NMC English language requirements: IELTS, OET and the other routes
Written and checked against the NMC’s published sources by The NMCMATE editorial team.Last checked .
Before the NMC registers you it has to be satisfied your English is good enough to practise safely, which it pitches at level C1. Most overseas nurses meet that with a test, and the two it accepts are IELTS Academic and OET. They are not the only way: training in English and recent practice in an English-speaking country both count, and people who qualify under those routes regularly sit a test they did not need.
The three kinds of evidence the NMC accepts
- A test. IELTS Academic at 7 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing, or OET at B in reading, listening and speaking and C+ in writing. No other test is accepted.
- A nursing qualification taught and examined in English, where at least half the programme was spent with patients, families and colleagues and at least three quarters of that was in English. Trained outside a majority English-speaking country, you need a letter or transcript from your institution and supporting information from an employer as well.
- One year of recent practice as a registered nurse in a country where English is the majority language, ending within the last 2 years, having passed a language assessment to register there.
- A test result counts for 2 years, measured to when the NMC considers your complete application rather than to when you first applied.
- Two sittings of the same test can be combined if they are within 12 months of each other and you sat all four skills both times. You cannot combine an IELTS with an OET.
- Supporting information from an employer can top up a result that missed one skill by half a band on IELTS or half a grade on OET across two sittings. It needs 12 months in a health or care job, a line manager on the NMC register and a senior NMC registrant to countersign.
| Skill | IELTS Academic | OET grade |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 7 | B |
| Listening | 7 | B |
| Speaking | 7 | B |
| Writing | 6.5 | C+ |
Where candidates come unstuck
- Sitting IELTS General Training. The NMC accepts the Academic version only, and a General Training result at the right scores is still not accepted.
- Letting a result expire while documents are checked. It has to be within 2 years when the NMC considers the complete application, and the document stage is the slow one, so a result that was fresh when you applied can go stale before it is looked at.
- Mixing tests. A good IELTS reading score and a good OET writing grade cannot be combined; both sittings have to be the same test.
- Sitting a test you did not need. If you trained in English, or have a year of recent registered practice in an English-speaking country, read those routes before paying for a test.
- Booking a test format the NMC does not name. Its pages say "IELTS Academic" and "OET" without listing the delivery formats it accepts, so ask the NMC before booking a version you are unsure about.
Common questions
- What IELTS score does the NMC require?
- IELTS Academic at 7 in reading, listening and speaking, and 6.5 in writing. There is no overall score requirement on top of those four.
- What OET grade does the NMC require?
- B (350 to 440) in reading, listening and speaking, and C+ (300 to 340) in writing.
- Should I take IELTS or OET?
- The NMC accepts either on equal terms, so the honest answer is whichever you are more likely to pass. OET is written around healthcare settings and IELTS Academic around general academic English; plenty of nurses find one suits them much better than the other, and a practice paper in each is the cheapest way to find out which.
- Can I combine two IELTS or OET results?
- Yes, two sittings of the same test within 12 months of each other, tested in all four skills both times. Each required score has to be met in at least one sitting, and neither sitting can fall below 6.5 in reading, listening or speaking or 6 in writing on IELTS, or below C+ and C on OET.
- How long is an IELTS or OET result valid for the NMC?
- 2 years, counted to when the NMC considers your complete application. A result that was in date when you applied can run out while documents are being checked.
- Do I need an English test if I trained in English?
- Not necessarily. A programme taught and examined in English counts if enough of it was spent with patients and colleagues in English. If you trained in a country where English is not the majority language, you also need supporting information from an employer to show you can work clinically in English.
- Is the English test part of the CBT?
- No. English is evidence you give the NMC as part of your application, separate from the Test of Competence. The CBT tests numeracy and nursing knowledge, and it is sat in English, so the two help each other.
- How much does IELTS or OET cost?
- Roughly £200 to £310, depending on the test and the country, paid to the test provider rather than the NMC. It is not part of the NMC's published fee total.
Where these figures come from
- NMC: accepted English language tests, scores, combining sittings and validity, checked 26 September 2026
- NMC guidance on registration language requirements, the three evidence types and supporting information from employers, checked 26 September 2026
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.
This page is one part of the exam. Work through the whole thing with the NMC CBT study guide.