Want a BSN in Philippines

Doza · Jun 19, 2010

hey there. i hope my reply can help. if you have family in the pi then try to ask them for help. if not, try emailing the schools. if not, call them. use a phone card, buy skype credits or try the magic jack (very popular among pinoys haha).

here are my questions:
1. would it be better for me to obtain student visa or dual-citizenship?
dual. it will only cost you the amount of a philippine passport from your nearest phil consul, about $150-$200 5 years ago, which you can get in a couple of weeks, depends on how fast you want to expedite it. just not sure how much it is now. you can always call them to check. dont even think of filing for one in the phil, red tape and all. my cousin filed for her son in the us and it only took her 2 weeks to get the passport. i filed in the philippines and it took me 2 years, despite constant follow ups, because i didnt want to give any "lagay". had to look for someone to pressure the @#$% immigration agent to give it to us.
for students visas, you would have to file every year, not sure if they still call it the acr. such a big hassle to go to the bureau of immigration. you will get annoyed seeing so many employees doing nothing there and you having to wait for such a long time. plus, if you don't get the dual, you would have to pay about $60-100 every time you leave the country. even if it's for a short 3 day trip to the nearest asian country.
2. are there any negative effects with having a dual citizenship?
nope, i don't think so. the us allows its citizens to be dual citizens, so long as you don't join the military of the other country or run for public office.
3. considering my two associates degrees, will all the classes i've taken be credited, thus making my class load lighter (or i can finish bsn in 2-3 years)?
i think to some extent it can be credited. once you find a school, contact them for an evaluation. i think it's about 2.5 years to finish.
4. if i took the dual citizenship route, will i still be required to take the boards in philippines, even if i intend to work in the sates?
im not sure about this. phil boards isn't mandatory. had a classmate who didn't even take it. but, you should check the us state you wish to practice in the future. some may require you (not really sure) to be registered in the country you graduated from. you should check now, then check again before you graduate as rules may change.
5. with just a student visa, will my tuition rate be more expensive than the locals'?
yup, as a foreign student, your tuition will be higher, although not so much. maybe not more than $300 more, but again please check with the school you intend to enroll in.
6. will having an msn in philippines make a significant impact when one wants to work in the states?
most schools only offer man, not msn. i heard of one school that did offer msn but it's not one school i'd enroll in.
7. to u.s. citizens, did they have to make you attend relgious studies, cat/rotc classes in philippines?
if you go to a school with religious affiliations, sorry, you can't get out of it. foreign students aren't mandated to attend the rotc classes. if you opt in using filipino as your nationality in school, you might have to take that. not sure if age is a factor or previous graduation :)
8. which rn schools should i stay away from? and which are reputable by american standards?
i'll pm you, once i can what school are ok.

iscream4u · Jun 20, 2010

hey there. i hope my reply can help. if you have family in the pi then try to ask them for help. if not, try emailing the schools. if not, call them. use a phone card, buy skype credits or try the magic jack (very popular among pinoys haha).

:yeah: , yeah i heard. i better try to get on that magic jack bandwagon. way cheaper.

here are my questions:
1. would it be better for me to obtain student visa or dual-citizenship?
dual. it will only cost you the amount of a philippine passport from your nearest phil consul, about $150-$200 5 years ago, which you can get in a couple of weeks, depends on how fast you want to expedite it. just not sure how much it is now. you can always call them to check. dont even think of filing for one in the phil, red tape and all. my cousin filed for her son in the us and it only took her 2 weeks to get the passport. i filed in the philippines and it took me 2 years, despite constant follow ups, because i didnt want to give any "lagay". had to look for someone to pressure the @#$% immigration agent to give it to us.

oh good. i truly hope it takes only 2 weeks or a few weeks for that matter. if i can get it together, i might just catch the november opening. otherwise, i'd have to wait for june of next year, and i'm not getting any younger. if your cousin's son is a minor, would this contribute to the rapid processing of the dual citizenship, or is it about the same speed for the adults as well? and so what happens after you get your dual? i'm assuming you'd get to stay in philippines for as long as the studies take? and what about issues regarding jury duty or taxes needing filing while you're outof the country?

3. considering my two associates degrees, will all the classes i've taken be credited, thus making my class load lighter (or i can finish bsn in 2-3 years)?
i think to some extent it can be credited. once you find a school, contact them for an evaluation. i think it's about 2.5 years to finish.

2.5 years? is this what they'd call "second courser" programs? i heard they've done away with these?

