Admission Requirements

Admission requirements include both nurse as well as academic requirements.

Nurse Requirements:

All internationally-trained nurses applying for admission into the IHE program must satisfy all four of the following nursing pre-requirements:

1. Currently a First-Level, General (Registered) Nurse: Hold a license in your country of education and current registration/licensure as a “first-level, general” nurse, as defined by the International Council of Nurses. A first-level nurse is called a “registered or a professional nurse” in most countries.
2. Meet the Educational Requirements: Have completed a secondary school education separate from nursing education. Graduated from a government-approved, general nursing program at least three years long. Received theoretical and clinical education in each of the following areas: nursing care of the adult (which includes medical and surgical nursing); maternal/infant nursing (excluding gynecology); nursing care of children (pediatrics); psychiatric/mental health nursing (excluding neurology); and community/public health nursing.
3. Meet the Nurse Practice Requirements: Nurses must demonstrate that they have practiced as first-level, general (registered) nurses for at least 960 hours in the last five years.  The requirement is 960 total hours over five years, not 960 hours per year.  This is a requirement of the Oregon Board of Nursing and will only apply to students attending Northwest Christian University, Eugene Oregon.  This requirement does not apply to students attending Sullivan University, Louisville Kentucky.
4. Meet the English Language Proficiency Requirements: Nurses are required to pass an approved English language proficiency examination. (Note: English exam scores are valid for two years). Minimum scores vary based on individual state boards of nursing (see below).  Nurses may select only from the following examinations:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL or TOEFL iBT), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).  Passing Scores: 540 (paper/pencil version), or 207 (computerized version).
• Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), administered by ETS. Passing Score: 725.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS), administered by the Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. Passing Score: 6.5 Overall (Academic Module) with a minimum of 7.0 on the Spoken Band.

Note Regarding English Language Proficiency Requirements: If an international nurse has attended an English-speaking nursing school, she/he may be admitted directly into the IHE program after an interview with our representatives and before taking the proficiency exam. This rare exception will be made on a case-by-case basis and only by IHE.  Once attending the program in the U.S., the international nurse will be required to pass the English language proficiency exam, securing a minimum score(s) as identified above.  Since the exam is a requirement for admission, the student will pay for the exam costs.

Academic Requirements

Applicants must also meet specific academic requirements of the university to which they are applying. In general, these include the following:

1. A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or an equivalent academic credential from a recognized international institution.
2. A certification of program completion for nurses who have graduated from a three-year nursing diploma program.
3. A record of previous graduate-level coursework, when available.
4. Official transcripts for all colleges and/or universities attended.

Applicants will be required to provide transcripts of all education. We will assess each applicant’s academic credential against our admission requirements for entry into our Master of Healthcare Administration for International Nurses program. Applicants who do not meet the necessary academic course requirements may be conditionally accepted into our master’s program with requirements to take a certain number of bridge courses as part of their master’s programs. The cost of these courses will be in addition to the cost of master’s program.