The South Dakota Board of Nursing licenses registered nurses and practical nurses. South Dakota is a Nurse Licensure Compact (Compact) state, meaning that nurses licensed by another Compact state do not need to apply for licensure unless they plan to make South Dakota their primary state of residency.
Select license type you’re applying for:
Registered Nurse - Initial Licensure
Service(s) Required
English Language Proficiency Exam Results
Exams scores are required to be submitted to CGFNS for CES if your program was not taught in English
Accepted English Language Proficiency Test and Passing Exam Scores:
- TOEFL Overall Score: 83; Speaking Score: 26
- IELTS Overall Score: 6.5; Speaking Score: 7.0
- Cambridge: Overall: 175; Speaking Score: 185
- TOEIC: Listening and Reading: 725; Speaking/Writing: 160/150
- MET: Overall: 55; Speaking: 55
- OET: Reading, Writing, and Listening: 300; Speaking: 350
- PTE: Overall: 55; Reading, Listening, and Writing: 50; Speaking: 63
Notes
Any applicant taught in English DOES NOT need to take an English exam or submit an ELP Report. All non-English applicants where the language of instruction and textbook was NOT SOLELY in English are required to take an English Language Proficiency (ELP) exam. If language of instruction and textbook have English and another language the applicant must take an ELP exam.
Registered Nurse - Endorsement
Service(s) Required
English Language Proficiency Exam Results
Exams scores are required to be submitted to CGFNS for CES if your program was not taught in English
Accepted English Language Proficiency Test and Passing Exam Scores:
- TOEFL Overall Score: 83; Speaking Score: 26
- IELTS Overall Score: 6.5; Speaking Score: 7.0
- Cambridge: Overall: 175; Speaking Score: 185
- TOEIC: Listening and Reading: 725; Speaking/Writing: 160/150
- MET: Overall: 55; Speaking: 55
- OET: Reading, Writing, and Listening: 300; Speaking: 350
- PTE: Overall: 55; Reading, Listening, and Writing: 50; Speaking: 63
Notes
Any applicant taught in English DOES NOT need to take an English exam or submit an ELP Report. All non-English applicants where the language of instruction and textbook was NOT SOLELY in English are required to take an English Language Proficiency (ELP) exam. If language of instruction and textbook have English and another language the applicant must take an ELP exam.
Licensed Practical Nurse - Initial Licensure
Service(s) Required
English Language Proficiency Exam Results
Exam scores are required to be submitted to CGFNS for CES
Accepted English Language Proficiency Test and Passing Exam Scores:
- TOEFL Overall Score: 79; Speaking Score: 26
- IELTS Overall Score: 6.0; Speaking Score: 7.0
- Cambridge: Overall: 175; Speaking Score: 185
- TOEIC: Listening and Reading: 725; Speaking/Writing: 160/150
- MET: Overall: 55; Speaking: 55
- OET: Reading, Writing, and Listening: 300; Speaking: 350
- PTE: Overall: 55; Reading, Listening, and Writing: 50; Speaking: 63
Notes
Any applicant taught in English DOES NOT need to take an English exam or submit an ELP Report. All non-English applicants where the language of instruction and textbook was NOT SOLELY in English are required to take an English Language Proficiency (ELP) exam. If language of instruction and textbook have English and another language the applicant must take an ELP exam.
Licensed Practical Nurse - Endorsement
Service(s) Required
English Language Proficiency Exam Results
Exam scores are required to be submitted to CGFNS for CES
Accepted English Language Proficiency Test and Passing Exam Scores:
- TOEFL Overall Score: 83; Speaking Score: 26
- IELTS Overall Score: 6.5; Speaking Score: 7.0
- Cambridge: Overall: 175; Speaking Score: 185
- TOEIC: Listening and Reading: 725; Speaking/Writing: 160/150
- MET: Overall: 55; Speaking: 55
- OET: Reading, Writing, and Listening: 300; Speaking: 350
- PTE: Overall: 55; Reading, Listening, and Writing: 50; Speaking: 63
Notes
Any applicant taught in English DOES NOT need to take an English exam or submit an ELP Report. All non-English applicants where the language of instruction and textbook was NOT SOLELY in English are required to take an English Language Proficiency (ELP) exam. If language of instruction and textbook have English and another language the applicant must take an ELP exam.