If I graduate from a university in the Philippines can I work with that degree in the U.S.A.?

Question

I am an American and I was thinking to go to the Philippines to get a degree in nursing and medical technology. If I get a degree there will I be able to work here in the USA? If not then what extra things will I have to do to be able to work? Is it a good idea to do that?

Answer 1

Yes indeed.

My brother is a nursing graduate in the Philippines and he works as a nurse in TX. My other brother is a Mechanical Engineering Graduate in the Philippines and he works as a Mechanical Engineer in MI. I am a Civil Engineering Graduate in the Philippines and works in one of the best Design/Build Company in the Province of Ontario.

All of us 3 have a valid professional license to practice in our state / province. Hear this, if you are a graduate of a University in the US and can't even pass a State Board, then a Graduate from a Philippine University is better off if he passes the state board. I know most of the Americans / Canadians can't even get a Bachelor's Degree because of the cost associated with it. Don't be a BUM just like most of them.

Good luck to you.

Answer 2

Yes it is. As long as you have that piece of paper and you can pass the state exams in the USA for your licenses you are golden. They do offer the same exam in the Philippines that is required the USA to become registered in order to prepare before coming here. Only thing they don't go past a Bachelors, you would have to finish up the rest in the USA to get any further.

And hell yeah its a great idea to do that. For around $1800USD per semester, and the living there is alot cheaper, and besides life in the Philippines would be like a long vacation.

I know way too many nurses from the Philippines holding licenses in thier respective states, many in my office at a Phama company with nothing more then a Philippines degree. The most respected nurses got their degree in the Philippines.

Answer 3

I really don't know but I hope someone can answer this better than me.
Keep in mind that your education from the Philippines may not be considered seriously because you did not go to an accredited U.S. College or University but I know that there is a shortage of qualified Nurses in the States as well as the Philippines.
Your idea for paying less money in the nursing trade skill in a Foreign country is very wise.
Continue to do your research on this before you act upon it.

Answer 4

A college degree from the philippines is equal to a high school diploma in USA. However, with the ctitical shortage of nursing personnel worldwide, the nursing graduate would not have a problem in finding a job anywhere. Keep in mind that you would still have to pass some certification requirements which are different in each state.

Answer 5

Logic dictates, if you are an American then get your degree here if you want to work here, why chance it? You do know that it takes you 5 years there in a nursing school to get the same LPN degree you can obtain here in 2? As well you will take the TESDA exam there and 1 year of student work in many cases. When you come here to USA, they will most likely want you retested at your expense. Now, what do you think is best?

Answer 6

re: Big P, he's correct about researching this one.

My buddy, a PhD in Physics, teaching for a Top 10 School in the States, told me that "...Philipine degrees, regardless of institution, are not easily recognized in the States. Reason: too many degrees "earned" there are paid for by "graduates"." The U.S. education system (universities and colleges) seems to support this view (unless things have changed within the past 2 years).

My sister-in-law does have a degree in nursing from the Philipines (ca. 1980s), but, the credentials are suspicious, so her employer placed her into medical administrative duties. Good job for her, but she's not using her degree to treat patients.

You may want to consider polling Johns Hopkins, and other well-respected medical institutions to see what their views are on this one. Good Luck!

Answer 7

Yes, you can work in the USA with a Philippines degree as long as you are a US citizen or legally authorized to work there.

Should you? I wouldn't. With few exceptions, most Philippine nursing schools' *REPUTATIONS* are sub par compared to Western nursing schools. IOW, US hospitals are very picky from which school they pick their Filipino candidates from. Also, these employers will almost always pay less to nurse who came from an foreign non-western school regardless of skill.

You want to go to school because you want to save money? Not a valid reason. The most respected nursing schools in the Phils. cost almost as much as a typical public university in the USA. Factor in travel and living costs for not staying with your folks for 4 years--it actually will cost you more.

And remember, you WILL NOT qualify for US financial aid (grants and loans) if you go to school in the Phils.

Even in the rare instance that it does cost a LITTLE less than a good US school (say it saves you $2,000 a year for 4 years), once you graduate you will be paid less than a peer from the US (about 5-15% less). That may mean a difference of $3-10,000 per year or up to $400,000 less over your working career! Doesn't make financial sense to me.

The best argument for just sticking it out in a US school is thus: check out Yahoo Answers user YADIDIFRESH's questions and answers on this board. She claims to be an American studying nursing in some supposedly prestigious nursing school in Mindanao. Carefully read through her ramblings to get a feel for her maturity and intelligence level. If after reading through her writings here, you would come to the conclusion that if that "pretigious" Mindanao nursing school allowed someone like her into their college, the admission standards must not be that challenging.

Just my 2 cents.

Answer 8

Wait wait wait....before you assume they will, contact the state you are thinking to work in. Each state has different credential requirements.

My wife is a Filipina and finished school with a BA in physical therapy. When she came to states she found that NOT all her credits would be accredited in the states.

Only N.J. would accept her. The state of PA will not.

PA (Pennsylvania) not longer honors BA for PTs. They must have Master Degrees to work in the state now so for her to work in PA she would have to go back to school for several more years.

While on the plane over here get a workers permit. They hand out the applications in the plane. If you leave the airport with out one you have to contact INS and it will take months before you will be able to work.

Answer 9

The US gov't agency responsible for allowing nurses who finished their nursing profession in other countries like the Philippnes is the CGFNS (i think), pre-requisite then is to take the NCLEX. If you can pass the exam then your profession can be legally practiced their. But it has been proven that many of the prfessionals in the Phillipines pass the US standard. So, if others can, why can't you?

Answer 10

100% yes, you can absolutely work in U.S.A with whatever degree you will attain in the Phil. because our education is based in American education standard.