Nurses who were born and educated outside of the U.S. have the opportunity to come to the U.S. and find work as a nursing professional. In order to do that, foreign nurses must meet a range of requirements to work in the U.S., from educational requirements to obtaining a work visa. One of these requirements is taking and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
The NCLEX is a standardized exam that must be passed by postgraduate nurses to get a nursing license in the United States as well as many other countries. The purpose of this exam is to ensure that nurses seeking jobs in the U.S. are prepared to provide the best possible patient care. In this guide, we will discuss the requirements international nurses must meet to take the NCLEX, as well as how to prepare and apply for the test.
What is the NCLEX?
The National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, is a standardized exam required of postgraduate nurses to obtain a nursing license in the U.S. as well as many other countries. The NCLEX is approved by every nursing state board in the U.S. to evaluate whether nurses are prepared to practice entry-level nursing. The exam is designed to reflect changes in the healthcare landscape to accurately assess the ability of nurses to provide safe and effective patient care.
The NCLEX is a computerized adaptive test (CAT) that may include a minimum of 75 questions and a maximum of 145 questions. The questions asked are based on the skill level of the nurse taking the exam, so they are not too easy or too difficult. Those taking the exam have 5 hours to finish the test.
When a question is answered correctly, the next question will be slightly more difficult and when an incorrect answer is given, the next question will be slightly easier. The computer determines the level of competence based on the answers and identifies a pattern that is considered either above or below the passing standard. The test ends when the pattern has been identified, all questions have been asked and answered, or the 5-hour time limit runs out.
All questions in the NCLEX are categorized into the following 4 categories:
- Safe and effective care environment
- Health promotion and maintenance
- Psychosocial integrity
- Physiological integrity
The NCLEX is a pass/fail exam, and those who take the test must be above passing standard in each of the four categories. This passing standard is the same for every state board in the U.S.
NCLEX Requirements for Foreign Nurses
There are standard requirements that all foreign educated nurses must meet to take the exam as well as requirements that are specific to the State Board of Nursing (BON) you apply to. It will take some time for the BON to submit your required documents for processing and determine if your documents meet the requirements upon review.
The following are the general requirements that foreign-educated nurses must meet to take the NCLEX. Keep in mind that certain requirements will differ between BONs:
- Verification of foreign nursing licenses
- Verification of education that can include an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN)
- Completed clinical hours which may vary between states
- A complete criminal background check
- Completion of the State BON application
- Payment of all application fees
- Proof of identity – must be physical, government issued ID that is not expired and includes first, and last name printed in Roman characters, a recent photograph, and signature
How to Prepare and Apply for NCLEX
Once foreign-educated nurses have met the requirements, they can take the following steps to prepare and apply for the NCLEX.
Study for the Exam
All nurses, no matter how experienced, should study for the exam. There are many study programs available to nurses that can help them effectively prepare for the exam. You should also start the application process when you begin the study program to limit the amount of time between your studies and when you take the exam.
Choose Which State BON to Apply for the NCLEX
As discussed above, each state BON may have slightly different requirements for foreign nurses applying to take the NCLEX. When choosing which state BON to apply to, consider the specific criteria of each BON and the documentation you will need to submit. You can also work with agencies like JobGraze to help you with the application process.
When applying to the state BON, you may need to submit the following documentation:
- High school diploma
- College diploma
- Transcript of records
- Nursing license from home country
- Passport
Depending on the state in which you apply, the requirements for the following may vary:
- Education: More classroom or clinical site training in certain areas of practice may be required by certain states.
- English proficiency: Some states may require you to take English proficiency tests, even if you completed a nursing program in English in your home country.
Agencies like JobGraze will help you gather and assess the necessary documents and even suggest which BON to apply to based on your specific experience and credentials. It is also important to keep in mind that some states will not issue your nursing license upon passing the exam. If you want your license upon completing the exam, it is best to apply in a state that offers this.
Submit Application and Required Documents for NCLEX
To apply for the NCLEX, you must submit the “License by Examination” application along with all required documents to your chosen BON. You should start this process at least 6 months in advance of when you want to take the exam so the BON will have time to process and approve your application and you will have time to address any issues or errors that may arise in the process. Once your application is accepted, you will be sent an Authorization to Test (ATT) code.
