What is the NCLEX Test?

The National Council Licensure Examination, commonly known as the NCLEX, is an exam approved by US nursing state boards to assess the readiness of nurses to practice entry-level nursing in the United States.

Passing the NCLEX is a requirement to obtain a nursing license in the US. The exam is available in various countries worldwide. You can refer to our Worldwide NCLEX Testing Center list to find and contact the nearest testing center.

The NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN evaluate critical thinking skills based on the knowledge acquired in registered nursing or vocational nursing schools.

The objective of the NCLEX is to ensure that graduates are capable of making sound nursing judgments and delivering safe patient care. Global Healthcare Staffing is currently recruiting RNs across the globe that have successfully passed the NCLEX-RN exam for direct hire nursing jobs in the USA.

Every nurse who completes either an ADN or BSN program must successfully pass the NCLEX-RN examination in order to obtain a nursing license and practice legally within the United States. Similarly, practical or vocational nurses who graduate from LPN or LVN programs are required to pass the NCLEX-PN examination to obtain licensure and legally practice nursing in the U.S.

To determine your eligibility for taking the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, it is important to familiarize yourself with the specific requirements set by your state. It is advisable to consult your state's nursing board to ensure that you have fulfilled all necessary criteria.

Additionally, it is recommended to stay updated on the latest NCLEX requirements. The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), a new version of the examination, is scheduled to be implemented in 2023 and will introduce certain changes to the current format.
The NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams have varying numbers of questions, ranging from 75 to 265 for the RN exam and 85 to 205 for the PN exam. The length of the exam depends on the test taker's performance, as the more questions answered correctly, the shorter the exam will be. Conversely, if fewer questions are answered correctly, the exam will be longer with more opportunities to answer questions correctly.

Both exams continue until the test taker demonstrates competency as an RN or LPN respectively. The goal is for the test taker to answer enough questions correctly to reach the passing threshold. Once the program determines that the test taker has a 95% chance of passing, they will no longer receive additional questions.

Candidates taking the NCLEX-RN must have successfully completed an ADN or BSN program from an accredited institution, while candidates taking the NCLEX-PN must have graduated from an accredited LVN program.
To register for the NCLEX, follow these two steps:

· Start by submitting an application for licensure and registration to the nursing regulatory body (NRB) of your desired practice location.
· Next, register for the NCLEX through Pearson VUE and make the required payment for the exam fee. The registration process can be done online or over the phone, but online registration is recommended for faster processing.

Please note that your NCLEX registration is valid for 365 days. If your eligibility is denied by the NRB, you will lose your exam fee and registration. However, you can re-register at a later date if needed.
The NCLEX is administered with a time limit. Exam takers have a maximum of five hours to complete the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN. However, the actual test duration may vary depending on how quickly you answer questions and the number of correct or incorrect answers.

It is crucial to take your time and provide accurate answers because once you submit an answer, you cannot go back to change it.
To find out if you passed the NCLEX exam, you can access your "unofficial results" within two business days through the Quick Results Service, provided that your nursing regulatory body (NRB) offers this service. However, it is important to wait for your official results before commencing your nursing practice.

The official results are issued by your NRB and typically take around six weeks to arrive by mail.
In the event that you do not pass the NCLEX exam, you will receive an NCLEX Candidate Performance Report (CPR).

This report will provide you with detailed information on your performance and areas that require improvement for future attempts to pass the exam.

If you do not pass the NCLEX on your first attempt, there is no need to worry. You can retake the exam within 45 days from your initial test date. It is essential for graduates to pass the NCLEX within three years of graduating.
The scoring of the NCLEX is determined by the NCLEX CAT program, which follows certain rules to determine if a candidate has passed or failed.

The most common rule is the 95% Confidence Interval Rule, where the computer stops giving questions once it is 95% certain that the candidate has a safe and competent level of knowledge, indicating a passing score.

