Candidates taking entry-level examinations are classified into three general categories which are student candidates, graduate candidates, and sponsored candidates. These entry-level examinations consist of Part I, II, III, TMOD®, and ISE®.
The six-attempt testing limit for each entry-level examination applies to all candidates. To review information surrounding this attempt limit, please click here.
1. Student Candidates
The earliest date for a student candidate to take the Part I examination is the March administration during the candidate's third professional year in an accredited or pre-accredited institution.* The earliest date for a student candidate to take the Part II examination is the December administration during the candidate's academic year of graduation at an accredited or pre-accredited institution*, thereby allowing two opportunities to sit for the examination prior to graduation.
Student candidates in the final year of graduation at an accredited or pre-accredited institution* are eligible to take the Part III examination on or after August 1. While most student candidates will be taking Part III before they officially graduate, a candidate's official score report will not be released to the state boards until NBEO receives notification from the candidate's Dean/President or authorized liaison that graduation has been confirmed.
Student candidates should contact the Dean/President or authorized liaison at their institution for clarification on any matter regarding eligibility to take NBEO® examinations. See the listing of College Liaison Administrator's for contact information. NBEO receives eligibility confirmations regarding Part I and Part II from student candidate’s institutions.
2. Graduate Candidates
Any graduate of an accredited or pre-accredited institution* is eligible to apply for admission to take NBEO® examinations.
3. Sponsored Candidates
Candidates who are not students at, or graduates of, an accredited or pre-accredited institution* must be "sponsored" to take Part I, II, III, TMOD®, and ISE® by either a state licensure board of optometry or an accredited/pre-accredited institution.* However, in order to become eligible to take Part III, sponsored candidates must first pass Parts I and II.
NBEO requires a letter from the state board or accredited/pre-accredited institution* specifying for which exam(s) the candidate is being sponsored, along with the candidate's name, date, and other relevant information.
Sponsorship letters will last a period of 12-months and will need to be renewed when the 12-month time period has expired. It is the responsibility of the candidate to contact the sponsoring state board or accredited/pre-accredited institution* directly to ensure that their letter is supplied to the NBEO.
Please be certain to contact your state board of interest regarding their specific licensure requirements.
Click here for ACMO® requirements.
Click here for LSPE™ requirements.
*The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) is the only accrediting body for professional optometric degree (O.D.) programs, optometric residency programs and optometric technician programs in the United States and Canada. Both the U.S. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation recognize the ACOE as a reliable authority concerning the quality of education of the programs the Council accredits. ACOE accreditation means the programs that have attained accredited status:
- Meet the Council's standards of educational effectiveness; and
- Show a demonstrated commitment to quality assessment and improvement.
