August–September 2026 NLE Shows Strong Rebound From February’s Low Passing Rate

Overview of the August–September 2026 Results

The August–September 2026 Nurses Licensure Examination (NLE) recorded a substantial rebound from the unusually low passing rate seen in February. According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), 28,652 of 37,359 examinees passed, yielding a 76.69% passing rate across 26 testing centers nationwide. This represents an increase of 32.45 percentage points and 25,041 more passers compared with February.

The exam also extended into September after weather disruptions affected the original August 29–30 schedule. The Region III examination was moved to September 11–12, while the second day in Metro Manila was rescheduled to September 12.

Appendix 1: Passing rates and number of examinees of the 2026 NLE

The two 2026 examinations produced markedly different results, with the August–September examination having more than four times as many examinees as the February cycle.

The larger examinee population is also consistent with the historical pattern of higher participation in the second-semester NLE. However, the PRC figures alone do not establish why the number of examinees differed so substantially between the two cycles.

The Latest Result Remains Below Recent November NLEs

Although the August–September 2026 result represents a strong recovery from February, its 76.69% passing rate remains below the levels recorded in the previous November examinations.

Appendix 2: Second-semester NLE passing rates

This places the latest result between the exceptionally low February 2026 outcome and the substantially higher passing rates recorded in the recent November cycles.

It is also important to consider that the 2026 examinations represent a transition period for the NLE. In 2026, the PRC shifted the examination schedule from the traditional May/June and November windows to February and August, pursuant to PRC Resolution No. 2113.

The Results Come Under a Newly Updated Examination Framework

The 2026 results should also be considered alongside the recent changes to the NLE examination framework.

The August–September 2026 examination was the third NLE administered under the Enhanced Table of Specifications (TOS) adopted through PRC Board of Nursing Resolution No. 10, series of 2025.

The Enhanced TOS was first implemented in the November 2025 NLE and has subsequently been used for the February 2026 and August–September 2026 examinations.

The updated framework places greater emphasis on competencies and the application of knowledge to nursing practice, representing a change from previous examination specifications.

However, the available results do not establish that the Enhanced TOS caused the differences in passing rates between the three examinations. Each examination involved different examinee populations and circumstances, so the available results alone are insufficient to establish a causal relationship.

What the results do show is considerable variation during the first three examinations conducted under the new framework:

Appendix 3:Comparative Outcomes of NLE Cycles under the New TOS

The February 2026 examination produced the lowest passing rate among the first three cycles under the Enhanced TOS, while the August–September examination showed a substantial recovery. At 76.69%, however, the latest result has not returned to the levels recorded in the November 2024 and November 2025 examinations.

Appendix 5: Raw Data of NLE Passers and Takers from 1996–2026 (per semester)

What the Results Show So Far

Taken together, the first three NLEs under the Enhanced TOS show substantial variation in both examinee volume and passing rates. The August–September 2026 result represents a clear recovery from February’s low, but remains below the passing rates recorded in the two preceding November examinations.

With only three examinations conducted under the updated framework and a newly shifted examination calendar, additional cycles will be needed to determine whether these differences reflect temporary variation or a longer-term pattern.