How these exams are
actually structured.
How many questions, how long, how much time per question, what topics and how they are weighted, the item types, and the score you must hit to pass — for every exam this platform preps you for. Reverse-engineered from the official regulators (NCSBN, OIIQ, OQLF, PRC, Touchstone/CELBAN). Our drills copy these numbers exactly, so practice feels like exam day from day one. No secure exam questions are reproduced anywhere — this is structure only.
Where each exam applies
Every exam below is tagged by where it gates entry to practice. A format tag of usa or canada does not mean a different exam — NCLEX-RN, for example, is structurally the same test in the US and every Canadian province except Québec (Canada adopted NCLEX-RN in 2015). The difference is the credentialing pathway around it (CGFNS vs. NNAS), not the exam itself.
Every exam this platform simulates, at a glance
Pulled straight from content/exam-config.json — the same file the exam engine reads to set
the timer model, question-count bounds, and blueprint mix for each simulated session.
| Exam | Board | Format | Length | Timer model | Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN | NCSBN | USA · Canada | 85–150, adaptive | total-cap · 300 min | live |
| OIIQ examen professionnel | OIIQ | Québec | 60–180 (~130 typical), fixed-form | total-cap · ~270 min (unofficial) | sample bank |
| OQLF examen de français | OQLF | Québec | not question-counted, 4 parts | per-section · ~180 min | sample bank |
| PNLE | PRC Board of Nursing | Philippines | 500 fixed (5 × 100) | per-subject-block · ~600 min (unofficial) | blueprint only |
| CELBAN | Touchstone / CELBAN Centre | Canada · English | not question-counted, task-based | per-section · 185 min, 2 sittings | blueprint only |
| IELTS Academic | British Council / IDP / Cambridge | Canada · USA · English | 80–82 | per-section · 165 min + speaking | blueprint only |
| OET (Nursing) | Cambridge Boxhill (CBLA) | Canada · USA · English | 84 | per-section · 170 min | blueprint only |
Two kinds of gate, before you practise
You clear two kinds of gate before you practise in Canada or the US: a clinical licensure exam that proves you can nurse safely, and a language exam that proves you can work safely in English (or French, for Québec).
| Destination | Clinical exam | Language exam |
|---|---|---|
| USA | NCLEX-RN | English (IELTS / OET / TOEFL) — waived by some state boards if trained in English |
| Canada (except Québec) | NCLEX-RN | English (CELBAN / IELTS) |
| Québec | OIIQ examen professionnel | French (OQLF exam) |
| Philippines (home board) | PNLE | — |
The big Québec fact: Québec is the only place that does not use the NCLEX. It runs its own exam (OIIQ) and gates you in French. Everyone else uses NCLEX in English.
USA and Canada — the shared exam
The single entry-to-practice exam for the US and every Canadian province except Québec. Same test in both countries — the difference is the paperwork around it (CGFNS in the US, NNAS in Canada), not the exam.
| Questions (average) | No fixed number. The computer adapts: as few as 85, as many as 150. It stops when it is sure. |
| How long | 5 hours total (one clock covers the tutorial + every break). |
| Time per question | No per-question timer. Budget ~2 minutes (120 s) as a worst case (5 h ÷ 150). Ending early at 85 questions gives ~3.5 min each. |
| Item types | Multiple choice, SATA, fill-in-the-blank math, drag-and-drop/ordering, hot-spot/highlight, matrix/grid, drop-down (cloze), bow-tie, trend, and 6-question case studies (the "Next Generation" NGN formats). |
| Pass standard | An ability score of 0.00 logits — not a percentage. The level judged "minimally safe to practise." The computer stops once 95% sure you are above (pass) or below (fail) that line. |
| Retake | Wait 45 days, max 8×/year (your board may be stricter). |
The blueprint — our question stream matches this to ±3%
| Theme | Weight |
|---|---|
| Management of Care | 18% |
| Pharmacological & Parenteral Therapies | 16% |
| Physiological Adaptation | 14% |
| Safety & Infection Control | 13% |
| Reduction of Risk Potential | 12% |
| Health Promotion & Maintenance | 9% |
| Psychosocial Integrity | 9% |
| Basic Care & Comfort | 9% |
Strategy that follows from the structure
- You cannot go back and change an answer — commit, then move on.
