By: Kendall Upton
Your guide to the Certified Global Nurse (CGN) credential
The Certified Global Nurse (CGN) is a new certification, launched in 2025, that provides a shared framework for global nursing standards of first-level nurses worldwide. While it has its advantages for nurses working in their home countries, it may be particularly appealing to nurses that want to move abroad, travel around the world, aid humanitarian causes or respond to global health emergencies.
Key takeaways
- The Certified Global Nurse (CGN) is a voluntary credential for first-level nurses that demonstrates their nursing knowledge and skills meet a global standard.
- Nurses who meet the education and licensing requirements can earn the CGN credential by passing TruMerit’s Nurse Qualifying Exam (NQE).
- While the CGN does not replace nursing licensure, it may help nurses stand out to employers and facilitate the process of pursuing nursing opportunities abroad.
What is a Certified Global Nurse?
The Certified Global Nurse (CGN) is a global nursing credential for first-level nurses (registered nurses or RNs). TruMerit, an international healthcare credentialling organization formerly known as CGFNS International, launched the CGN credential in August 2025. The purpose of the credential is to show that nurses meet a global benchmark of nursing standards, which can make it easier to work across various geopolitical boundaries.
Nurses can earn the CGN designation after passing TruMerit’s Nurse Qualifying Exam (NQE), which was previously known as the CGFNS Qualifying Exam.
Any qualifying nurse can take the NQE and become a CGN regardless of where they live and work, but it can be especially useful for nurses seeking greater mobility and to work in another country or as an international travel nurse.
How does it work?
The CGN is not a global nursing license. It’s a voluntary credential that signifies the holder meets certain global nursing standards. If you’re going to work as a nurse in another country, you still need a local nursing license.
But that’s where the CGN can be advantageous. Applying for a nursing license abroad as a CGN can help streamline the process and make you a more desirable employment candidate.
“Having the CGN credential will position you favorably with global recruiters and employers, opening doors of career opportunity that experience alone may not afford,” TruMerit says.
Why you should consider becoming a CGN
First and foremost, being a CGN demonstrates to employers that you possess a particular set of skills and expertise that meet a global standard of nursing care. Having the CGN credential may allow you to stand out against your competitors and improve your job prospects at home and abroad.
The second main advantage of the CGN is that it may help you get nursing jobs abroad. “It tells prospective employers that your first-level, general nursing expertise and experience from your home country will transfer to other countries,” TruMerit says.
Whether you are moving to another country, responding to a global health emergency or something else, it may help speed up the process of getting the proper credentials where you intend to practice.
What are the requirements for becoming a CGN?
In order to become a CGN, you must meet the qualifications to take the NQE and then pass the exam.
Education requirements
You must complete the necessary education to become a registered nurse. In the United States, this means you need either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Accelerated and bridge programs are also acceptable (such as an LPN-to-BSN or Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs), as long as they lead to RN licensure.
Licensing and certification requirements
You must have a current license as a first-level, general nurse in the country where you practice. “In most countries, including the United States, a first-level nurse is called a registered nurse or a professional nurse,” TruMerit says. If you live and work in a country where you can practice as a nurse with a diploma, the licensure requirement is waived.
Exam requirements
If you meet the requirements above, you’re already eligible to take the NQE. Once you register for and pass the exam, you’ll earn the CGN credential.
CGN vs. other nursing credentials
The CGN is not the only certification TruMerit offers. Consider how it compares to other credentials, as well as basic RN licensure below.
| Credential | Who it’s for |
|---|---|
| Certified Global Nurse (CGN) | Any first-level nurse (RN) seeking a voluntary global credential |
| Certified Global Nurse – Rehabilitation (CGN-R) | RNs working in rehabilitation, habilitation or restorative care settings |
| Certified Global Nurse Consultant (CGNC) | Nurse professionals or executives with five or more years of experience in their field of practice, wishing to be a recognized expert consultant |
| RN licensure | Nursing graduates who have completed their nursing education, passed the NCLEX-RN exam, and completed any state licensure requirements. Necessary to become a first-level nurse (RN). |
6 steps to become a CGN
1. Earn your RN license.
You must be a first-level nurse in your home country to qualify for the NQE. In the United States, this is a registered nurse (RN).
2. Create a TruMerit account and complete your profile.
Go to TruMerit’s website, create an account and complete your professional profile before you register for the exam.
3. Purchase the CGN certification and submit required forms.
You must pay for the CGN certification and then submit all required documents, including things like your RN license, nursing education transcripts and more.
4. Register for the Nurse Qualifying Exam (NQE).
Once your profile and documents have been verified, you can register to take the NQE at a Kryterion testing center during one of four annual testing windows.
5. Pass the NQE.
You must achieve a passing score of at least 1400 on a scale of 1100-1700. Upon passing the exam, you’ll receive your CGN certification from TruMerit.
6. Keep up with your continuing education requirements.
You must complete continuing education requirements in order to renew and maintain your certification every five years.
What is the Nurse Qualifying Exam (NQE)?
The NQE is the exam nurses must pass in order to earn the CGN credential. It was formerly known as the CGFNS Qualifying Exam, which was developed in 1977.
“In addition to modernizing and upgrading the examination to meet the challenges of an evolving profession, the newly updated NQE provides a shared global framework for validating the applied knowledge and practice competence of first-level, general nurses worldwide, thereby supporting portability of credentials across country borders and disciplinary boundaries,” TruMerit says.
Nurses can take the NQE at Kryterion testing centers in 120+ countries during four annual one-week testing windows.
Exam content and outline
The first iteration of the test in 2025 consisted of 180 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions (150 scored questions and 30 unscored pre-test items). Candidates have three hours to complete the test and must achieve at least 1400 on a grading scale of 1100-1700. These metrics could change for future exams as TruMerit continues to test the NQE.
As of now, the exam is only available in English and simplified Chinese.
The exam content consists of two standards: Professional Attributes and Nursing Care & Interventions, which make up 40% and 60% of the exam, respectively. Together, these standards consist of eight domains:
You can learn more about the exam’s full competency framework by checking out TruMerit’s exam handbook.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Can LPNs/LVNs become a CGN?
No. Licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) do not meet the qualifications to take the NQE. However, LPNs/LVNs have the option to advance their education through an LPN-to-RN program. If they become an RN, they would qualify to take the NQE and become a CGN if they pass.
How much does the CGN credential cost?
At the time of publication, TruMerit states that the application fee (which includes the registration fee to take the NQE) for the CGN credential is $395 USD.
Is the CGN the same as a nursing license?
No, the CGN is a supplementary, voluntary nursing credential available to nurses that already have a first-level general nursing license (known as a registered nurse in the United States).
Does the CGN allow you to work in another country?
Not on its own. You still need to obtain an appropriate nursing license where you intend to work, but being a CGN may accelerate the process because you’ve already proven you meet a global benchmark of certain nursing skills and knowledge.
