Whether you'll interview for nursing school depends on the program. Some BSN, accelerated, and direct-entry programs interview everyone they are considering, some never interview, and some use a recorded video or a situational judgment test instead. Here is what named nursing programs say about their interviews and how to prepare for each kind.
From nursing programs' own admissions pages2026-27 cycleChecked October 28, 2026
Practice with a mock interviewOne-on-one on Zoom with Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP.
Jump to:Do schools interview?Formats by programWhat they look forQuestions to practiceNP and CRNAHow to prepareFAQ
Do nursing schools interview?
Some do and some don't. Two examples of programs that don't:
- Duke ABSN: “Interviews are not required for the program” (Duke).
- UCLA MECN (master's entry): “We do not conduct interviews currently.” and “The Statement of Purpose is considered your written interview” (UCLA).
When there is no interview, your written statement does its job. See our nursing school personal statement examples.
Interview formats by program
These come from each program's own page. Check the page for every program you apply to, since formats change.
| School | Format | What their page says |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Valley State (BSN) | Live, two interviewers | “The interview lasts 15 minutes.” Five questions “that are both behavioral-based and reflective.” Worth 25% of the admission decision. Source |
| University of Cincinnati (BSN) | Recorded MMI, optional | “many short independent assessments, typically in a timed circuit.” “Interviews take place virtually in November.” Source |
| UW-Madison (accelerated BSN) | Virtual group interview | “Three faculty members,” “Three-four applicants per session,” and “about one minute to answer each question.” Source |
| Yale (GEPN, MSN, DNP, and others) | Recorded Kira assessment | “approximately 25-30 minutes to complete and includes both written and video-response questions.” Source |
| Cal State Long Beach (BSN) | Written and oral exercise | “Only the top 125 applicants are invited to participate in the Communication Exercise,” “an evaluation of both written and oral communication skills.” Source |
For how MMI stations work, see our page on the MMI interview.
What nursing programs look for
Grand Valley says its interview lets students “show presence, communication skills, and readiness to join the nursing profession,” and that “Interviewers do not have access to other materials” (GVSU). That last point matters: you can't rely on your application to tell your story. Cincinnati uses its interviews “to obtain an aggregate score of each candidate's soft skills” (Cincinnati).
For graduate programs, Rush says its interview is “strongly considered in the admission decision” and looks for:
- “A clear understanding of the degree, program, and role to which they are applying”
- “The ability to clearly articulate career/professional goals.” (Rush)
Questions to practice
Nursing programs don't publish their interview questions. Based on what they say they assess, practice these out loud. They are my practice prompts, not questions any program has published:
- Why nursing?
- Why this program, and why this path (BSN, accelerated, or master's entry)?
- Tell me about a time you cared for someone who was difficult to care for.
- Describe a time you worked on a team that wasn't working well.
- Tell me about a mistake and what you did about it.
- How do you handle stress and long shifts?
- What would you do if you saw a classmate or coworker do something unsafe?
If you're switching careers into an accelerated or direct-entry program, expect a version of “why now?” Have a specific answer.
Some interviewers have your application and some, like Grand Valley's, don't. Either way, reread your own nursing school personal statement before the interview. If you haven't submitted yet, see our nursing school personal statement examples, or work with Lauren Hammond, PhD, our personal statement editor.
NP and CRNA interviews
Graduate nursing interviews ask more about your clinical experience and your goals. Nurse anesthesia programs can go further. Akron's nurse anesthesia FAQ says “ICU clinical knowledge, encompassing but not restricted to ventilator management, ABGs (arterial blood gases),” and other areas “will also be assessed during the interview process,” and “You must have obtained the CCRN certification before being granted an interview” (University of Akron). If you're applying to CRNA programs, prepare for clinical questions as well as behavioral ones.
For CRNA programs, see our CRNA school interview guide. See our nurse practitioner and CRNA personal statement examples.
Recorded interviews and Casper
Recorded platforms such as Kira give you a question, a short prep time, and a timed answer, with no interviewer to react to. Yale's takes 25 to 30 minutes and mixes written and video answers. Practice speaking to a camera on a timer until it feels normal. See our Kira Talent interview guide.
Some BSN programs use Casper, an online situational judgment test, instead of or in addition to interviews. Cal State Long Beach says, “All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2026/27 admissions cycle” (CSULB). See our Casper test guide.
How to prepare
- Find out whether and how each program interviews. Live, group, recorded, or none.
- Prepare five or six stories. A patient or caregiving moment, a team problem, a mistake, a stressful stretch, and why nursing.
- Keep answers short when the format is short. UW-Madison gives about one minute per answer, and Grand Valley fits five questions into 15 minutes.
- Know the program and the role. Rush looks for a clear understanding of the degree and role you're applying to.
- Practice out loud and get feedback. You can't hear your own filler words or see how you come across on camera. A mock interview shows you both.
Practice with a real interviewer before the real one. My wife, Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist who runs mock interviews on Zoom for nursing school applicants. She coaches every format: one-on-one, panel, MMI, and recorded video interviews such as Kira Talent. She works on how your answers come across: clear key words, pace, voice, filler words, organizing an answer so it has a point, staying steady when you're nervous, and how you look and sound on camera. It's $250 an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do all nursing schools interview?
No. Duke's ABSN says interviews are not required, and UCLA's master's entry program says it does not conduct interviews. Others interview: at Grand Valley State the interview is 25% of the admission decision.
How long is a nursing school interview?
It varies. Grand Valley's BSN interview lasts 15 minutes with five questions. Yale's recorded Kira assessment takes 25 to 30 minutes.
What kind of questions are asked in a nursing school interview?
Mostly behavioral and reflective questions. Grand Valley says its five questions are “both behavioral-based and reflective.”
Do nursing schools use group interviews?
Some do. UW-Madison's accelerated BSN uses a virtual group interview with three or four applicants and about one minute per answer.
Do CRNA interviews include clinical questions?
Some do. Akron's nurse anesthesia program says ICU clinical knowledge, including ventilator management and ABGs, is assessed during the interview.
Do nursing schools require Casper?
Some BSN programs do. Cal State Long Beach requires Casper for the 2026/27 cycle.
Every format and quotation on this page comes from the program's own admissions page, linked where it appears. Last checked October 28, 2026.