- The heaviest themes are Management of Care (delegation, priority, who-do-you-see-first) and Pharmacology. Drill those hardest.
- The NGN case studies test clinical judgment in 6 steps: recognise cues → analyse → prioritise → generate solutions → take action → evaluate. Practise the reasoning chain, not just facts.
OIIQ professional exam + OQLF French exam
Two separate gates, both required. Québec does not use NCLEX.
2a. OIIQ examen professionnel (the clinical exam)
| Questions (average) | ~130 (range 60–180). Built as 30–45 clinical situations ("mises en situation"), each with 2–4 linked questions worth 1 point. |
| How long | A full day — arrive 07:00, start by 08:15, a morning booklet + afternoon booklet split by a ~60-min break. OIIQ publishes no single total-time number (≈4.5 h seated time is an unofficial estimate). |
| Time per question | No official per-question timer; ≈2 min works as a planning budget. |
| Item types | Classic multiple choice tied to a clinical vignette — mostly 3 options (some 4). No NGN bow-tie/matrix/case-study formats. |
| Themes & weight | ~85% medicine / surgery / geriatrics; ~15% perinatal-maternal-child + paediatrics + mental health combined, plus Québec-specific law/scope content. |
| Pass standard | Not a fixed %. A panel of ~20 nurses sets the cut score each session, anchored near 55%. Recent cuts: 56.8% (Sep 2023) → 65% (Mar 2026). |
| Retake | Max 3 attempts; must pass within 2 years of graduation; lose CEPI status after a 3rd fail. |
| When offered | Twice a year — March and September (next: 29 Sep 2026). |
2b. OQLF French exam (the language gate)
| Format | 4 parts, one sitting: individual reading/prep, group oral discussion, written production (150–200 words), 1-on-1 interview. |
| How long | ~3 hours total. |
| What it tests | French only, in a nursing context. Clinical knowledge is not graded here — the case study is a vehicle for the language. |
| Pass standard | Must pass all 4 parts in the same sitting — no partial credit carries over. |
| Retake | Unlimited, but wait 3 months and redo all 4 parts. |
| Cost | Free. |
The Philippine home board
Your local licensure exam, from the PRC Board of Nursing. Most Filipino nurses have already passed this before going abroad — it is your reference point, and you can keep drilling it in parallel on this platform.
| Questions | 500 exactly — 5 subjects × 100 each. Fixed form (not adaptive). |
| How long | Across 2 exam days (~2 h per subject, ~10 h total — unofficial estimate). |
| Time per question | ≈72 seconds (≈1.2 min) per item. |
| Item types | Multiple choice, single best answer, 4 options (A–D). |
| Themes & weight (NP I–V) | Community Health 20% · Mother & Child 20% · Physiologic & Psychosocial Alterations I–III, 20% each. The 2025 "Enhanced TOS" keeps this 500/5-subject shape but re-weights toward ~50% "Applying" (Bloom's) questions. |
| Pass standard | General weighted average ≥ 75% AND no single subject below 60% — both at once. |
| Retake | No PRC limit on attempts; reapply each cycle, offered twice yearly. |
CELBAN vs IELTS vs OET
Canada/US regulators want proof of English. Pick the one your target regulator accepts. All three test Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking.
