Choose and verify the state Board of Nursing
The Board—not NCSBN, Pearson, a credential evaluator, or the exam itself—decides whether you are eligible to test.
Open All U.S. Boards of Nursing ↗OFFICIAL-SOURCE LICENSURE NAVIGATOR
Know which step you are on—and who actually decides.
This organizer reduces confusion. It does not evaluate eligibility or replace a regulator, credential evaluator, recruiter, or immigration professional.
WHICH LICENSURE ROUTE SHOULD I INVESTIGATE FIRST?
Start with where you plan to work—not an “easy state” rumor.
Compare your intended state with conditional lower-upfront-barrier routes, while keeping endorsement, English, SSN, credential and Compact risks visible.
Sign in to track
Apply for licensure by examination
Use the selected Board's internationally educated applicant route. Keep names identical across school, license, Board, Pearson, and identification records.
Open Official NCLEX application process ↗Have education and credentials reviewed
Official school and license records generally must be verified. Confirm the evaluator and report type the selected Board accepts before paying.
Open Find the selected Board ↗Complete state-specific requirements
Education comparability, English, background checks, SSN rules, forms, fees, and required courses can differ by state and circumstance.
Open NCSBN licensure guidance ↗Register for NCLEX with Pearson
NCLEX registration is a separate required part of the process. It can overlap the Board review, but it does not establish eligibility.
Open Official NCLEX registration ↗Board declares you eligible to test
Only the selected nursing regulatory body can transmit eligibility. Contact the Board—not the testing center—if required materials are complete but eligibility is missing.
Open NCLEX eligibility and ATT FAQ ↗Receive the Authorization to Test
The ATT is issued after the Board declares eligibility and NCLEX registration is complete. Check the validity dates before scheduling.
Open Official ATT guidance ↗Schedule and take the NCLEX
Schedule only after the ATT arrives, within its validity window, and use identification whose name exactly matches the registration.
Open NCLEX scheduling information ↗Verify federal health-care worker certification needs
VisaScreen or another authorized certification may be required for an occupational visa. This is separate from state licensure.
Open USCIS health-care worker certification ↗Confirm the immigration pathway
Visa category, employer petition, priority dates, admissibility, and family issues are case-specific. Use USCIS and qualified legal counsel—not exam-prep marketing—as authority.
Open USCIS employment-based pathways ↗