Foreign-Educated Inquiries

In North Carolina, a license is required to do any of the following:

(1a) Provide medical nutrition therapy.

(2) Use the title “dietitian/nutritionist” or “nutritionist.”

(3) Use the words “dietitian,” “nutritionist,” “licensed nutritionist,” or “licensed dietitian/nutritionist” or hold oneself out as a dietitian or nutritionist unless licensed under this Article.

(4) Use the letters “LD,” “LN,” or “LDN,” or any facsimile or combination in any words, letters, abbreviations, or insignia.

(5) To imply orally or in writing or indicate in any way that the person is a licensed dietitian/nutritionist or licensed nutritionist.

Note: If your goal is to treat clients with medical conditions and provide medical nutrition therapy, or, if you wish to use the title/term “nutritionist” or “dietitian” alone or in combination, then a license to do so will be required in NC.

If you choose not to pursue licensing in NC, to better understand what a person can do in the field of nutrition without a license, please review our Guideline A for Unlicensed, non-exempt persons. For example, many state and federally-funded jobs, such as in a county health department, may not require licensure.

How To Become Licensed in North Carolina

There are three (3) main components required to fulfill any pathway to licensure:

• Degree and coursework requirements
• Internship requirements
• AND passing an exam.

The vast majority of licensees in NC first obtain credentialing as a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RD/RDN) (a national credential) or a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) (a national credential). Click the hotlinks to learn more from those agencies on their credentialing.

• If someone is credentialed as an RD/RDN, they also qualify to get licensed in North Carolina and can come back and apply via Category A.
• This Board accepts the CNS exam as a qualifying exam through Category F, however the Board does perform an independent review of academic and internship qualifications and requires its own forms be completed when applying for Category F licensure in NC.

What about Category C?

If one does not first become credentialed as an RDN or CNS, Category C is a potential pathway for Non-RDNs and Non-CNSs. However, Category C applicants are required to meet the competency requirements of an ACEND-accredited didactic program in dietetics. Only coursework evaluated to be from a regionally accredited institution can be used to fulfill the coursework requirements. In addition, a supervised practice experience of not less than 1000 hours is required and the applicant must submit sufficient documentation for the Board to determine that the person has completed a supervised practice program that meets the standards of an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program. Upon Board approval of a person’s coursework and 1,000 hours of supervised practice, one can register to take the RD/RDN exam through this Board. The Board administers the Registered Dietitian exam for these purposes.

Note: It is important to note, that the time/effort to complete licensure through Category C is equivalent to completing the route to the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RD/RDN) credential, but, after passing the exam through Category C, you will not hold the RD/RDN credential, only  the Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) credential, which is only valid in NC.

Category C applicants would submit their application in parts over time, working directly with our staff. The first part being an application along with the Category C academic chart, and official transcripts. If foreign educated, the transcripts must be translated to English and evaluated by a Board-approved service.

The following foreign credential evaluating and translation services are Board-approved:

• Academic and Professional International Evaluation, Inc.
• Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc.
• American Education Research Corporation, Inc.
• Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc.
• Bruscan Educational Information Services
• Center for Educational Documentation, Inc.
• Education Credential Evaluators, Inc.
• Educational Perspectives
• Foundation for International Services, Inc.
• International Education Research Foundation
• Josef Silny & Associates
• SpanTran: The Evaluation Company
• OR World Education Services, Inc.

The Board would then complete a review of the Category C academic chart and transcripts to determine what additional classes, if any, are necessary.  If the Board approves the education component, the person will then be required to complete a 1000-hour internship that meets the knowledge requirements of an ACEND-accredited program. The applicant will be responsible for setting up the internship and finding preceptors.

Note: Appropriate documentation will be given to the applicant to complete, once adequate vetting has been done.

Upon satisfactory completion of the internship, the person would be eligible to sit for the exam. The Board administers the Registered Dietitian exam for these purposes. Again, passing the RDN exam taken through this Board for Category C, will NOT result in the applicant being a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RDN).