| CELBAN | IELTS Academic | OET (Nursing) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content | 100% nursing | General academic | L/R general health; W/S nursing |
| Listening | 45 min | 30 min (40 Q) | 45 min (42 Q) |
| Reading | 60 min | 60 min (40 Q) | 60 min (42 Q) |
| Writing | 50 min | 60 min (2 tasks) | 45 min (1 letter) |
| Speaking | 35 min (live) | 11–14 min | 20 min (2 role-plays) |
| Total | ~185 min (2 sittings) | ~165 min + speaking | ~170 min |
| Score | CLB level per skill | 0–9 band per skill | Grade A–E per sub-test |
| Typical nursing pass | L 9 · R 8 · S 8 · W 7 (CLB) | Overall 7.0 (6.5–7.5/section) | Grade B (350+) all 4 |
| No-averaging rule | Yes — each skill on its own | Per-section floor usually applies | Yes — each sub-test on its own |
How many exams total, and in what order
You do not sit these in a random order. Each destination has a sequence, and some steps are advisory reports, not exams.
Canada (outside Québec) — ~3 real exams + 1 non-exam report
- NNAS report — a paid credential/education assessment (not an exam).
- English exam — CELBAN or IELTS.
- NCLEX-RN — the clinical exam.
- Provincial jurisprudence exam — local law/standards (most provinces).
USA — ~2–4 real exams depending on the state + 1 non-exam evaluation
- CGFNS credential evaluation — not an exam (most state boards require it).
- English exam — IELTS / OET / TOEFL (waived by some boards if trained in English).
- NCLEX-RN — always required.
- State jurisprudence exam — only a few states (e.g. CA, TX).
Québec — 2 real exams + credential recognition
- MIFI / OIIQ equivalence — credential recognition (not an exam).
- OQLF French exam (or an accepted French proof).
- OIIQ examen professionnel — the clinical exam.
Counts vary by province/state and change — always confirm against your actual regulator before committing.
By when to aim to pass each
A realistic plan for a Filipino nurse who already holds PNLE and studies at the intensive pace (~4 h/day × ~3 months ≈ 360 h ≈ 10,000 questions). These are planning targets, not promises — verify dates with each regulator.
| Step | Aim to pass by | Why the timing |
|---|---|---|
| PNLE (home board) | Before you start | Your baseline; keep it sharp for parallel drilling. |
| Start credential report (NNAS / CGFNS / OIIQ equivalence) | Month 0–1 | Slowest step — start first, in parallel with study. |
| English exam (CELBAN/IELTS/OET) | Month 2–4 | Independent of clinical prep — bank it early. |
| NCLEX-RN | Month 3–6 | After ~90 days of intensive blueprint-matched drilling. |
| Jurisprudence exam | Weeks after NCLEX | Short, local-law test once your file is active. |
Québec variant — French-gated, plan longer
| Step | Aim to pass by | Why the timing |
|---|---|---|
| Start French early | Month 0 | OQLF is the hardest gate — budget 1–2 years if starting from the Philippines. |
| OQLF French exam | Before or with OIIQ | Full permit needs it; retake every 3 months. |
| OIIQ examen professionnel | Within 2 years of graduation, March/September session | Only 3 attempts, twice yearly — plan the calendar backwards. |
How our practice mirrors all this
Every number above is loaded into the engine (content/exam-config.json). When you pick an
exam in Exam Mode, we set:
- The timer to that exam's real model (NCLEX = one 5-h clock; PNLE = 100-item subject blocks; CELBAN/IELTS/OET = per-section timers).
- The session length inside that exam's real question range.
- The topic mix to the real blueprint weights (± tolerance), so you are never over-drilled on a minor theme.
- The item-type mix — honestly. NCLEX's live bank currently drills mc + SATA only; the session header says so, it never pretends to serve NGN formats that don't exist yet.
Train the way the exam is built, and exam day is just another practice day.
NCSBN 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan · OIIQ examen professionnel pages · Gouvernement du Québec / OQLF · PRC Board of Nursing (Resolution No. 10 s.2025) · Touchstone Institute / CELBAN Centre · IELTS.org · OET.com. Figures marked "estimate/unofficial" above are secondary-sourced and unverified against extractable official text; verify licensure requirements with your own regulator before acting.