Going Back To The Philippines to Study (Need Feedback)

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I am currently an immigrant here in California and I want to study Nursing. However, most schools here have a 2-3 year waiting list. I intend to go back to the Philipines by the first week of april and study nursing there instead and since I already have a bachelors degree I will most likely be able to finish the course in two to three years as opposed to having those years wasted while waiting to get into the program after having finished my prerequisites here in the US. My concerns are

1. With policies regarding foreign graduates constantly changing and with the philippines' credibility shaken after the testing leakage, will I have a problem in taking the US boards and finding a job here in california after I graduate 2-3 years from now?

2. Will they honor my education and not ask me to retake certain courses?

I certainly do not want my finances and efforts there to go to waste and be asked to study again once I get back to CA.

By the way, the schools that I'm choosing from are Fatima University, Manila Doctors and Global City Innovative College. As I see it, if I study here in the US it will take me around 5 years (including waiting list period) to get my associates degree on the other hand if I study in the Philippines it will take me 2-3 years to get a bachelors.

I will be grateful for any feedback that will help me reach a well informed decision.

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Specializes in Med-Surg,OPD ER,School/Clinic,Teaching.
I am currently an immigrant here in California and I want to study Nursing. However, most schools here have a 2-3 year waiting list. I intend to go back to the Philipines by the first week of april and study nursing there instead and since I already have a bachelors degree I will most likely be able to finish the course in two to three years as opposed to having those years wasted while waiting to get into the program after having finished my prerequisites here in the US. My concerns are

1. With policies regarding foreign graduates constantly changing and with the philippines' credibility shaken after the testing leakage, will I have a problem in taking the US boards and finding a job here in california after I graduate 2-3 years from now?

2. Will they honor my education and not ask me to retake certain courses?

I certainly do not want my finances and efforts there to go to waste and be asked to study again once I get back to CA.

By the way, the schools that I'm choosing from are Fatima University, Manila Doctors and Global City Innovative College. As I see it, if I study here in the US it will take me around 5 years (including waiting list period) to get my associates degree on the other hand if I study in the Philippines it will take me 2-3 years to get a bachelors.

I will be grateful for any feedback that will help me reach a well informed decision.

If I were in your case, I'd definitely finish my nursing there in the US, after all, you want to work in the US right?

You'll save your self from all the hassles of being a foreign-trained nurse. You see, things are easier when you study at accredited nursing schools there, there are lots of benefits(short term and long term) which greatly outweigh the costs of time and money.

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Specializes in MedSurg.-Tele, Home health, LTC.
i am currently an immigrant here in california and i want to study nursing. however, most schools here have a 2-3 year waiting list. i intend to go back to the philipines by the first week of april and study nursing there instead and since i already have a bachelors degree i will most likely be able to finish the course in two to three years as opposed to having those years wasted while waiting to get into the program after having finished my prerequisites here in the us. my concerns are

i can totally relate on how you feel about the long wait in nursing schools here in the us. anyways, be patient, maybe there are some areas in california where there is no problem getting in nursing school. other wise, if you choose to study in the philippines, you should contact your choosen school now, asap. are you still a filipino citizen? if you are an american citizen, you need to have a student visa in order to study in the philippines. where did you get your bachelors? here in the us or back home? don't worry, you getting the prereqs in the us is not really a total waste, you can contact the commission on higher education in the philippines if some of your classes can be credited, if not you need to contact the school if what classes you need to take before getting in the nursing program there. ( don't worry, your not the only one...i spend more than a year just for the prereqs alone, and waited to get in the nursing program here in hawaii...i ended up finishing it in pi instead).

1. with policies regarding foreign graduates constantly changing and with the philippines' credibility shaken after the testing leakage, will i have a problem in taking the us boards and finding a job here in california after i graduate 2-3 years from now? since you are an immigrant, you don't need to take their local board. you can go straight to getting your licensure via cali board of nsg. in this case, you have the upper hand, because you live in california, and you are an immigrant. i am license in cali too, but work here in hawaii).

2. will they honor my education and not ask me to retake certain courses?

i certainly do not want my finances and efforts there to go to waste and be asked to study again once i get back to ca. it depends on which school you go to...you need to contact ched so they can evaluate your education, but i guarantee you you still have to take a lot of classes there..don't worry, it is not as hard like the ones' we have here in the us.

by the way, the schools that i'm choosing from are fatima university, manila doctors and global city innovative college. as i see it, if i study here in the us it will take me around 5 years (including waiting list period) to get my associates degree on the other hand if i study in the philippines it will take me 2-3 years to get a bachelors. good choice. you need to contact the school you want to get in, it is a lenghty process because you might need a student visa if your an american citizen.

i will be grateful for any feedback that will help me reach a well informed decision.

lastly, pls. consider other schools in your neighboring county, maybe they have schools there that are easy to get in...think twice before getting back to pi...take it from me, because i did that route too..i have no regrets about it, because i am actually working now as an rn, but beleive me, you really need to make sure you want to go back there.....goodluck.

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dissonant, a guy who bought my car two weeks ago is from atlanta, ga and he'll be taking up nursing in fatima. if someone will support you financially while you're here in the philippines, then it is phil is a good choice instead of the us. tuition and lodging is cheaper.

post edited to conform with the tos of this forum.

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If you graduate from out of the US, you will always be considered a foreign grad, even if you were born in the US and hold a US passport. Immigration and licensing requirements are completely two different things. You will need to follow the requirements that all foreign nurses need to do for licensure.