To start your application, go to the website for the state Board of Nursing for which you wish to apply. Look for a section called “Applicants” or “Applications and Forms” to access the online application. From here, you can fill out the application, providing your personal and educational information, including the 10-digit code for the school where you received your nursing education. You can get this code by reaching out to your school. Review your application to ensure your information is correct and pay the licensing fee with a credit card or electronic check when submitting the application. You can also print out the application and mail it in along with your required documents and a check for the fee.
Once you start the process, most BONs give you one year to fulfill all the requirements. If you cannot fulfill the requirements within the year, you may have to start the process over.
Continue Studying While Application is Pending Approval
It may take the BON around 6-8 months to process and approve your application. You should continue studying and taking practice exams during this time, so you are prepared when your application is approved. Plan on putting 3-4 days per week aside to spend studying.
Register for NCLEX with Pearson VUE
Once the BON approves your application and provides your ATT, you can register for the NCLEX on the Pearson VUE website. This website will allow you to fill out the registration application and choose a date, time, and test center for your exam. You will need to include a valid email address and your school’s 10-digit code on the application and pay the registration fee. You can also choose to register over the phone with Pearson VUE by calling the number specific to your region.
Make sure your name on the registration matches the name on your government issued ID that you will present at the testing center. If your name on the registration does not match the name on your ID, you will not be allowed to take the exam, and your fee will not be refunded.
If the BON does not approve your application but you have created an account with Pearson VUE, this account will remain active for 365 days. This gives you time to have your application approved by the BON. If your BON application is not approved within 365 days, you will have to re-register with Pearson VUE and pay the exam fee again.
Schedule the NCLEX
After BON approval of your application, the verification of your registration with Pearson VUE, and the receipt of your ATT, you can schedule your exam. The ATT contains an authorization number, candidate number, and expiration date. ATTs are generally valid for 90 days and you must take the exam within this timeframe. Some ATTs may expire before or after 90 days, so check with the BON that issued to ATT to be sure. If the name on your ATT does not exactly match the name as it appears on your ID, contact Pearson VUE right away.
To schedule the exam, sign into the Pearson VUE website and request and date and time for the testing center of your choice. First-time test takers will get an appointment within 30 days and those who have taken the test before will get an appointment within 45 days. If the time and date you requested is not available, you will be offered a new time or date that you can either accept or decline and request a new appointment. You also have the option of scheduling your exam over the phone.
It is important to schedule your appointment as soon as you receive your ATT, or you may not confirm an appointment before your ATT expires. If this happens, you may need to re-register and pay the exam fee again.
Once your exam appointment is confirmed, you should receive a confirmation email. Check the information in the email to make sure it is correct. If there is a problem with the information or you do not receive a confirmation email, call Pearson VUE NCLEX Candidate services.
NCLEX Test Day and Results
Before the test day comes, review the test day process and make sure you have the proper identification. Arrive early and follow the process of the testing center to take the exam. You will receive the official results of your NCLEX within 48 hours from Pearson VUE. Some state BONs will post your license online once you have passed the exam, while other BONs may require you to go through a different process to receive your license after passing.
International Nurse Jobs on JobGraze
Taking and passing the NCLEX is an important part of the process for foreign-educated nurses to obtain a nursing job in the U.S. When applying for the NCLEX, make sure you meet the requirements to apply for the exam and research the criteria for the state Board of Nurses that you choose. Our professionals at JobGraze can help foreign-educated nurses navigate the BON application process and registration for the NCLEX and complete the exam to obtain your nursing license to work in the U.S.
If you are a foreign-educated nurse that has passed the NCLEX and earned your nursing license, you can find an international nursing job through JobGraze. JobGraze is a nurse staffing and job search platform that connects international nurses with employers such as hospitals and other healthcare providers. Nurses who use our platform can refine their job search to find nursing jobs that best suit their skills within the state in which they got their nursing license. JobGraze can help nurses become eligible to work in the U.S. and apply for the NCLEX from countries around the world including Mexico, Canada, India, Nepal, and the Philippines.