Another rule is the Maximum-Length Exam Rule, where the computer continues asking questions if the candidate is close to but not exceeding the passing standard, and determines the final outcome based on the candidate's ability estimate.

Lastly, the Run Out-of-Time (R.O.O.T) Rule applies when a candidate runs out of time before a passing or failing determination can be made.

NCLEX Registration Process

1. Begin the licensure process -

  • Submit a licensure application to the NRB in the desired jurisdiction. This step is necessary for becoming eligible to take the NCLEX.

2. Register with Pearson VUE -

  • Next, complete the registration with Pearson VUE. All payments and scheduling for the NCLEX will be handled through Pearson VUE.

3. Pay the fees -

  • Be prepared to cover the fees associated with taking the NCLEX. The exact cost may vary depending on the testing location, and there may be additional fees for registration changes.

4. Authorization to Test –

  • After your registration, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) email to your email address. Only then, you can schedule an appointment for the NCLEX.

5. Locate a suitable testing center -

  • Pearson VUE administers the NCLEX exam at various testing centers worldwide.

6. Book exam appointment -

Global NCLEX Testing Centers

We have compiled a list of NCLEX testing centers located outside the United States to assist nurses who wish to take the exam globally. This resource will help you locate a suitable testing site near your location.

Countries Addresses
American Samoa - YPearson Professional Centers-Pago Pago AS Pago Plaza, PO Box AC, Suite 222, Pago Pago 96799 Telephone: 011-684-633-7873
Australia - Pearson Professional Centers-Sydney, Australia Level 2, 10 Bridge Street Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Telephone: 612 9467 6602

- Pearson Professional Centers-Adelaide SA Ground Floor, 76 Waymouth Street Adelaide, South Australia 5000

- Pearson Professional Centers-Melbourne Level 14, 300 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000

- Pearson Professional Centers-Box Hill VIC Level 3, 990 Whitehorse Road Box Hill, Victoria 3128

- Pearson Professional Centers-Canberra ACT Ground Floor, Unit 2 4 Marcus Clarke Street Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601

- Pearson Professional Centers-Perth WA Ground Floor, 1 William Street Perth, Western Australia 6000

- Pearson Professional Centers-Parramatta NSW Level 5, 31 Macquarie Street Parramatta, New South Wales 2150

- Pearson Professional Centers-Brisbane QLD Level 9, 333 Adelaide Street Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Brazil - Pearson Professional Centers-Sao Paulo, Brazil Rua Helena, 260 - sala 33 - 3º. Andar, Edificio Atrium IV Vila Olimpia, Sao Paulo Sao Paulo 04552-050 Telephone: 55 11 3841-9333
Canada - Pearson Professional Centers- British Columbia 4400 Dominion Street, Suite 115 Burnaby, British Columbia V5G 1H1 Telephone: 604-678-2636

- Pearson Professional Centres-Calgary (East) AB 433 Marlborough Way NE Suite 440 Marlborough Mall Professional Bldg Calgary, Alberta T2A 7E7

- Pearson Professional Centres-Calgary (Downtown) AB 250 6th Ave SW Suite 460 Bow Valley 4 Calgary, Alberta T2P 3H7

- Pearson Professional Centres-Edmonton AB 10055 106th St NW Suite 540 Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2Y2

- Pearson Professional Centres-Edmonton (South) AB 10430 61 Ave NW Suite 302 Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2J3

- Pearson Professional Centres-Montreal QC 800 Rene Levesque Boulevard West Suite 890 Montreal, Quebec H3B 1X9 Telephone: 514-727-6006

- Pearson Professional Centres-Ottawa (East) ON 1420 Blair Towers Place Suite 850 Ottawa, Ontario K1J 9L8

- Pearson Professional Centres - Ottawa ON 11 Holland Ave Suite 512 Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4S1

- Pearson Professional Centres - Regina SK 2075 Prince of Wales Drive Suite 405 Regina, Saskatchewan S4V 3A3

