Register to NMC for Overseas Nurses

International English Language Test System (IELTS)

Will be accepted an IELTS Academic examination certificate that confirms you achieved: an overall score of at least 7 at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7 in the reading, listening and speaking sections. Updated this requirement on Wednesday 5 December 2018

Combining IELTS test scores

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.

Examples of combining IELTS scores

Occupational English Test (OET) will be accepted an OET examination certificate that confirms you achieved:

at least a grade C+ in the writing section

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

NMC updated this requirement on Tuesday 28 January 2020.

Combining OET test scores

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.

Requirement to enter the register

Completed 2300 hours of clinical practice

You may have had time off during your programme for sickness / special / compassionate leave. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have made up this time and that you will have met the NMC requirement for completion of 2300 hours of clinical practice at the end of the programme. Your university will use documents such as your timesheets to make sure that they add up to 2300 hours of clinical practice.

The University may also count up to a maximum of 300 hours of these 2300 hours as clinical training within a simulated practice learning environment in support of providing direct care in the practice setting.If you have not completed 2300 hours of practice this can delay your completion of the programme. This can influence the timing of your registration, since your details will arrive at the NMC separately from the rest of the cohort.

Completed 2300 hours of theory

Your university will have scheduled your programme to ensure that these hours have been achieved during the theoretical content of the programme.

Good health and good character

At the beginning of your programme you will have been asked to complete a declaration of good health and good character. A criminal records bureau would have been requested and checked. Each year during the programme you will have been asked to undertake another self declaration for good health and good character. If you had received a caution, conviction, reprimand or warning from the police during the programme you would have been asked to declare this to the university. The most important part of this process is that you inform the university as soon as a caution, conviction, reprimand or warning is gained and discuss this with them.

If you are approaching the end of the programme and have not done this already you need to urgently talk to the programme leader. At the end of the programme before the NMC will enter you onto the register of nurses or midwives a designated person who is a registered nurse responsible for directing the educational programme within your university has to sign a declaration of good health and good character in support of your own self-declaration required for registration. The designated person must know you and be accountable for the decision to sign the declaration.

Passed the entire academic and practice assessments on the programme

Your results for both the theoretical and practical components of the programme are presented to an assessment board at the university. The university will ensure that you have met all the theory and practice requirements before confirming that you have successfully completed the programme. This must include evidence of a sign-off in practice from a sign-off mentor or practice teacher.

When these are ratified you are presented as completing the programme. After this careoccurs a designated person at the university will upload your details electronically to the NMC ready for registration, where they are entered into the NMC database.

If you have to resubmit an assessment you may have to wait until the next assessment board to be completed on the programme. Assessment boards are usually scheduled for every 1-2 months and you may have to wait for your resubmission results to be presented and ratified at the next board. Your name will then arrive at the NMC at a different time to others in your cohort. This can delay your registration.

Accurate personal details