Exam Eligibility
Who has to take the jurisprudence examination?
All applicants to the General, Temporary, Special Assignment, and Extended classes must pass the jurisprudence examination that is appropriate for the class to which they applied. Current members of the College do not have to take the exam unless they are applying to change their class (e.g., if a nurse in the General Class applies to join the Extended Class).
I graduated from a nursing program in Ontario. Do I have to write the jurisprudence examination?
Yes. All applicants for registration with the College, including those educated in Ontario, elsewhere in Canada and in other countries are required to pass the jurisprudence examination.
Can nursing students in their third year of their program write the jurisprudence exam?
No. The only way to access the online exam is by receiving a specific link to the exam website from the exam administrator. Applicants to the College will receive the link after they have submitted their application forms and fees to the College.
Preparing for the Exam
What resources should I review to prepare for the examination?
You are strongly encouraged to review the laws, regulations, and College by-laws and practice standards and guidelines that govern the nursing profession in Ontario. It is highly unlikely that applicants will be able to successfully complete the jurisprudence examination within the allotted time without reviewing materials in advance.
These sample exam questions will give you an idea of the types of questions you can expect to find on the exam.
The College has prepared a list of recommended study materials, as well as a list of competencies that will be assessed by the exam. (Please note that documents on the resource list may be revised as laws, regulations, by-laws, and practice standards and guidelines are updated to reflect changes in nursing practice in Ontario. It will be the responsibility of each applicant to monitor the list for any updates and ensure they review only the most recent versions of the documents.)
Writing the Exam
How do I access the examination?
Applicants will be provided with details about how to access the jurisprudence examination as part of the application process. During that time, you will receive an email with a unique link that will take you directly to the testing website. This is your personal access link and should not be shared with other applicants.
For security reasons, we do not provide a direct link to the testing website from the College’s website.
When can I write the examination?
Once you have received instructions about how to access the jurisprudence exam, you can choose to take the online exam whenever you like. You do not have to wait until after you write your registration examination.
However, applicants are responsible for ensuring their exam results are valid at the point of registration. If you pass the jurisprudence exam but do not get registered within the following five years, you will have to write and pass the examination again before you can register with the College. If you anticipate that it may take you some time to meet any other registration requirements (e.g., internationally educated nurses awaiting assessment of nursing program approval from the College), then you may prefer to meet those requirements first before proceeding with the jurisprudence exam.
Can I write the exam with other applicants?
No. This examination must be written by you working on your own.
What are the minimum computer requirements to take the examination?
The jurisprudence examination site supports the latest versions of Firefox and Chrome, as well as Internet Explorer 7, 8 and 9. If one of these browser versions is not installed on your computer, you will see a message inviting you to upgrade when you attempt to access the testing site.
How long does it take to complete the examination?
For the RN/RPN Jurisprudence Examination, applicants have a maximum of 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete the examination. For the RN(EC) Jurisprudence Examination, applicants have a maximum of 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete the examination.
If you run out of time and do not answer all of the questions, you will be marked on the responses that you provided up to that point.
Is there a fee for the jurisprudence examination?
Yes. The fee for the jurisprudence examination is $40 (CDN) plus applicable taxes. You must pay the fee each time you attempt to write the examination. Payment is made online by credit card through the secure examination website. As soon as your payment is processed, you must begin the jurisprudence examination.
How do I apply for special accommodation to complete the jurisprudence examination?
You can apply for special accommodation to complete the jurisprudence examination by notifying the College in writing of your specific circumstances with a request for alternate arrangements. You may be required to provide supporting documentation with your request. Contact the College’s Customer Service Centre for more information about applying for special accommodation.
After the Exam
How is the jurisprudence examination scored?
The examination is scored on a pass/fail basis.
When and how will I find out my score?
Your examination result will be sent to you by email. You will not be able to receive your result by phone or in person at the College offices.
The majority of applicants receive their exam result immediately after they submit their test answers. However, during periodic reviews of the jurisprudence examination process, some applicants will receive an email indicating their results are under review. When this occurs, those affected will be told when their results are ready.
It’s recommended you keep a copy of the email with your examination results for your own records.
Do I have to notify the College about my results?
No. Your jurisprudence examination results will automatically be submitted to the College.
If I fail the jurisprudence examination, can I take it again?
Yes. If you receive a “fail” score for the jurisprudence examination, you can rewrite the examination. There is no limit on the number of times you can write the examination. Remember that you must pay the $40 (CDN) examination fee, plus applicable taxes, each time you attempt to write the examination.