Washington State (WSU) Nursing Interview: Kira, Selection, Dates
How WSU's Kira Talent nursing interview works, who gets invited, how much it counts, and the dates for fall 2027.
WSU ranks BSN applicants with a weighted formula of GPA, prerequisite GPA, TEAS score and experience hours, then invites the top applicants to an interview. Every interview is done remotely on Kira Talent and is reviewed by at least 2 College of Nursing reviewers. It is the second and last stage, and you hear within 3 months of the deadline.
Key facts (Fall 2027 entry)
- Format
- A remote, recorded interview on Kira Talent.
- Reviewers
- At least 2 reviewers from the College of Nursing.
- Who is interviewed
- The top applicants after a weighted formula of experience, cumulative GPA, prerequisite GPA and TEAS score.
- How it counts
- Academic metrics are worth roughly half. An amazing interview can make up for a below-average GPA.
- Apply
- Fall start: October 1 to December 20. Spring start: May 15 to July 15.
- Minimums
- Junior standing, a 3.0 cumulative and prerequisite GPA, and a TEAS score of 70.
- Cost
- About $15 in Kira Talent fees if you are invited to interview.
What happens in the interview
The interview is the second and last stage of the application. You must take part to complete it.
- Remote, on Kira. All interviews are conducted remotely through Kira Talent.
- Two or more reviewers. At least 2 reviewers attached to the College of Nursing review each interview.
- Invite by email. Details go to the email on your NursingCAS account within 3 months of the application closing.
- Kira Talent fee. Applicants invited to the final step of an interview are charged about $15 in Kira Talent fees.
Check your spam folder. All WSU and NursingCAS messages go to your NursingCAS email, so watch every folder after the deadline. If reviewers find minor issues on your application, they email you and give about 2 business days to update it.
How you get an interview
WSU scores four things first and invites the top group. Meeting every minimum does not guarantee an invitation.
The weighted formula
- Grades. Your cumulative GPA, which counts all college coursework ever attempted, and your prerequisite GPA.
- TEAS. Your TEAS score, version 7, taken within a year of applying. You must submit the Individual Performance Profile, and WSU recommends testing at least 2 weeks before the NursingCAS deadline.
- Experience. Up to 500 hours of paid or volunteer work from the last 3 years. Health care hours with direct patient contact weigh more, and you provide reference contact information in NursingCAS for a random audit.
Minimums to apply
- Credits. Junior standing, meaning 60 semester or 90 quarter credits.
- GPA. A 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 average prerequisite GPA, with at least a C in each prerequisite.
- In progress. No more than 3 prerequisite courses in progress when you apply.
- TEAS. A minimum score of 70.
No essays or letters. WSU does not review letters of recommendation or essay responses, so the interview is where you speak for yourself.
How offers are decided
After the interview, WSU combines everything in a holistic review. It also considers attributes and experiences outside the standard metrics.
- About half academics. Academic metrics are worth roughly half of the application, so WSU tells applicants to also focus on experience and interview skills.
- Strengths can balance. A stellar TEAS score or an amazing interview may overcome a below-average GPA.
- Published averages. Cumulative GPA 3.69 (standard deviation 0.295), prerequisite GPA 3.72 (standard deviation 0.259), TEAS 81.45 (standard deviation 6.3), 280 health care hours and 161 non-health care hours.
- Decisions. Fall-start decisions typically go out by the end of April, and spring-start decisions by the end of October.
Dates and campuses
m. m.
Pacific). The fall window is open now, for a fall 2027 start.
- Fall start. Applications open October 1 and close December 20, for Spokane or Tri-Cities.
- Spring start. Applications open May 15 and close July 15, for Spokane or Tri-Cities.
- Up to two campuses. You pick up to two campuses in NursingCAS, and you cannot change them after you submit.
- Clinical travel. Clinical sites can be up to 50 miles from your base campus.
How to prepare
Your experience hours and your interview are where you can move past applicants with higher grades.
- Know your hours. Pick two moments from your health care or volunteer work that show what nurses do. These are the stories to bring to the interview.
- Know nursing values. WSU names altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, advocacy, social justice and lifelong learning as values central to nursing. Have an example for two of them.
- Practice on camera. Record answers to questions you have not seen and check that each starts with the point.
- Plan for the cost. Budget for NursingCAS, transcripts and about $15 in Kira fees if invited.
Pick your campus on purpose. Say why Spokane or Tri-Cities, and how you will handle clinical drives, sometimes in snow and ice.
Practice questions
Questions in the style of a Kira video (by invitation) station, written for applicants to Washington State University College of Nursing. They are practice questions, not the school's own. Open one for what a strong answer does.
What experience first led you to pursue nursing?
Pick one specific moment from your experience hours and say what it taught you about the nurse's role. Example answer, written by our team (the applicant is invented): While working as a Certified Nursing Assistant in a long-term care agency, I helped care for a resident who had lost mobility after an illness and was refusing meals and therapy. Instead of rushing through the morning routine, the charge nurse sat at eye level with him, asked what mattered most to him that day, and adjusted his care schedule so he could choose when to wash up and when to eat before therapy. Watching that nurse protect the resident's autonomy and human dignity changed how I understood the profession. I saw that clinical judgment and patient advocacy belong together at the bedside. Once the resident felt heard, he began eating again and participating in his care plan. That experience showed me I wanted to become a nurse who combines safe, evidence-based care with steady advocacy for patients and families.
The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses treats advocacy as part of the nurse's role. What does advocating for a patient look like in practice?
Give a concrete example of speaking up for a patient, not a definition.
A patient with a history of substance use disorder reports severe pain, but the care team dismisses it as drug-seeking and won't reassess. As a nursing student on the team, how do you advocate for the patient without overstepping?
Respect the team while asking for a fair reassessment through the right person.
You are a nursing student caring for a patient who is due to be discharged today. While you're helping them pack, they tearfully tell you they don't feel safe going back to where they live. What do you do?
Stay with the patient, take it seriously and bring in the nurse and the right team before discharge.
Nursing is physically and emotionally demanding work. Why do you want to become a nurse anyway?
Name the hard parts honestly, then show what you have seen that makes them worth it to you.
Burnout and compassion fatigue are often cited as reasons nurses leave the profession early in their careers. What is your specific plan to recognize and combat the early signs of burnout in yourself?
Name your own warning signs and the habits you already use, which shows real self-knowledge.
Frequently asked questions
Does WSU nursing have an interview?
Yes, for the top applicants. After a weighted formula of GPA, prerequisite GPA, TEAS and experience, WSU invites the top prospective students to a remote Kira Talent interview.
Who reviews the WSU nursing Kira interview?
At least 2 reviewers attached to the College of Nursing. WSU then makes its decision through a holistic review of everything in your application.
When will I hear about a WSU nursing interview?
Within 3 months of the application closing, by email to the address on your NursingCAS account.
What GPA do you need for WSU nursing?
The minimum is a 3.0 cumulative and 3.0 prerequisite GPA. WSU's published averages are a 3.69 cumulative and a 3.72 prerequisite GPA, with an average TEAS of 81.45.
When is the WSU nursing deadline?
December 20 for a fall start (applications open October 1) and July 15 for a spring start (applications open May 15).
Sources
Official pages only, read on the date shown. Schools change their process every year, so check the school's own page before you apply.
- Washington State University College of Nursing: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (PL-BSN) · read October 25, 2026
- Washington State University College of Nursing: How to Apply (PL-BSN) · read October 25, 2026