Education - Formal Education Programs for Students

Approved Texas Programs and NCLEX® Pass Rates

Choosing a Nursing Program

It is always important to investigate the credentials of a program of study before investing time and money in the pursuit of education. All potential nursing students should be aware that any program of study they are considering should be appropriately licensed and approved by a state board of nursing before they enroll in the program. A list of Texas Board approved nursing educational programs is provided on the Board's website at:

Contact information for each school is included with each listing of approved programs.

Unapproved Nursing Educational Programs Operating in Texas

The Board is aware of six schools operating in Texas without Board approval. Graduates from these programs would not be eligible to take the NCLEX® licensure examination. Review the BON News posting for more information and a list of the six schools.

UPDATE - On May 29, 2012, the Office of the Attorney General issued a permanent injunction against Richardson-based Esther Medical Institute, Inc. (EMI), its owner Esther Oleru, and Stanley Jean, owner of Georgia-based ATCI Medical Institute and Oleru’s offshore financial sponsor, for failure to obtain valid licenses or exemptions to operate a career school under the Texas Education Code. The judgment also held the owner of the now-defunct healthcare school liable for $840,000 in restitution to students, imposed a $150,000 civil penalty, and ordered the defendants to pay any attorney fees associated with the case.

Out-of-State Programs/Online Programs/Correspondence Courses

The Texas Board of Nursing (BON or Texas Board) approves and regulates nursing education programs in the State of Texas. The Texas BON recognizes graduates from pre-licensure nursing education programs that are approved/accredited by other State Boards of Nursing as eligible to apply to take the NCLEX® examination(s) and apply for licensure in Texas.

Approval by the BON for pre-licensure nursing education programs in Texas is mandatory by statute. Nursing education programs offering baccalaureate nursing courses to registered nurses are not under the mandated jurisdiction of the BON. RN to BSN students are already licensed to practice as registered nurses. Many of the generic pre-licensure baccalaureate degree nursing education programs in Texas approved by the BON have RN to BSN tracks included in their programs.

Listings of all vocational and professional nursing education programs approved by the BON are available on the BON web site. The contact information for each program is included in the lists. Some may offer online or correspondence courses as educational options when c ompleting the nursing education program. The programs can be contacted directly to find out what types of educational options are available.

Out-of-state nursing education programs can be contacted directly for information and specific questions about the program and the program’s approval/accreditation status in their state. It is recommended that individuals research the approval/accreditation status and credibility of any nursing educational program before enrolling in individual courses or the entire program of study.