Internationally qualified clinical dietitians and nutritionists seeking to earn the Registered Dietitian (RD) credential in the United States must have their degrees reviewed for equivalence and clear the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) professional credentialing exam.
Success Rate
9–18 Months
$1,500 – $3,000 USD
Total Duration
Estimated Cost
Success Rate
Difficulty Level
Follow these steps to achieve your global medical career
Submit academic credentials to an approved NACES member agency for a detailed course-by-course evaluation verifying US educational equivalence.
Apply to an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) program or utilize reciprocity pathways (e.g., if from Canada or Ireland) to secure academic clearance.
Complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of ACEND-accredited supervised dietetic practice covering clinical, community, and food service systems management.
Upon programmatic sign-off of your internship competencies, your director submits eligibility data directly into the CDR computerized tracking register.
Sit for the national computerized variable-length examination assessing clinical nutrition, food service administration, counseling, and medical nutrition therapy (MNT).
Submit your passing RD credentials to the target state licensing board to obtain your local professional practice card.
Essential prerequisites for this pathway
Downloadable guides and references
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