Which U.S. States Accept MET for Nursing Licensure? (Full List)

The Michigan English Test (MET) is accepted by 34 U.S. state boards of nursing as proof of English proficiency for NCLEX-RN eligibility. For internationally trained nurses, knowing exactly which states accept MET — and what score each state requires — is the first and most important step in the licensure journey. This guide lists the states we have directly confirmed, explains how state boards verify English proficiency through TruMerit/CGFNS, covers the Nurse Licensure Compact, and tells you what to do if your state is not yet on the list.

Confirmed States & Score Requirements

The table below lists the state boards of nursing where MET acceptance has been directly confirmed. Michigan Language Assessment reports that 34 state boards accept MET in total; the states below are the ones we have verified to date, with their specific score requirements where available.

Note: The 8 states above are directly confirmed. MET reports 34 state boards accept it in total. As we verify additional states, they will be added here. Always check with your specific state board of nursing for the most current requirements.

How State Boards Verify English Proficiency

Most state boards of nursing do not verify your English proficiency directly. Instead, they rely on an intermediary organization to evaluate both your nursing credentials and your English ability. Understanding this pipeline is essential, because it affects how you submit your MET scores and what documents you need.

• Most boards use the CGFNS/TruMerit process as a gatekeeper. Rather than reviewing your English test themselves, the board requires a credential evaluation report from TruMerit (formerly CGFNS International), which includes an English proficiency assessment.
• TruMerit evaluates your nursing credentials AND English proficiency. A single TruMerit report covers your nursing education, license verification from your home country, and your English test scores — bundling everything the state board needs into one package.
• MET scores are submitted to TruMerit as part of the VisaScreen or credential report. When you book your MET, you can request that Michigan Language Assessment send your official score report directly to TruMerit. TruMerit then includes your MET results in the report it sends to your state board.
• State boards then accept the TruMerit report as proof. The board trusts TruMerit's evaluation, so you do not usually need to send MET scores to the board separately — the TruMerit report satisfies the English proficiency requirement.

This means that in practice, your MET score needs to satisfy two layers: the threshold TruMerit uses to confirm English proficiency, and any per-skill minimum your specific state board publishes. In most cases these align, but always confirm with both TruMerit and your board to avoid surprises.

Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) States

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement among U.S. states that allows a nurse holding a valid multistate license in one NLC member state to practice in other NLC member states without obtaining a separate license in each one. More than 40 states currently participate in the NLC.

For MET test takers, the NLC creates an important opportunity. If you are licensed in a state that accepts MET — for example, New Mexico, which requires a MET score of 59 — your NLC multistate license may be recognized in other NLC member states even if that second state does not independently list MET on its website. Your primary state of residence is where you apply for your original license, and the multistate privilege follows you to other NLC states where you work.

Keep in mind that the NLC multistate privilege applies to your primary state of residence (the state you declare as home on your driver's license or tax records). If you move your primary residence to a non-NLC state, you will need to apply for a single-state license in that state, and that state's English requirements — including whether it accepts MET — will apply. Confirm your state's NLC status and MET acceptance before you build your licensing plan around the compact.

What to Do If Your State Isn't Listed

If your target state does not appear in the confirmed table above, do not assume MET is rejected — many boards accept MET but do not prominently advertise it. Here is how to find out for sure.

• Check with your state board of nursing directly. Call or email the board and ask specifically whether the Michigan English Test is accepted for English proficiency. Boards often list only the most common tests on their website while accepting others by policy.
• Ask if they accept English proficiency tests beyond their primary list. Some boards maintain a short public list (typically TOEFL and IELTS) but will accept additional tests on request or through their credential evaluation process.
• Many states accept "any test recognized by CGFNS/TruMerit." If your board routes English verification through TruMerit, and TruMerit accepts MET (which it does), then MET may satisfy the requirement even if the board's own website does not name it.
• As a fallback, TOEFL is accepted in all 50 states. If your state definitively does not accept MET and you need to move quickly, TOEFL guarantees you will meet the English requirement wherever you apply. See our MET vs TOEFL comparison for the trade-offs.

MET Score of 59 Explained

New Mexico is one of the few state boards that publishes a single, clear MET threshold: a score of 59. Understanding what that score represents helps you set a realistic target.

A MET score of 59 corresponds to CEFR B2 (Upper-Intermediate). At this level, you can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party, and produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects. In other words, B2 is the level at which you can function independently in a professional English-speaking environment — which is exactly what state boards want to see before granting a nursing license.

To achieve a MET score of 59, a practical target is roughly 25 correct answers out of 50 in each section (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking). The exact conversion varies because MET combines scaled scores, but aiming for half-plus on each section gives you a comfortable margin above the 59 threshold. The key is balance — a very high Reading score will not rescue a failing Speaking score if your board sets per-skill minimums.

The best way to know whether you are on track is to take a diagnostic practice test for each skill, identify your weakest section, and focus your study there. Our free practice tests mirror the official MET format and provide section-by-section scoring so you can see exactly where you stand.

How to Prepare

Preparing for MET is about practicing the right format, not just studying English in general. These steps will get you to a passing score efficiently.

• Take a full diagnostic practice test for each skill first: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. This tells you your baseline and your weakest section.
• Leverage the grammar section advantage. MET's 25-question grammar section is unique among nursing-accepted English tests. If you studied English formally, a focused grammar review can add several points to your Reading score quickly.
• Practice professional email writing. MET Writing includes an email task. Learn the structure (greeting, purpose, body, closing) and practice completing one within 15–20 minutes.
• Build speaking fluency with recorded practice. MET Speaking is recorded, not live. Practice describing pictures, giving opinions, and persuading into a microphone, then listen back to check clarity, pace, and grammar.
• Sit at least two full-length timed mock tests before your real test date to build stamina for the 155-minute session.

For the complete nursing licensure pathway — including TruMerit/CGFNS steps, the in-person testing rule, and the full application process — see our MET for U.S. Nursing Licensure guide. For a head-to-head comparison with TOEFL, see MET vs TOEFL for Nursing Licensure.