NursingCAS Program User Guide
This guide provides you with documentation, reference guides, and direct links that answer common admissions questions about the NursingCAS Applicant Portal, Configuration Portal, and WebAdMIT. It also contains resources that may help you work more efficiently throughout your admissions process. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please contact a member of your account team.
Cycle Timeframes
Applicant Portal
The Applicant Portal opens in early August and closes in late January, over a 17-month period. You can view the specific cycle dates, including final processing dates (e.g., last date to submit transcripts, last date to request letters of recommendation, etc.), on the NursingCAS Application Cycle Dates page.
Configuration Portal
Between mid-May and early July, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment. The account team and AACN review submitted configurations in July.
WebAdMIT
You can view new applicants and initiate a transfer settings shortly after the new cycle opens in early August.
Program Participation Requirements
AACN requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from AACN and NursingCAS, including the configuration, application, and WebAdMIT launch notifications.
Applicant Portal
The first three sections of the NursingCAS application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).
You can access the NursingCAS application and NursingCAS Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).
For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:
- Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
- Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Review the requirements for the NursingCAS Complete application status.
- NursingCAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs: a suggested timeline for completing and submitting the application, links to important pages including cycle dates and fees, and a FAQs section.
You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to NursingCAS Customer Service.
Liaison Letters
When applicants request letters of recommendation, the recommender receives an email with a link to log in to Liaison Letters, the Recommender Portal. Applicants can request several types of evaluations, including:
- Recommendations with Likert scales: the recommender rates the applicant on various Likert criteria.
- Recommendations with a letter upload: the recommender uploads a letter of recommendation.
- Recommendations with Likert scales and a letter upload: the recommender rates the applicant on various Likert criteria and uploads a letter of recommendation.
Configuration Portal
Use the Configuration Portal Quick Start Guide to make sure you configure your program(s) efficiently and completely in the prelaunch environment. Be sure to check out your CAS's configuration options and review the best practices found throughout. If any optional sections of the application are required for your program (e.g., experiences, test scores, etc.), you'll want to note this on your program home page.
Once you've configured your program, you'll need to have it approved by the account team and AACN before it is available to applicants. If your program is reviewed after the cycle launches, AACN will approve it.
Review the Program Transcript and Coursework Requirements and Application Statuses table below to learn how your transcript and coursework requirements affect the applicant's Application Status and the GPAs provided to you.
Program Transcript and Coursework Requirements and Application Statuses
This table is from the NursingCAS Applicant Help Center. All links below will redirect you to that help center.
Note that only bachelor's degrees and above are confirmed as awarded (if applicable) during verification.
WebAdMIT
Review the WebAdMIT Help Center for any questions related to working in WebAdMIT. The Reference Guides and WebAdMIT Training and Support sections are additional resources as you configure WebAdMIT for your needs. Documents commonly requested include:
- Application Coupons Reference Guide: learn how to request coupons to offset application fees and disperse them to applicants. To purchase coupons, use the Coupon Code Payment Gateway. To learn more about purchasing coupon codes, review our FAQs.
- Data Dictionaries and Master Code Lists: a comprehensive list of all fields available in the Export Manager and Report Manager, including associated lookup tables.
- Integration Help Center and WebAdMIT API: learn how to set up an API and schedule automatic data exports from WebAdMIT into your SIS/ERP.
- Manual Designations: learn how to add additional programs (i.e., designations) to an application in WebAdMIT.
- Requesting Official GRE CAS Codes: a guide on how to create CAS-specific codes in order to receive official GRE scores in WebAdMIT.
- Social Security Number (SSN) Documents Reference Guide: a guide on how to configure a PGP key to receive an encrypted file that contains the applicant's CAS ID and SSN.
- Transfer Settings Guide: a review of how programs and templates built in WebAdMIT are carried forward each cycle.
The Release Notes feature new enhancements in the Applicant Portal, Applicant Gateway, Configuration Portal, Liaison Letters, and WebAdMIT, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.
For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.
Cycle Enhancements
2025-2026
The table below contains enhancements for NursingCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.
