CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) is an independent non-profit organization sponsored by The American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing. The CGFNS examination is set to test a nurse’s knowledge in the fields of Medical, Surgical, Obstetric, Pediatric and Psychiatric Nursing. This examination reviews, scrutinizes, plans, implements and evaluates the nurses’ performance in order to elevate them to the first level registered nurses in USA.
 The CGFNS examination is designed to analyse a nurse’s qualification & nursing experience and proficiency in the English Language which is imperative. Any foreign nurse graduate who aims at practicing in USA has to clear the CGFNS qualifying examination.
The CGFNS Certification Program (CP) is designed specifically for first-level general (Registered) nurses educated outside the United States who wish to pursue a career in the U.S. as registered nurses. The program is comprised of three parts: a credentials review of your nursing education, registration and licensure; the CGFNS Qualifying Exam testing nursing knowledge (offered four times a year in over 40 test sites worldwide); and an English language proficiency examination.
In order to be eligible for the CGFNS Qualifying Exam, you must have completed a minimum number of hours of both classroom instruction and clinical practice in Adult Medical/Surgical Nursing, Maternal/Infant Nursing (Obstetrics), excluding Gynecology, Care of Children (Pediatrics), and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, excluding Neurology. If you have not completed any and/or an insufficient number of hours in each of the above areas, you will be ineligible to take the CGFNS Qualifying Exam until you complete an entire course (both theory and clinical) in the deficient area from a government-approved nursing school. You must also have been registered
- (1) as a first-level (Registered) nurse in your country of education, and
- (2) currently hold a registration/license as a Registered Nurse in some jurisdiction. Verification of both registrations must be sent to CGFNS directly from the licensing body(ies).
Applicants may select from the following three English Proficiency examinations to take as part of the Certification Program:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Passing Score: 540 (paper/pencil version)
207 (computerized version)
- Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)
Administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Passing Score: 725
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Administered by IELTS International
Passing Score: 6.5 Overall (Academic Module)
You can apply to CGFNS programs in one of three ways:
- Request a copy of the application from CGFNS by mail or phone.
- Click here to apply online.
- Click here to download the application.
Eligibility criteria
The applicants should possess:
- HSC/ Pre-degree or equivalent.
- Graduate (or 3 years diploma) from a government approved nursing institution. The general nursing should have included both theory and clinical practice in Medical, Surgical, Obstetric, Pediatric and Psychiatric fields.
- Valid registration to practice as a general nurse in the home country.
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