Yes! The UMSL/BJC Nurse Externship Program (NEP) is open to students who are enrolled in a BSN program and will be classified as senior status by May, 2025. It is required that you are scheduled to graduate from your respective nursing program by May, 2026. The NEP is open to students enrolled in any BSN in the country who meet the criteria.
No. All applications are reviewed after the submission deadline of Monday, February 24, 2025.
No. February 24, 2025 is the absolute deadline for applications to be received. Any applications received after February 24, 2025 will not be reviewed.
Yes, the course is required for all students accepted into the UMSL/BJC NEP.
Yes! You will receive approximately $5,600 for the 10-week NEP.
No. The minimum GPA requirement for the NEP is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
You will be responsible for the tuition costs and fees for the course taken through UMSL. If you do not live in MO or the Metro East area, you will be responsible for out-of-state tuition. Students may contact UMSL Student Financial Services at 314-516-5526 for additional details. UMSL tuition and fee information can be found on their website.
Yes. These fees are set by UMSL and are non-negotiable.
Yes! Housing is available through the University. If needed, you will arrange and pay for on-campus student housing. We will provide you with the necessary contact information. Refer to the section, Extern Housing.
You will be expected to work the schedule of your assigned mentor. This may include shifts scheduled for days, nights, weekends and/or Holidays. You will be notified of your assigned mentor/preceptor by late April/early May 2025.
We will provide you with the contact information for your assigned mentor in late April/early May 2025. You may then contact your mentor to begin planning shifts!
We strongly discourage working an additional job while participating in the NEP. You are expected to work your assigned mentor’s schedule which may change at times. You will not be excused from your extern role because of job commitments.
It is very difficult to fit a class schedule around your extern obligations. Please do not apply to the UMSL/BJC NEP if your nursing program expects you to attend classes and/or a different clinicals rotations during the summer.
You must be available to work all 10 weeks of the program and able to work the shifts of your assigned mentor.
Applicants are provided the opportunity to select their top three (3) unit preferences for placement consideration. Hospital assignment is determined via a collaborative process among the UMSL CON coordination and BJC HealthCare clinical partner teams. Each participating hospital provides an exceptional clinical experience that aligns with the core values and standards of BJC HealthCare and objectives of the externship program. Be sure to correctly follow the unit preference selection process on the application! All components of the application are thoroughly reviewed. Be sure to correctly follow the essay guidelines and be specific! Be sure to thoroughly review your essay and application documents prior to submission.
All applications will be reviewed beginning the fourth week in February 2025.
Notifications will be sent out via email late February/early March 2025.
Yes. Completed reference forms should be separately submitted by the faculty member, instructor or supervisor via the portal address listed on the reference letter. All application components must be submitted and complete to be considered. Please confirm with your faculty, instructor and/or supervisor that the required document was correctly submitted.
All correspondence regarding the NEP will be via email. It is very important that we have your correct email address!
The University will make the decision on resident and non-resident tuition. If your permanent address is in Missouri or the immediate Metro East area, you are considered a resident and will qualify for in-state tuition cost. Otherwise, you are considered a non-resident. Your permanent address is the address where you or your parents pay taxes (if you are a still a dependent, you may use your parents’ address).
Yes! Many hospitals use an externship as a criterion of hire for some units. Nurse recruiters often give priority to applicants who have participated in a nurse externship program. While often likely, we cannot guarantee that you will be offered a job in the facility or unit that you are assigned to as an extern.
No. The UMSL/BJC NEP is only open to students enrolled in a BSN program.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at the University of Missouri-St. Louis are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791. The baccalaureate degree program is approved by the Missouri Board of Nursing; all programs are approved by the Higher Learning commission.