|
Portal |
Section |
Enhancement Details |
Implementation |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Other Information |
The first generation status question in the Additional Questions section was updated to: Are you the first generation in your family to attend college (i.e., neither your mother nor your father attended college)? |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Academic History – Standardized Tests |
Applicants can self-report their Duolingo test scores. You can view their scores under the Standardized Tests panel on the Applicant Details page. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Configuration Portal |
Branding |
Pixel tracking can be enabled on the Add Programs and Program Materials sections to gain more insight into your program or organization's applicants. You can insert your tracking ID into the CAS Configuration Portal to establish standard tracking pixels from the major ad providers including Google, Meta, and LinkedIn. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available now |
|
Liaison Letters |
Recommendation Forms |
Recommenders can include comments on their ratings for Likert scales and questions. You can view their comments within WebAdMIT and the full application PDF. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Liaison Letters |
Email Templates |
The evaluation form type name is now included in the following email templates:
|
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
List Manager Export Manager Scoring Applicant Header |
The following new fields were added:
|
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Export Manager |
The following fields were added to the Evaluators field grouping in WebAdMIT exports:
These fields correspond with the evaluations added via the Program Materials (Quadrant 4) section of the application. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Applicant Details Page Email Templates Export Manager List Manager |
The Title field is no longer collected in the application and will be removed from WebAdMIT. You will need to update any lists, exports, emails, and other integrations to account for this field removal. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Applicant Details Page Export Manager List Manager |
If your CAS has different recommendation types, a Letter Type column appears in the Evaluations panel and contains data for program-level recommendations. Additionally, a new Evaluation Sub Type field is available in the List Manager and Export Manager. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Applicant Details Page Export Manager List Manager |
The Refugee answer option was removed from the Visa Information question in the application; the correct option, I-94 Refugee, remains available. You should update any lists, exports, and other integrations to account for this answer option removal. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Applicant Details Page |
You have partial (i.e., limited) viewing rights for applicants in the On Hold application status. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
2024-2025
The table below contains enhancements for NursingCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.
|
Portal |
Section |
Enhancement Details |
Implementation |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Biographic Information |
The Gender question now includes a third custom gender value: X. This allows CASs to meet their guidelines and new reporting options from state and federal governments. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Release Statement |
The NursingCAS Release and Certification Statements were updated. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Other Information |
A new question was added to the Additional Questions section: Please indicate whether you participated in the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP). Additionally, a new AACN Questions section was added with the following question: What other nursing programs are you interested in applying to that are not available in NursingCAS? |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information My Profile |
If a CAS has a custom question in the first three quadrants (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) or Extended Profile section, then the question can be configured to be internal only, meaning that that question and answers will not be sent to other portals such as the CAS API and WebAdMIT. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
My Profile |
The European Union Data Protection and Applicant Privacy Notice questions are now internal only. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Academic History – Transcript Entry |
Applicants can view instructions when entering their coursework details. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Program Materials – References |
Applicants can create a custom recommender pool, where they enter a recommender’s information once and then select the recommender for any programs that they apply to. This enhancement alleviates the applicant burden of entering recommender information for every program and speeds up the application process. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Applicant Help Center |
The full text of the NursingCAS Applicant Responsibilities was removed from the Applicant Help Center and replaced with a link to a copy of the text. This ensures that applicants can view the most accurate and up-to-date version. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Configuration Portal |
Program Details |
A Nurse Scientist answer option was added to the Graduate Level Track attribute. A new Accrediting Body attribute was added. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available now |
|
WebAdMIT |
Export Manager List Manager |
The TOEFL Official PBT fields were removed. If you have exports and lists that include this field, you will want to review and update them as necessary. Additionally, the following new fields are available:
|
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Work Groups |
In WebAdMIT, you can configure Work Groups to allow users to see specific panels on the Applicant Details Page. With this enhancement (from Release 11, 2023) if you remove access to a panel for a Work Group, the fields in that panel are also not available for the Work Group to see when creating exports, lists, or PDF manager templates. For example, if the Race and Ethnicity subpanel is not enabled for a Work Group, its members will not see the information from that panel when creating an export, and will not be able to create filters in List Manager using any of the fields from that panel. As a result of this enhancement, reports that are not shared with Work Groups from the Report Settings page will be inaccessible to anyone who is not a WebAdMIT Administrator. Review the How Work Groups Impact Access to Features and Fields documentation to learn more about the impacts of this enhancement. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Export Manager Search Applicants |
A duplicate Designation Status field was removed. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
2023-2024
The table below contains enhancements for NursingCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.
|
Portal |
Section |
Enhancement Details |
Implementation |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Applicant Portal |
Dashboard |
A new notification banner is available for the application dashboard. CASs can share best tips and tricks with applicants as they complete their applications. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Release Statement |
A new Release Statement Acknowledgement was added. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Personal Information |
A new Fee Waiver Acknowledgment section was added. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Official IELTS Tests |
Applicants can submit their official IELTS test scores to the CAS, and you can review those test scores in WebAdMIT. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Letter by Liaison |
Account |
The Guest Recommender Access feature was disabled. Evaluators must log in or create an account to submit an evaluation. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Background Checks |
AACN no longer contracts with the CastleBranch background check service; all background check fields in WebAdMIT are now disabled. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Logo |
The NursingCAS logo was updated. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |