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The NCLEX for Australia: who needs it and what it costs

Stream B nurses take the NCLEX-RN (US$200, US$350 from Feb 1, 2027, plus US$150 outside the US), then an AU$4,000 OSCE in Australia.

Checked November 10, 2026

Short answer: Internationally qualified nurses whom the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) places in Stream B must pass the NCLEX-RN, unless an exemption applies, and then an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in Australia before they can apply for registration. The NCLEX-RN costs US$200 (US$350 from February 1, 2027) plus a US$150 international scheduling fee at any test center outside the United States and its territories, including centers in Australia, and the OSCE costs AU$4,000.

This page is not immigration or legal advice. For a full route from one country, see Philippine nurse to Australia.

Who must take the NCLEX for Australia

The NMBA calls its exam stage the outcomes-based assessment. It has two parts in a fixed order: a multiple-choice question (MCQ) exam, and then the OSCE. The NMBA says the MCQ exam for registered nurses is the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), delivered by Pearson VUE. You can sit the RN OSCE only after you pass the NCLEX-RN.

Who sits it depends on the stream your Self-check gives you:

Stream What it means for the NCLEX-RN
Stream A No exams. You pay the assessment fee, complete Orientation Part 1 and apply
Stream B NCLEX-RN, then OSCE, then apply
Stream C No exam route. The NMBA advises upgrading your qualification

Two groups can skip the NCLEX-RN stage:

  • Nurses who already passed the NCLEX-RN. A pass within 10 years of establishing your Portfolio, uploaded at the Portfolio stage, replaces this stage.
  • Nurses registered in a comparable country. An NMBA standard in effect since April 23, 2025 covers registered nurses who registered and practiced in an NMBA-approved comparable international jurisdiction. Eligible nurses skip the IQNM exams. IQNM means internationally qualified nurse or midwife. Read the NMBA's current list of jurisdictions before you rely on this.

Does your country matter?

The Self-check, not your country, gives your stream. Still, the NMBA publishes two country lists for criterion 2 (quality assurance and accreditation). Qualifications from Canada, Hong Kong (nursing), the Republic of Ireland, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States are likely to meet every element of criterion 2. The NMBA also lists countries whose qualifications are unlikely to meet it, and the Philippines is one of them. The full lists are on the NMBA page.

NCLEX-RN timing for Ahpra candidates

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) assesses applications for the NMBA. The NMBA's exam pages give these rules.

Point What Ahpra says
When you can register After your Portfolio is finalized, through the link on your IQNM dashboard
How long a registration lasts 365 days once submitted
Eligibility check The IQNM Exams Team confirms eligibility within 4 weeks
Authorization to Test (ATT) 90 days from receiving it to schedule and sit the exam
Deadline for the whole stage 180 days after your Portfolio is established, or your case closes (it can be reopened)
Results Sent by email within six weeks of your exam date

Where you can take it

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) lists international NCLEX locations in Australia, Brazil, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Its quarterly address list also shows centers in Canada and in China (Guangzhou). The lists change quarterly. See Can you take the NCLEX outside the United States?.

For an Australian candidate, NCSBN counts every center outside the United States and its territories as international. That is why the US$150 scheduling fee applies even when you test in Australia. Ahpra confirms the extra fee. Two NCSBN rules matter here:

  • You can change an international appointment only by calling Pearson Candidate Services.
  • If you move your exam to a domestic (United States) center, you lose the international scheduling fee.

The OSCE is different. It is in person, in Adelaide or Melbourne only.

Every fee, with who you pay

Fee Amount Who you pay
IQNM assessment fee (covers Orientation Part 1 and document review) AU$410, non-refundable Ahpra, for the NMBA
NCLEX-RN registration US$200. US$350 from February 1, 2027 Pearson VUE
International scheduling fee US$150, plus value added tax where it applies Pearson VUE
RN OSCE AU$4,000 Ahpra, for the NMBA
Application fee, general registration AU$346, non-refundable Ahpra, for the NMBA
Registration fee, general registration AU$201, or AU$193 with a principal place of practice in New South Wales Ahpra, for the NMBA
NCLEX-RN score transfer out of Ahpra (optional) AU$250. No fee to transfer a score in Ahpra, for the NMBA
Reviews (optional) Initial assessment review AU$300; internal review AU$575; external review AU$2,500 Ahpra, for the NMBA

The NMBA fees are from its schedule effective October 9, 2026. NCSBN, not the NMBA, sets the NCLEX fee, and NCSBN says the international scheduling fee stays the same in 2027. The date you register decides which NCLEX fee you pay. See How much does the NCLEX cost?.

A score transfer is not accepted everywhere. Ahpra says the Texas Board of Nursing and the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives will not accept NCLEX-RN score transfers or verifications from Ahpra.

What to do next

  1. Complete the NMBA Self-check to learn your stream.
  2. Plan your NCLEX date inside Ahpra's 180-day window, and register before February 1, 2027 if you want the US$200 fee.

Common questions

Can I get a refund if I change my plans?

NCSBN says there is no refund of NCLEX registration fees for any reason. The NMBA's IQNM assessment fee and registration application fee are also non-refundable.

Do I pay the NCLEX fee in Australian dollars?

No. NCSBN lists the fee for Australian candidates as US$200, and US$350 from February 1, 2027.

Can I use my Australian NCLEX result in a US state later?

It depends on the board. Ahpra charges AU$250 to transfer a score out, and it says Texas and British Columbia do not accept transfers from Ahpra.

Prep from our team

NCLEXPace has NCLEX-RN practice questions with rationales, Next Generation NCLEX case studies, CAT Readiness Exams and a personal Study Plan. You can try 10 free questions without payment, and plans start from US$59 paid once, with nothing that renews. All Nursing Exams, NCLEXPace and NPractitioner are run by the same team. See https://www.nclexpace.com.

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