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.
Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Test 1 | 7 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7 |
Test 2 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 |
This combination would be accepted. The applicant has scored at least 7 in the listening, speaking and reading sections and at least 6.5 in the writing section in either of the two test sittings, and no score is lower than 6.5.
Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Test 1 | 6 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7 |
Test 2 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
This application would not be accepted. The applicant has a score lower than 6.5.
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.
Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Test 1 | C+ | B | B | B |
Test 2 | B | B | C+ | B |
The applicant has scored at least grade B in the listening, speaking and reading sections and at least grade C+ in the writing section in either of the two test sittings, and no score is lower than grade C+.
Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Test 1 | C+ | B | B | B |
Test 2 | C | B | C+ | B |
This application would not be accepted. The applicant has scored lower than grade C+.
If you’re submitting an OET certificate as part of your application, you'll need to give NMC permission to verify your results through your myOET account.
Find out how to give a verification institution access to your results on the OET website.