Guides
Plain-English guides to NMC, HCPC, GMC and AHPRA registration, the CBT and OSCE exams, and the UK Health and Care Worker visa — written for internationally educated clinicians.
The OSCE is the practical part of UK nurse registration: a series of timed stations run at an approved test centre in which you are assessed against the NMC standards. Most candidates sit four APIE stations (assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation) plus clinical skills and values-based questions, and can resit individual stations they fail.
Read the guideThe CBT is the theory half of the NMC test of competence, taken online or at a Pearson VUE centre before you travel to the UK. It has two parts — numeracy and clinical questions — both taken in one sitting, and you must pass both. It is valid for a limited period, so plan it alongside your job search.
Read the guideNMC registration runs in a fixed order: create an NMC account and pass eligibility, meet the English language requirement, pass the CBT, submit qualification and identity evidence, secure a sponsoring UK employer, travel, pass the OSCE, then receive your PIN. Each stage has its own evidence, so delays are almost always document delays.
Read the guideThe HCPC regulates fifteen allied health professions in the UK. International applicants apply through the international route, evidencing that their qualification and practice are equivalent to the UK standards of proficiency for their profession. There is no single exam — the decision is made on the evidence you submit, so the quality of your application determines the outcome.
Read the guideAHPRA handles registration for regulated health professions in Australia on behalf of the national boards. Internationally qualified applicants are assessed against the relevant board's registration standards, with the assessment pathway depending on how closely your qualification and experience match Australian requirements.
Read the guideThe Health and Care Worker visa is the UK's Skilled Worker route for eligible medical and care professionals. You need a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship for an eligible occupation, salary at or above the applicable threshold, and English language evidence. It carries reduced application fees and exemption from the immigration health surcharge.
Read the guideInternational doctors reach GMC registration through one of several evidence routes: the PLAB examinations, an acceptable postgraduate qualification, a GMC-approved sponsorship scheme, or a relevant European qualification. All routes also require evidence of English language ability, identity, and fitness to practise.
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