4. if i took the dual citizenship route, will i still be required to take the boards in philippines, even if i intend to work in the sates?
im not sure about this. phil boards isn't mandatory. had a classmate who didn't even take it. but, you should check the us state you wish to practice in the future. some may require you (not really sure) to be registered in the country you graduated from. you should check now, then check again before you graduate as rules may change.

i'm assuming with dual citizenship, they'd allow to take the nle. would you advice to just do it, to be on the safer side (just in case if i'd move to adifferent state(s) even if it wasn't mandated?

5. with just a student visa, will my tuition rate be more expensive than the locals'?

yup, as a foreign student, your tuition will be higher, although not so much. maybe not more than $300 more, but again please check with the school you intend to enroll in.

so with dual citizenship, i can enjoy local tuition rates completely?

7. to u.s. citizens, did they have to make you attend relgious studies, cat/rotc classes in philippines?
if you go to a school with religious affiliations, sorry, you can't get out of it. foreign students aren't mandated to attend the rotc classes. if you opt in using filipino as your nationality in school, you might have to take that. not sure if age is a factor or previous graduation

i recently contacted a friend about this, and he said that rotc has been phased out long ago. and what do you mean by 'opt in using filipino as you nationality,'? do you mean to say that i can still retain nationality as an american despite the dual citizenship?

8. which rn schools should i stay away from? and which are reputable by american standards?
i'll pm you, once i can what school are ok.

thanks in advance. by the way, i plan to take it up in visayas region.

Doza · Jun 20, 2010

hi iscream.

Phil passport application in the US is regardless of age. the processing time applies to all. you can stay indefinitely in the Philippines with a Phil passport.

pure nursing subjects are about 2.5 years. you can't do it any faster as most are pre-requisites to other subjects. if you can credit your previous subjects/courses, then you might be able to take it in just 2.5 years, but its probably more of 3.

for the NLE, when i took in 2004 they had all sorts of crazy questions included, more on morality, where you'd ask yourself WTH. If it were up to me I wouldn't take it. But again my advice is to check on the state you want to practice to be sure.

with dual, if you register/enroll as a Filipino (opt to use Filipino as your nationality), you pay local rates. If you use American, you'll pay the international student rates. There's no ROTC now, they call it something else, which is equivalent to community service. That's what I meant with you probably not getting away with it if you use Filipino. Better ask the school to be sure.

If you will be required to do the equivalent of the ROTC, and you dont want to, and you're ok with paying the international rates, i suggest you still get the Phil passport to avoid the immigration hassle and register as an American in the university.

Sorry Im unfamiliar with the education in the Visayas.

Best of luck to you:)

iscream4u · Jun 24, 2010

So I've contacted some acquaintances over there, and my friend said she knew someone who was also a US citizen (she applied for Dual, too) trying to get her BSN in the Philippines. Although it's not required (as I've read) of US citizens to take the NLE over there, she decides to do the two years servitude to gain clinical experience. Would this give her any advantage (US citizen doing 2 years clinical exp) in applying for a job in the States compared to a US citizen who just leaves the country after getting the degree and immedietly takes the NCLEX over here? Or would it not make any difference at all?

My other questions:

1. What are the challenges should I expect when I come back to the States after getting my BSN in the Philippines, in terms of meeting US standards? What "standards" are these?

2. Will I still have priority considerig my US citizenship even if I'm a foreign-trained nurse?

3. Will the retrogression affect me personally, or does it only pertain to the locals?

4. With a foreign BSN, can I still school for advancement (Nurse Practitioner) in the US? Will they credit my foreign BSN?

5. What positions can a foreign BSN holder expect as an entry level? And do these foreign BSN nurses have precedence over ADN US nurses?

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 25, 2010

Retrogression is only affecting those that need a immigrant visa. As a USC you will not be affected by it. Each state has their own requirements for foreign trained nurse so you need to check out the state that you make your initial application for licensure

babybear0427 · Jun 25, 2010

which state do you live in??

i totally know how you feel right now....i went to community college too and wasted money and time getting those pre-reqs and not getting into the nursing program....then i found out about the lpn programs here in illinois....most start from $15,000-18,000.....and the lpn-bsn bridge! im currently in the lpn program....can't wait to finish so can start applying for the lpn-bsn programs here!! you have alot of options! you're in America after all :) good luck!

