Programs
A-State Nursing's 93.4% NCLEX Pass Rate: What Agents Should Verify
Agents building a nursing pipeline for India, the Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana, or Nepal need a program that can back up its outcomes with real data. Arkansas State University's (A-State) College of Nursing reports a 2025 NCLEX pass rate of 93.4% for BSN graduates and 82.5% for AASN graduates, backed by ACEN accreditation. This article explains what that number means, what to verify before advising candidates, and where nursing sits within A-State's broader lineup of 170+ programs.
What the NCLEX Measures — and What 93.4% Tells You
The NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is the standardized test every nursing graduate must pass to become a licensed registered nurse (RN) in the United States. It is administered by US state boards of nursing and evaluates clinical judgment and patient-safety decision-making, not just classroom knowledge.
In 2025, 93.4% of A-State's BSN graduates passed the NCLEX, and the university reports 90%-plus for several years running. For agents, a pass rate at this level is a useful proxy for curriculum rigor, faculty support, and clinical readiness — the same qualities a student's family will ask about before committing to a nursing pathway abroad.
Accreditation Backing the Outcome
The nursing program holds ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) accreditation, one of the two recognized accreditors for US nursing education. ACEN accreditation is what allows graduates to sit for the NCLEX, and it is typically what US graduate nursing programs and employers check when evaluating a degree.
A-State itself is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (since 1928) and holds Carnegie R2 research status, reaffirmed in February 2025, alongside program-specific accreditations in business (AACSB), several engineering disciplines (ABET), and education (CAEP). Nursing sits inside a university where program-level accreditation is the norm, not the exception — a point worth raising in due-diligence conversations with families.
Nursing Within A-State's International Profile
A-State enrolled a record 18,775 students in Fall 2026, including 1,200+ international students from more than 70 countries, across 170+ programs in 9 colleges. That scale means nursing applicants join a university with established international-student infrastructure — dedicated admissions staff, an English Language Academy (ELA) pathway for students who have not yet met direct-entry English scores, and a Vietnam-based office your agency can work with directly.
For national context, US News & World Report's 2026 rankings place A-State at #352 National Universities and #191 Top Public Schools. Nursing is one program within a much larger institutional profile, and agents advising on multiple majors can lean on the same credentials across a student's broader application.
What to Verify Before You Advise a Nursing Candidate
Be direct with families on the following points, all of which vary by intake year, visa status, and home-country licensure rules:
- Admission to A-State is not admission to nursing: the BSN has its own selection, a minimum 3.0 GPA (cumulative and prerequisite), and fixed application windows. Most of the university’s MSN/DNP programs are fully online and cannot be used to maintain F-1 status. Details on the Study nursing in the USA page.
- International eligibility and seat availability for the College of Nursing are not fixed figures this article can quote — clinical program capacity is typically limited and admission is competitive. Confirm current eligibility and open seats with the Vietnam Office before setting expectations with a family.
- Clinical placement requirements (immunizations, background checks, site availability) apply to all nursing students and can affect timeline. Ask the office for current requirements before finalizing a student's intake plan.
- Licensure portability: passing the NCLEX and holding a US state RN license does not automatically grant the right to practice in a student's home country. Recognition of a US nursing license varies by country and by that country's own regulatory board — this is a matter for the student's family and home-country authorities, not something A-State or the Vietnam Office can guarantee.
- Admission minimums differ by level. General A-State thresholds are shown below; program-specific nursing requirements should be confirmed directly with the Vietnam Office, since clinical programs sometimes apply additional criteria.
| Level | Minimum GPA | TOEFL | IELTS | Duolingo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 2.3 | 61 | 5.5 | 110 |
| Graduate | 2.75 | 79 | 6.0 | 120 |
Students who fall short on English scores can enter through the ELA (English Language Academy), a 6-level, CEA-accredited program with an 11:1 student-teacher ratio; completing ELA removes the need for a separate TOEFL/IELTS score. This is a useful fallback pathway to mention to nursing-track families whose English scores are close but not yet at threshold — confirm with the office whether ELA completion satisfies nursing-specific English requirements.
Why This Matters for Your Pipeline
Nursing is one of the more scrutinized programs families evaluate, because outcomes such as licensure and employability are easier to measure than in many other majors. A documented 93.4% BSN NCLEX pass rate (2025) and ACEN accreditation give your agency a concrete, verifiable data point to present — provided you pair it with honest caveats about seat limits, clinical logistics, and home-country licensure recognition. Combining that credibility with A-State's Carnegie R2 research status and 170+ program catalog also supports cross-selling: a family exploring nursing may have a sibling interested in business, engineering, or another field at the same university.
Partner with the A-State Vietnam Office
For current nursing seat availability, international eligibility, and clinical placement details, work directly with the Vietnam Office rather than relying on general marketing figures. Costs, deadlines, and program rules can change year to year, so always confirm the latest details before advising a student.
Review the full program catalog at A-State Academics, check partnership terms at the Agents Hub, or submit a formal inquiry via Partner Inquiry. Existing partners can track cases and documents through the Partner Portal. For specific student cases, contact the A-State Vietnam Office at study@astate.edu.vn or 097 586 1994.
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
