NMCMATE

What to look for in an NMC CBT question bank

Written and checked against the NMC’s published sources by The NMCMATE editorial team.Last checked .

Many question banks for this exam say they are the best, and none of them can show it. These are things you can check yourself, on any bank, before you spend money. We are a bank too, so check us against them as well.

Things you can check

  • Does it follow the published blueprint? A paper should be 115 questions in two parts, with the categories weighted as the NMC weights them. A bank with a different mix is training you for a different exam.
  • Does it treat the two parts differently? Part A is a typed numeric answer and Part B is four options with one best answer. A bank that puts everything in one multiple-choice format is not rehearsing numeracy.
  • Are the two parts timed separately? Part A is 30 minutes and Part B 150, on separate clocks. A single timer does not show you the pressure of either.
  • Does every answer come with an explanation of why the others are wrong? An explanation of the correct option alone does not help when you were torn between two.
  • Is it honest about where its questions come from? Real exam content is confidential, so nobody legitimate has it. A bank that says it has real questions is either mistaken or misleading you.
  • Does it show you your weak categories and bring back what you missed? Practice that does not track or repeat your misses leaves the main benefit unused.

Where candidates come unstuck

  • Trusting a pass rate on a sales page. The NMC publishes the real pass rates, and a figure a seller quotes about its own users cannot be verified from outside.
  • Judging a bank by how many questions it lists. Volume matters less than whether the questions match the blueprint and are explained well.
  • Choosing on price alone, or ignoring what the access period actually covers. Check whether it is a one-off payment or a subscription, and what happens when it ends.
  • Assuming a bank is clinically reviewed because it looks professional. Ask who checked the clinical content and whether they can be named.

Common questions

Which NMC CBT question bank is best?
We are not the right source to say, and you should be wary of any bank that names itself the best. Use the checks above on two or three, spend a free session with each, and see which explanations help you understand rather than memorise.
Do any banks have the real NMC CBT questions?
No legitimate one does. Exam content is confidential, and candidates agree not to share it. Questions for sale are written from the published specification, as ours are.
Has your content been reviewed by a registered nurse?
Not yet, and the byline on each page says so: our pages are written and checked against the NMC's published sources by an editorial team, not signed off by a named clinician. We would rather say that than imply otherwise.
Can I try a bank before paying?
You should be able to. Here, every account gets 10 new questions a day without a card, and there is a worked mock report you can read without signing up.

Where these figures come from

Practise for it

Questions weighted the way the NMC weights the real paper, with a worked explanation on every one. Ten free a day, no card needed.

Start free See the question bank

This page is one part of the exam. Work through the whole thing with the NMC CBT study guide.