Hushdawg · Jun 25, 2010

Here are my questions:
1. Would it be better for me to obtain Student Visa or Dual-Citizenship?
2. Are there any negative effects with having a dual citizenship?
3. Considering my two Associates degrees, will all the classes I've taken be credited, thus making my class load lighter (or i can finish BSN in 2-3 years)?
4. If I took the dual citizenship route, will I still be required to take the Boards in Philippines, even if I intend to work in the Sates?
5. With just a student Visa, will my tuition rate be more expensive than the locals'?
6. Will having an MSN in Philippines make a significant impact when one wants to work in the States?
7. To U.S. citizens, did they have to make you attend relgious studies, CAT/ROTC classes in Philippines?
8. Which RN schools should I stay away from? And which are reputable by American standards?
I'm desperate, y'all. Please give me some helpful answers. Thanks.

1 - Why would you look at dual citizenship? were you born a Phil. Citizen and naturalized into US citizen? are your parents Phil. Citizens? It would be best if you could find an option to have permanent residency since you would then be allowed to work and earn an income.

If you are a native-born US citizen, then becoming citizen of another country can automatically revoke your US citizenship, you should discuss the potential ramifications with an attorney.

Regardless; here's the real info on dual-citizenship from Philippine Immigration: The Bureau of Immigration, Philippines Official Website - DUAL CITIZENSHIP

On the onset, it looks like it only applies to a narrow band of persons.

2 - See above

3 - Not always, it is hard enough to transfer credits from AS or AA degrees within the USA, much harder internationally. You may have certain base courses eliminated and have a very light load for the first year, but it is doubtful that you'll have much eliminated.

4 - You have to ask your state board. There are differences of opinion between states. I've had some nurses who are dual-citizens by birth and they have had both answers depending on the state of application.

5 - That will depend on the university, many do not differentiate. UE, for instance, has a very large population of Iranian students for nursing and dental programs because it is both accredited in Iran and doesn't have a large increase for foreign students.

6 - Absolutely. MSN holders from the Philippines have gotten into very high positions in the USA. Many have become nurse educators in US nursing colleges at major state universities.

7 - Dunno

8 - You can check the PRC scores to see the colleges with the highest passing rates for local board, this is a strong indicator.

Sto. Tomas University, University of the East, Atteneo University, University of the Philippines are all among the top consistantly.

There are others, please check PRC for the most recent score results from November 2009 boards and June 2009 (check BOTH since not all schools graduate a class which can take the Nov boards with any large degree).

iscream4u · Jul 7, 2010

Thank you all for your replies.

As I forge ahead with my plans to study over at Phil. for that BSN, I've been met with opposition by some family members. I was strongly warned to not go this route because my studying in Phil. will just be useless. I don't understand how this is true. Can anyone verify, if indeed, this route would end up useless? I understand the current nursing climate in the US (US grads having a hard time finding employment along with retrogression) is not at its most favorable. But am I suppose to accept this RN crisis as something perpetual? Surely, in a few years time (hopefully right after i finish my BSN), this whole debacle will end, right? Said family members have also mentioned that I'll be having a hard time getting my credentials transferred over, not to mention all the hoops I need to jump after graduation. I'm aware of that, but I know I won't be the only USC going this route. I don't think said family members understand how different the admission process of RNs here compared to Phils. It's far more complicated and competitive here. But that's not to say RN schools at Phil. won't be. It'sd just that admissions in Phil. RN schools may be a bit easier, but they'd still test students what they're truly made of (at least the prestigious schools). So I don't understand where all this discouragement is coming from. They also prefer that I do it at Canada instead. But doesn't Canada have the same admissions requirements (GPS, lottery, merit-based) as the US anyway? And I'd be paying higher rates since I'm not Canadian. Not to mention my aforementioned disadvantages of lack of funds, no car to go to clinicals, still be needing Canadian dollars, etc.. To me, the Phil. route makes more sense. Does anyone have any opinion on this? Am I really kicking my butt in the long run for getting my BSN at Phils.?

On another note, these are the procedures I've gathered as far as what to do after getting my BSN from Phils and then coming back to the US to work. Please, for anyone more knowledgeable, feel free to correct/add on it.

---Procedure---

1. Go to cgfns.org (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) and apply for CES (Credentials Evaluation Service).

---> This process can take about 4 months (right?).

2. No need to take the NLE, sicne I'm USC (I'm positive about going Dual, though).

---> If I'm Dual, should I just take the NLE just to be on the safe side?

3. I am to fill out documents from cgfns.org and give them to my school.

---> What, specifically, are these documents?

4. The Dean and Registrar will have to fill out the sent documents from cgfns.org and send them my official trancript of records and RLE summary (?).

---> What's RLE?

