Last updated: October 2026 | Researched and reviewed by Daniel Etheridge, CRNA
If you are considering South College’s CRNA program, this article will give you the information you need: cost, admission requirements, the application window, outcomes, and how the clinical satellite model actually works.
South College runs a 36-month Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program based in Knoxville, Tennessee. The first five quarters are hybrid, with no relocation required. Before clinical training starts, you relocate to an assigned clinical satellite, one of 12 locations across 10 states, from Phoenix to Bangor, Maine. Your offer of admission is tied to a specific satellite, so you know your destination before you accept.
The priority application window for the January 2028 cohort is open now: September 1 through November 1, 2026, through NursingCAS.
Key Takeaways
- 36-month DNAP, January start
- $155,280 tuition and fees
- Same price in-state or out
- Priority window: Sept 1 – Nov 1
- CCRN required, no GRE
- 12 clinical satellites, 10 states
- Relocation before clinicals
- 2025 first-time pass: 82.1%
South College Nurse Anesthesia Program Quick Facts:
| Degree | DNAP (entry level). The cohort starting in 2027 (Class of 2029) is the first to earn the DNAP; the Classes of 2026–2028 graduate with the DNP |
| Length | 36 months, 12 quarters, full-time (no part-time option) |
| Location | Knoxville, TN (on-campus intensives) + 12 clinical satellites in 10 states |
| Class starts | Early January |
| Application window | Opens Sept 1; priority Sept 1 – Nov 1; rolling until the cohort and waitlist fill |
| Cost | $155,280 tuition and fees (June 2026 rates); $169,969 with the school’s estimated books, equipment, and intensive-week lodging |
| GRE / CCRN | GRE not required · CCRN required (alternate critical care certification case-by-case) |
| ICU requirement | 1 year full-time (or 2,080 hrs part-time) within the past 2 years, in a US critical care setting |
| Shadowing | 16 hours over two documented occasions, at least one with a CRNA |
| First-time NCE pass rate | 67.6% (2024) · 82.1% (2025) |
| Accreditation | COA initial accreditation effective October 13, 2021 |
One of 9 CRNA Schools in Tennessee
South College is one of 9 accredited CRNA programs in Tennessee and one of three in the Knoxville area, alongside the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City.
Because of the satellite model, your clinical years may be spent far from Tennessee. If one of the satellite cities is home for you, this program lets you do most of your clinical training there.
South College CRNA Program Overview
South College is a private institution accredited by SACSCOC. Its nurse anesthesia program earned COA initial accreditation effective October 13, 2021, as a DNP with a concentration in nurse anesthesia. In January 2026 the COA approved a degree title change to the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. The school says there are no curriculum changes; it is the same accredited program under a new name.
The structure is what makes it different:
- Quarters 1–5: hybrid didactic coursework, with mandatory on-campus intensive sessions in Knoxville. You do not have to relocate in year one.
- Quarters 6–8: part-time clinical rotations begin at your assigned satellite. You relocate there at the start of year two if you don’t already live in that region, and there is a no-outside-employment policy from quarter 6.
- Quarters 9–12: full-time clinical residency.
Travel back to Knoxville for intensive sessions continues throughout the program. The school’s cost sheet budgets for nine intensive weeks, a total of 49 required training days.
South College CRNA Program Admission Requirements
To be considered for the South College nurse anesthesia program, you will need:
- A BSN and an unencumbered US RN license. You must be eligible for RN licensure in every state where your clinical rotations sit, and hold it at matriculation
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a science GPA of 3.0 (a written appeal is possible if you fall short)
- One year of full-time critical care experience, or its part-time equivalent of 2,080 hours, within the past two years, in a US critical care setting
- Current CCRN certification; an alternate critical care specialty certification may be considered case-by-case
- Three letters of recommendation: one from your current employer or critical care supervisor confirming your ICU experience, and at least two from healthcare providers
- 16 hours of shadowing across two documented occasions, at least one with a CRNA
- A personal statement (600 words max), a resume or CV, a practice survey, and US citizenship or permanent residency
The GRE is not required. The program’s FAQ answers that question with one word: “No.”
BLS, ACLS, and PALS are not required to apply, but you must hold all three before you start. No specific prerequisite courses are required, though the program highly recommends a chemistry refresher if yours was more than five years ago.
The FAQ says candidates are interviewed live over Zoom by the admissions committee. Note the recency rule on ICU time: your experience must fall within the past two years, so if you have moved away from the bedside, check your dates.
Application Dates and Deadlines
Applications open September 1 each year through NursingCAS for the cohort starting 16 months later. Applications that opened September 1, 2026 are for the January 2028 cohort, with priority review from September 1 to November 1, 2026. After November 1, applications are reviewed on a space-available basis until the cohort and waitlist are filled.
There is no hard deadline, and that cuts the other way: rolling programs fill early. If South College is on your list, submit inside the priority window.
South College CRNA Program Tuition and Cost
South College publishes a clear cost sheet (updated June 2026):
- Tuition: $11,975 per quarter × 12 quarters = $143,700
- Nursing fee: $245 per quarter = $2,940
- Technology fee: $695 per quarter = $8,340
- Graduation fee: $300
- Total tuition and fees: $155,280, the same for in-state and out-of-state students
The school’s own estimate for the whole program is $169,969. That adds textbooks and workshops (about $4,000), anesthesia equipment including a Butterfly iQ ultrasound probe (about $3,549), and lodging for the Knoxville intensive weeks (about $7,140).
