LVN 30-Unit Option — United Nursing College
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For LVNs Pursuing RN Licensure

The LVN 30-Unit Option, Explained

If you're an LVN exploring your options for becoming an RN, it's worth knowing about both the 30-Unit Option and UNC's Advanced Placement Pathway — a program that lets your LVN experience count toward an Associate Degree in Nursing.

30-Unit Option Info See the AP Pathway

Two Paths for LVNs

Understanding Your Options

Both the 30-Unit Option and the Advanced Placement Pathway are ways for LVNs to work toward RN licensure. Here's how each one actually works, so you can decide what fits your goals.

Regulatory Pathway
30-Unit Option
A BRN regulatory pathway, not a UNC degree program
Leads to RN licensure as a non-graduate
RN license is recognized in California only
Status cannot later be converted to a degree-based RN license
UNC facilitates inquiries for this pathway; seat availability is based on space in the Advanced Placement pathway
Read full details below →
UNC Program
Advanced Placement Pathway
A UNC program leading to an Associate Degree in Nursing
Designed for LVNs
Your LVN work experience factors into the application
Has active application cycles through the Mandatory Workshop Series
Learn About the AP Pathway

Using Your Experience

What the AP Pathway Offers LVNs

As an LVN, you've already built real clinical experience. The Advanced Placement Pathway is one way that experience can factor directly into an ADN program. Here's how it works.

  • Your LVN Experience Is Part of the Application
    Full-time LVN work experience of 1 year in the last 3 years is factored into your AP Pathway application alongside your prerequisites and entrance requirements.
  • It Leads to an Associate Degree in Nursing
    Completing the AP Pathway results in an ADN, which supports RN licensure through standard NCLEX-RN channels.
  • It Can Support Further Education
    An ADN keeps the option open to continue into an RN to BSN program later, if that's part of your longer-term plans.

Getting Started

What You'll Need to Apply

Admission into the AP Pathway begins with the Mandatory Workshop Series. Here's a quick look at what's typically required.

Active LVN license
Min. 1 year full-time LVN experience in the last 3 years
High school diploma or equivalent
18 years or older, U.S. legal resident
Prerequisite coursework completed
Official transcripts from all schools attended

Regulatory Information

About the LVN 30-Unit Option

We believe in being fully transparent about every path available to you — even ones we don't currently offer seats for. Here's what you should know.

The LVN 30-Unit Option is not a program offered by United Nursing College — it's a regulatory pathway established by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) that allows qualified LVNs to meet the minimum educational requirements to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam as a non-graduate. A maximum of 30 units of nursing and support courses fulfill this requirement.

  • No degree is granted upon completion of the 30-Unit Option.
  • The resulting RN license is valid for California only — most other states do not recognize this pathway and will not issue RN licenses based on it.
  • Students cannot later change their status from a non-degree 30-unit RN to a degree-holding RN with the BRN.
  • Courses completed are generally not transferable to a four-year university toward a bachelor's degree in nursing.
  • Students may have difficulty applying to a college or university for an advanced degree later on.
  • United Nursing College acts only as a facilitator for this pathway — it is not a UNC program of study, and no degree or certificate is awarded by UNC upon completion.
To Begin Your Inquiry

Please email all unofficial transcripts to info@uunursing.com with the subject line "LVN 30-Unit Option Interest." An admissions representative will contact you with additional information, including current availability.

Additional information concerning the LVN 30-Unit Option is available directly from the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN): P.O. Box 944270, Sacramento, CA 94244-2100 · (916) 322-3350

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The length of the 30-unit pathway follows the AP pathway. However, the 30-unit option requires less prerequisite courses in order to apply to the workshop.
The 30-Unit Option is not a UNC program — it's a regulatory pathway we can facilitate access to but do not run as a structured course of study. Seat availability for this pathway is limited. If you'd like, our team can also walk you through the Advanced Placement Pathway, which is an active UNC program, so you have full information either way.
In most cases, no. Most other states do not recognize California's LVN 30-Unit Option and will not issue RN licenses to those who completed it. If you plan to practice nursing outside of California at any point, this is an important factor to consider.
Yes. Full-time LVN work experience within the last 3 years is part of the AP Pathway's admission criteria, alongside your prerequisite GPA and entrance requirements. Admission into the Mandatory Workshop Series — the first step of the AP Pathway — is determined by a multi-criteria point system.
You're welcome to submit an inquiry by emailing your unofficial transcripts to info@uunursing.com with the subject line "LVN 30-Unit Option Interest." An admissions representative will follow up with current information, including availability.

Ready to Move Forward?

Talk to Our Team About Your Best Path

Every LVN's situation is different. Our admissions team can help you understand which path — the AP Pathway or the 30-Unit Option — actually fits your goals.

Contact Our Team Explore the AP Pathway