EmilyFutureRN

Hey all, just wanted to put some advice out there for anyone looking into getting US licensure while studying nursing overseas. I got my Oregon RN license this week after completing my nursing degree in New Zealand, and I know I spent way too much time digging through these forums looking for help LOL but didn't see all that many success stories. My biggest piece of advice is to be proactive early. If you know you want to work in the US, figure out which state you want to be licensed in, look at their licensure requirements, and talk to your program directors/educators as early as possible. Clinical hours are often the biggest challenge, and having a plan from the start makes things so much easier. I went to the University of Otago, which is US-accredited (NLN CNEA), and while curriculum wasn't an issue with their accreditation, I did need to sort out clinical hours as it's not a given you'll get everything US states require. I went to them in my first year and they were very supportive and accommodating, and made sure I got what I needed. I started the credentials evaluation (TruMerit/CGFNS) process in late April 2026 and had my authorization to test (ATT) by June. I took the NCLEX in August (the earliest that worked with testing availability and my work schedule), and a few days after passing, my Oregon RN license was approved. TruMerit can be difficult to deal with, but having good contacts at your school who can help with paperwork and documentation makes a huge difference. As for the NCLEX, I used a lot of US-based resources throughout nursing school (like Simple Nursing and Level Up RN). I highly recommend doing that; having exposure to NCLEX-style content throughout my degree made NCLEX prep feel much less intimidating when the time came and felt worth the investment to me. I spent eight weeks studying around 10-15 hours a week for the NCLEX; primarily used UWorld for prep, and supplemented with Archer assessments as well as some old Mark Klimek lectures I found on Spotify. Passed in 85 :) Honestly just so happy to have this whole process behind me as it's come with a lot of challenges but wanted to share in case it helps anyone who's in a similar position that I was... Best of luck!!

Hi @Norah Hamley sorry for the delay! I think it really depends person to person, but to most people I'd probably recommend just getting your nursing degree in the US if you intend to be there long term as there are so many more challenges associated with studying internationally. NZ education system is very different and in my program there was so much extra personal responsibility in my learning and preparation. I studied at University of Otago (master of nursing science). I was super proactive from the beginning knowing I had US licensure in mind, and ensured I got sufficient clinical hours in all population areas etc for my state, by working with my school in advance to check those boxes. It was a lot of stress and a lot of headache to get the credentials evaluation etc too. It's worked out for me; I just got my Oregon RN license this week after passing the NCLEX!! I also was lucky to have my final clinical placement in the NICU here, and then they offered me a new grad position which has been a dream come true. Just need to be honest about the challenges and whether that's worth it for everyone. :) happy to chat more if you like, best of luck. Hi @Cali_Kiwi sorry for the late reply, you must already be in it and on track! I've just gotten my license in OR this week after passing NCLEX. Hope the program is going well for you; I'm happy to chat more if you'd like depending on where you're at now. :)

@Cali_Kiwi just wanted to follow up; how are things going?!

Hi @Cali_Kiwi glad to hear from you! it's a unique situation for sure. CA does seem to be more strict because of the requirement for concurrent clinical/theory. As far as transferring between compact states/licensure by endorsement, I know that in WA if you're already licensed in another state, but you were educated in a foreign country, they'll still want to review your education including CGFNS report when you apply for licensure, regardless of having that other license in another state. But everything varies state to state so I'm not sure about CA. My program doesn't have a specific class for pediatrics or maternal/infant, but they have incorporated maternal/infant/pediatric theory into our other coursework. So thankfully those subject areas are covered for me. I'm not sure about other programs in the area, though. Definitely worth talking to them in advance, so that if you need to sign up for an extra course, they can help you get that set up. As far as clinicals, I met with the clinical coordinator and director of my program, and I brought printed out forms for OR/WA/CA licensure requirements for nursing programs in foreign countries. We reviewed these specific requirements together and they're arranging my clinicals so that I'm not deficient in any hours. Our program has clinical placements in medical/surgical nursing, mental health, and aged care as well as the complex care and consolidation placements. I told them I was worried about lacking antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, infant, and pediatric clinical hours. So they put me in Gynaecology ward at Chch hospital for medical/surgical placement, which includes general medical and general surgical patients as well. In that ward there are lots of antepartum and postpartum patients so I got plenty of hours and exposure to those populations. Next year they're arranging my "complex care" placement to be Pediatrics which will be five weeks. And my consolidation placement (final nine weeks) will be in NICU. They're also going to arrange additional days within that placement spent in birthing suites/labor and delivery, so I'll get infant and L&D clinical experience at the same time. I was really worried about all this at first, but once I talked to them they definitely made it sound like it wasn't a big deal and felt so sorry for me that I had been stressed about it! I think the reddit and allnurses forums made me freak out haha but honestly if you're preparing in advance, remember that your school wants you to succeed and wants to help you! Getting the conversation going as early as possible will make it easier for them and for you. Would definitely love to stay in touch though, especially as we're both in Chch - let me know if you'd want to meet up for a coffee to chat at any point!!

