Government & Regulation
NMC Registration for Overseas Nurses — UK Visa Path
Overseas-trained nurses must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) before practising in the UK; the OSCE exam is taken after arrival on the Health and Care Worker visa.
Key fact
OSCE taken after UK arrival; CBT (Test of Competence Part 1) before arrival
Step-by-step
- 1Step 1: Submit NMC application + IELTS/OET English test.
- 2Step 2: Pass NMC Test of Competence Part 1 (CBT) in your home country.
- 3Step 3: Receive UK NHS trust offer + CoS for Health and Care Worker visa.
- 4Step 4: Apply for visa and travel to the UK.
- 5Step 5: Complete OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) in the UK within 8 months of arrival.
- 6Step 6: NMC PIN issued; full registration to practise.
Common pitfalls
- !NMC registration costs £140 + IELTS £225 + Test of Competence £83 + OSCE £794 (employer often pays).
- !Nigerian and Ghanaian applicants have English language exemption; many need IELTS UKVI for visa anyway.