Taking the NCLEX from Saudi Arabia: no local center, and how to plan

Which centers are closest

NCSBN's international Pearson Professional Center list, updated October 2026, has no site in Saudi Arabia or any other Gulf state. The listed options nearest the region are Amman in Jordan, Lahore in Pakistan and Istanbul in Türkiye, followed by the Indian centers and the two Philippine centers in Makati and Alabang.

Because NCSBN updates the list every quarter, recheck it in the month you plan to book. NCSBN says you can test at any Pearson center regardless of which board you applied to, so a nurse applying to a US board can sit the exam in Amman, Lahore or any other listed city.

A planning checklist for testing abroad

Step one is board eligibility, step two is your Authorization to Test, and only then step three, the seat and the trip. NCSBN says an ATT averages about 90 days and cannot be extended for any reason, so request your leave from your employer once the ATT arrives, not before, and pick a center with seats inside that window.

Pack a valid passport, the only ID NCSBN accepts at international centers. Make any change to an international booking by phone with Pearson Candidate Services. Moving between two international centers keeps your scheduling fee; moving to a US center forfeits it.

What it costs from Saudi Arabia

As of November 2026, NCSBN lists a $200 registration fee for US licensure, plus a $150 international scheduling fee and value added tax where applicable. NCSBN states that neither is refunded for any reason, including a missed appointment. From February 1, 2027 the registration fee becomes $350 for registrations completed from that date.

On top of that come your state board application fee, a credentials evaluation if your board requires one, flights and a hotel near the center. NCSBN charges in US dollars, so the riyal amount depends on your card's conversion rate.

Fingerprints and background checks from abroad

NCSBN does not run background checks; each state board does. NCSBN's resource manual for boards lists state and federal fingerprint checks as a standard requirement for applicants. Your board's application states whether you must submit fingerprints and how to do it from outside the US, so read that page before anything else.

For applicants from outside the US and Canada, the same manual says boards may work with foreign regulators or use companies that run name-based checks. Keep copies of your Saudi license and any good standing letters ready. Separately, NCSBN's global regulation profile notes that practicing in Saudi Arabia requires the Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination, which the NCLEX does not replace.

Sources

NCSBN: International Pearson Professional Center sites and addresses (updated October 2026). No Saudi or Gulf center; Amman, Lahore, Istanbul, Indian and Philippine centers

NCLEX: Fees and payment. $200 registration, $150 international scheduling fee plus VAT, no refunds, $350 from February 1, 2027

NCLEX: Frequently asked questions. Test at any Pearson center; passport-only ID abroad; ATT about 90 days with no extensions

NCSBN: Licensure of Internationally Educated Nurses, a resource manual (2023). State and federal fingerprint checks; name-based checks for applicants from other jurisdictions

NCSBN Journal of Nursing Regulation: global profile of nursing regulation (January 2020). Saudi Arabia requires the Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination