Individuals who have not formally matriculated to a Rush University degree or certificate program, but who wish to enroll in a course, may do so by completing the Student-at-Large application.
Please note: Completing the Student-at-Large application does not guarantee admission as a Student-at-Large, or SAL. Each college maintains requirements regarding acceptance, which can be found below. Additionally, the University policy regarding SAL should be reviewed before applying.
Application Information
Each college determines the availability of its SAL application.
The College of Nursing SAL Application is now closed. The application will reopen for Summer 2025 on Monday, January 6.
The College of Health Sciences SAL Application is now closed. The application will reopen for Summer 2025 in late January.
Rush Medical College’s Division of Translation Science SAL Application is currently closed.
Admission Decisions
Each college determines which SAL applicants are accepted and denied. College of Health Sciences and Rush Medical College’s Division of Translational Science decide on a rolling basis, while College of Nursing decisions occur en masse shortly after their application window closes. Representatives from each college will contact their applicants directly to communicate a decision.
Method of Payment
If admitted and enrolled as an SAL, payment is due to the Student Business Office via the University Portal by the end of the first week of classes.
Rush employees seeking to use internal Educational Assistance Benefit (EAB) funds, formerly known as LEAP, should complete all necessary paperwork with Human Resources by their deadline. Please note, this deadline may fall before your application to be a Student-at-Large is approved. For more information, please visit the Employee Service Center.
University SAL Policy
A summary of the University SAL policy can be found below. For more detailed information, please review the Academic Policies section of the Catalog.
- Rush Medical College courses for medical students are not available to SALs.
- Clinical courses are not available to SALs.
- SALs are responsible for being academically prepared for requested courses.
- Current degree- and certificate-seeking students have enrollment priority over SALs.
- SALs may be removed from courses if degree- and certificate-seeking students need to enroll in them. Refunds will be issued if payment has already occurred.
- Students may accumulate up to 12 credit hours as SALs; college deans/associate deans must authorize the accumulation of additional hours.
- Credit earned as an SAL will not necessarily apply toward a Rush degree or certificate program if the student is subsequently admitted to a program.
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The College of Health Sciences will provide a list of available courses for Summer 2025 when the application opens for that term.
Questions? Please contact us at CHS_admissions@rush.edu
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The College of Nursing maintains the following policies in addition to those of the University:
- Nursing SALs must have a current RN license.
- For students planning to apply to a Nursing degree or certificate program after completion of SAL credits:
- Students taking courses under Rush student-at-large status will neither be admitted nor allowed to matriculate as an enrolled student if their Rush GPA is below 3.0.
- A grade of B or better must be earned in any course taken at another institution or as a Rush student-at-large in order for it to be considered for transfer.
- Due to the sequencing of courses, taking courses as a SAL may not shorten the length of time it takes to complete a program.
- The college recommends discussing such plans with the appropriate Program Coordinator prior to SAL application/enrollment.
The following College of Nursing courses are available to Students-at-Large every term:
- NSG 521: Antiracism in Organizational Leadership (pre/co-req NSG 523)
- NSG 522: Applied Epidemiology & Biostatistics for Nursing Practice (no pre-req)
- NSG 523: Research for Evidence-Based Practice (pre/co-req NSG 522)
- NSG 524: Health Promotion in Individuals & Clinical Populations (pre-req NSG 522)
- NSG 532: Advanced Physiology (no pre-req)
- NSG 533: Advanced Pathophysiology (no pre-req)
All classes are offered online. Occasionally, a course may be available on-campus; the application will denote such offerings.
To apply, click here.
Questions? Please contact Machelle McInerney, Department Manager, at Machelle_McInerney@rush.edu or (312) 942-0785.
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The SAL application for the Division of Translational Science is currently closed.