NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is the US nursing licensure exam, required to practice as a Registered Nurse in any US state.
Two versions:
- NCLEX-RN: Registered Nurse
- NCLEX-PN: Practical Nurse (lower-tier)
Exam structure:
- Adaptive test (CAT format)
- 75-265 questions (variable based on performance)
- Test ends when 95% confidence in pass/fail decision
Pass rate for international nurses: ~75-80% (Filipinos historically perform well).
Filipino nurse path to US:
1. PHL BSN graduate
2. Pass PHL NLE first (or simultaneously)
3. Apply for state board approval (CGFNS often required first)
4. Take + pass NCLEX-RN
5. Apply for state RN licence
6. Visa sponsorship (employer or family-based)
What it means for you:
- Major path for Filipino nurses to US
- Different from PHL NLE — different question style + content emphasis
- Specialised review programmes available (Kaplan, Hurst, others)
- Salary jump significant (PHL ₱25K vs US USD 5K-7K monthly)