CGFNS Certification Program®

What is the CGFNS Certification Program®?

The CGFNS Certification Program® has three components to be eligible:

  1. A credentials evaluation of higher secondary school education (High school), verification of nursing licensure and completion of a nursing program
  2. The CGFNS Qualifying Exam®
  3. Evidence of passing one of the approved English Language Proficiency examinations

Who enrolls in the CGFNS Certification Program®?

The CGFNS Certification Program® is designed for first level, general nurses educated outside of the United States who wish to practice nursing in the United States. A first-level, general nurse (as defined by the International Council of Nurses) may also be referred to as a registered nurse (RN) or a professional nurse.

Second-level (Practical) nurses are not eligible to be licensed as Registered Nurses in the United States and therefore, do not meet the requirements to enroll in the CGFNS Certification Program®.

What are the benefits of the CGFNS Certification Program®?

  • The CGFNS Certification Program® is either required or accepted by approximately two-thirds of the State Boards of Nursing as a criterion for approval to take the NCLEX-RN® exam. The NCLEX-RN® exam is a requirement for licensure in the United States and Canada.
  • The CGFNS Qualifying Exam® a component of the Certification Program will satisfy the Nursing Knowledge requirement of the VisaScreen® Visa Credentials Assessment for immigration.

Certification Program Required Documents

Secondary School Information

Applicants must submit a photocopy of their secondary school diploma or external exam certificate for the highest level of secondary education they attained. Secondary school (high school) is the school attended between elementary school (primary school) and university, usually offering general, technical, vocational, or college-preparatory courses.

* This requirement is waived if the applicant completed secondary education more than 10 years ago.

License / Registration / Diploma Information

Applicants are required to have a current unrestricted license in their country of education. The license verification must be sent directly to CGFNS from the licensing body.

If that license has expired, the applicant must request that the licensing authority from which they have an active license provide verification of that license directly to CGFNS.

Applicants are required to have a current unrestricted license. The license verification must be sent directly to CGFNS from the licensing body.

Note: Any relevant documents received and validated by CGFNS within the past three years may be used to satisfy these requirements.

Professional Nursing Education Information

Applicants must request their nursing school to provide CGFNS with a full academic record or transcript from each educational institution attended for the profession being evaluated. CGFNS defines a full academic transcript as a record of an applicant’s courses taken along with clock hours for the clinical hours that the applicant received for each course.

These documents must be in English or must be translated by an official registered translator. CGFNS can translate documents for an additional fee. CGFNS will not accept translations sent directly by applicants.

Passport-style photograph

All applicants are required to upload a passport-style photograph with a white or off-white background to CGFNS Connect.

Your photograph must be:

JPG FILE TYPE

LESS THAN 5MB

SQUARE (51mm X 51mm)

IN FULL-COLOR

  • Sized such that the head is between 1″ (25mm) and 1 3/8″ (35mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
  • Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
  • Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
  • Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
  • With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
  • Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis:
    • Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
    • Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.
    • Headphones, wireless hands-free devices or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
    • If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device or similar articles, they may be worn for your photo.
    • Dark glasses or non-prescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons (a medical certificate may be required)
    • Glare on glasses is not acceptable in your photo. Glare can be avoided with a slight downward tilt of the glasses or by removing the glasses or by turning off the camera flash.

Source: U.S. Department of State

The CGFNS Qualifying Exam®

Status Update on CGFNS Qualifying Exam®: We are continuing to administer the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® however, some of our exam sites may be closed due to COVID-19. Those not able to take the exam due to travel restrictions or the closure of an exam site should please contact CGFNS Support.

Choosing Your Examination Date

The CGFNS Qualifying Exam® is delivered at Kryterion testing centers during four annual one-week testing windows. The testing windows for 2023 are as follows:

  • March 13-17, 2023
  • July 10-14, 2023
  • September 11-15, 2023
  • November 13-17, 2023

Once your order is complete and you have submitted payment, an Authorization to Test (ATT) notification letter is sent via email to the applicant. The ATT provides the applicant with their approved testing window and a link to schedule their testing appointment.

Changing Your Exam Date or Location

Applicants may change their exam date or cancel their exam appointment up to 5 business days prior to the start of the testing window. All changes or cancellations must be completed via Webassessor.

If an applicant does not appear for their scheduled exam appointment or does not cancel at least 5 business days in advance of the start of the testing window, they will forfeit the eligibility provided through the ATT. The applicant will be required to pay a re-examination fee before they can schedule another testing appointment.

