklist
Details about other steps taken after your application is submitted, including the Kaplan, are discussed in the Nursing Checklist below.
Nursing Checklist (PDF)
7. Attend Mandatory Orientation
If accepted, plan to attend the mandatory orientation for Fall 2026, which is tentatively scheduled for one day in the third week of June from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Admission Process Timeling
Other than the application deadline, the following dates are not final and are provided as a guideline only.
| Date | Task |
|---|---|
| September – March | Attend mandatory nursing information session |
| March 1 | Deadline to submit all application materials, transcripts, etc. |
| Late March | Check Navigate for Kaplan testing instructions |
| April | Kaplan testing |
| Late May | Applicants notified of acceptance |
| June | Program orientation |
| Mid-August | Program begins in fall semester |
Transfer Applicants (from one Nursing program to another Nursing program)
Transfer applicants must complete the steps outlined in the Transfer Request Policy/Requirements from One Nursing Program to Another.
NOTE: Transfer credit is only allowed for a nursing course of comparable credit and content. Transfer credit is given for a grade of C or above in nursing courses completed in the previous two years. Only courses taken at State Board approved schools are considered for transfer credit. Placement is considered on an individual basis. An applicant who meets all admission requirements is not guaranteed admission to the program. Successful applicants will be notified by the end of May 2026.
Program Cost & Length
Est. Tuition*: $
Program Length: 2 Years
Credits: 65
*Estimated cost reflects in-state rate and is subject to change. Click here for the cost of attendance for financial aid.
Health Professions Advising
healthprofessions@virginiawestern.edu
Fralin Center HP339
New Students: Chapman Hall
540-857-7341 or 540-857-6644
Fax: 540-857-6640
Program Head
Dr. Kelley Pennell
Coordinator of Nursing
DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) – University of Texas Health San Antonio, 2017
MSN with Adult Clinical Specialist Certification – University of Texas School of Nursing Austin, 2007
BS in Business Administration, University of Phoenix, 1996
AA in Liberal Arts, Dallas Community College, 1991
Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist-BC, Expires 2028
Have Questions? Contact Us
enroll@virginiawestern.edu
Chapman Hall
855-874-6690
School of Health Professions
DID YOU KNOW?
This program is eligible for G3 funding assistance! Click here for more information and to contact an advisor.

