SNLE Exam 2026: Saudi Nursing Blueprint & Pass Mark
Medical exams / Saudi Licensing Exam / SNLE exam guide
SNLE Exam Quick Summary
The Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination (SNLE) is set by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) and delivered by Prometric. It has 200 single best answer MCQs in two blocks of two hours, and you pass with a scaled score of 500 on a 200 to 800 scale. Adult Nursing makes up 40% of the paper.
This guide covers who can sit the SNLE, how to apply through Mumaris Plus, the official SCFHS blueprint and reading list, the attempt rules and how to prepare, with five sample questions from our SNLE QBank.
On this page
Who can sit the SNLE
Under the SCFHS SNLE applicant guide, you can sit the exam if you:
- Hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or equivalent, or
- Are in your internship year, or
- Are within one year of graduation. Saudi students may sit in their final year.
To practise you also need SCFHS professional classification and registration, a Mumaris Plus record and DataFlow verification of foreign qualifications. Non-Saudi nurses are usually asked for experience at classification, so check the rule for your nationality.
How to apply, step by step
Apply for the exam through the SCFHS e-services in Mumaris Plus and pay the fee shown there.
SCFHS emails a scheduling permit with your eligibility period.
Book at any SCFHS-approved Prometric centre, in Saudi Arabia or abroad, up to three months ahead.
Bring your permit and passport or national ID. An optional practice test is available from Prometric.
After passing, complete DataFlow verification and professional classification in Mumaris Plus.
Exam format and pass mark
| Item | Details (SCFHS SNLE applicant guide) |
|---|---|
| Questions | 200 single best answer MCQs, four options each |
| Structure | Two blocks of 100 questions, 120 minutes each, with a 30-minute break |
| Pilot items | Up to 10% are unscored pilot questions |
| Pass mark | Scaled score of 500 on a 200 to 800 scale |
| Late arrival | Arriving more than 30 minutes late counts as an attempt |
Official SNLE blueprint
SCFHS sets these weights, each of which may vary by up to 5%:
A 6-week study plan
| Weeks | Focus | Daily target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Adult medical-surgical and critical care nursing | 40 MCQs, then read every explanation |
| 3 | Maternal, newborn and child health | 40 MCQs |
| 4 | Fundamentals, drug calculations, mental and community health | 40 MCQs and 10 calculations |
| 5 | Leadership, prioritisation, delegation and patient safety; one full mock | 40 MCQs |
| 6 | Weak areas and a final mock | Book when you score comfortably above the pass mark |
Reference books in the SCFHS guide
| Area | Books |
|---|---|
| Fundamentals | Timby, Fundamental Nursing Skills and Concepts; Kozier and Erb's Fundamentals of Nursing; Bates' Nursing Guide to Physical Examination; McCuistion, Pharmacology |
| Adult nursing | Brunner and Suddarth's Medical-Surgical Nursing; Lewis, Medical-Surgical Nursing; Community and Public Health Nursing; Boyd, Psychiatric Nursing |
| Maternal-child | Murray and McKinney, Foundations of Maternal-Newborn and Women's Health Nursing; Wong's Essentials of Pediatric Nursing |
| Management and leadership | Marquis and Huston, Leadership Roles and Management Functions; Polit and Beck, Nursing Research; Sewell, Informatics |
Sample SNLE MCQs
These five questions come from the free trial of our SNLE QBank, across the four areas of the blueprint. Tap a question to see the answer and explanation.
A 52-year-old man on a medical ward with pneumonia is prescribed an IV antibiotic diluted in 100 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride, to be infused over 30 minutes by volumetric pump. At what rate should the nurse set the pump?A. 50 mL/hB. 100 mL/hC. 200 mL/hD. 300 mL/h
Answer: C. 200 mL/h
Explanation: Infusion pumps are programmed in mL per hour. Rate = volume ÷ time in hours. 30 minutes = 0.5 hour, so 100 mL ÷ 0.5 h = 200 mL/h. Alternative: (volume ÷ minutes) × 60 = (100 ÷ 30) × 60 = 3.33 × 60 = 200 mL/h.
