Countries > Saudi Arabia for Nurses > SNLE
Saudi Arabia for Nurses
The Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination (SNLE) is the national licensing exam for registered nurses who want to practise in Saudi Arabia. It is set by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) and delivered through Prometric test centres worldwide. Passing the SNLE, combined with DataFlow credential verification, unlocks your SCFHS professional classification and the right to work as a registered nurse in the Kingdom.
Pathway Snapshot
Create your Mumaris Plus account, complete DataFlow Primary Source Verification of your nursing degree and credentials, receive your eligibility number, book and pass the SNLE at a Prometric centre, and obtain your SCFHS professional classification.
Complete Journey: Nursing Degree → DataFlow PSV → Mumaris Plus Account & Eligibility Number → SNLE (Prometric) → SCFHS Professional Classification → Nursing Practice in Saudi Arabia.
The SNLE is designed for candidates who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an equivalent registered nursing degree from an accredited institution. Applicants with qualifications other than a recognised BSN or equivalent may follow a different SCFHS classification pathway. The appropriate examination, if required, depends on the professional category assigned by SCFHS. Confirm your pathway through Mumaris Plus before applying.
Internationally trained nurses are typically expected to have at least one to two years of post-qualification clinical experience, though SCFHS does not publish a single fixed requirement that applies to all applicants. Experience expectations may vary depending on your qualifications, home country, and the professional classification tier you are seeking. Confirm your exact experience requirements with SCFHS through the Mumaris Plus portal before applying.
SCFHS does not publish a universal English language test requirement for SNLE eligibility — the exam itself is administered in English, but individual employers or recruitment agencies may set their own IELTS or OET thresholds. All documents submitted through Mumaris Plus must be in Arabic or English.
Always confirm your exact eligibility requirements directly with SCFHS through the Mumaris Plus portal before beginning your application.
Primary Source Verification (PSV) is handled through the DataFlow Group, the official verification partner of SCFHS. You will submit your nursing degree certificate, academic transcripts, nursing licence, experience letters, and a Certificate of Good Standing. DataFlow contacts your issuing institutions directly to authenticate each document.
Verification typically takes approximately 25 to 60 working days, though processing times vary depending on the responsiveness of your issuing institutions and the number of documents submitted. DataFlow fees vary by document package and are not published as a fixed rate by SCFHS. Confirm current pricing and processing timelines directly on the DataFlow website before beginning your application. Payment is made by international debit or credit card through the DataFlow portal.
Mumaris Plus is the central SCFHS portal for all classification, registration, and examination services. Create an account, submit your personal and professional details, and request Professional Classification. SCFHS will automatically trigger your DataFlow verification case. Once your documents are verified, SCFHS issues an Eligibility Number — your authorisation to schedule the SNLE.
The process is sequential: classification must be established before an exam can be booked. SCFHS processing timelines vary; confirm current wait times through the Mumaris Plus portal.
The SNLE assesses whether a nurse has the clinical knowledge and judgement to practise safely in Saudi Arabia. It includes both recall-based items and complex clinical scenarios built around the nursing process.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
Questions |
200 MCQs (two sections of 100 questions each) |
Format |
Single best answer of four options (A, B, C, D) |
Duration |
Two 120-minute sections with a scheduled 30-minute break (approximately 4.5 hours total appointment time) |
Passing Standard |
Scaled score of 500 on a 200–800 reporting scale, established through a formal SCFHS standard-setting process. SCFHS does not publish an equivalent percentage pass mark. |
Pilot Questions |
Up to 10% of questions on any exam may be unscored pilot items |
Testing Centres |
Prometric centres worldwide and within Saudi Arabia |
Result Validity |
SCFHS does not publish a specific expiry period for SNLE results. Candidates who have a significant gap between passing the exam and applying for licensure should confirm current validity rules with SCFHS. |
| Domain | Approximate Weight |
|---|---|
Adult Nursing (Medical, Surgical, Critical Care, Community, Mental Health) |
40% |
Maternal-Child Nursing (Maternity, Gynaecology, Neonatal, Paediatric Medical, Paediatric Surgical) |
30% |
Nursing Fundamentals (Core skills, professionalism, ethics, pharmacology, nutrition, physical assessment) |
20% |
Nursing Management & Leadership (Resource coordination, quality and safety, interprofessional relations, nursing informatics, research and evidence-based practice) |
10% |
The exam is built on the nursing process framework and tests clinical judgement, prioritisation, delegation, and patient safety throughout. Questions may integrate Saudi-specific regulatory context within the ethics, community health, and leadership domains.
What we offer
A comprehensive SNLE question bank mapped to the official SCFHS blueprint, covering all four domains with detailed rationales and Saudi-specific regulatory content. Flashcards, self-assessments, and an AI study companion are included.
Start SNLE Prep →Candidates may sit the SNLE up to four times per calendar year until they achieve a passing score. You may not sit the exam twice within the same testing window. SCFHS does not publish a lifetime maximum on attempts. Candidates should confirm the current retake policy directly with SCFHS, particularly if they have already passed the exam and wish to retake it to improve their score for residency selection.
Passing the SNLE does not grant a licence on its own. It allows SCFHS to complete your Professional Classification, which is the formal recognition that permits you to work as a nurse in Saudi Arabia. Your employer will then complete the final steps for your residency visa and work permit.
For the registered nurse licensure pathway described on this page, the SNLE is the core written examination. SCFHS maintains other nursing categories and specialty training routes which may have different requirements. Advanced classification into specialist tiers (e.g., Critical Care, Emergency, Midwifery) is generally based on credential evaluation, postgraduate qualifications, and verified clinical experience. Confirm the specific pathway for your nursing category directly with SCFHS.
All figures are approximate and based on 2026 data. Always confirm exact fees on the official portals before payment.
| Item | Approx. Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
DataFlow PSV |
Varies by document package (confirm on dataflowgroup.com) | Fee depends on number of documents verified; no fixed published rate |
Mumaris Plus classification and admin fees |
SAR 200–1,500+ | Depends on professional rank and applicant category |
Prometric exam fee |
~$280 USD (confirm at booking) | Official SCFHS-listed fee; may vary by test centre location |
SCFHS Professional Registration |
~SAR 1,140 (confirm on portal) | Paid after passing, before licence activation |
Note on Fees: All fees are set by SCFHS, DataFlow, and Prometric and are subject to periodic revision. DataFlow fees vary by document count and are not published as a fixed rate by SCFHS. The SNLE passing standard is a scaled score of 500 on a 200–800 scale, confirmed in the official SCFHS SNLE Applicant Guide. Figures shown are approximate and based on 2026 data. Always confirm exact fees, eligibility criteria, and the current passing standard on the official portals before payment.