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.
Thanks for sharing a lot of wisdom in this community. I'm on the same boat. I'm thinking of going home to Phils and get my degree. This may sound stupid but I'll ask it anyway. Is BS Nur in Phils comparable to US education system? If I earn my BS there, will I have no problem getting my MS here? My case is different, i'm classified as out-of-state/international student in terms of tuition fees until my husband gets his green card. You have raised interesting points about cons of getting the degree there. The clinical experience is also my concern. Considering that nursing schools are flooded with thousands of hopefuls (some colleges take more than they can handle), the quality of education might be an issue. No offense to those of you who have plans to take this route (I am considering it too), but maybe a through discussion may help...
I still do not recommend going back to go to school. You asked for my opinion. You are still a citizen of there, meaning that if they change any rules while you are there, such as mandatory internship ( and I seriously think that is coming), mandatory NLE passing before you can work out of the country. Anything is possible.
There are only a few of the second courser programs there that are actually comparable with the programs in the US right now. There have been so many schools that have started offering nursing and know absolutely nothing about it.........keep hearing scary stories and they are getting scarier.
How long before your spouse can get the green card? What type of visa is your husband on? The only time that you would be classified as international is if he is an F-1. Otherwise, if H1-B, then you would be an H-4 and do not pay international tuition with that since he is paying taxes here. If your husband has any type of visa other than the F-1 and it is a visa that permits him to work, then you have no issues with attending school here. None at all. The issue is if he is a student, then there are not any taxes being paid.
We're Fil/Canadians living in Massachusetts under TN visa and HR will be filing for my husband's H1, then greencard. I'm glad that you brought this up. I think in Mass , anyone who's here using a temporary visa cannot be considered for in-state tuition. Some states do qualify dependents for such benefit. I know it's not fair to be living and paying taxes here and not able to work, and not qualify for in-state rates. Although our visas allow us to study, the state has the juridiction on whether to include us among those who are qualified for in-state tuition. I'm still looking for "legal answers" so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will finally be considered as in-state student. Thanks! I would appreciate it if you can find any info about my case. At this point, going to the Phils to study would be my very last option.
Check again the TN visa is a special treaty visa and is not considered the same as a temporary visa for most things. The H1-B is temporary.
Even with nursing, and in hospitals that are unionized, that do not permit temporary visa nurses, the TN Visa is readily accepted.
Not sure why they are filing for the H1-B visa for your husband, there is absolutely no reason to go thru that step at all, H1-B visas are also very hard to come by now, they are already gone for the next round that come out this October, and they were filled in less than one day when they opened up for petitions. If he has the TN Visa, there is no reason to go thru the middle step, it has nothing to do with getting the green card. TN is actually a much better visa. For many things in the US.
And if you have Canadian citizenship, then I would recommend going back there to go to school before I would ever recommend that you go back to PI to train. Also much easier for you to visit, not flying over different continents.
I am currently residing in the US and i'm planning on going back to the Phil. to take up nursing as my second course. How much (roughly) do you think will it cost? Thanks
i am currently residing in the us and i'm planning on going back to the phil. to take up nursing as my second course. how much (roughly) do you think will it cost? thanks
if you are a foreign citizen ( non filipino), the tuition is twice as much as the regular filipino citizen nursing students. you will need a student visa too. i suggest contact your school of choice, and pls. be careful in choosing one since there is an increase of not so good nursing schools, who only cares about the money, but the quality of education is so poor, that the students don't learn anything...it seems like you live in california, i understand ca has a lot of community colleges, universities, etc. i am sure they have a lot of nursing school there. if money is the problem, try community colleges, i am sure they do have good financial aid programs, rather than going back to philippines, keep your options open here..since there is a lot of issues, and problems with the nursing back there, you don't want to get into that for sure.just my opinion.
Suzanne, I've been reading most of your input and you are right. I know that at the end of the day, It's still my life and my decision to take up nursing in the Phil. You guys are there to give us advice and I have to admit, after reading all the threads, I'm now sceptical about nursing in the Philippines. Maybe I should take up another course back home and go back to school as a transferee ......hmmm..... PT maybe?
Im on the same boat. Planning to leave for the Philippines in September. I have waited for a while and nothing happened. Finally i have decided to continue nursing in the Philippines.
Im on the same boat. Planning to leave for the Philippines in September. I have waited for a while and nothing happened. Finally i have decided to continue nursing in the Philippines.
You are new here. Highly recommend that you do some reading here. Does not matter even if you hold a US passport, you will always be considered a foreign grad and will have to meet special requirements no matter where you wish to get licensed. And in the future if you move to another state, you will still be considered a foreign grad even ten years from now.
And the other thing to consider, it is going to be increasingly difficult for you to get a position directly in a hospital when you return to the US. We have been having problems with the training happening in PI right now due to all of the programs that are sprouting up like little mice. The training that they are providing is sub-standard at best, and facilities in the US are very aware of this. If you want to return there because you think it will be faster, it is not going to help you in the long run. Just make sure that you are truly going into this with your eyes wide open.
Have you even been accepted to a program there yet?
i also dont like the waiting list here in the us, but its worth it.. me, i did the LVN-RN bridge program so there would be no waiting list.. surely it would be costly but for me i think that it would be easiler for me to adapt at the same time gain new expericences and make new friends..
marwan
40 Posts
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for sharing a lot of wisdom in this community. I'm on the same boat. I'm thinking of going home to Phils and get my degree. This may sound stupid but I'll ask it anyway. Is BS Nur in Phils comparable to US education system? If I earn my BS there, will I have no problem getting my MS here? My case is different, i'm classified as out-of-state/international student in terms of tuition fees until my husband gets his green card. You have raised interesting points about cons of getting the degree there. The clinical experience is also my concern. Considering that nursing schools are flooded with thousands of hopefuls (some colleges take more than they can handle), the quality of education might be an issue. No offense to those of you who have plans to take this route (I am considering it too), but maybe a through discussion may help...