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Foreign Nurses Information

For those that have nursing education outside of the US.
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K.A.R. 60-3-106 Licensure Qualifications

  • As part of the application process, each individual applying for licensure in Kansas who is a graduate of a international nursing program shall submit that individual’s education and licensure credentials for evaluation to an approved credentials evaluation agency as approved by the board.  (see below for approved agencies)
  • Any individual applying for licensure in Kansas who is a graduate of a international nursing school in which instruction was not in English may be granted a license if that individual meets all other requirements for licensure in effect at the time of application and shows proof of proficiency in English by passing any of the following:
    • The test of English as a foreign language and the test of spoken English; or
    • Similar examinations, as approved by the board.

Education Evaluation (TruMerit/CGFNS or IEE):

  • Must be a graduate of a school for professional nursing that is approved by the board as defined in rules & regulations.
  • Have education transcripts and nursing license evaluated by an approved Credentialing Agency and have the report sent directly to the Kansas State Board of Nursing. The approved credentialing agency evaluates an applicant’s education and registration credentials to certify that the applicant is a first-level general nurse and meets all of the registration requirements to be licensed as a professional in that field.
  • KSBN requires a full Professional Credentialing Report

Approved Credentialing Agencies

English Language Proficiency Information:

  • All applicants must show proficiency in oral and written English if their primary language was not English, or if their nursing education was not in English.
  • The Board has approved both the following tests for English language proficiency for the Kansas State Board of Nursing:
    • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam
      • Website: toefl.org
      • Phone: (609) 771-7100
      • Mail: P.O. Box 6154 Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6154
    • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam.
      • Website: ielts.org
      • Online and in-person tests can be booked on this site.
    • OET (Occupational English Test)
      • Website: oet.com/en-us
      • Online and in-person tests can be booked on this site.
    • All of the above are internet-based exams, but can also be explored as in-person exams at approved testing centers.
  • Approved minimum scores for each exam are as follows: (each area must meet the minimum requirement):
    • TOEFL
      • Reading: 19
      • Writing: 20
      • Listening: 20
      • Speaking: 20
    • IELTS
      • Reading: 6.5
      • Writing: 5.5
      • Listening: 6.5
      • Speaking: 6.5
    • OET
      • Reading: C+ (300-349)
      • Writing: C+ (300-349)
      • Listening: C+ (300-349)
      • Speaking: B (350+)
  • Request the results to be sent to the Kansas State Board of Nursing by using the code number 9149 in the results reporting list. Results will not be accepted if directly submitted by individuals/applicants.