How to apply to the UK NMC: step-by-step guide
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulator for UK nursing. International applicants follow a fixed sequence — get this order right and you save months. Get it wrong and you redo paid steps.
- International passport (valid 12+ months)
- Nursing diploma or BSc certificate
- Sealed academic transcripts (school sends direct to NMC)
- Current home-country nursing licence
- Certificate of good standing from your home regulator
- Employment / experience letters on hospital letterhead
- IELTS Academic or OET score report
- NMC application fee — £140 (~$175 USD)
- CBT exam fee — £83 (~$105 USD)
- OSCE exam fee — £794 (~$1,000 USD)
- NMC registration + first-year fee — £153 (~$195 USD)
- IELTS Academic — ~$240 / OET — ~$508
- Courier from home registrar (sealed transcripts) — $50–150
Step-by-step
- 1
Create your NMC online account
Open an account on NMC Online, complete the self-declaration, and pay the £140 application fee. This unlocks the rest of the workflow — without it, you cannot book CBT or send documents.
1 – 2 weeks - 2
Pass an approved English test
Sit IELTS Academic (7.0 overall, 6.5 minimum in writing) OR OET Nursing (B in all four sub-tests). Results are valid for 2 years. Many African nurses retake just for IELTS writing — consider OET if writing is your weakest band.
8 – 12 weeks - 3
Sit and pass the CBT (Test of Competence Part 1)
Theory + clinical multiple-choice exam. Available at Pearson VUE centres in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, Cairo, etc. Pass mark is published on the NMC site. Results are typically released within a week.
4 – 8 weeks (including prep) - 4
Submit your qualification evaluation documents
Upload your nursing certificate, transcripts (sealed, school-mailed), licence, and good-standing letter. Your home regulator (NMCN, NMC Ghana, NCK, EFDA, etc.) verifies your registration directly to NMC.
8 – 12 weeks for review - 5
Secure a sponsoring NHS or private employer
OSCE is sat in the UK, so most candidates need a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the Health & Care Worker visa first. NHS Trusts and licensed private providers post nurse-sponsorship roles regularly.
4 – 12 weeks - 6
Sit and pass the OSCE (Test of Competence Part 2)
Practical clinical examination at an approved UK test centre (Oxford Brookes, Northampton, etc.). Pass on the first attempt by drilling all 10 stations — your employer often funds prep.
2 – 4 weeks after arrival - 7
Pay registration fee and receive your PIN
Pay the £153 registration + first-year fee. NMC issues your unique PIN, which you give your employer to start practising as a registered nurse.
1 – 2 weeks
Common pitfalls
- Order matters: do NOT pay for CBT before IELTS/OET unless you are certain you will pass the English test on the first try.
- Do NOT use unofficial 'agents' to submit your NMC application — every step has a public NMC portal you can use directly.
- Sealed transcripts MUST come direct from your school — never carry them to the UK yourself.
Frequently asked
How long does NMC registration take from start to finish?⌄
Most African nurses complete the UK NMC pathway in 9 – 14 months. The longest single step is employer sponsorship + OSCE booking; the rest moves predictably.
Do I need to take IELTS or OET?⌄
NMC accepts either. IELTS is cheaper and more widely available; OET uses clinical English which many nurses find easier. NMC requires IELTS Academic 7.0 with 6.5 in writing, OR OET grade B in all four sub-tests.
Can I sit OSCE outside the UK?⌄
No — OSCE is only delivered at approved UK test centres (Oxford Brookes, Northampton, etc.). You will need a Certificate of Sponsorship and a UK visa to attend.
What if my home regulator hasn't sent verification yet?⌄
Contact them weekly until it is sent. NMC will not start qualification review without the home-regulator verification, so this can quietly stall your file.
Is it cheaper to pay all fees in one go or stagger them?⌄
Stagger them. CBT before OSCE; OSCE only after employer sponsorship. Paying ahead does not speed anything up and risks paying twice if a step fails.
Can my employer pay the OSCE fee?⌄
Many NHS Trusts cover OSCE prep + exam fees as part of the sponsorship package — confirm in your offer letter before paying yourself.
The UK NMC pathway is the most structured English-speaking route for African nurses. Most candidates complete it end-to-end in 9 – 14 months, with employer sponsorship being the typical bottleneck. Stick to the sequence above and you will avoid the most expensive mistakes.
Related pages
Pathway provides guidance only. We are not an immigration lawyer, a nursing regulator, or a visa agent. Outcomes depend on regulators and authorities, not on us.