Capella Student › FAQ
Short answers, one or two sentences each
Every answer here is deliberately brief. If you want the reasoning behind one, each group links to the page that carries it. All figures are Capella's own published terms, checked August 2026.
Cost
How much does Capella cost?
FlexPath bills one flat fee per 12-week session, around $3,125 at the midpoint of the published band. A master's is roughly $12,500 at four sessions and $28,125 at nine.
Why does the same degree cost different amounts?
Because you pay per session, not per course. Your pace sets your price, so two nurses doing identical work to the same standard can pay $15,000 apart.
Is $18,000 for a master's accurate?
It is Capella's own figure, and it describes the fastest 25% of students. Most working nurses land nearer $18,750 across six sessions.
How much is one FlexPath session?
Published rates sit roughly between $2,400 and $3,500 depending on program and level, plus a resource fee. Nursing at master's level sits in the upper half.
How is GuidedPath billed?
Per credit, roughly $370 to $490 depending on program and level, on a quarterly calendar. The total is fixed before you start.
Are there hidden fees?
Not hidden, but not in the headline: a per-session resource fee, technology and course fees, books, and on clinical tracks the costs attached to placement.
Does financial aid cover Capella?
Yes, Capella is Title IV eligible in both formats. FlexPath aid runs on a 48-week borrower-based year, which behaves differently from a normal term calendar.
Will my employer pay for it?
Check their approved-school list. It is a policy document specific to you, and it frequently settles the school choice outright.
Formats and grading
What is the difference between FlexPath and GuidedPath?
FlexPath is self-paced with a flat fee per 12-week session and no due dates. GuidedPath is per-credit, on a quarterly calendar, with set deadlines, discussion posts and letter grades.
Does FlexPath give you a GPA?
No. FlexPath does not use letter grades at all. If you need a GPA for a doctoral application, choose GuidedPath.
How is FlexPath work scored?
Each competency is scored Non-Performance, Basic, Proficient or Distinguished. You must reach Basic at undergraduate level or Proficient at graduate level on every competency.
Can one strong section carry a weak one?
No. Capella states plainly that a learner cannot use one strong skill to average out a weaker one, so a single criterion below the bar returns the whole assessment.
Does FlexPath have discussion posts?
No. GuidedPath has weekly discussion posts; FlexPath has none by design.
Are there due dates in FlexPath?
You set your own target dates in the first 12 days of a course. You must engage at least once every 28 days and finish each course within 12 weeks.
How many courses can I take at once?
One or two at a time. Finishing one lets you start the next immediately rather than waiting for a new billing session.
What happens if an assessment is returned?
You revise and resubmit. There is no failing grade recorded — what it costs is time inside a session you are already paying for.
Can I switch formats?
Yes, and nurses do, most often from FlexPath to GuidedPath. Credit has to be remapped between two different counting systems, so treat it as a recovery option rather than a plan.
Transfer credit and admission
How much credit does Capella accept?
Up to 135 quarter credits in GuidedPath, or 68 of 90 points in FlexPath. The two are different systems, not different words for the same thing.
Should I choose a format before or after a credit assessment?
After, always. The same transcript can be worth materially more in one format than the other, and choosing first is the most expensive avoidable error here.
Does Capella accept Sophia or StraighterLine credit?
Often, for general education, but it depends on the specific provider and course for your specific program. Confirm before you subscribe rather than after.
Will credits from a program I did not finish count?
Frequently yes, particularly general education and foundational nursing coursework. Stranded credit is usually the strongest card a returning nurse holds.
What GPA do I need?
The floor is 2.0. The recommended figure is 2.8, or at least 100 applied transfer credits. Below both, applications can still be reviewed with supporting documentation.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
No. Neither is required for admission.
What does the RN-to-BSN require?
An accredited associate degree in nursing, official transcripts, photo ID, a current unrestricted RN licence with a work experience acknowledgement, and a background check.
When can I start?
Starts are monthly, so you are never more than a few weeks from beginning. That is also why the decision can feel rushed.
Practicum, accreditation and recognition
Does Capella find your preceptor?
No. Securing an appropriate preceptor and site is your responsibility. Capella publishes guidance and names a partner route, but the finding is yours.
When should the preceptor search start?
Around month nine if your practicum opens near month fourteen, because approval routinely takes weeks and sometimes months.
Can I use my own workplace for practicum?
Often yes, if the site and preceptor meet the requirements and your employer permits it. Confirm the policy formally, not just with a supportive colleague.
Is Capella accredited?
Yes. The institution is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the nursing programs hold CCNE accreditation, which is the one that matters for licensure.
Is Capella a diploma mill?
No. It is regionally and programmatically accredited and Title IV eligible. Self-paced is not the same as unaccredited.
Do hospitals accept a Capella degree?
Broadly yes, and CCNE accreditation is why. The variable is individual employer policy, which their approved-school list answers definitively.
Can I do a doctorate afterwards?
Yes. If a competitive doctoral application is in your plan, take GuidedPath so you finish with a letter-grade transcript.
Does Capella use Canvas?
No. Courses run in Capella's own Courseroom, reached through the Capella Campus learner portal at campus.capella.edu.
What is a scoring guide?
The marking scheme, published before you write. Read it first and structure the work around it — it is the highest-return habit at this school.
Still not answered?
The questions a website cannot answer are the ones about you: how many of your credits transfer, whether your county has preceptors, whether your employer's list already decides it.
The consultation is free and takes twenty minutes, or send the question in writing and we will reply.