You must cancel your appointment directly through Webassessor. Do NOT contact CGFNS to change your testing window.

*If your test center location has been changed to read “COVID-19 Placeholder Center,” your original test center is closed due to COVID-19. Please access Webassessor to reschedule your testing appointment here.

Topic Areas included on the Qualifying Exam (Topic %):

  • Safe, Effective Care Environment (26-38%)
    • Management of care (17–23%)
    • Safety and infection control (9–15%)
  • Health Promotion and Maintenance (6–12%)
  • Psychosocial Integrity (6–12%)
  • Physiological Integrity (38-62%)
    • Basic care and comfort (6–12%)
    • Reduction of risk potential (12–18%)
    • Pharmacological and parenteral therapies (9–15%)
    • Physiological adaptation (11–17%)

Preparing for the Qualifying Exam

CP Study Guide

  • Each approved candidate receives a copy of the CP Study Guide
  • Provides a general overview of the exam and the topics covered on the exam.
  • Includes a list of resources to review to prepare for the exam.
  • Contains sample test questions with rationales.

CGFNS Self-Assessment

  • Two examinations available for purchase
  • Exams are taken over the internet at home.
  • Applicants can select the pacing for the exam; it can be taken using the same timing as the Qualifying Exam or can be self-paced (untimed).
  • Helps candidates to become familiar with the question formats and the examination interface prior to exam day.
  • Each test form contains questions that were previously used on the Qualifying Exam.
  • Candidates receive a score report that provides performance information on each of the topic areas.
  • Performance Interpretation Guidelines are provided to assist candidates to identify relative strengths and weaknesses.

Format of the Qualifying Exam

  • The CGFNS Qualifying Exam® is a computer-based examination delivered through the Kryterion testing network.
  • Each examination consists of 165 multiple-choice items (150 scored questions/15 unscored pretest questions).
  • Three hours of testing time is allotted for the exam.

Score Reporting

Within 15 business days of the last day of the testing window, diagnostic profile reports will be made available to applicants. The diagnostic profile report contains feedback based on the total test score and sub-scores for each of the main topic areas covered on the exam.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

CGFNS International requires evidence of English-language competency for both spoken and written English as demonstrated through passing scores on one of the accepted ELP examinations:

  • Cambridge English (B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency exams)
  • TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-based Test)
  • TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication)
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
  • MET (Michigan English Test)
  • OET (Occupational English Test)
  • Pearson PTE Academic

* CGFNS does NOT currently accept the at-home versions of English Language Proficiency exams. See chart below for passing score requirements.

English Language Proficiency Passing Scores for Registered Nurses

English Competency Tests

Scores: Registered Nurses

Cambridge Assessment English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 qualifications exams

Cambridge English Scale 176 overall and 185 Speaking

Educational Testing Service: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Paper-delivered Test

540

Educational Testing Service: TOEFL Internet-Based Test

81 with minimum of 57 on Reading, Listening, and Writing and 24 on Speaking

Educational Testing Service: TOEIC (Listening and Reading)

725

Educational Testing Service: TOEIC (Speaking / Writing)

160 Speaking / 150 Writing

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

6.5 academic with minimum of 7 on Speaking

Michigan English Test (MET)

Overall 55; minimum Speaking section score of 55

Occupational English Test (OET)

OET Grade C+ for Reading, Writing, and Listening
OET Grade B for Speaking

Pearson PTE Academic

55, no section below 50

For Additional Information on English language proficiency examinations, please visit:

Exemption from the English Language Proficiency Requirement

To be exempt from taking an English language proficiency examination, applicants must meet the following requirements:

English must have been the language of instruction, including the language of the textbooks;

AND

Entry-level nursing education was completed in one of the following countries:

  • Australia
  • Barbados
  • Canada (except Quebec, the only schools approved for exemption are: McGill University, Dawson College, Vanier College, John Abbott College, and Heritage College)
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • New Zealand
  • South Africa
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

Certification Program Certificates

CGFNS Certification Program® certificates are awarded to individuals who meet all of the requirements described above. Certificates are mailed directly to the applicant. Applicants are required to request a certification verification letter that will be sent to the licensing board to which they are applying for licensure.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that CGFNS has their recent address on file. Copies of certificates and certification verification letters are available to all applicants at an additional cost.

