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CGFNS or WES — which do I need for a US nursing licence?

For US nursing licensure, most state boards require CGFNS — not WES. WES is for university admission and Canadian Express Entry; it is not a nursing-licence path.

Verified answerAnswered by Pathway advisor· Last reviewed 24 Apr 2026

The answer

CGFNS International produces credential evaluations specifically designed for US nursing boards. The CES Professional Report (and, for some boards, the CGFNS Qualifying Exam) is what most US state boards accept as evidence that your nursing education matches a US RN standard.

WES (World Education Services) is a general education evaluator. It is widely used for US university admission and for IRCC Express Entry points in Canada. It is not designed for nursing-licence review and is rarely accepted by state nursing boards.

Paying WES when your state board wants CGFNS is one of the most common — and most expensive — mistakes we see. The fee is usually non-refundable, and you have to start CGFNS afterward anyway.

A handful of state boards accept ECE or other evaluators. Always confirm on your specific state board's "International Applicants" page before paying.

If that was confusing, here it is in plain English

CGFNS = nursing licence. WES = university or immigration. Don't mix them up. Read your state board's page first.

Your next step

Open the CGFNS guide and the credential-verification hub for the destination → service map.

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