To enter a bachelor's program, a student must have graduated from high school or obtained the equivalent GED. Some programs may even have a specific grade point average that the student must meet. Other programs may not require an associate's degree in nursing but will say that those with an associate's degree or experience in nursing are preferred over those students with no experience.
Universities and colleges will require the student to complete specific courses before they can officially enter the nursing program. An example of several courses that function as prerequisites include general biology, human physiology, human anatomy, statistics, nutrition intervention and intro to medical microbiology. Students will need to receive a specific grade or better, normally a C or B. Each program will have a different list of prerequisite courses, and many programs will offer a list of classes that will satisfy the prerequisite, so you will have options. Most of these prerequisite courses can be completed in the first year of a BS program.
Some nursing programs will require a foreign language requirement. There are normally several options available to demonstrate foreign language proficiency including completion of three years of the same language in high school, successfully passing a foreign language test or completing the required foreign language coursework at the university. Many times transfer credits in foreign language classes can be applied to the foreign language requirement. Not all BS programs have a foreign language requirement, as this depends on the university.
Some universities do not require any prerequisites to enter in the nursing program. You simply must submit an application to be a student at the university and select the nursing school or program on the application. You will simply need to meet the prerequisites to attend the university as there are no additional prerequisites for the nursing school.