NMC Registration for Overseas Nurses: A Step-by-Step Guide (CBT and OSCE)

If you trained as a nurse or midwife outside the UK, joining the NMC register can feel like a maze of forms, tests and deadlines. This guide explains the route in plain English: what the NMC asks for, in what order, and how to prepare so nothing holds you up. It is written for internationally trained nurses and midwives who want a clear overview before they begin.

NMC registration for overseas nurses: the short version

In outline, the NMC first checks that your qualification and registration in your home country meet its requirements. You then provide evidence of your English language ability, and pass a two-part Test of Competence: a computer-based test (the CBT) and a practical exam (the OSCE). Once you have completed your application, you pay the registration fee and the NMC issues your PIN, the number that shows you are on the register. Nurses and midwives take separate tests, and you manage your application through MyNMC, the NMC's online account system.

Before you start: check you are eligible

The NMC begins with an eligibility check, and you will need a qualification that allows you to register in the country where you trained. If your situation is unusual, for example if you registered in a different country from the one where you trained, contact the NMC before you apply rather than guessing. The NMC explains each stage on its own guide for applicants trained outside the UK, and you should treat that as the final word on requirements.

Step 1: Create your account and start your application

You apply through your MyNMC account. Applications to join the register are now handled there, so be wary of older guides that still refer to NMC Online. The first stage is the eligibility and qualification application, where you tell the NMC about your training and register details and pay the evaluation fee.

Step 2: The NMC evaluates your qualification

After you submit, the NMC checks your qualification and contacts your overseas regulator to confirm your registration. Depending on what it finds, it will tell you whether you need to take the Test of Competence. Keep your documents clear and consistent, because names, dates and course details that do not match are a common cause of delay.

Step 3: Provide English language evidence

You must show that your English is good enough to practise safely in the UK. For most applicants this means a result from an accepted test, and the NMC also recognises some other routes. Required scores and accepted tests have been updated in recent years and test results expire, so check the current rules on the NMC website before you book a test and plan your timing carefully.

Step 4: Pass the computer-based test (CBT)

The CBT is the first part of the Test of Competence. It is a computer-based exam that tests your knowledge against the NMC's published test plan for your profession. Many applicants sit it at an approved test centre before they travel to the UK. Study from the NMC's own materials first, then use planners to organise your revision. Our NMC registration toolkit for overseas nurses and midwives includes CBT study planners, with separate pages for midwives.

Step 5: Pass the OSCE

The OSCE is the second part of the Test of Competence, a practical exam made up of a series of timed stations where you demonstrate clinical skills and communication. At the time of writing it is taken at approved test centres in the UK, so check the NMC website for current arrangements and booking rules. Practise out loud, not just in your head, because the OSCE tests how you communicate and think under time pressure as well as what you know.

Step 6: Complete your application and pay the registration fee

When your tests are done, you complete the final part of your application. This includes health and character information, confirmation of your scope of practice and professional indemnity arrangement, and the registration fee. Time limits apply between stages, so do not let your evidence or test results lapse while you wait.

Step 7: Receive your PIN and prepare for practice

When the NMC approves your application, it adds you to the register and gives you your PIN. You are now on the register, and a new set of responsibilities begins. In your first months you will be getting to know the Code, UK systems and your workplace. Our toolkit includes a guide to your first 90 days in UK practice, with an introduction to revalidation.

What about costs and timing?

The route involves several separate fees: evaluation, the CBT, the OSCE, registration, and then an annual fee to stay on the register. Amounts change, and some employers cover part of the cost, so use the NMC's own fees pages rather than third-party lists. How long the whole process takes varies a lot, depending on how quickly you gather your documents, secure English evidence, sit your tests and book your OSCE. Starting early and tracking each deadline is the best protection against delay.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting the application before you have gathered your documents.
• Leaving English language evidence until late, then finding it will expire or does not meet the current rules.
• Relying on social media or recruiter guides for fees and scores, which may be out of date.
• Not keeping a record of dates, reference numbers and what you have submitted.
• Leaving OSCE practice until the last minute, and practising only by reading.

How our toolkit can help

Our independent NMC Registration Roadmap and Toolkit is a digital download with a step-by-step roadmap, a document and evidence checklist with a deadline tracker, CBT and OSCE study planners, a glossary of UK nursing and NMC terms, and a first 90 days guide. You can see everything in our NMC registration support for overseas nurses collection.

After registration: revalidation

Once you are on the register, you must revalidate every three years to stay on it. Starting good habits early makes this much easier. Our free NMC revalidation tracker helps you record practice hours, CPD, feedback and reflective accounts from the beginning, and our essential NMC revalidation requirements guide explains each requirement. For a step-by-step walkthrough, read how to track your NMC revalidation.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to take both the CBT and the OSCE?

Most applicants trained outside the UK take the Test of Competence, which has both parts. The NMC tells you whether you need it after it evaluates your qualification.

Can nurses and midwives take the same test?

No. Nurses and midwives take separate Tests of Competence, so make sure you prepare for the right one.

Where is the OSCE taken?

At the time of writing, at approved test centres in the UK. Check the NMC website for the latest arrangements.

Do you give visa or immigration advice?

No. For visa and immigration questions, use the UK government's official guidance or a regulated immigration adviser.

Is this guide approved by the NMC?

No. Reflect & Revalidate is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NMC. Always check the NMC website for current requirements.

This guide is general information and cannot guarantee any test or registration outcome. NMC requirements, fees and deadlines change. Last checked October 2026.