[saramo86]

I'm a first year nursing student currently studying in Sydney Australia. I'm a US citizen, originally from San Francisco, but I married an Aussie and ended up in beautiful Sydney!

However, since we expect to return to The States at some point, I'm wondering if anyone knows what the process is for transferring a degree/registration from Australia to the US (California in particular). I am trying to decide whether or not it's worth it to finish the program here or transfer to a university in the US now.

Does anyone have experience with this? How difficult it is to register in the USA with an overseas qualification? Is it just an exam? Is it supposed to be very different from what you would be tested on in Australia (or other 'commonwealth' countries)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks,
Samantha

[suebird3]

Welcome to allnurses.com! I moved your post to the International Forum for more answers.

Suebird

[suzanne4]

You cannot transfer registration, you will need to meet the educational requirements for licensure in the US. And you will be missing a couple of courses, more than likely, especially since you are in school there now.

They will need to be made up before you will be permitted to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. Even though you are a US citizen, your schooling will still be considered a foreign grad. You will need to meet any of those requirements for licensure. Just will not need English exams or the Visa Screen Certificate. But anything for a graduate of a foreign program will pertain to you.

[saramo86]

Is there a list of courses required to be eligible to sit the NCLEX? Where can I find specific info? Thanks!

[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by saramo86

Is there a list of courses required to be eligible to sit the NCLEX? Where can I find specific info? Thanks!

Nothing can be decided until you register for licensure with a BON. Each BON have their own requirements. Depending on BON they may do their own assessment or require CES from CGFNS. Only then will you be able to find out f you are short and in what

[suzanne4]

It is not a point of required hours to sit for the NCLEX exam as you do not apply for that, but apply for licensure as an RN.

If you have already been in school since you posted last summer, by all means complete the program there and just make sure that you have hours in all of the clinical areas required for the US such as peds, maternal health and mental health.

You will have many more issues trying to transfer in the middle of a program and get into another program in the US.

The three year Bachelor's degree down under is not the same as the BSN that we have in the US and is a four year program, but as long as you have the required clinical and theory hours in all areas, then there should not be any issues with you being able to get licensed back in the US.