- Pearson Professional Centres - Saskatoon SK 201 1st Avenue S Suite 1003 The Tower at Midtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K 1L9

- Pearson Professional Centres-Surrey BC 15127 100 Avenue Suite 406 Guildford Landmark Surrey, British Columbia V3R 9P4

- Pearson Professional Centres - Toronto (Midtown) ON 21 St. Clair Avenue East Suite 501 Toronto, Ontario M4T 1L9

- Pearson Professional Centres-Vancouver BC 505 Burrard St Suite 570 Bentall Centre Vancouver, British Columbia V7X 1M3

- Pearson Professional Centres-Victoria BC 818 Broughton Street Suite 201 Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1E4

- Pearson Professional Centres-Winnipeg MB 287 Broadway Suite 505 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0R9

- Pearson Professional Centres-Winnipeg (South) MB 1020 Lorimer Boulevard Suite 309 Sterling Lyon Building Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0Z8

- Pearson Temporary Test Centers - Yellowknife NT 4401 50th Avenue Nova Inn Yellowknife Yellowknife, Northwest Territories X1A 2N2
France - Pearson Professional Centres-Paris, France 19, rue de la Voute 75012 PARIS
Guam - Pearson Professional Centers-Tamuning GU 267 South Marine Drive, Ste 2E, Tamuning 96913 Telephone: +671-649-2286
Hong Kong - Pearson Professional Centers-Hong Kong Wan Chai 139 Hennessy Road, Wanchai Office B, 18/F, China Overseas Building, 9999999
Israel - Pearson Professional Centers-Tel Aviv, Israel 2 Derech Ben Gurion BSR Building 1. 9th floor 5257334 Ramat Gan
India - Pearson Professional Centers-Amritsar PUN No.2 Upper Ground Floor, SRK Mall Passport office building, 14 Mall Road Amritsar, Punjab Amritsar Punjab 143001

- Pearson Professional Centers-Amritsar 2 PUN Unit 303 and 304, 3rd Floor Mukut House Mall Road Amritsar Punjab 143001

- Pearson Professional Centers-Ahmedabad GUJ 3rd floor block A-301 Westgate Sarkhej, Makarba Gujarat, Ahmedabad Gujarat 380051

- Pearson Professional Centers-Bangalore Pearson India Education Services Pte Ltd Pride Hulkul, 004B, Ground Floor No 116 Lalbagh Road Bangalore Karnataka 560027

- Pearson Professional Centers-Bangalore 2 KAR Prestige Atrium, Unit 101, Ground Floor Central Street, Shivajinagar, Bangalore Karnataka, Bangalore Karnataka 560001

- Pearson Professional Centers-Chandigarh PUN A-401, 4th floor, Elante Offices Block Industrial Area, Phase 1, Chandigarh, Punjab 160002

- Pearson Professional Centers-Chennai 6th Floor, Nelson Chambers, E, Block, 115, Nelson Manickam Road, Aminijikarai, Chennai Tamil Nadu 600029

- Pearson Professional Centers-Gurugram HAR Second floor, Unit No. 214, Times Tower M G Road, Gurgaon Haryana Gurugram Haryana 122002

- Pearson Professional Centers-Hyderabad Above ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund Near Prakash Nagar Metro Pillar C1360 3rd Floor SP Road Begumpet P 04042400470 Hyderabad, Telangana 500016 Telephone: +91-40-66469825

- Pearson Professional Centers-Hyderabad 2 TS Manjeera Trinity Corporate, 612, 6th Flr eSeva Lane, Phase III, Hitec City Road Kukatpally, Hyderabad Telangana 500072

- Pearson Professional Centers-Jalandhar PUN 3rd Floor, Unit-8, Eminent Mall Complex Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, Lajpat Nagar Jalandhar, Punjab Jalandhar Punjab 144001

