Overview
Career outlook
Employers hire licensed practical nurses to provide basic patient care such as monitoring vital signs, administering medications, and assisting with daily needs under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians.
Getting in
What Bellingham Technical College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Prerequisite courses
- Transcripts
- Background check
- Drug screen
- Immunizations
- CPR certification
- Health insurance
Full-time 3-quarter certificate, cohort of 10 each fall; estimated total tuition and fees $14,100. No entrance exam; placement via Guided Self-Placement. Prerequisites need a B (3.0) in five courses and C (2.0) in two; approved healthcare experience with verification form. Portal reopens April 1, 2027 9:00 AM; priority deadline April 15, 2027 (decisions mid-May), second priority deadline July 6, 2027 (decisions mid-August). Background check (Complio), 9-panel drug test, immunizations, TB screen, AHA BLS and proof of health insurance. NCLEX-PN 100% in 2023, 2024 and 2025. A part-time option has a separate page.
Checked Oct 2026 on the school's site. Requirements change each cycle, so confirm before you apply.
Paths
Routes into LPN. The first step is where you enroll today.
Medication Aide to LPN
Your medication administration experience counts. Bridge from certified medication aide into practical nursing and full LPN licensure.
CNA to LPN
Step up from nursing assistant to licensed practical nurse. The fastest license upgrade in nursing, and the standard bridge toward RN.
Find your next step.
Getting in starts with a path. Pick one, then follow the people who already did it.