Nova Southeastern University

Admissions Statistics and Requirements for Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry

Background Information

  • Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Institution Type: Private
  • Mission Statement: To prepare, educate and train optometric physicians to practice at the highest level of proficiency, integrity, and professionalism; and to provide a multidisciplinary environment that encourages scholarly activity, service, and lifelong learning.
  • Combined Degrees Offered: N/A
  • Year Opened: 1989
  • Number of Years to Earn Degree: 4
  • Campus Housing Available: Yes
  • Class Size: 107

Admission Statistics: (2024 Applicant and Entering Class Data)

Acceptance Rates by Location*:

Number of Applicants
Number of Enrollees
Enrollment Rate
Overall
790
107
13.54%
In-State
149
60
40.27%
Out-State
552
36
6.52%
International
89
11
12.36%

*According to data from ASCO

Academic Averages for Acceptance* :

OAT Academic Average
OAT Science Average
Cumulative GPA
327
321
3.58

*According to data from ASCO

Prerequisites

Prerequisite Course Work :

Required Course
Credits (Semesters/Quarters)
Required Lab
General Biology
8 / 12
General Chemistry
8 / 12
Organic Chemistry
4 / 6
General Physics
8 / 12
Biochemistry
3 / 4
General Microbiology
3 / 4
Human Anatomy/Physiology
3 / 4
Calculus
3 / 4
Statistics
3 / 4
English
6 / 9

* There are some acceptable substitutions for specific courses. Go to https://www.uab.edu/optometry/home/academics/doctor-of-optometry/admissions-information for more information.

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit:
AP Credit Accepted
Prerequisite courses that are taken online or credits via AP/CLEP courses are accepted provided they are offered by an accredited college or university.
Community College Coursework Accepted
Prerequisite courses that are taken online or credits via AP/CLEP courses are accepted provided they are offered by an accredited college or university.

Letters of Recommendation: 

  • Two letters of recommendation: one from a science instructor and one from an optometrist. 

Supplemental Information:

Required Supplemental Application?
Supplemental Application Fee
CASPer Required?
No
N/A
No

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations for students starting Fall 2025:

Year
In-State Tuition
Out-State Tuition
Additional Fees
Cost of Living Score*
First Year
$43,212
$43,212
$11,797
110.5
Second Year
$43,212
$43,212
$1,947
-
Third Year
$43,212
$43,212
$4,249
-
Fourth Year
$43,212
$43,212
$1,346
-

*All cost of living scores are according to bestplaces.net and provide a rough estimate compared to the average of the United States (a score of 100 is considered average for the United States. Scores lower than 100 would indicate a cost of living lower than average. Scores above 100 indicate a cost of living higher than average).

**Other possible costs can be found at https://optometry.nova.edu/admissions/tuition-fees.html 

Board Passage Rates for First Time Takers

Year
Part I Passage Rate
Part II Passage Rate
Part III Passage Rate
2024
48.54%
73.79%
80.58%
2023
48.57%
80.77%
75.47%
2022
59.22%
86%
79.41%
2021
68.57%
86.87%
84.85%
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