- Pearson Professional Centers-Jalandhar 2 PUN VCN Building, First floor, COOL ROAD 37/2, VCN TOWER, Near STATE BANK OF INDIA, Jalandhar Punjab 144001

- Pearson Professional Centers-Mumbai Building No. 9, 1st Gloor Solitaire Corporate Park,167 Andheri, J B Nagar Link Rd, Chakala, Andheri (East), Mumbai, MAH 400093 Telephone: +91-22-40056787

- Pearson Vue Professional Centers-New Delhi 302/305, Ashoka Estate 24, Barakhamba Road Fire Brigade Lane New Delhi, Delhi 110001

- Pearson Professional Centers-Noida Ground floor, 1A/1, S.B. Towers, Sector 16A, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301

- Pearson Professional Centers-Pune MAH 517, Fifth Floor, Tower 2 World Trade Center, Kharadi, Pune Maharashta Pune, Maharashtra 411014

- Pearson Professional Centers-Surat GUJ 703, 7th Floor, Swastik House Nandi Park Society, Piplod, Surat Gujarat, Surat, Gujarat 395007
Japan - Pearson Professional Centers-Osaka, Japan 530-0001 Osaka Osaka-shi 12F Osaka Dai-Ichi Seimei Bldg, 1-8-17 Umeda Kita-ku Telephone: 81-661363680

- Pearson Professional Centers-Shinjuku, Japan 160-0023 Tokyo Shinjuku PMO Nishishinjuku 8F 8-1-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

- Pearson Professional Centers-Tokyo, Japan 100-0011 Tokyo Chiyoda-ku The Imperial Tower 18F 1-1-1, Uchisaiwai-cho Telephone: 03-6891-0501
Mariana Islands - Pearson Professional Centers-Saipan MP Flores Rosa Street Suite 102 Del Sol Building #2 Saipan 96950 Northern Mariana Islands Telephone: 670-233-0216
Mexico - Pearson Professional Centers-Mexico City, Mexico Antonio Dovali Jaime #70 Torre B, Piso 6 Delegación Alvaro Obregón Col. Zedec Santa Fe 01210 Mexico City Distrito Federal Telephone: +55.5359.8106
Puerto Rico - Pearson Professional Centers-San Juan 273 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Plaza Scotiabank, Suite 501, San Juan, 00917 Telephone: +787-641-9632
Philippines - Pearson Professional Centers-Manila 27th Floor, Trident Tower 312 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, 1227 Manila Telephone: +63 2 887 2198
South Africa - Pearson Professional Centers – Johannesburg Sandton City – Office Tower, 83 Rivonia Road, Sandhurst, Sandton Johannesburg, 2146 Telephone: 011 784 3093
Spain - Pearson Professional Centers-Madrid, Spain 8th Floor 128 Castelló Street 28006 Madrid
Taiwan - Pearson Professional Centers-Taipei 11070 Taipei City, Hsin-Yi District No 163 Sec 1 Keelung Road, 12F Room 3, Union Century Building Telephone: +886 2 2756 7808
Turkey - Pearson Professional Centers – Istanbul, Turkey Süleyman Seba Cad. No 48 BJK PLaza, A Blok, Kat 1, D:3 Akaretler, Besiktas 34357 Istanbul, Turkiye Telephone: +90-212 227 4937
United Kingdom - Pearson Professional Centers-London 190 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BH, Telephone: +0800 731 4359

- Pearson Professional Centres-UK Docklands 3 Quebec Wharf 14 Thomas Road Docklands, London E14 7AF Telephone: +0800 093 4520

- Pearson Professional Centres-UK Horley 77 Victoria Road Horley Horley, Surrey RH6 7QH

- Pearson Professional Centres-UK Leeds Pearson Professional Centres Gallery House 1st Floor The Headrow Leeds LS1 5RD

- Pearson Professional Centres-UK Manchester Blue Zone, Ground Floor , Suites 3 & 4 Universal Square Devonshire Street North Manchester M12 6JH

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