To Take the Test in Illinois

All applicants must apply to BOTH Continental Testing Services AND Pearson Vue Professional Testing.

1. Continental Testing Online Application:
   1. Go to www.continentaltesting.net
   2. Click on “Examinations”
   3. Click on “State of Illinois”
   4. Scroll down to the heading “IL Division of Professional Regulations” and under that do one of the following two:
      • For the RN, scroll to “041 – Professional Nurse” and click on it; OR
      • For the LPN, scroll to “043 Licensed Practical Nurse” and click on it
   5. Read through the page, especially the “Requirements to take the Examination”.
   6. RN Students – Be sure to enter your LPN License Number, Date of Issuance and License Status in order to bypass the required fingerprint submission.
   7. Click on Apply for Exam and pay the application fee of $107.00 with a debit or credit card.
2. Register with Pearson Vue Professional Testing:
   1. Go to http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex/
   2. At the top of the page, click on Register for the NCLEX.
   3. Follow ALL directions on this page closely.
   4. Pay the application fee of $200.00 with a debit or credit card.
      *Please note:
      ADN School Code is: US49404200
      LPN School Code is: US49106200

Fingerprints

LPN Students:

1. Fingerprints will be offered on JALC Campus on a specific date. You will be required to sign up for a time slot in order to be fingerprinted. NOTE: Do not fingerprint if you have outstanding coursework – fingerprints are only good for 60 days.
2. You must bring a valid government-issued photo ID (Driver’s License or State ID) or passport. The cost for fingerprinting is $56.25, you must pay by Debit or Credit Card or Money Order made payable to Accurate Biometrics. No personal checks or cash are accepted.
3. If you choose to fingerprint on a different date, you will need to bring your receipt to the nursing department.

RN Students:

You are not required to submit fingerprints to Continental Testing since you already hold an unencumbered Illinois LPN Nursing License. You will be directed on your application to enter your LPN License Number, Date of Issuance and License Status in order to bypass the required fingerprint submission.

Testing Rosters and ED-NUR Forms

The nursing department will submit an official school roster with the school seal to Continental Testing. You do not need to submit an ED-NUR form. The LPN rosters will include copies of the fingerprint forms, you do not need to submit fingerprints on your own.

Application Status

Application status is updated every business day and is only available online and NOT available by phone or email. You can check your status on the Continental Testing Services home page under Application Status and Test Results. Only contact Continental Testing Services for the status of your application if it has been over ten (10) business days since submission of ALL required documents.

Reminder, there will be no paperwork given from the JALC nursing office. All nursing degrees conferred will be mailed directly to Continental Testing Services. Students will not be listed on the testing roster until a graduation date has been posted on official transcripts.

Authorization to Test (ATT)

Once eligibility is determined, you will be approved at Continental Testing Services. You must be registered with Pearson Vue in order to receive your Authorization to Test (ATT). Your ATT will be sent via email from Pearson Vue. Once you receive the ATT, follow the instructions to schedule your examination appointment. The ATT is only valid for 90 days – NO extensions are allowed.

After the Exam – Applying for Illinois Licensure:

You will be able to view your test results online but you are not finished yet!! You must apply to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) once you receive your official examination letter. Official letters will be sent via USPS mail to the address you registered with at Pearson Vue within 7-10 days. This official letter will have instructions on how to apply for Illinois licensure. Passing the state board exam does not mean you will be licensed. You must mail a $50 check or money order to start the licensing process with IDFPR. It can take several weeks from mailing the $50 fee to obtain a valid Illinois license.

Taking the NCLEX outside of Illinois

If you are testing outside the state of Illinois, make an appointment with the Director of Nursing.