Spring Arbor clinicals in Texas
Yes, Texas is open. SAU lists it as authorized, and the Texas Board of Nursing's approval process for out-of-state schools is built for programs turning out new RNs and VNs, not graduate NP tracks. The real work here is the preceptor search itself, in a state where NPs practice under physician delegation.
Get your placement plan
Tell us your Spring Arbor track and where you live. A placement advisor replies with what your preceptor and site need to look like for Spring Arbor to approve them.
01Your SAU program in Texas
As of September 24, 2026, SAU's nursing authorization page includes Texas for every program. Louisiana, on Texas's eastern edge, is excluded, as are Alabama, Arizona and New York, which matters if you live near that line.
| Program | In Texas? | Clinical piece |
|---|---|---|
| NP: FNP, AGPCNP, PMHNP, PNP-PC | Yes | A Texas preceptor you secure; faculty sign off per rotation |
| MSN Nurse Educator; MSN/MBA | Yes | NUR 780B (125 hours) with a local preceptor |
| Post-master's certificate | Yes | Preceptor route mirrors the MSN track |
| DNP | Yes | Practicum hours toward 1,000 post-BSN |
| RN-to-BSN | Yes | Clinical hours woven into courses |
NUR 780B is how SAU's 2023-24 catalog numbers that practicum; your advisor can confirm the current code.
02Why the Texas BON approval rule is not about you
Texas does make nursing schools from other states win the board's approval before their students do any clinical learning in Texas, NC-SARA membership or not. The catch is scope. 22 TAC 215.3(e) and 214.3(e), together with the May 1, 2026 revision of Guideline 3.1.3, aim that requirement at vocational and professional RN programs that produce new licensees: diploma, ADN, BSN and entry-level master's. Post-licensure RN-to-BSN and graduate APRN programs are left out of those rules.
The board's APRN education standards, 22 TAC 219.10, formally govern APRN programs seeking Texas approval, and nationally accredited programs sit outside that approval; SAU's MSN is CCNE-accredited. The standards still make a useful yardstick: preceptors may be licensed APRNs or other licensed clinicians able to supervise and teach, under written agreements linking school, preceptor and agency.
03Delegation, and where Texas students look
AANP lists Texas as restricted. Texas NPs work under physician delegation and supervision with written protocols throughout their careers, and Schedule II prescribing is limited by setting. The NP you approach will have a delegating physician, and Physicians and PAs may precept you under SAU's catalog, not only certified NPs.
The large systems are Texas Health Resources, Houston Methodist, San Antonio's University Health, UT Southwestern Medical Center and Baylor Scott & White Health. Most Texans live in the Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth metros. Start with SAU's volunteer-provider list, then widen out; our outreach guide covers the first message.
04Incentives and licensing
Texas's preceptor tuition exemption (Tex. Educ. Code 54.356) rewards RNs who precept in public programs leading to a first RN license, so it does not reach a preceptor working with an SAU graduate student. We found no Texas tax credit or grant aimed at NP preceptors.
Texas entered the compact's multistate system on January 19, 2018. Whether Texas or your compact home state issued it, a multistate license covers RN practice during clinical hours here. Our RN license page explains what SAU checks.
05Why Spring Arbor students in Texas choose us
We run the Texas preceptor search alongside SAU's help, matching practices to your track and region, then assemble SAU's three forms (preceptor verification, clinical agreement, affiliation) ahead of the four-week cutoff. Only SAU's faculty can approve a site, and they get yours with every form in place. Contact us.
Questions Spring Arbor students ask
Does SAU need Texas BON approval before my NP rotation?
Texas's out-of-state approval rules (22 TAC 215.3(e) and 214.3(e), plus Guideline 3.1.3) cover programs that lead to a first license. Graduate APRN and RN-to-BSN programs sit outside them. If a Texas clinic or hospital asks about SAU's standing, the program director is the person to confirm it.
Can a Texas physician precept my FNP hours?
Yes, with faculty approval. SAU's catalog puts physicians on its list of NP preceptors, next to certified NPs and PAs, and Texas's own APRN education standards also recognize licensed clinicians other than APRNs who can supervise and teach. Faculty weigh fit with your track, so a family practice that sees children and adults suits the FNP well.
Will my preceptor get the Texas preceptor tuition exemption?
No. The exemption under Tex. Educ. Code 54.356 goes to Texas-resident RNs who precept, on average one day a week or more, for public programs preparing students for initial RN licensure. Precepting an SAU graduate student does not qualify, and we found no Texas incentive built for NP preceptors.
I live in El Paso. Could I train in New Mexico?
Texas first: SAU's FAQ has you choosing a preceptor in the state where you live. New Mexico is on SAU's authorized list and belongs to the compact, meaning your Texas multistate license could cover RN practice there, but get the program director's view before contacting a New Mexico site.
Related pages
Last checked 2026-09-24
We check these pages against Spring Arbor's own published sources. SAU's nursing faculty and current catalog have the final word.
More preceptor leads, sooner, for your SAU clinicals.
Tell us your Spring Arbor track, where you live and when your clinical course starts. We look for a preceptor and site that fit SAU's rules for your track and help you get the paperwork in on time.
- Matched to your track: FNP, AGPCNP, PMHNP, PNP, Nurse Educator or DNP
- Clinical agreement, affiliation and preceptor verification forms ready early
- In your home state, near where you live
Start your placement plan
A placement advisor replies with what an SAU-ready preceptor and site look like for you.