US vs. NZ nursing school

[maxwellsmart]

Hello. I am about to start nursing school and I am trying to figre out if I should go to nursing school in New Zealand or in the United Sates. I want to practice in New Zealand, and I am currently living in the United States.

Am I better off getting my RN in New Zealand if that's where I want to practice anyway? Will my New Zealand nursing license let me practice in Australia as well with out any problems?

I know that if I get my RN in New Zealand, and decide to move back to the U.S. and practice, that I would have to take the American Nursing exam ( NCLEX ) and they would need to review my education, before I could practice.

[suzanne4, RN]

You would also need to make-up classes in the US before you would be permitted to sit for the NCLEX exam.

Are you already accepted to nursing school in the US? Remember that you will face waiting lists down there as well. It will not be instant schooling.

[Interested Party]

What kind of visa will you be on if you go to NZ? I did my Bachelor of Nursing Degree in NZ (3 year) - domestic students cost about NZD$12k for the whole 3 years and NZD$15k per year for international students. I enquired about getting registration in the US a couple of years ago and was advised that I have done sufficient hours and placements to be eligible to apply to sit NCLEX, of course via the normal process of BONs etc.