If you wish to work in the U.S. it is a must to sit and pass:
- CGFNS and/or NCLEX
- TOEFL/TWE/TSE or IELTS (for candidates whose first language is not English)
CGFNS is administered worldwide three (3) times a year in March, July and November. This examination screens for written English proficiency and for nursing knowledge. Most nurses trained in foreign countries must write this examination in order to receive a license in the USA.
**some cases CGFNS has to add Special Administration of the CGFNS Qualifying Exam. The exam will be held September 22, 2004 at the following exam centers:
Center No. |
| Exam Locations |
540 501 530 817 852 831 907 |
| New York City, USA Chicago, USA Miami, USA Seoul, South Korea New Delhi, India London, UK Cebu City, Philippines |
NCLEX is administered on a daily basis all year round and the requirements vary from State to State in America. Nurses should contact the National Council of State Board of Nursing for further information.
TOEFL/TWE is administered worldwide four (4) times or more a year, depending upon the demand.
TSE is administered six (6) times or more a year, depending on the demand.
IELTS is an Academic Module with 4 Bands; Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The passing scores for IELTS Academic Module is; 6.5 Overall with a Spoken Band of 7.0.
A nurse who passed the CGFNS exam will not be allowed to practice until the NCLEX exam is successfully completed in the state where they chose to practice their profession. It is important to note the CGFNS is not a requirement in taking NCLEX test.
A nurse whose first language is not English need to pass the TOEFL/TWE and TSE or IELTS (Academic Module) even if they passed CGFNS and/or NCLEX.
Passing these exams is the initial requirement before any processing could be done. For those considering taking these exams below are the following helpful websites:
FAQ's
- Licensing & Registration. What are the requirements?
If you wish to work in the U.S. it is a must to sit and pass:
- CGFNS and/or NCLEX
- TOEFL/TWE & TSE or IELTS (for candidates whose first language is not English)
- What is CGFNS?
The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is not for profit, internationally recognized leader in the education, registration and licensure of healthcare professionals worldwide, CGFNS protects the public in relation to evolving healthcare policies and standards of professional practice for migrating healthcare professionals.
What are the Certification and Examination Fees?
Click here to view examination fees.
- How will I know if my school(s) and registration authority (ies) have sent my credentials to CGFNS?
Upon receipt of each document, CGFNS will send a letter to the applicant notifying the applicant of what documents were received and any documentation that is still needed.
- When will I receive the results from my CGFNS Qualifying Exam?
Results will be mailed to you in 8-10 weeks after you take the exam. Mail delivery varies from country to country, so please allow up to an additional four weeks for delivery. The results are confidential and will be mailed only to you.
- What do I do if my school no longer has my transcripts?
You should determine if there is another organization (Ministry of Health, State Board of Nursing, etc.), which has taken possession of your academic records. If there is such an organization, you may request them to send your documents. If you are uncertain about where to go, contact the CGFNS Customer Service Departments for assistance.
- Can CGFNS give any ‘consideration’ when the English score is only one point away from passing?
No. All applicants are required to submit a passing score on either the TOEFL, TWE or TSE. For the TOEFL, TWE and TSE, registered nurses must submit a score of 540 on the written TOEFL or 207 on the computer based TOEFL, 4.0 on the TWE and 50 on the TSE.
- How can I contact CGFNS for more information?
You can contact CGFNS by mail: CGFNS, 3600 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 USA; by phone: (215) 349-8767 Monday-Thursday, 9:00am to 5:00pm (ET) or Friday, 9:00am to 4.30pm (ET); by fax: (215) 349-0026; by e-mail: support@cgfns.org; or check out the CGFNS web site at: www.cgfns.org.
- How often and where is the CGFNS Qualifying Exam offered?
The CGFNS Qualifying Exam is offered three times per year in more than 40 locations throughout the world.
- How many times can I take the CGFNS Qualifying Exam?
You can take the exam however many times you wish, until you achieve a passing score.
NCLEX
- What is the NCLEX Examination?
The NCLEX examination is designed to test knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to the safe and effective practice of nursing at the entry level. NCLEX examination results are an important component used by Boards of Nursing to make decisions about licensure. Only Boards of Nursing can release NCLEX examination results to candidates.
- Where is NCLEX administered?
The NCLEX examination is administered in the United States, American Somoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Marianas Island, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
- What are the requirements?
- Apply for licensure in the State or Territory in which you wished to be licensed.
- Meet all of the Board of Nursing’s eligibility requirements to take the NCLEX examination.
- Register for the examination.
- What is the NCLEX Fee?
The fee for taking the NCLEX examination is US$ 200. You will also have to pay other fees for licensure required by the board of nursing in the jurisdiction in which you are applying. You must check with your boards of nursing to find out about these costs.
- How do I register for NCLEX?
You may register for the examination through the Web, Mail or telephone.
- How do I contact NCLEX?
Their website is:
www.vue.com/nclex.
Their e-mail address is:
vuepearsonprofessionaltesting@vue.com.
Their Address is:
NCLEX Examination Program
Pearson Professional Testing
11000 Prairie Lakes Drive, suite 300
Eden Prairie, MN 55344-3857
English Language and Proficiency Tests
- Can I apply to take the TOEFL exams through CGFNS?
No. Applicants must apply directly to the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to take the TOEFL, TWE and TSE.
- Can you give me the contact details of TOEFL/TWE/TSE?
TOEFL, TWE and TSE
Educational Testing Service
PO Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151 USA
Telephone: (609) 771 7100
Email: toefl@ets.org
Immigration and Visas
- How do I apply for a green card?
You can apply to take the CGFNS exam, which is now a two-part process. Once you pass the CGFNS exam, you must also pass the TOEFL/IELTS exam. Once CGFNS receives both passing scores they will issue a certificate. If you want to file for a green card you must have either this CGFNS certificate or the exam that is given in the US or a US territory called the NCLEX exam.
- Which exam should I take?
The CGFNS exam is offered 3 times/year. It is preferable. NCLEX is only administered in the US or a US territory.