A 66-year-old woman with hypertension has just had a vaginal hysterectomy under spinal anaesthesia in the lithotomy position, which lasted 2 hours. The operation is finished and the team is ready to take her legs out of the stirrups. Her blood pressure is 112/70 mmHg. How should the nurse lower her legs?A. Lower one leg first, check her blood pressure, then lower the other legB. Lower both legs quickly together to reduce the time spent in lithotomyC. Lower both legs slowly and together, then check her blood pressureD. Wait until she reaches recovery and then lower her legs there
Answer: C. Lower both legs slowly and together, then check her blood pressure
Explanation: In lithotomy, raised legs return several hundred millilitres of blood to the central circulation. When the legs are lowered, this blood pools back into the legs and can cause sudden hypotension, made worse by the sympathetic block of spinal anaesthesia and her antihypertensive history. Lowering them slowly allows compensation.
During the newborn examination of a 6-hour-old baby girl, the nurse records the following findings. Which finding should the nurse report to the doctor?A. A small dimple in the perineum with no visible anal openingB. Small white cysts along the gum margins and roof of the mouthC. No meconium passed since birthD. Swollen labia with a small amount of clear vaginal mucus
Answer: A. A small dimple in the perineum with no visible anal opening
Explanation: Every newborn's perineum is inspected for a normally placed, patent anus. A dimple with no opening means an imperforate anus (anorectal malformation). Other clues: failure to pass meconium within 24 to 48 hours, abdominal distension, meconium from an abnormal site (perineum, vaginal vestibule, or in the urine in boys), and an anus that is displaced or too small.
A new nurse manager is reviewing the planning documents of her paediatric ward. One statement reads: "We believe that every child has the right to safe, dignified care, that the family is the constant in the child's life and is a partner in all care decisions, and that nurses are accountable for their own practice." Which type of planning statement is this?A. Mission statementB. Philosophy statementC. GoalD. Objective
Answer: B. Philosophy statement
Explanation: Planning is the first management function and uses a planning hierarchy: vision, mission, philosophy, goals and objectives, then policies, procedures and rules. A philosophy states the values and beliefs of the organisation or unit: how it views patients, families, nursing and nurses, and how it will achieve its mission. Its typical wording is "We believe...", as here (dignity, family-centred care, nurse accountability).
A 41-year-old woman with known asthma is admitted to a medical ward with fever and a dry cough. She cannot produce sputum, so the doctor prescribes sputum induction with nebulised 3% sodium chloride, and inhaled salbutamol as required. Her peak expiratory flow is 380 L/min (best 420 L/min) and SpO2 is 96% on room air. What should the nurse do before starting the hypertonic saline nebuliser?A. Start the nebuliser at once and stay with her until she coughsB. Give the salbutamol as prescribed about 10 to 15 minutes before, and measure her peak flow before and during the procedureC. Ask her to drink 500 mL of water quickly to loosen her secretionsD. Give her a cough suppressant so the procedure is more comfortable
Answer: B. Give the salbutamol as prescribed about 10 to 15 minutes before, and measure her peak flow before and during the procedure
Explanation: Inhaled hypertonic saline (3% to 7%) draws water into the airways and stimulates cough, but it is an airway irritant that can cause bronchospasm, especially in asthma. Standard protocols give a short-acting beta-2 agonist such as salbutamol about 10 to 15 minutes before induction, and measure peak flow or FEV1 before and at intervals during the procedure. If peak flow falls by about 20% or she becomes wheezy or breathless, the nebuliser is stopped and the bronchodilator repeated.
Want to try more SNLE questions?
Start with 30 free questions from the same QBank, each with a full explanation, then unlock the full bank when you are ready.
Results and attempts
- You can sit up to four times a year until you pass, one attempt in each testing window.
- After passing, you have two attempts to improve your score, then one a year.
- Check your current allowance in Mumaris Plus before booking, as SCFHS reviews its attempt rules.
SCFHS shows the exam fee in Mumaris Plus when you pay.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SNLE pass mark?
A scaled score of 500 on a 200 to 800 scale.
How many questions are in the SNLE?
200 single best answer MCQs in two blocks of 100, with 120 minutes for each block.
Which area has the most questions?
Adult Nursing, at 40% of the paper.
Can I sit the SNLE before graduating?
Yes, during your internship year or within one year of graduation.
How many attempts are allowed?
Up to four a year until you pass, one in each testing window. Check Mumaris Plus for your current allowance.
Where can I take the SNLE?
At SCFHS-approved Prometric centres in Saudi Arabia and abroad.
Further reading
Ready to pass the SNLE?
Practise with exam-style SNLE questions built around the SCFHS blueprint, with full explanations and timed tests.
The explanations walked through the investigations in order, not just the final answer....