Pathway B
Registered Dietitians
For RDs whose dietetic internship already satisfies the practice requirement. Instead of 1,000 hours of Supervised Practice Experience, you document your internship, one personalized nutrition case, and 75 CE credits, then pass the CNS exam.
Download the CNS® Handbook (PDF) →Not an RD? Switch to Pathway A →
Same as every candidate
Dietetics internship, one case study, 75 CE credits
June and December
01 · Education
Education requirements
All candidates must be graduates of an ACNPE-accredited program, or meet the following degree and coursework requirements.
Degree requirement
✓Master of Science or doctoral degree in nutrition or a related field — including public health, health science, biochemistry, nursing, physician assistant studies, dietetics — from a U.S. regionally/institutionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent; or
✓Doctoral degree in a clinical healthcare field — including DC, DDS, OD, Doctor of Nursing, ND, PharmD — from a U.S. regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent.
Coursework requirement
✓Coursework must come from a U.S. regionally/institutionally accredited institution recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation, or foreign equivalent. Credits are semester credit hours.
✓Thirty-six semester credit hours of relevant coursework, providing the foundational knowledge for the core competencies in the CNS Examination Content Outline.
Credit-hour ledger
36 semester credit hours total
Graduate nutrition science
Developmental nutrition · metabolism of vitamins & minerals · micro/macro nutrients · nutrition assessment · therapeutic nutrition · endocrine system therapeutics · botanical medicine
Biochemistry
Graduate or undergraduate. Biochemistry of nutrition · clinical biochemistry · medical biochemistry
Physiology or anatomy/physiology
Anatomy and physiology I, II · anatomy · medical physiology · physiology · health and wellness physiology I
Clinical or life sciences
May be prerequisites for the above. Biology · botany · microbiology · nutrition science · organic/inorganic chemistry
Behavioral science
Motivational interviewing · psychology · motivational counseling · principles and practices of health behavior and self-care
See how graduates of your program documented their coursework →
Note: the BCNS cannot accept courses taken directly from StraighterLine. Courses are only eligible if they appear on an official transcript from an accredited university through an articulation agreement.
Degree or coursework from outside the U.S.? Review the foreign-degree guidance before applying.
Personalized nutrition is an interdisciplinary field that draws on a broad range of sciences to advance human health. It considers the unique makeup of individuals and specifically identified sub-groupings of people with similar characteristics, and encompasses a person-centered approach to nutrition science evidence, education, and clinical care.
02 · Practice experience Pathway B · RDs
Practice experience for RDs
Practice experience requirements for RDs differ from those of other healthcare professionals. To be approved to sit for the Certification Examination for Nutrition Specialists, submit all three of the following.
Dietetic internship
Documentation of completion. RD registration alone fulfills this requirement.
One documented case
One personalized nutrition case from the past five years, submitted on the Personalized Nutrition Case Data Collection form.
75 CE credits
Seventy-five continuing education credits in personalized nutrition, earned within the past five years and documented on the CE Report.
RD with a degree from outside the U.S.? International RD applications have extra steps. Contact the BCNS team at Applications@NutritionSpecialists.org before you apply.
Personalized nutrition is an interdisciplinary field that draws on a broad range of sciences to advance human health. It considers the unique makeup of individuals and specifically identified sub-groupings of people with similar characteristics, and encompasses a person-centered approach to nutrition science evidence, education, and clinical care.
03 · Examination
Certification examination
Applicants must pass the Certification Examination for Nutrition Specialists℠, demonstrating that their education, experience, and training have produced mastery of the knowledge and skills required of a Certified Nutrition Specialist.
Multiple-choice, single-answer questions covering basic and applied nutritional science.
Offered twice a year, typically June and December. Unsuccessful candidates may re-take it.
Competencies come from the Examination Content Outline, determined by a Job Analysis Survey (JAS) of practicing Certified Nutrition Specialist practitioners.
Step 2 — schedule
Exam windows and what it costs.
| Test period | Application deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|
| June 13–21, 2026 | April 17, 2026 | Closed |
| December 5–13, 2026 | October 5, 2026 | Closed |
| June 5–13, 2027 | April 5, 2027 | Next window |
| December 4–12, 2027 | October 4, 2027 | Upcoming |
Non-refundable
Paid after application approval, due 30 days before the test period
Paid directly to Iso-Quality Testing at registration
Beginning in 2027, all BCNS fees will increase by 4% annually (year over year). This incremental approach allows BCNS to keep pace with rising operational costs while avoiding the need for the larger, infrequent fee increases.
Testing near you
The ANA works with Iso-Quality Testing, Inc., offering hundreds of test centers across the country and the world so candidates don’t have to travel. See the test center list and the Iso-Quality website for scheduling updates.
Step 3 — apply
Four documents and one portal.
Submit with your application
Submitting your application
Log into the CNS Candidate Portal and follow the instructions there to complete your exam application.
Open the CNS Candidate Portal →
Transcripts: official transcripts must come directly from the school, emailed to Applications@NutritionSpecialists.org.
If your university doesn’t offer electronic transcripts, email the same address to make accommodations.
