NMC registration for overseas nurses: the route in

The whole route, in order, so you can see where the Test of Competence sits in it. This is an overview and we link to the NMC and the Royal College of Nursing for the parts they document better than anyone else could.

The steps, in order

• Create an NMC account and check you are eligible, which needs a recognised nursing qualification and registration in the country you trained in.
• Evidence your English, usually IELTS Academic or OET, or through the alternative evidence routes the NMC accepts.
• Pass the computer-based test, Part 1 of the Test of Competence. You sit it online or at a test centre, and it is the part this site prepares you for.
• Submit your qualifications and identity documents for verification.
• Pass the OSCE, Part 2 of the Test of Competence, which is sat in person in the UK.
• Pay the registration fee and receive your PIN.

Where candidates come unstuck

• Leaving the CBT until documents are ready. It is the one step you can start today, from where you are, and it gates the rest.
• Assuming the English requirement is one fixed route. There is more than one way to meet it, and the alternative evidence routes are missed by people who qualify for them.
• Booking the OSCE before you are in the UK with somewhere to stay. It is in person and resits are at the same test centre.
• Taking a recruiter or an agent as the authority on the rules. Many are good, and none of them set the requirements. Check anything that matters against the NMC directly.

Common questions

What are the steps to register as a nurse in the UK from overseas?

Eligibility check, English language evidence, the computer-based test, document verification, the OSCE in the UK, then registration and your PIN. The two tests together are the Test of Competence.

Which part of the Test of Competence comes first?

The CBT. It is taken remotely or at a test centre and does not require you to be in the UK, unlike the OSCE.

Do I need IELTS to register with the NMC?

Not necessarily IELTS specifically. The NMC accepts OET as well, and there are alternative evidence routes if you were educated or have practised in English. Check the current requirements with the NMC, which sets them.

How long does the whole process take?

It varies enormously with your documents, test dates and, if you are being sponsored, your employer. We will not give you a figure, because the honest answer depends on things nobody on this site can see.