Virginia: Liberty's home state and open to every nursing practicum

Virginia at a glance

No Liberty nursing program lists Virginia as closed. The hours below come from the 2026-27 catalog.

Open isn't the same as easy: Liberty's NP pages warn that preceptors are scarce and travel may be needed.

Liberty's home ground in Lynchburg

Liberty's campus sits on more than 7,000 acres in Lynchburg. The School of Nursing is in DeMoss Hall, and its accredited Simulation Center, over 14,000 square feet, serves students from baccalaureate to doctoral level.

The Virginia Board of Nursing approves the residential pre-licensure BSN, which trains at assigned clinical partner sites around Lynchburg. It also runs distant clinical semesters at St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, LewisGale Medical Center in Salem and Chesapeake Regional Medical Center.

Those partnerships serve residential students; Liberty doesn't say online graduate students can use them, so ask the practicum team. No source requires online NP students to attend campus simulation, and Liberty's pages disagree on whether the FNP intensive is virtual or on campus; see the intensive page.

What the Virginia Board regulates, and what it doesn't

The Virginia Board of Nursing states that it neither regulates nor approves post-licensure or out-of-state nursing education programs. Its clinical-site rules in 18VAC90-27 and its 80%-in-Virginia clinical rule are written for Virginia-approved pre-licensure programs, such as Liberty's residential BSN.

Because Liberty's online programs are post-licensure, a Virginia site needs no board approval, and Liberty's Virginia page names no notice like its Alabama or North Dakota filings (see board notices).

Virginia Code § 54.1-3001 grants an exemption to an RN licensed in another state during enrollment in an advanced nursing program, covering just the clinical practice that program requires. Liberty still asks for a license valid in Virginia, and its rule governs approval.

Licensing: a compact state since 2018

The Nurse Licensure Compact has applied in Virginia since January 19, 2018, so Liberty's page accepts a Virginia RN license or a multistate one. Another compact state's multistate license covers a Virginia practicum on its own. Our RN license guide covers how the compact and Liberty's rule interact.

Northern Virginia and the DC line

More than 3 million people live in the Virginia part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro. Liberty's NP tracks aren't approved for clinicals in DC, and its other programs aren't approved there for a practicum, mentorship or shadow experience.

Search on the Virginia side, or cross into Maryland with a license valid there. If a preceptor splits time between Virginia and DC offices, log your hours at the Virginia one and confirm with Liberty.

Practice rules and who precepts

AANP places Virginia in its restricted practice group. Unless an NP attests to clinical experience equivalent to three full-time years, they work under a practice agreement with a patient care team physician. An NP you ask may be practicing under one.

Liberty publishes no FNP preceptor credential list. An older PMHNP FAQ names PMHNPs and psychiatrists, and MSN preceptors must be MSN or doctorally prepared; see preceptor requirements. Carilion Clinic, VCU Health, Sentara Health, UVA Health and Inova are the big systems, and Richmond, Roanoke and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk are the other large metros.

Virginia's preceptor incentive

Virginia's Nurse Preceptor Incentive Program pays Virginia-licensed LPNs, RNs, APRNs, PAs and physicians who precept students from a public or private nonprofit nursing school in Virginia. A sliding scale sets the amount by hours per semester, from a 25-70 hour band to 206-250 hours, first come, first served.

SB 405, signed March 31, 2026, moved the program out of the Virginia Department of Health and into the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center. The Center takes applications covering hours finished on or after July 1, 2026. We found no ruling on whether Liberty's online students count; a preceptor should ask the Center.

Why Virginia students choose us

We search for preceptors and sites across Virginia that fit your Liberty track, prepare the details the Gate course asks for, and stay on call if a preceptor drops. Liberty approves each site and preceptor. Tell us your track and region using the form below.