NCLEX in Japan and South Korea: where to test and what you need
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated November 2026
Short answer
You can take the NCLEX in Japan, at Pearson Professional Centers in Shinjuku, Tokyo and in Osaka, but not in South Korea, which has no center on NCSBN's October 2026 list. Either way you apply to a US board first, then pay $200 to register plus a $150 international scheduling fee, as of November 2026.
The two NCLEX centers in Japan
The October 2026 quarterly list gives the Tokyo center at PMO Nishishinjuku 8F, 8-1-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku (postal code 160-0023) and the Osaka center on the 12th floor of the Osaka Dai-Ichi Seimei Building, 1-8-17 Umeda, Kita-ku (530-0001). These are the only two Japanese locations listed.
Testing in Japan does not depend on your nationality or on holding a Japanese license. Your US board decides eligibility and issues the Authorization to Test, and then you book either center through Pearson. To change an appointment later, use your NCLEX candidate profile or call Pearson Candidate Services at least 24 hours ahead.
No center in South Korea: the nearest listed options
South Korea does not appear on NCSBN's international country list or on the October 2026 address file. The closest listed centers are the two in Japan, Taipei City in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou in China. All of them count as international for US licensure, so the same $150 scheduling fee applies whichever one you choose.
The candidate bulletin says the international list can change without prior notice, and NCSBN republishes it each quarter, so check the current file before booking flights. If your center closes, Pearson notifies you and you may move; if you then choose a US center, the international fee is refunded. The bulletin treats US territories such as Guam as domestic for US licensure, with no international fee.
What the NCLEX costs in Japan
As of November 2026, nclex.com lists $200 registration for US licensure plus the $150 international scheduling fee, $350 in total, and the bulletin says a value-added tax may be added on international appointments where applicable. Neither fee, nor the tax, is refunded for any reason. From February 1, 2027 registration rises to $350, which makes a Tokyo, Osaka or Taipei sitting $500 before tax.
Moving between international centers, for example from Osaka to Shinjuku, keeps your $150. Moving from Shinjuku to a US center forfeits it. The most avoidable loss is at check-in: international centers accept only a passport book or card, and if the passport name does not match your registration exactly you reregister, pay the exam fee again and lose the international fee.
Requirements for Japanese and Korean-trained nurses
The exam's prerequisites come from your board, not from Pearson. Texas, for example, wants a Credential Evaluation Service full education report from a provider it accepts, verification of every license you have held sent directly by the licensing authority, an English proficiency score when your program was not taught in English, fingerprints and its jurisprudence exam. A program taught in Japanese or Korean triggers the English test there.
Do Korean nurses need CGFNS? Not for the exam itself. They need whichever credentials report their board accepts; TruMerit, the organization formerly called CGFNS, offers one, but check your board's list of evaluators. VisaScreen, also from TruMerit, comes later for the visa and needs an English test unless your nursing education was in English in the UK, Australia, Canada outside Quebec, New Zealand, Ireland or the US.
Sources
NCSBN: International Pearson Professional Center sites and addresses (updated October 2026). Japan centers in Shinjuku and Osaka with addresses; Taiwan, Hong Kong and China centers; no South Korea entry (October 2026 list).
NCLEX fees and payment (nclex.com). $200 US registration fee, $150 international scheduling fee, no refunds, card payment, $350 registration fee from February 1, 2027 (viewed November 2026).
2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin. VAT on international appointments, refund rules, fee kept between international centers and forfeited when moving to a domestic one, refund when a center closes, Guam as domestic, passport-only ID abroad, name-match rule.
Texas Board of Nursing: licensure by examination. Texas documents for internationally educated applicants: CES report from an accepted provider, licensure verification sent directly, English score when the program was not in English, fingerprints, jurisprudence exam.
TruMerit: VisaScreen visa credentials assessment. VisaScreen English test and the countries whose English-taught education is exempt.
Common questions
Can you take the NCLEX in Japan?
Yes. NCSBN's October 2026 list includes two Pearson Professional Centers in Japan, one in Nishishinjuku, Tokyo and one in Umeda, Osaka. You need an Authorization to Test from a US board before you can book either.
Is there an NCLEX test center in Seoul?
No. South Korea is not on the October 2026 international list. Korean candidates usually look at Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Hong Kong or Guangzhou, all listed by NCSBN, or a center in the United States.
How much does the NCLEX cost in Japan?
As of November 2026, $200 registration plus a $150 international scheduling fee, so $350, plus VAT where applicable. From February 1, 2027 registration is $350, making it $500. None of it is refundable.