This page highlights the English language requirements for international nurses interested to work in NHS or a private hospital in the U.K. This is a mandatory requirement of U.K Nursing Medical Council requirement.

NMC will accept an IELTS Academic examination certificate that confirms you achieved:

• an overall score of at least 7, and

• at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7 in the reading, listening and speaking sections.

NMC accepts both the paper based and computer based IELTS Academic test delivered at a test centre.

NMC will not accept the IELTS indicator test because the security measures for the indicator test are not comparable to those in place for the face-to-face test and do not meet the standards we require for registration.

You can achieve the required mark across two test sittings if:

• you sit the tests within six months of each other

• you’re tested in all four sections at the same time

• all scores in both sittings are above 6.5, and

• you achieve at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7 in the reading, listening and speaking sections in either of the two test sittings.

NMC will accept an IELTS Academic examination certificate that confirms you achieved:

• at least a grade C+ in the writing section, and

• at least a grade B in the reading, listening and speaking sections.

NMC accepts the OET on Paper, OET on Computer and the OET@Home.

You can achieve the required mark across two test sittings if:

• you sit the tests within six months of each other

• you’re tested in all four sections at the same time

• all grades in both sittings are above grade C+, and

• you achieve at least a grade C+ in the writing section and at least a grade B in the reading, listening and speaking sections in either of the two test sittings.