NCLEX Exam Application Process Overview
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All NCLEX exam applications are initiated by submitting a Licensure by Examination
application to one of the State Boards of Nursing. Although the NCLEX exam in nationally
recognized in the U.S., each State Board has differing application requirements. Therefore, it is
important to choose a State through which you can complete your NCLEX application most
quickly even if it is not the State that you will eventually be working in.
Here are the States that you should NOT apply to as they require a US Social Security Card
before you can even sit for the exam or before you license can be issued:
Alabama - Arkansas – California – Florida – Hawaii – Indiana - Kansas – Louisiana – Maine –
Maryland – Mississippi – Nevada - New Hampshire – New Jersey – North Carolina - North
Dakota – Oklahoma - Oregon – Rhode Island- South Carolina – Oklahoma – Utah – Virginia -
Vermont and Wyoming.
Here are the States that you can apply to as they do NOT require a US Social Security Card to sit
for the exam or for your license to be issued:
Alaska – Arizona – Colorado – Connecticut – Delaware – Georgia – Idaho – Illinois – Iowa –
Kentucky – Massachusetts – Michigan – Minnesota – Missouri – Nebraska – New Mexico –
New York – Ohio – Pennsylvania – South Dakota – Tennessee – Texas – Washington –
Washington DC and Wisconsin.
The states that are currently the most user friendly and have seen the most success for
international nurses are:
Colorado – Idaho – Illinois – Iowa – Michigan – Minnesota – New Mexico – New York – Ohio
– Texas and Washington.
If you will not be working in one of these States, your nursing license can be endorsed to that
state at a later date. The WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions Ltd. Nurse Licensure Specialist is
also available to assist you will assist you with this at the appropriate time.
Step 1: Obtaining a formal evaluation of your educational credentials
There are several organizations that are approved by the State Boards of Nursing to provide the
required credentials evaluation report. These are:
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International). This is the
most widely recognized credentials evaluation service.
International Education Research Foundation (IERF) Arizona, Arkansas, Florida,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and
Wyoming are the States that currently will accept this report.
Educational Records Evaluation Services (ERES) Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico,
Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Before choosing IERF or ERES, you should verify that the State Board you are applying to
accepts either of these. HealthStaff’s recommendation is to use the CGFNS Credentials
Evaluation Service (CES) wherever possible. However, CGFNS provides several different
services so it is critical that you choose the correct one.
1. Certification Program (CP): The Certification Program includes the CGFNS
Qualifying Exam®. Unless you have taken and passed the CGFNS exam in the past, you
should NOT select this option. If you have previously passed the CGFNS Exam, please
ensure that you advise your HealthStaff Case Manager of this.
2. Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) Professional Report. This is the Report that
you need to apply for unless you have previously passed the CGFNS Exam. The CES
report includes a statement of comparability of an applicant’s education when measured
against U.S. standards.
3. Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) Academic Report this is not relevant to your
particular NCLEX application.
4. VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment (VS) This is an important requirement but
at a later stage in your application. No need to apply for Visa Screen at this time.
5. Credential Verification Service for New York State (CVS) The service is specifically
for those healthcare professionals educated outside the United States who wish to practice
in New York. As specified by the state, CGFNS International completes a verification of
foreign education and credentials.
The table on the following page summarizes the credentials evaluation reports accepted by State:
State CGFNS Services Accepted for NCLEX Exam Registration
Alabama CES
Alaska CES
America Samoa No CGFNS requirement
Arizona CES, VS or CP
Arkansas CES
California-RN Does not accept CGFNS evaluations; completes their own evaluation
Colorado CES
Connecticut CP
Delaware CES
Florida CES
Georgia-RN CES
Guam CP, CES may be accepted
Hawaii CES or CP
Idaho CES, CP, or VS
Illinois CES, CP, or VS
Indiana CP
Iowa CES, CP or VS
Kansas CES
Kentucky VS
Louisiana-RN CES orCP
Maine CES
Maryland CES
Massachusetts CES, CP or VS
Michigan CP
Minnesota CES
Mississippi CES
Missouri CES
Montana CES
Nebraska CES
Nevada CES
New Hampshire CP
New Jersey CES
New Mexico CES or CP
New York CVS
North Carolina CES, CP, or VS
North Dakota CP
North Marianas No CGFNS requirement, CES may be accepted
Islands
Ohio CES
Oklahoma CP, CES, or VS
Oregon CES, CP or VS
Pennsylvania CES
Puerto Rico No CGFNS requirement
Rhode Island CP
South Carolina CES
South Dakota CP
Tennessee CES or CP
Texas CES
Utah CP and CES
Vermont Vermont specific CES report
Virgin Islands CP
Virginia CES
Washington CES
Washington DC CES
West Virginia CP
Wisconsin CP
Wyoming CES or CP
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Boards of Nursing in American Samoa and Northern Mariana Islands
do not have any CGFNS requirements to be able to write the NCLEX Exam. However, a CES
Report will be required to obtain a license in the state where you will be working.
Step 2 – Applying for the NCLEX Exam
If you previously passed the CGFNS Qualifying Exam or you have now obtained your CGFNS
Credentials Evaluation Report (CES) you are well on your way to completing your NCLEX
Exam Application.
• Complete the State Board of Nursing Application forms and pay the required application
fee.
• Complete a criminal background check if required
• Provide verification of foreign nursing licenses
• Provide proof of a minimum length of and/or recency of nursing work experience if
required.
Each State Board provides detailed instructions – follow these precisely and your application
will be completed in the shortest possible time.
Step 3 – Receiving your Authorization to Test (ATT)
Once your complete NCLEX Exam application has been submitted to the State Board of Nursing
you have chosen it will take several weeks to several months for you to receive your ATT.
While you are waiting for your ATT, you must devote yourself to preparing for the NCLEX
exam itself. This is critical as once your ATT is issued, you will have a limited time to take the
exam.
Important ATT facts:
• Your ATT notice will be sent to you via email using the email you provided in your
application.
• The ATT is valid for a limited time only – generally 90 days.
• You must take the NCLEX exam within the validity of the ATT
• ATT dates cannot be extended for any reason whatsoever.
• You can’t schedule your exam date until you receive your ATT
• Once you receive your ATT, schedule your exam date right away to ensure you are able
to book on your preferred dates. Some test centers are heavily booked and may not be
available at all times.
International NCLEX Test Centers
NCLEX test centers are located in the USA, England, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Mexico,
Philippines, Puerto Rico and Taiwan. Included in the U.S. test centers are American Samoa,
Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
