Admission requirements

CRNA programs for a lower GPA

No accredited program says it welcomes a low GPA, and a published minimum is the lowest GPA a program will consider, not the GPA of the people it admits. What does vary is which GPA gets checked. 37 of the 151 programs in our directory calculate their minimum on something narrower than every class you've taken: nursing coursework, the last 60 credit hours, the most recent degree or upper-division courses. 2 more offer a second minimum on a different set of courses. If your weakest grades are early prerequisites or a first degree, these programs may see a stronger number. Saint Mary's University Minnesota Nurse Anesthesiology is the only program with a published minimum below 3.0. Every figure comes from the program's own admissions page, checked September 2026.

40
programs listed here
20
use nursing coursework
16
use the last 60 credit hours
5
use the most recent degree or upper-division courses
10
tie the GRE to a GPA cutoff
ShareEmailTextXFacebookLinkedIn

Programs that calculate their minimum on all college or undergraduate coursework aren't listed here; the GPA requirements page has every program. Neither are the 18 programs that publish a minimum without saying which coursework it covers.

40 programs where recent coursework counts or the minimum is lower

10 programs that tie the GRE to your GPA

At these programs a GPA under the line doesn't end an application; it can mean sending GRE scores. Each condition is the program's own, in plain language.

Which of these are you actually competitive for?

Get an honest 0–100 candidacy score against every program above — free, no card.

Score your candidacy →

CRNA programs for a lower GPA — FAQ

Can you get into CRNA school with a low GPA?

It's harder, and it depends on which GPA a program checks and what the rest of your application shows. 37 programs in our directory calculate their minimum on nursing coursework, the last 60 credit hours, the most recent degree or upper-division courses, so older grades may not be the number compared against it. Strong recent science grades, high-acuity ICU experience and the CCRN give a committee more to weigh than an old transcript. Confirm each program's rules on its own page.

What is the lowest GPA accepted for CRNA school?

The lowest published minimum in our directory is 2.75, at Saint Mary's University Minnesota Nurse Anesthesiology. 9 programs publish no minimum at all, which isn't the same as accepting any GPA. A minimum is the lowest GPA a program will consider, not the GPA of the people it admits.

Which CRNA programs look at the last 60 credit hours?

16 programs in our directory calculate their minimum on the last 60 credit hours or accept it as an option: Arkansas State University Nurse Anesthesia, Carson Newman University Nurse Anesthesiology, Florida International University Nurse Anesthesia, George Fox University Nurse Anesthesia Program, InterAmerican University Puerto Rico Nurse Anesthesia, Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia, Missouri State University School of Anesthesia, National University Fresno Nurse Anesthesia Program, Newman University Nurse Anesthesia Program, Texas Wesleyan University Nurse Anesthesia, Union University Nurse Anesthesia Track, University of Texas Medical Branch Nurse Anesthesia, University of Texas San Antonio Nurse Anesthesia, UPMC Hamot Gannon University Nurse Anesthesia, Wayne State University Nurse Anesthesia, and Western Carolina University Nurse Anesthesia. Some count only nursing coursework within those hours, so check exactly which courses fall in the window.

Should I retake classes or take the GRE to offset a low GPA?

It depends on the program. 10 programs tie the GRE to a GPA cutoff (listed above), so if you're under a cutoff there, a GRE score is part of the application. Elsewhere, retakes and new science coursework change the GPA itself, but how much depends on how the program and the application service count repeated courses, so ask before you enroll. Our guide to repairing your GPA with retakes walks through the tradeoffs.

Compare programs another way

Cheapest CRNA programsShortest CRNA programsCRNA programs that don't require the GRECRNA school GPA requirementsCRNA school ICU experience requirementsHybrid CRNA programsCRNA programs by state

Get deadline reminders before they catch you out

CRNA application tips, program updates, and deadline reminders. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Free CRNA application tips & news. Unsubscribe anytime.