oh one other question @espaghet did you take the NCLEX then while you were in NZ still or back in the US?

Ah OK, cool. It's University of Otago Master of Nursing Science. I mentioned that to my instructors as I started to do research, so they've put me in gynae this year and will get me NICU next year to make sure I have plenty of those clinical hours for OR/WA. Stil dreading the process though! Hoping NCLEX study isn't too overwhelming. Best wishes to you!

Oh that's so cool! It's so nice to hear that someone else has done it! Washington is my goal as I'm from Oregon. How long did the whole process take you if you don't mind my asking? It's such an unusual thing to do!! I graduate from my nursing program in November 2025. My program is actually accredited by the NLN CNEA in the US so I'm hoping that helps... but the whole credentials evaluation looks like such a nightmare, any tips you have for someone trying to plan ahead and potentially save my future self from any headaches would be awesome ?

Hey there! I'm Emily, I'm studying nursing in NZ but from the US and planning to move back to take the NCLEX when finished up. I've heard that UWorld is the best resource for NCLEX prep and even though it's costly, it's well worth it. I've seen some other comments you've posted; just curious what state you're going to and how the CGFNS stuff went for you if your test is scheduled? Thanks ?

Hey all! I'm a US citizen studying in NZ. I'm in University of Otago's Master of Nursing Science program. It has US accreditation (NLN CNEA) but I'm learning that, despite that accreditation, there will be potential deficiencies in clinical hours for maternal/infant health and pediatrics, depending on the state. I'm happy to hear people have been able to register in NY despite deficiences in those clinicals!! I also am curious about the licensure by endorsement and different states... Were you able to get that sorted @A B ?

Hey all! I've found some great info on here already, but I'm wondering if anyone has insight/experience that could help my situation... I'm a US citizen currently studying in New Zealand for an entry level Master of Nursing program. The program is uniquely accredited in the US by the NLN CNEA, but I've recently learned that this does NOT mean the education program will be approved by state boards for licensure in the US. It looks like, depending on the state, I will likely be considered deficient in maternal/infant and pediatric clinical experiences. I'm looking at OR, WA, & AK. I've reached out to my university and requested clinical hours in maternal/infant and pediatric settings; fingers crossed they approve that (I still have about 14 months left in my program). My hope is that if I'm able to get those hours in, and with the CNEA accreditation, I should be able to meet requirements to register in one of those states. I've also been reading about how some foreign-educated nurses register in NY or other states that have lower clinical requirements, and then they apply for licensure by endorsement in other states. One other issue..... I'm graduating next year, and then will have the opportunity to sit the state exam and register as an RN in New Zealand. My plan was to take the NZ state exam, register in NZ, and then move back to the US straight away. However, the Oregon State board of nursing told me that if an applicant is licensed as an RN in another country but has less than 400 hours of WORK experience, they WON'T be eligible for licensure!! If I don't register in NZ, I can apply in OR as a new graduate of a foreign education program, assuming it's within two years of graduation. I just don't know what other states' implications or work requirements are for individuals that are educated and registered in other countries. The timelines for new grads complicate things, too. For example, new graduate jobs in US often require that new grads completed their program within one year of applying. So I'd have to apply for education evaluation, get back to the US, take NCLEX, etc AND fulfill any remaining requirements within one year... Agh, it's just so stressful!! Maybe my best bet is to get the license here, work 400 hours as an RN somewhere, and then go back and figure it all out... Does anyone have recent experience with this? If so, how'd it go for you? Thanks, Emily