What are the requirements to work in the UK?
NMC Registration and English Language Requirements
Many students ask me questions about what exam they should do to become a nurse in the UK.
This question is a very good one but its also quite complex, so I’ve separated it into five points that I will go through:
1) English requirements
The NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) has the requirement that all nurses from outside the UK* should demonstrate their English language abilities as follows:
IELTS (Academic)
Listening 7.0
Reading 7.0
Speaking 7.0
Writing 6.5
OET
Listening (350) B
Reading (350) B
Speaking (350) B
Writing (300) C+
(*It is a little more complicated than that. For more information on this, go to the NMC website.)
When you achieve the above scores in your OET or IELTS test, you can begin your application with the NMC.
2) OET v IELTS Academic
Which exam are you best for you?
At this point in time, SET believe OET to be better exam as it is less varied in its topics and the skills you learn are very relevant to the other tests you must complete to work in the UK like, for example, the OSCE.
3) IELTS : UKVI / Academic / General English
If you want to be a nurse in the UK, you no longer need to take the UKVI test - so all you need to do is take IELTS Academic.
IELTS General is not accepted by NMC as proof of English. For more information on this, go to the NMC website.
4) UK Visa Application
Visa applications are monitored very closely by the UK government. The visa you will need is a Tier 2 visa.
But there is good news! Nowadays you no longer need to have a UKVI IELTS test! Your IELTS Academic or OET result will be enough.
5) What should I do?
The price of IELTS Academic is approximately £150 and the price of OET is approx £330.
These exams are not cheap! So, what's the best way to do this?
Invest in your training!
You need to put the right amount of time and finance into your training in order to avoid costly resits and inconvenience.
As I mentioned earlier, at TTM English we are experts at OET and IELTS Academic and we can give you all of the preparation you will need to achieve the scores you need to complete your move to the UK. Check out our IELTS programs here and our OET programs here.
Also, we can help you find roles in the UK too!
If you have any questions, just send the team a message here. We are here to help!
Alain
SET English Team