{"id":20448,"date":"2026-09-06T06:41:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T06:41:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/?page_id=20448---2b76aea9-7652-45d2-a8f0-81a757194ce2"},"modified":"2026-10-02T08:21:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T08:21:54","slug":"nclex","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/nursing-degrees\/nclex\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the NCLEX?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>If you\u2019re in the process of earning your nursing degree, you\u2019ve probably heard a lot about the NCLEX exam from your instructors. The NCLEX meaning is \u201cNational Council Licensure Examination,\u201d and the exam is the final test for nursing students in the United States.<\/p>\n

There are separate NCLEX exams for LPNs and RNs, but in this article we\u2019ll be focusing exclusively on the NCLEX-RN. The exam tests your ability to apply the knowledge you used in nursing school and determines if your critical thinking skills are advanced enough to practice as a registered nurse.<\/p>\n

How do I register for the NCLEX? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The NCLEX requirements<\/a> state that you must graduate from an accredited nursing program before taking the exam. In your final semester of nursing school, you should be provided with an application for the NCLEX exam<\/a> along with your nursing license application. Once you submit the exam application, you\u2019ll receive an ATT (authorization to test). After this, you\u2019ll be able to decide on a testing center and choose a time to take the NCLEX exam.<\/p>\n

A $200 fee is required to take the NCLEX exam. After paying the fee, you\u2019ll be able to take the NCLEX exam at any Pearson Professional\u00a0Testing\u00a0location<\/a> in the United States. The exams are available year-round in 6-hour time slots. The testing center will accommodate your work and school schedule, so it shouldn\u2019t be difficult to find a time that works for you.<\/p>\n

What are the NCLEX exam questions like?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The NCLEX will test you on your understanding of patient care, as well as your ability to manage lower-level nurses such as LPNs. A short tutorial at the beginning will familiarize you with the test format. Then, you\u2019ll be expected to answer a minimum of 75 questions and a maximum of 265 questions<\/a>. You\u2019ll also have the opportunity to take a break at both the 2 hour and 3.5 hour points.<\/p>\n

Additionally, you\u2019ll have the opportunity to answer 15 \u201cexperimental questions\u201d that don\u2019t count towards your final score. These questions are meant to assist test administrators in choosing questions for future NCLEX exams.<\/p>\n

Most of the questions on the NCLEX exam are multiple-choice, but there are some fill-in-the-blank and drag-and-drop questions as well. There\u2019s no time limit for each question, but you must complete the entire exam in no more than six hours.<\/p>\n

The test focuses mainly on these eight specific areas:<\/em><\/p>\n