RN Bridge Track is a Diploma program offered by Covenant School of Nursing and Allied Health in Lubbock, TX. The program takes 27 weeks — a 14-week theory module and a 13-week clinical module (24 credit equivalents) to complete, with a total tuition of $8,283. 2026-2027 catalog figure; the website's 10/2025 fee chart prints $10,057 in total.
Program Overview
For LVNs and paramedics. Licensed vocational nurses or licensed paramedics may apply for admission to the RN Bridge Track for completion of their registered nursing education. This accelerated track is 27 weeks in length and includes a 14-week integrated didactic instructional module followed by a 13-week instructional module dedicated to clinical experiences in advanced medical-surgical and specialty populations including pediatrics, mental health and obstetrics/gynecology.
Professional Nursing Care. The 14-week integrated theory module is designed for the student with LVN licensure and nursing practice experience. Building on prior educational experience, it expands on the concepts of care for patients across the lifespan experiencing acute and chronic alterations in health, including end of life, grief and loss, and mental health issues across the lifespan, with the development of professional role, ethical decision making, health maintenance and patient education.
Licensure. To graduate from Covenant School of Nursing, students must be able to fully attend and successfully complete all classroom, lab and clinical components of each required nursing course. Students who successfully complete our program are eligible for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) once they pass the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN).
What sets this Program apart
An accelerated track. The RN Bridge Track is 27 weeks in length: one 14-week integrated didactic instructional module and one 13-week clinical instructional module, building on the student’s prior educational experience as an LVN or paramedic.
Precepted clinicals. The 13-week clinical module begins after successful completion of Nursing 1300. Its emphasis is the clinical care of the adult/geriatric patient, acute mental health patient, childbearing family and the pediatric patient, and the student provides nursing care in various clinical settings under the supervision of a Registered Nurse preceptor with oversight and direction from CSON faculty.
The oldest nursing school in the South Plains. Founded in 1918, Covenant School of Nursing is the oldest nursing school in the South Plains and has graduated more than 5,200 nurses. Graduates of CSON are streamlined into the nursing program at Lubbock Christian University (LCU) to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Admission Requirements and Process
Eligibility. To be eligible to apply for entrance into the RN Bridge Track, applicants must have a valid LVN license to practice in the state of Texas or be a paramedic licensed in the state of Texas, with at least six months of experience practicing as an LVN or paramedic within the last 3 years routinely performing basic nursing or medical skills. Applicants must meet all regular admission requirements, which include completion of the required eight prerequisite courses and the entrance exam.
Minimum requirements for admission. A 2.5 prerequisite GPA and 850 or higher on the HESI Fundamentals exam. Additional considerations are regional residency, Covenant Health affiliation, military service and any history of failures in A&P courses. RN Bridge Track applicants complete the Healthcare Experience Form and are not required to take the ATI admission assessment.
Selection. After the application deadline, Covenant School of Nursing will consider all qualified applicants whose application files are complete and up to date. Selected applicants are sent an email regarding their status as tentatively accepted, alternate, disqualified, or declined admission; tentatively accepted and alternate candidates complete all the requirements according to the deadlines listed in their admission packet.
General Requirements
- High school diploma or GEDProvide an official sealed high school transcript showing proof of graduation, a verified GED or successful completion of an approved home school program.
- Eight prerequisite college coursesComplete English I, English II, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Microbiology (each science with a lab), Human Nutrition and Human Growth & Development at a regionally…
- 2.5 prerequisite GPAHave a grade point average of 2.5 or higher in the required prerequisite courses; the most recent grade earned is used to calculate the prerequisite GPA.
- LVN or paramedic license and experienceHold a valid LVN or paramedic license to practice in the state of Texas, with at least six months of experience practicing as an LVN or paramedic within the last 3 years routinely…
- HESI Fundamentals examScore 850 or higher on the HESI Fundamentals of Nursing exam, taken at CSON during the application period.
- U.S. citizenship or permanent residencyBe a U.S. citizen or have established permanent residency; applicants born outside the United States provide proof of citizenship or permanent residency.
- ImmunizationsSubmit an Immunization Verification Form completed and signed by a licensed health care provider, showing MMR, varicella, hepatitis B and a Tdap within the past 10 years, or…
- Texas Board of Nursing clearanceTentatively accepted students are sent to the Texas Board of Nursing for a background check, and a letter of eligibility is required where a petition for Declaratory Order applies.
Application Process
- 1Request informationAsk about the program, its prerequisites and its application periods, or register for a free Information or Application Session.
- 2Take the entrance examRegister for the HESI Fundamentals of Nursing exam at CSON during the application period; each tester may take it three times per application period.
- 3Submit the online application and packetComplete the online application, print it before submitting, and turn in the application packet with official transcripts, exam scores, a copy of your ID and the $50 application fee. Application period: May 3, 2027 - July 12, 2027 for January 2028.
- 4Admission decisionAfter the deadline the admissions committee considers all complete applications; applicants are emailed their status as tentatively accepted, alternate, disqualified or declined about four weeks later.
- 5Apply for financial aidComplete the FAFSA with school code 014107 and the Financial Aid Student Data Form; financial aid deadlines are June 1, July 1, November 1 and February 1 depending on the start date.
