Determine what type of nursing school you are interested in attending. An associate degree in nursing (ADN) takes two to three years; a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) takes four years, and a master's entry level nursing program takes one to two years and requires a prior undergraduate degree. Accredited programs that offer online nursing programs include Kaplan University, Chamberlain College of Nursing, Colorado Technical University and University of Phoenix.
Apply for admission online. You may need copies of your SAT or ACT scores, and many schools require the National League for Nursing Pre-Admission Exam in order to apply. As some programs have limited space, you may want to apply to more than one online nursing program to increase your odds of success.
Complete your online degree once accepted into an online nursing program.
Contact the State Board of Registered Nurses in your state to inquire about licensing requirements. For instance, in the state of California, the Board of Registered Nurses' website is rn.ca.gov. Applicants would need to supply the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) with an application six to eight weeks before graduating---request that the school send the BRN your transcripts---and pass a criminal background check.
Take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX), which is an online test that is offered six days a week. It is advised to take the test as soon as possible after graduation while the material is still fresh in your mind to increase your chances of success. If you pass, you will be notified and sent your RN license.