The CGFNS Certification Program® has three components that applicants must satisfy:
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).
Second-level (Practical) nurses are not eligible to be licensed as Registered Nurses in the U.S. and therefore do not meet the requirements to enroll in the CGFNS Certification Program®.
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 waived only if the applicant completed secondary education more than 10 years ago.
CGFNS validates and authenticates all licenses, registrations, and diplomas obtained by an applicant for the CGFNS Certification Program®. Applicants are required to have a current unrestricted registered nursing license in their country of education. The registered nursing license verification must be sent directly to CGFNS from the licensing body in the country of education. Additionally, CGFNS and state boards of nursing require license validations to be current (the signature of the validation authority must be dated within the last three years).
If that registered nursing 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.
A complete academic record or transcript directly from each educational institution attended for the nursing profession being evaluated.
These documents must be in English and translated by the educational institution(s) that the applicant has attended/completed. If the educational institution(s) is unable to provide an English translation, then CGFNS can translate the documents for an additional fee.
All applicants are required to upload a passport-style photograph with a white or off-white background to CGFNS Connect.
Your photograph must be:
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.Source: U.S. Department of State
The CGFNS Qualifying Exam® is delivered at Kryterion testing centers during four annual one-week testing windows. The remaining testing windows for 2023 are as follows:
The testing windows for 2024 are as follows:
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.
Applicants may request to 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.
About the CP Study Guide
Each approved applicant receives a copy of the CP Study Guide, which provides:
About the CGFNS self-assessment practice exam
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.
NOTE: CGFNS does not accept the at-home versions of English Language Proficiency exams.
CGFNS International requires evidence of competency for both spoken and written English as demonstrated through passing scores on one of the following exams:
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
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:
The CGFNS Certification Program® certificates are awarded to applicants 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 state board of nursing to which they are applying for licensure.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that CGFNS has their current address on file. Copies of certificates and certification verification letters are available to all applicants at an additional cost.
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:
Exemption from the English Language Proficiency Requirement
To be exempt from taking an English language proficiency examination, you must meet the following requirements:
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. The remaining test windows for 2023 are:
The testing windows for 2024 are as follows:
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:
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.
