Foreign-trained registered APNs / nurse practitioners

Learn the procedures for how foreign-trained nursing practitioners can apply for APN.

Last updated 7 April 2025

Eligibility:

Foreign trained Nurses must apply for registration as Registered Nurse (RN) with SNB before applying for certification as an APN.

You must have an offer of employment with a healthcare institution in Singapore before SNB can consider your application.

The hospital/institution offering you employment will apply for registration and certification on your behalf via online application.

To be eligible for application, you must have an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) registration from the country where you are trained as well as a current license to practice as an APN or NP. In addition, you must show evidence that you have completed a Master level nursing programme, which comprising of the following educational requirement:

At least 500 hours of supervised clinical practicum
Advanced practice oriented modules including:
- Advanced Health/Physical Assessment
- Advanced Physiology & Pathophysiology
- Advanced Pharmacology

Note:
All documents submitted to SNB for application for certification will be kept by SNB as documentary proof and are NOT returnable.

Documents required for APN Certification

a) Passport photograph [PDF, 10 KB] (opens in new tab), during uploading of photograph please select the following:

Subject Matter: Photograph
Document Title: Recent Color Photograph against White Background

b) Certified true copies of:

Passport or NRIC (if applicable)
Certificate of APN/NP education
Transcript of APN/NP education (with the breakdown of theory and record of clinical experience in hours & details)
Registration as an APN/NP obtained (registration certificate and practising certificate)
Testimonials from all employers – previous and current. The applicant should have attained a minimum of 3 years relevant experience as APN/NP

c) Letter of offer of employment to state which clinical speciality/ department that they intend the applicant to practice (both as RN and APN) and the proposed scope of practice as APN

d) Download the Curriculum Vitae form (opens in new tab) [PDF, 268 KB], fill in all educational/professional qualifications and clinical experiences as an RN and APN/NP

Note:

i) Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by an accurate translation in English and certified by Justice of Peace, Notary Public from their country of origin.

ii) Documents certified as "true copies"

Must be initialled on every page of the document by the authorized officer (Justice of Peace, Notary Public or your employer, unless otherwise stated)
Must include the name of authorized officer (full name), signature, date of certification and healthcare institution stamp and the notarization must be made in English.

iii) Photocopies of previously certified documents will not be accepted.

Application fees

The following SNB Fees are applicable:

a) Application Fee for APN Certification (to be paid upon online application)

b) Certification Fee (to be paid upon approval)

c) Application for APN Practising Certificate Fee (to be paid upon approval)

Verification of Registration

The following verification of registration is required to verify that you are registered as an APN/NP and that no disciplinary proceedings have been taken or are pending against you:

from the nursing registration authority in the country of your APN/NP registration, as well as
from the nursing licensing authority (if applicable)

You are required to make the request with each nursing regulatory authority and the verification must be sent directly to SNB Operating Office, addressed to Registrar, Singapore Nursing Board.

Verification of transcripts of nursing education

Verification of transcripts of APN/NP education is required and transcripts must include detailed breakdown for theory and clinical practice in hours or weeks.

You are required to make the request with the educational/training institution(s) and the transcripts must be sent directly to SNB Operating Office, addressed to Registrar, Singapore Nursing Board

Outcome of application

You may be

undergo a competency assessment; and/or
placed on provisional registration; and/or
required to sit for APN Objective Structured Clinical Examination; and/or
allowed to practice with conditions imposed as deemed appropriate by SNB

The SNB will inform you through your employing healthcare institution of the outcome of your application after we have made our assessment.

Please note that we will not provide outcome of registration applications directly to individual applicants. Applicants are required to contact their employing healthcare institution.