And another caveat to throw in, more than likely expect a year of training/internship to be added to the curriculum in PI by the time that you graduate, or what if they require two years of service?

As an immigrant to the US, you are still a citizen of the Philippines, and would have to follow their laws. And if you leave for the few years that it takes to go to school there, and only have a green card, you may not meet requirements to maintain it.

These are just a few things that you really need to consider, not just that you will finish faster. You may not.

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i am currently an immigrant here in california and i want to study nursing. however, most schools here have a 2-3 year waiting list. i intend to go back to the philipines by the first week of april and study nursing there instead and since i already have a bachelors degree i will most likely be able to finish the course in two to three years as opposed to having those years wasted while waiting to get into the program after having finished my prerequisites here in the us. my concerns are

1. with policies regarding foreign graduates constantly changing and with the philippines' credibility shaken after the testing leakage, will i have a problem in taking the us boards and finding a job here in california after i graduate 2-3 years from now?

2. will they honor my education and not ask me to retake certain courses?

i certainly do not want my finances and efforts there to go to waste and be asked to study again once i get back to ca.

by the way, the schools that i'm choosing from are fatima university, manila doctors and global city innovative college. as i see it, if i study here in the us it will take me around 5 years (including waiting list period) to get my associates degree on the other hand if i study in the philippines it will take me 2-3 years to get a bachelors.

i will be grateful for any feedback that will help me reach a well informed decision.

i am also from northern california (us citizen) and came here in the phil on 2004 to study nursing i enrolled in oct 2004 and its our graduation on april 3, 2007. i am now preparing to take my nclex over there be back there after my graduation on tuesday. its not an easy journey considering the big difference of the environment and facilities that we have over there but if you are really determined that should not be an obstacle you cant be sosyi sosyi here especially on your clinical duties you have to have the flexiblity, self discipline, be humble, and endure what it takes to meet your goal. everything was fine i have no problem its worth it. i've work there in the bank for 10 years and with my savings i used it wisely to support my nursing here. my first degree was major in economics. with my working experience in the management level over there regardless whether i am a foreign graduate i strongly believe that i can make it.

tagalog is in violation of the tos of this forum. english only please.

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Specializes in MedSurg.-Tele, Home health, LTC.
i am also from northern california (us citizen) and came here in the phil on 2004 to study nursing i enrolled in oct 2004 and its our graduation on april 3, 2007. i am now preparing to take my nclex over there be back there after my graduation on tuesday. its not an easy journey considering the big difference of the environment and facilities that we have over there but if you are really determined that should not be an obstacle you cant be sosyi sosyi here especially on your clinical duties you have to have the flexiblity, self discipline, be humble, and endure what it takes to meet your goal. everything was fine i have no problem its worth it. i've work there in the bank for 10 years and with my savings i used it wisely to support my nursing here. my first degree was major in economics. with my working experience in the management level over there regardless whether i am a foreign graduate i strongly believe that i can make it.

tagalog is in violation of the tos of this forum. english only please.

everything you said is correct, i can totally relate to your experiences...my gosh i felt the same way, congratulations, by the way, and soon you will come back home to cali and join the work force !!!!:lol2: boy, i miss college life!!!

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if you don't mind....what school did you attend to study nursing in the philippines

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Hey man I'm going back to pinas tomorrow to study nursing too ^_^

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^^goodluck on your studies. :) webee!

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I am currently an immigrant here in California and I want to study Nursing. However, most schools here have a 2-3 year waiting list. I intend to go back to the Philipines by the first week of april and study nursing there instead and since I already have a bachelors degree I will most likely be able to finish the course in two to three years as opposed to having those years wasted while waiting to get into the program after having finished my prerequisites here in the US. My concerns are

1. With policies regarding foreign graduates constantly changing and with the philippines' credibility shaken after the testing leakage, will I have a problem in taking the US boards and finding a job here in california after I graduate 2-3 years from now?

2. Will they honor my education and not ask me to retake certain courses?

I certainly do not want my finances and efforts there to go to waste and be asked to study again once I get back to CA.

By the way, the schools that I'm choosing from are Fatima University, Manila Doctors and Global City Innovative College. As I see it, if I study here in the US it will take me around 5 years (including waiting list period) to get my associates degree on the other hand if I study in the Philippines it will take me 2-3 years to get a bachelors.

I will be grateful for any feedback that will help me reach a well informed decision.

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except for costs (which should be the least of your problems...considering financial aid and scholarships!), you're actually better off studying here. going back to the philippines should be your last resort. with all the controversy hounding the conduct of our nursing programs back home (not to mention the ugly june 2006 alleged board leak), more stringent rules and requirements may be applied to all phil. graduates in time. you will be evaluated by standards drawn in the u.s. anyway so schools in your state would definitely be more in touch with what nursing boards really want than phil. nursing schools. after the hard, hard work you put into getting your rn license, i'm sure state boards questioning the quality of your education is the last thing you'd want to hear.

i just don't know about the waitlists. i've really wondered about it all this time. such system appears backward and essentially unfair given that there is a serious need for excellent nurses. isn't it better to accept applicants who'd be proactive about making the grade than go by a list year after year.

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And the final topper to this:

We are hearing more and more that the clinical skills that are very typical in most nursing programs are not even being taught there currently. Such as NG insertion, foley cath insertion, IV starts, etc.

So that would put you behind others that you would be starting work with and that is never a good thing.

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