FEES

CGFNS Certification Program® Frequently Asked Questions

Certification Program & Qualifying Exam

The application for the CGFNS Certification Program® is online in the CGFNS Connect Portal.

On the CGFNS.org homepage, select Apply or Login to be taken to CGFNS Connect.

If you have already registered to the new CGFNS Connect Portal, select For Returning Users of the Legacy Connect Portal with a personal email address

If you have not registered to the new CGFNS Connect Portal, please select For New Users of the New Connect Portal.

Once you have created and submitted your personal profile, please select “Shopping Cart” in the upper right-hand corner for a full list of CGFNS programs and services.

(NOTE: CGFNS does not accept the at-home versions of English Language Proficiency exams)

To complete the CGFNS Certification Program®, you must submit scores from one of accepted English language proficiency examinations.

Please pay attention to the following when considering the English language requirements for the Certification Program:

  • Scores must be from an English language exam taken within two years of the CGFNS Certification Program Qualifying Exam®.
  • You are not required to submit English language test scores in advance of taking the Qualifying Exam®. However, if you pass the Qualifying Exam®, you will not receive a Certification Program certificate until CGFNS receives your English language proficiency exam scores.
  • If you do not meet the English language proficiency requirement within two years of taking the Qualifying Exam®, you will be required to take the Qualifying Exam® again in order to receive a Certification Program certificate.

Exemption from the English Language Proficiency Requirement

To be exempt from taking an English language proficiency examination, you must meet the following requirements:

  1. English must have been your language of instruction, including the language of the textbooks; AND
  2. Your entry level nursing education was completed in one of the following countries:
    • Australia
    • Barbados
    • Canada (except Quebec, the only schools approved for exemption are: McGill University, Dawson College, Vanier College, John Abbott College, and Heritage College)
    • Ireland
    • Jamaica
    • New Zealand
    • South Africa
    • Trinidad and Tobago
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

If you meet these criteria, you do not need to take an English language proficiency examination.

The CGFNS Qualifying Exam® is offered four times per year during five-day test windows. Test windows for 2023 are:

March 13-17, 2023
July 10-14, 2023
September 11-15, 2023
November 13-17, 2023

Once you complete your application and pay for the Certification Program, an Authorization to Test (ATT) email will be sent to you. You will then be provided with the testing window for which you applied. You may select only one testing appointment to take the Qualifying Exam®.

1. What are the steps to schedule the CGFNS Qualifying Exam®?

After you have been approved to take the CGFNS Qualifying Exam®, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) email containing instructions about how to schedule your testing appointment.

2. What are the required steps once I go to the page where I can schedule my testing appointment??

Once you have entered your CGFNS ID number and password where requested, please follow these steps:

  1. Select “Register for an Exam”
  2. Click on the “+” sign to the left of CGFNS Qualifying Exam
  3. Click on “Get Now” which will be highlighted next to the testing window for which you are authorized to test
  4. Select your country and/or city to determine if there are any exam centers nearby.
  5. Check the box next to the available testing location(s) where you would like to test and click on “Next”
  6. After you have located an exam center, you will be shown a calendar listing available test dates at that center.
  7. Navigate to the month of the exam in which you are interested. Available test dates will be highlighted in bold. If no test dates are listed, it may be that the exam center has no vacancies or is closed during the period of the test window selected.
  8. Select a date and time on the calendar for which you wish to sit for the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® and confirm your selection.

3. May I change my exam date or location once I have made a selection?

Yes. All changes must be done no later than five (five) business days prior to the beginning of the testing window. Changes must be made directly in Webassessor.

4. I am no longer able to test during my approved testing window. May I change to a new testing window?

Yes. You may purchase a “Qualifying Exam Testing Window Change Fee” to select the next available testing window.

5. I was unable to appear for my scheduled testing appointment. Can I get a refund?

No. If you do not show up for your scheduled exam, you are not eligible for a refund and you will be required to pay a “Re-Examination Fee” to schedule an appointment for the Qualifying Exam in the future.

6. How do I know if a testing center is closed due to COVID-19?

Many testing centers remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A current list of closures is available through Kryterion’s website.

The CGFNS Qualifying Exam® is administered in collaboration with Kryterion, which has a global network of testing locations. To find out if there are any testing centers near you, go the Kryterion location database.

Please note: Some test centers may not be available during CGFNS Qualifying Exam® test windows.