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Philippine nurse to Australia: NCLEX, OSCE and the steps

Start with the NMBA Self-check (AU$410 assessment fee). Stream B nurses pass the NCLEX-RN, then an AU$4,000 OSCE in Adelaide or Melbourne.

Checked November 10, 2026

Short answer: A nurse educated in the Philippines starts with the Self-check of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), which assigns a stream, and a nurse placed in Stream B must pass the NCLEX-RN (US$200, or US$350 from February 1, 2027, plus a US$150 international scheduling fee) and then an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in Australia (AU$4,000). The NMBA also charges an AU$410 assessment fee, and registration itself costs an AU$346 application fee plus an AU$201 registration fee.

This page is not immigration or legal advice. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) assesses applications for the NMBA.

Which stream applies to you

The Self-check assesses only your qualification, against three criteria: (1) it is recognized for registration in your home country, (2) it meets quality assurance and accreditation elements, and (3) for an RN, it is at the level of an Australian bachelor degree.

  • Stream A: all three criteria are met. No exams.
  • Stream B: criteria 1 and 3 are met, or criteria 1 and 2 at Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level 6. You must pass the outcomes-based assessment: the NCLEX-RN, then the OSCE.
  • Stream C: the qualification is below the required level. The NMBA advises upgrading it.

What the NMBA publishes about the Philippines: the Philippines is on the NMBA's list of countries whose qualifications are unlikely to meet every element of criterion 2. The NMBA does not state which stream a Philippine nurse gets. Your own Self-check result decides it.

The steps in order

These are the NMBA stages for Stream B.

  1. Complete the Self-check (NMBA). You must do it yourself, not through an agent.
  2. Pay the IQNM assessment fee (Ahpra, for the NMBA). IQNM means internationally qualified nurse or midwife. The fee covers Orientation Part 1 and Ahpra's review of your documents.
  3. Complete Orientation Part 1 (NMBA). This online course must be done within 90 days of creating your account after the Self-check. Part 2 comes after registration.
  4. Build your Portfolio (Ahpra). Provide certified copies of your degree certificate, transcript, identity and any name change, translated if not in English.
  5. Pass the NCLEX-RN (Pearson VUE). After your Portfolio is finalized, your IQNM dashboard links you to Pearson VUE to register and pay. Deadlines and locations are on The NCLEX for Australia.
  6. Pass the RN OSCE (NMBA). It is held in person in Australia only, at Adelaide Health Simulation in Adelaide or at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) in Melbourne. You have 120 days to pay once your case reaches this stage, then 180 days to schedule. If you need a visa for the trip, Ahpra gives a support letter but no visa help, and wants a copy of your visa approval before it offers an exam date.
  7. Apply for registration (Ahpra, for the NMBA). You must also meet the other registration standards, including English.
  8. Treat migration as separate (ANMAC). NMBA registration does not give you a visa. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) does the migration skills assessment.

What it costs

Only fees the official bodies publish are listed. Travel, visa, document, translation, courier and migration agent costs are not.

Fee Amount Who you pay
IQNM assessment fee 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 Ahpra, for the NMBA

The NMBA fee schedule took effect on October 9, 2026. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), not the NMBA, sets the NCLEX fee; see How much does the NCLEX cost?. Optional review fees and the New South Wales rate are on The NCLEX for Australia.

English language requirement

The NMBA's English language skills registration standard (2025) took effect on March 18, 2025 and applies to every first-time applicant. Its pathways are primary language, English language test, and (exceptionally) extended education.

New minimum scores apply to tests taken on or after April 23, 2026:

Test Overall Listening Reading Writing Speaking
IELTS Academic 7 7 7 6.5 7
OET not set 350 360 350 360
PTE Academic 63 58 59 60 76
TOEFL iBT 91 22 22 23 24
Cambridge C1 Advanced 178 175 179 180 194
Cambridge C2 Proficiency 185 185 185 176 185

Results are valid for two years before you lodge your application. Ahpra allows combining at most two sittings in 12 months, under set conditions. For TOEFL iBT, select "Taking TOEFL for Australia" when you book. Tests taken on or before April 22, 2026 use Ahpra's older table.

How long it takes

No official time is published for the whole route. Ahpra aims to assess a registration application within four to six weeks of receiving every required document. Applications that need a decision from the NMBA or its delegate take an estimated eight to ten weeks. The stage deadlines above (90 days, 120 days, 180 days) also shape your timeline.

What to do next

  1. Complete the Self-check and read your stream result before you pay anything else.
  2. Check your English test date against the April 23, 2026 score table.

Common questions

I already passed the NCLEX-RN for a US state. Do I take it again?

No, if you passed within 10 years of establishing your Portfolio. Upload the result at the Portfolio stage and the NCLEX stage is skipped.

Can I sit the OSCE in Manila or online?

No. The NMBA says the OSCE is an in-person exam held in Australia only.

I am registered as a nurse in another country. Is there a shorter route?

Since April 23, 2025, an NMBA standard lets eligible nurses who registered and practiced in an NMBA-approved comparable jurisdiction skip the IQNM exams. Check the NMBA's current list.

Prep from our team

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