Internationally Educated Nurses

If you earned your nursing degree from outside the United States, but need to repeat courses before you can practice as a registered nurse in California, Dominican offers a program for you.

As an internationally educated nurse (IEN), you are an invaluable addition to the nursing workforce and bring unique and varied skills, education and experience to healthcare in the United States.

Through our Internationally Educated Nurses program, Dominican offers courses to students who have nursing degrees outside the United States, but are mandated by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) to repeat certain courses before they can practice registered nursing in California. Upon completion of these courses, transcripts are sent to the BRN.

At Dominican, IEN students gain exposure to a variety of healthcare experiences that support a broad understanding of the US healthcare system. Courses in maternal-newborn, medical-surgical, psychiatric, and pediatric nursing, provide a broad introduction to hospitals, clinics, and community settings throughout the Bay Area. These varied experiences, as well as the continuous support from faculty, staff, and peers, provide a successful transition to nursing in the United States.

Transitioning from one country and culture to another can be challenging. With small class sizes, professors interact with and learn about each student, while students share their cultural experiences and learn from each other.

IEN alumni have formed lasting friendships and remain connected, in person, and through our IEN Facebook group

Application Process

Please follow the steps below to complete your application to the Internationally Educated Nurses program:

  1. Register with Castlebranch, our application document management service.
  2. Click on "Place Order"
  3. Enter the code: DG20
  4. Cost: $157.75 (payable to Castlebranch)

Complete the IEN Application Form

On the Castlebranch website, follow the directions to upload all required admissions documents.

For questions about Castlebranch and document submission, contact Castlebranch Support Services.

Contact Us

For questions, please contact us at IEN@dominican.edu