- 6Complete compliance requirementsTentatively accepted students meet the immunization, TB testing, AHA BLS CPR and Texas Board of Nursing clearance requirements, and receive a final letter of acceptance at orientation.
Program Schedule
One start a year. CSON accepts applications one time per year for the RN Bridge Track. Applicants that are accepted for the RN Bridge Track will begin classes in January.
27 weeks. Nursing 1300, Professional Nursing Care, is a 14-week integrated theory module; Nursing 1301, Professional Nursing Care Clinical, is a 13-week clinical module. In the 2026-2027 calendar the RN Bridge module begins January 12, 2027 and ends with graduation on July 23, 2027.
Next application period. To apply for January 2028: application period May 3, 2027 – July 12, 2027; deadline July 12th, 4 p.m.; prerequisites completed by December 2027.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
Attending an accredited school means its training has been reviewed against independent standards that protect students.
This program: the diploma nursing program at Covenant School of Nursing is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN); the most recent decision is Continuing Accreditation. The school is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing.
- A reliable indicator of educational quality
- Reviewed against independent standards
- Recognized by employers and licensing boards
Accreditations
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Tuition and required fees (2026-2027 catalog). Tuition is $4,295.00 for Nursing 1300 and $3,988.00 for Nursing 1301 ($8,283). Required fees: HESI Materials and NCLEX review $593.00 per module, Simulation Center Fee $210.00 and $195.00, Building Fee $350.00 and $325.00, Software License Fee $79.00 and $74.00, Computer Access Fee $23.00 and $22.00, Student Services Fee $18.00 and $17.00, and a Graduation Fee of $62.00. Grand Total $10,844.00.
A different figure on the website. The RN Bridge Track Tuition & Fees chart linked from the website (revised 10/2025) prints tuition of $3,600.00 per module and a total of $10,057.00. The catalog, the newer document, is the figure stored here; tuition and fees are subject to change.
Not in the total. Books and uniforms (approximately $1,500.00 over the 2 instructional modules) are purchased at the student’s own expense. $100 is paid to the Texas Board of Nursing for the application for examination and $200 to Pearson Vue for NCLEX registration. The application fee is $50.
Financial aid. The RN Bridge Track 27 week course is eligible for Federal Student Aid at a prorated rate. Use school code 014107 on the FAFSA; the financial aid deadline is November 1st for the January RN Bridge Track.
Curriculum
Two instructional modules, 24 credit equivalents. Nursing 1300 Professional Nursing Care (14 weeks, 12 credit equivalents) and Nursing 1301 Professional Nursing Care Clinical (13 weeks, 12 credit equivalents): 27 weeks in all. Pharmacology, medication administration and pathophysiology are reviewed within the context of healthcare topics, and nursing skills are reviewed and validated during the theory module.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Career Outcomes
Licensure. Students who successfully complete our program are eligible for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) once they pass the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN).
Published outcomes. RN Bridge Track employment rate: 100% for 2025-2026 (n=44), 74.46% for 2024-2025 and 84% for 2023-2024. First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate: 93.2% for 2025-2026 (n=47), 98% for 2024-2025 and 97% for 2023-2024. Graduation within 100% of the 27-week program length: 91.6% for 2025-2026 (n=38).
Where graduates work. Graduates from Covenant School of Nursing work in acute care, long term care or in the community, including clinics, home health agencies and nursing facilities, and may continue to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Lubbock Christian University.
What to expect as a Covenant School of Nursing and Allied Health student
A hospital-based school. Covenant School of Nursing is a member of Covenant Health, the region’s largest health system, servicing 62 counties throughout West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. In addition to its four hospitals in Lubbock, the Covenant network includes 20 regional facilities, 450 active physicians, 14 home health locations, one home infusion facility and Hospice of Lubbock.
Classrooms on the LCU campus. There are nine large classrooms with seating capacity of 40-50 students, each with Wi-Fi so students can use their own laptop during lectures, and two computer labs with a total of 100 computers for testing. CSON does not have any authorized campus housing; students who would like to live on the Lubbock Christian University campus may do so.
Simulation Center. The CSON/Helen DeVitt Jones Simulation Center, on the 5th floor of Covenant Children’s Hospital, has 4 large mid fidelity patient rooms for skills acquisition, 3 high fidelity patient rooms and 3 debriefing rooms, with human patient simulators used to simulate patient care situations throughout the lifespan. Students may also schedule independent practice times.
Support. Academic guidance is provided by all faculty in each instructional module; students are assigned a faculty advisor, and a student Retention Specialist is also provided. Students may join the Covenant Student Nurses Association, the Texas Nursing Students Association and the National Student Nurses Association, and serve on the Student Welfare Committee.
Working while in school. Nursing students may seek employment with Covenant Health and are given priority in securing positions for which they may qualify. The Covenant Medical Library, in Covenant Children’s Hospital, provides online journals and eBooks that can be accessed on campus and remotely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Other Programs at Covenant School of Nursing
Covenant School of Nursing and Allied Health in Lubbock, TX also offers these 2 programs at 1919 Frankford Ave, Lubbock, TX 79407.