5. In some cases, they may waive the form for the PRC to fill out.

---> How does one qualify for this waive and what is PRC?

6. They will also need a photocopy of high school diploma.

---> Who needs the HS diploma, the PRC or cgfns.org?

7. All above expenses are approximately $400 (?!).

---> Is it really this expensive to get it all done?

8. After all requirments are done, can finally sit for the NCLEX.

---> Say if I need 2 move 2 another state, will I need to do the whole process over again?

To anyone more familiar with this process, please correct mine if I'm missing some vital steps (and anser my mini qiestions under each step). Thank y'all.

Oh and P.S., what about, if in the future, I decided to relocate to Canada with a BSN from Phil. and a US citizen? What would be the steps?

maxmus · Jul 22, 2010

Thank you all for your replies.
As I forge ahead with my plans to study over at Phil. for that BSN, I've been met with opposition by some family members. I was strongly warned to not go this route because my studying in Phil. will just be useless. I don't understand how this is true. Can anyone verify, if indeed, this route would end up useless? I understand the current nursing climate in the US (US grads having a hard time finding employment along with retrogression) is not at its most favorable. But am I suppose to accept this RN crisis as something perpetual? Surely, in a few years time (hopefully right after i finish my BSN), this whole debacle will end, right? Said family members have also mentioned that I'll be having a hard time getting my credentials transferred over, not to mention all the hoops I need to jump after graduation. I'm aware of that, but I know I won't be the only USC going this route. I don't think said family members understand how different the admission process of RNs here compared to Phils. It's far more complicated and competitive here. But that's not to say RN schools at Phil. won't be. It'sd just that admissions in Phil. RN schools may be a bit easier, but they'd still test students what they're truly made of (at least the prestigious schools). So I don't understand where all this discouragement is coming from. They also prefer that I do it at Canada instead. But doesn't Canada have the same admissions requirements (GPS, lottery, merit-based) as the US anyway? And I'd be paying higher rates since I'm not Canadian. Not to mention my aforementioned disadvantages of lack of funds, no car to go to clinicals, still be needing Canadian dollars, etc.. To me, the Phil. route makes more sense. Does anyone have any opinion on this? Am I really kicking my butt in the long run for getting my BSN at Phils.?
On another note, these are the procedures I've gathered as far as what to do after getting my BSN from Phils and then coming back to the US to work. Please, for anyone more knowledgeable, feel free to correct/add on it.
---Procedure---
1. Go to cgfns.org (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) and apply for CES (Credentials Evaluation Service).
---> This process can take about 4 months (right?).
2. No need to take the NLE, sicne I'm USC (I'm positive about going Dual, though).
---> If I'm Dual, should I just take the NLE just to be on the safe side?
3. I am to fill out documents from cgfns.org and give them to my school.
---> What, specifically, are these documents?
4. The Dean and Registrar will have to fill out the sent documents from cgfns.org and send them my official trancript of records and RLE summary (?).
---> What's RLE?
5. In some cases, they may waive the form for the PRC to fill out.
---> How does one qualify for this waive and what is PRC?
6. They will also need a photocopy of high school diploma.
---> Who needs the HS diploma, the PRC or cgfns.org?
7. All above expenses are approximately $400 (?!).
---> Is it really this expensive to get it all done?
8. After all requirments are done, can finally sit for the NCLEX.
---> Say if I need 2 move 2 another state, will I need to do the whole process over again?
To anyone more familiar with this process, please correct mine if I'm missing some vital steps (and anser my mini qiestions under each step). Thank y'all.
Oh and P.S., what about, if in the future, I decided to relocate to Canada with a BSN from Phil. and a US citizen? What would be the steps?

iscream4u we have the same situation here...pm me...i decided to do it there...

iscream4u · Jul 24, 2010

iscream4u we have the same situation here...pm me...i decided to do it there...

Hey, maxmus. I tried PMing you, but it seems I can't for some reason. I'm eager to learn of your experiences concerning this route.

To the mods: Is the PM feature reserved only for premium members, or something? I can't seem to PM anyone. :crying2:

P.S. Any additional answers to my several questions would be greatly appreciated.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 24, 2010

Hey, maxmus. I tried PMing you, but it seems I can't for some reason. I'm eager to learn of your experiences concerning this route.
To the mods: Is the PM feature reserved only for premium members, or something? I can't seem to PM anyone.
P.S. Any additional answers to my several questions would be greatly appreciated.

To be able to send or reply to a pm you need 15 or more posts, members can however read any that are sent to them with less than 15 posts