How long to review for the Nutrition and Dietetics (NDLE) board exam: 4 to 5 months, based on PRC's calendar and subject weights, with a 20-week plan.
Mariano Luiz King
Published November 9, 2026
Plan on 4 to 5 months of full-time review for the Nutrition and Dietetics (NDLE) Board Exam, the Nutritionist-Dietitians Licensure Examination. The one NDLE review program with public details, FNDRC, took registrations in May for a November exam, about 6 months ahead. That fits PRC's calendar. This post shows where that number comes from and gives you a 20-week plan, as of November 2026.
After reading this, you can pick a start date for your NDLE review and split your weeks by subject.
The exam dates and filing windows come from PRC's 2025 and 2026 schedules. The subjects and weights come from PRC's own documents, which I laid out in NDLE board exam coverage. Review program dates come from the providers' own sites. I checked all of them on November 9, 2026.
There's no official answer to how long you should review. Treat this as a starting plan and adjust it after your first diagnostic test.
The NDLE exam is held in November, once a year. Here are the last two:
| Exam dates | Filing window |
|---|---|
| November 6 and 7, 2025 | August 7 to October 6, 2025 |
| November 12 and 13, 2026 | August 14 to October 13, 2026 |
It's once a year. If you miss it, the next one is a full year away, so don't plan to "take it next time" casually.
Filing on LERIS opened about 3 months before each exam and closed about 1 month before. So start reviewing before the window opens, not when you file. PRC hasn't released its 2027 dates yet; the expected months are in the PRC board exam schedule.
| Subject | Weight |
|---|---|
| Nutrition and Dietetics | 35% |
| Foods and Food Service Systems | 35% |
| Community and Applied Nutrition | 30% |
To pass, you need a 75% general average, with no subject below 50% (RA 10862). The weights tell you where your weeks should go.
The plan splits the middle weeks by subject weight. Heavier subjects get more weeks.
| Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Timed diagnostic: one practice set per subject. Note your weakest topics. |
| 2 to 7 | Nutrition and Dietetics: learn, then practice questions (35%) |
| 8 to 13 | Foods and Food Service Systems: learn, then practice questions (35%) |
| 14 to 18 | Community and Applied Nutrition: learn, then practice questions (30%) |
| 19 to 20 | Two full timed mock exams, then your weakest topics only |
Two habits run through every week:
Cut weeks from subjects your diagnostic says you're already strong in. Don't cut the heaviest subject just because it's long.
And don't drop any subject. The NDLE exam fails you if any subject is below 50%, even with a good average.
If you're working full-time, you'll need more weeks, not fewer. See how to review for the board exam while working full-time. If you're retaking, start from your subject ratings instead of week 1: see a retake review plan.
4 to 5 months of full-time review is a sensible target for the NDLE exam. Because it's held once a year, I'd start earlier rather than later and treat the filing deadline as fixed.
About 4 to 5 months of full-time review is a common target, based on PRC's calendar and the subject weights. Working reviewees need more.
Count back from your exam date. Filing opens about 3 months before the exam, so start reviewing at least a month or two before the filing window opens.
Once a year, in November, based on PRC's 2025 and 2026 schedules.
Ready to start? Try the free NDLE board exam reviewer. I built prepPH, so I'm biased, but every question has an explanation. Not sure you need a review center? Read can you pass the NDLE board exam with self-review?.