Some things are included at no extra charge: AANA student membership, board review software, clinical tracking software, liability insurance, and the NBCRNA Self-Evaluation Exam. Travel to Knoxville and relocation to your satellite city are on you, and that is real money the sheet does not capture.
The return supports the investment. Nurse anesthetists earned a national average of $248,320 per year as of May 2025 (BLS).
Clinical Satellites and Training Sites
From the program page, the 12 regional clinical satellite locations are:
- Phoenix/Tucson, Arizona
- Augusta, Georgia
- Orlando, Florida
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Alexandria, Louisiana
- Bangor, Maine
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Dayton, Ohio
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- McAllen/Edinburg, Texas
- Huntington, West Virginia
You list your satellite preferences in the application. The admissions committee weighs your preferences against the spots available at the time of your interview, and your offer names your assigned satellite. The program does not publish which hospitals sit behind each satellite, so ask about the specific facilities and case mix at your likely satellite during the interview process.
Pass Rates, Attrition, and Employment
South College now publishes outcomes for its first two graduating cohorts:
- Class of 2024 (admitted January 2022): 67.6% first-time NCE pass rate, 82.3% within 60 days, 97.1% overall; 94.1% employed within six months; 17% attrition
- Class of 2025 (admitted January 2023): 82.1% first-time, 92.3% within 60 days, 100% overall; 100% employed within six months; 13% attrition
Living in Knoxville and Your Satellite City
For year one you can live anywhere and travel to Knoxville for the mandatory intensive weeks. The cost sheet’s lodging estimate assumes about $105 a night for a hotel, and notes that some students split vacation rentals to cut that down. If you do settle in Knoxville, one-bedroom apartments run about $1,180 a month (Zumper, October 2026).
From year two, your cost of living is your satellite city’s. Research rent and RN licensure for your assigned state before you accept. Corpus Christi, Bangor, and Phoenix are three very different budgets.
Is the South College CRNA Program Right for You?
South College is a great fit if you:
- Live in or near one of the 12 satellite cities and want to train close to home
- Can’t relocate in year one; the hybrid first year only requires Knoxville intensive weeks
- Hold your CCRN and have ICU time within the past two years
- Would rather skip the GRE
- Like having AANA membership, board review software, the SEE exam, and liability insurance bundled in
- Want to know your clinical destination before you accept
Consider other options if you:
- Cannot relocate for years two and three, or your family situation rules out an assigned city
- Prefer a traditional single-campus program with one hospital system
- Have ICU experience older than two years; the recency rule is strict here
- Are not a US citizen or permanent resident; that is a hard requirement
- Qualify for in-state tuition at a public program and want the lower price that comes with it
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South College a good CRNA program?
It is COA-accredited (initial accreditation effective October 2021) and has graduated two classes. First-time NCE pass rates were 67.6% for the Class of 2024 and 82.1% for the Class of 2025, with overall pass rates of 97.1% and 100% and employment of 94.1% and 100%.
How much does the South College CRNA program cost?
Tuition and fees total $155,280 at June 2026 rates: $11,975 per quarter in tuition across 12 quarters, plus nursing, technology, and graduation fees. The school’s own program estimate, adding books, equipment, and intensive-week lodging, is $169,969. In-state and out-of-state students pay the same rate.
Where are South College’s CRNA clinical sites?
Twelve satellite locations across 10 states: Phoenix/Tucson, Augusta, Orlando, Fort Wayne, Alexandria (LA), Bangor, Cincinnati, Dayton, Knoxville, Corpus Christi, McAllen/Edinburg, and Huntington (WV). Your offer of admission is tied to an assigned satellite, and you relocate there at the start of year two if you don’t already live in that region.
Does South College require the GRE or CCRN?
No GRE. The CCRN is required, though an alternate critical care specialty certification may be considered case-by-case. You also need 16 hours of shadowing across two occasions, at least one with a CRNA.
When is the South College CRNA application deadline?
There is no hard deadline. Applications open September 1 each year via NursingCAS for the cohort starting 16 months later, with priority review September 1 through November 1 and space-available review after that until the cohort and waitlist fill. Applying inside the priority window is the practical deadline.
Next Steps
If you are targeting the January 2028 cohort, the priority window is open through November 1, 2026. Confirm your ICU dates fall within the two-year window, document your 16 shadowing hours, and rank the satellite cities you could actually live in before you apply. Program questions go to Kelly Bates, Director of Operations, at kbates@south.edu.
You can compare all Tennessee CRNA programs side by side, or, given the satellite map, look at programs in Ohio, Florida, and Georgia. You can also compare programs in every state on our CRNA Schools by State page.
Contact the Program
South College, Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program, Knoxville, TN
Program Director: Lisa Osborne, DNP, CRNA, CHSE, FAANA · losborne1@south.edu
Director of Operations: Kelly Bates · kbates@south.edu
Official page: south.edu, DNAP program
Program FAQ: South College DNAP FAQ
Cost sheet: South College DNAP tuition and fees
Accreditation: Council on Accreditation (COA) · Salary data: BLS OEWS, May 2025