List of State that does not require local license to take NCLEX

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2014

Nobody has to have a license from the Philippines to take NCLEX anywhere in the US. But you do have to have graduated from a school of nursing approved by the state Board of Nursing where you will take the examination.

So instead of trying to find someplace that you can go to get a license more easily, call the state(s) where you want to live, ask them what they want in terms of proof of education for a foreign nursing school graduate to allow you to take the NCLEX, and give it to them.

If they do not accept your Philippines school of nursing as enough to take NCLEX, then you have two choices: Get a nursing education that they will accept from a school of nursing here, or do something else.

elkpark · Mar 12, 2014

Nobody has to have a license from the Philippines to take NCLEX anywhere in the US. But you do have to have graduated from a school of nursing approved by the state Board of Nursing where you will take the examination.

So instead of trying to find someplace that you can go to get a license more easily, call the state(s) where you want to live, ask them what they want in terms of proof of education for a foreign nursing school graduate to allow you to take the NCLEX, and give it to them.

If they do not accept your Philippines school of nursing as enough to take NCLEX, then you have two choices: Get a nursing education that they will accept from a school of nursing here, or do something else.

(Actually, I believe there are some states that require, if you're a foreign-educated nurse, that you be licensed in the place where you were educated or where you're coming from in order to be eligible for licensure.)

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2014

But they don't require it of everybody :) I was making a little joke there. I still think s/he is going to need to take more schooling here, but that's only my opinion and it depends on the applicable BoN.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Mar 12, 2014

You may have issues even if not required when the BoN finds out you failed the licensing exam where educated, they may ask how can you considered to be a safe entry to practice nurse in another country? Different educational and practice standards, you may have significant difficulty passing the NCLEX.

Simply searching for a state that will consider you for a nursing license by examination as someone who graduated internationally without a license in country of education is oversimplifying the process. Do you have US work rights? There is no shortage of inexperienced or new grad nurses in much of the US. Many states require a valid social security number as part of the application process. If you don't have a valid SSN not having a local license will not be an issue as officially the US regulations require a valid SSN for professional licensing. States are slowly coming into compliance.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Mar 12, 2014

Oh and local license is not a requirement to sit NCLEX. The only requirements to take the NCLEX is valid identification and an ATT issued by a US BoN.

You may need a valid local license from country of education as part of the licensing by examination process.

The NCLEX is but one step in the licensing process

elkpark · Mar 12, 2014

You may have issues even if not required when the BoN finds out you failed the licensing exam where educated, they may ask how can you considered to be a safe entry to practice nurse in another country?

Yes; there is a big difference between never having taken the licensure exam, and having taken it and failed it.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2014

thread moved for best response

rvlin65 · Oct 14, 2014

Hi Xayrus,

Can i ask for your email address?

rvlin65

gelatine · Jan 17, 2015

Hi! What state you apply your NCLEX?