Booking the Prometric exam for Gulf nursing licences: eligibility, rescheduling and ID rules
Gulf nursing licences usually run through a computer-based exam, and several authorities make you obtain something from them before you can book it. This guide sets out which vendor each authority uses, what you must hold first, the reschedule and ID rules that cost candidates their fees, and how ELAB handles the booking.
Who runs the exam
The licensing authority sets the exam. A testing company delivers it. For nurses:
- SCFHS (Saudi Arabia): Prometric. You can test at any SCFHS-approved Prometric centre, in Saudi Arabia or abroad. The classification exam can be delivered by Prometric or Pearson VUE, and ELAB confirms which applies to your file.
- DHA (Dubai): Prometric. Computer-based tests are managed and run by DHA's partner Prometric.
- DHP (Qatar): Prometric, which lists a Registered General Nurse exam.
- NHRA (Bahrain): Prometric.
- MOH Kuwait: Prometric hosts the Kuwait Medical Licensing Department's exams. The titles listed are physician-level and nurses are not mentioned, so ELAB confirms whether a nursing exam applies before you plan around Kuwait.
- DOH (Abu Dhabi): Pearson VUE, not Prometric. You start your pre-booking fees in TAMM, and a link to Pearson appears there.
OMSB (Oman) and MOHAP (Northern Emirates) are not covered here. ELAB confirms the exam vendor for those on your file.
What you must hold before you can book
SCFHS, DHA, NHRA and DOH each issue or approve something before you can book. What you need, and who issues it:
- SCFHS: an eligibility number issued by SCFHS. You must be eligible to test and be issued an eligibility number by SCFHS in order to schedule. SCFHS also calls the equivalent a scheduling permit with an eligibility period.
- DHA: a DHA CBT eligibility ID that you generate on DHA's Sheryan portal, not on Prometric. The steps: open a Sheryan account, copy your DHA Unique ID, generate the eligibility ID, then schedule.
- NHRA: an eligibility number that NHRA generates after you submit your application. It is valid for a maximum of four months from the date of issue.
- DOH: DOH's approval, then the pre-booking fee paid through TAMM.
- DHP (Qatar): ELAB confirms for your file whether an eligibility ID is needed before you book.
SCFHS: what applies to which exam
SCFHS has two sets of rules, shown separately here: one for the nursing licensure exam and a general exam procedure that predates it. ELAB confirms which applies to your file.
- Nursing licensure exam: scheduling may not be available for more than three months in advance, candidates may sit up to four times a year, and results appear online 2 to 6 weeks after the testing window.
- General SCFHS exam rules: eligibility generally lasts three months from issue, during which you may take the same exam twice. You have three attempts to pass, and after two unsuccessful attempts you may apply to SCFHS to reactivate your eligibility number for a third. If your eligibility expires, only SCFHS can extend or reset it.
- Booking: book at least 2 working days before the test date, and enter your passport or government ID number and the issuing country.
Whether you sit the nursing licensure exam or the other licensing exam is decided by your classification result and SCFHS, and ELAB confirms it for your file.
Rescheduling and cancelling
The deadlines are fixed, and the fee is lost once you pass them.
- SCFHS: changing the date at 30 or more calendar days ahead is free, and a standard fee applies at 16 to 30 days. Day 30 falls in both bands, so treat 31 days or more as the safe side. At 15 days or fewer you get no refund and lose the original fee. For SCFHS practice exams, contact SCFHS directly to re-register.
- Nursing licensure exam: once you start the exam you cannot cancel or reschedule it. If you arrive without your permit and ID, you can be refused entry and charged a fee to reschedule.
- DHA: a strict no-refund policy, including for personal hardship, illness or name discrepancies. Rescheduling can be considered under terms agreed between DHA and Prometric, and ELAB confirms the windows for your booking.
ID and name rules
The name you use to schedule must exactly match your identification, and since 1 July 2023 only valid government-issued IDs are accepted unless the test sponsor says otherwise.
- SCFHS: use a passport if you test outside your country of citizenship. The ID must be unexpired, official, in English characters and carry your photo and signature. A mismatch with your registration can mean you are refused testing.
- Nursing licensure exam: the name on your scheduling permit must match your identification exactly, and you must bring the permit on paper or electronically.
- DHA: use the same passport details in your CBT assessment and your DHA application.
If your documents disagree on a name, the safe move is to fix it with the issuing body before you book, because the exam fee is the cost of getting it wrong.
Test centres and payment
Nigerian nurses sit the Prometric exam for the Gulf at a centre in Ghana, and Prometric is booked separately from the licensing application. Some other exams, such as optometry, can be taken in Nigeria at Pearson VUE centres. SCFHS lets you test at any approved centre, locally or abroad.
On payment, Prometric accepts MasterCard, Visa and American Express for SCFHS exams, and no cash. Prometric also uses vouchers as a payment route, and some programmes take certified cheques, money orders or wire transfers; ELAB confirms which of these your authority allows. Exam fees differ by authority and are not reproduced here, and ELAB confirms the SCFHS exam fee for your file.
What ELAB books and what you sit
If you use ELAB's exam booking service, it is separate from the licensing application and priced separately. We:
- Check that you hold the right eligibility number or ID and that your name and ID details match across your documents.
- Book your exam slot once you hold what the authority requires.
- Tell you the reschedule deadline for your authority.
You sit the exam in person with your ID, and you complete any identity step the authority or Prometric requires of you personally. Dates and centres are set by the authority and the testing company.
Common questions
Is the Gulf nursing exam taken at Prometric?
For SCFHS, DHA, Qatar DHP and Bahrain NHRA, Prometric delivers it. DOH in Abu Dhabi uses Pearson VUE. ELAB confirms whether a nursing exam applies for MOH Kuwait on your file.
What do I need before I can book the SCFHS exam?
An eligibility number issued by SCFHS. You must be eligible to test and be issued one before you can schedule.
Who issues the DHA eligibility ID?
DHA does, on its Sheryan portal, not on Prometric.
Can I reschedule a Prometric exam for SCFHS?
Yes, with deadlines. Changes at 30 or more calendar days ahead are free, a standard fee applies at 16 to 30 days, and at 15 days or fewer you lose the original fee. Treat 31 days or more as the safe side.
Does my name have to match my ID?
Yes, exactly. The name used to schedule must exactly match your identification, and DHA gives no refund for name discrepancies.
Where do Nigerian nurses sit the exam?
At a Prometric centre in Ghana. Some other exams, such as optometry, can be taken in Nigeria at Pearson VUE centres. SCFHS lets you test at any approved centre, locally or abroad.
Your next step
Tell us which authority you are applying to and what you hold so far, and we'll tell you what you need before you can book.