FACTS at a GLANCE

The CGFNS Certification Program (CP), Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) and the

Iowa Board of Nursing

All candidates for RN and LPN licensure in Iowa must pass the U.S. national licensing examination (NCLEX). Individuals who

What is the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)?

The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit organization based in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The organization offers evaluation and assessment services for internationally-educated nurses

applying for licensure in the United States, such as the CGFNS Certification Program (CP) and the CGFNS Credentials

Evaluation Service (CES). CGFNS has more than 29 years of experience in credentials evaluation, and is the only credentials

evaluation organization dedicated primarily to the credentialing of international nurses.

What is the CGFNS Certification Program (CP)?

Foreign-educated applicants for RN licensure in Iowa by examination who have never been licensed in a U.S. jurisdiction must

have a CGFNS Certificate

1.

Graduates of health professional programs in certain countries are exempt from the English proficiency exam requirement;

CGFNS Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) evaluates the nursing education and registration credentials you earned outside the

United States, and presents them in terms of their comparability to U.S. credentials. All nurses educated outside the United States,

including registered or professional nurses, as well as enrolled or practical nurses can use the CES. The CES evaluation is presented

in a report that can be used for licensure, immigration, employment, or admission to a U.S. nursing education program. Typical

users of the report include regulatory agencies (for example, state boards of nursing), universities/colleges, or employers in the

United States. These reports are customized, and can be sent to two different recipients (you also receive a copy). Each CES

Report is designed to be advisory in nature, and to provide guidelines and recommendations to the designated recipients. A CES

Report provides factual information about your educational preparation and registration/licensure to help the Iowa Board of

Nursing make decisions. The individual state boards, in this case, the Iowa Board of Nursing, make all licensure decisions.

Application materials may be obtained by contacting the Iowa Board of Nursing at (515) 281-6488 http://www.iowa.gov/nursing. Applicants who provide verification of

LPN/LVN licensure in another U.S. jurisdiction and in the native country are exempt from the CES requirement in Iowa.

How does the Certification Program (CP) differ from the Credentials Evaluation Service (CES)?

The CGFNS Certification Program (CP) is only for first-level, general Registered Nurses who were educated outside the United

States. The Certification Program reviews a nurse’s academic records and professional registration documents (Credentials

Review), evaluates nursing knowledge through the CGFNS Qualifying Exam, and determines English language proficiency

through the TOEFL, TOEIC or IELTS. Applicants who complete the CGFNS Exam and an acceptable English exam are issued a

CGFNS Certificate. The CES Report summarizes an applicant’s credentials but does not include a pass/fail eligibility review, nor

All documentation sent to CGFNS must be sent by mail; CGFNS will NOT accept any application forms, or other academic or licensure

documentation, by fax or email. All academic records and transcripts must be an original document sent by mail to CGFNS by your

school, or, in the event that your school is closed, the institution designated as the official repository to hold that document. All

registration/licensure documentation must be an original validation sent by mail by the issuing/licensing body. Transcripts and license

validations will NOT be accepted if sent by any other source, even if they are contained in a sealed envelope. Documentation received

from the issuing bodies that is not in English will be translated by CGFNS for an additional fee.