UK Nursing Requirements: Everything You Need to Know
<p>Are you considering a career as a nurse in the UK? If so, you need to meet specific requirements before applying for nursing positions. In this blog, we will delve into the UK nursing requirements and guide you on initiating your journey to becoming a professional nurse in the UK.</p> <h2>Requirements to Work as A Nurse in The UK</h2> <p>First and foremost, you must be a fully registered nurse with a nursing degree or diploma, license, and at least one year of working experience. All your documents and credentials must be <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/verification" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">verified by a recognizable issuing authority</a>. </p> <h2>Prove Your English Language Proficiency</h2> <p>To prove you have a good command of the English language, you must pass either the IELTS (International Language Testing System) or<a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/ielts-and-oet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> OET</a> (Occupational English Test) test.</p> <p>To pass your <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/training" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IELTS</a> exam, you must get a minimum score of 7 in the reading, listening, and speaking</p> <p>sections and a minimum score of 6.5 in the writing section. To pass your OET exam, you must achieve at least a grade of B (350 and above) for reading, listening, and speaking and a C+ (300 and above) for the writing section.</p> <p>If you do not pass either of the tests in your first sitting, you can retake and combine scores from two test certificates. Platforms like TrueProfile.io can help you better prepare for the tests and pass in your first sitting.</p> <h2>Register with NMC (Nursing &amp; Midwifery Council)</h2> <p>The <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/taking-the-test-of-competence-for-uk-nurses-and-midwives" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NMC</a> is the nursing regulator in the UK. To <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/part-two-nursing-in-the-uk-preparation-application-costs-and-visas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work as a nurse in the UK</a>, you must be registered and approved by the NMC. To be eligible to apply for registration, you must;</p> <ul> <li><strong>Hold a nursing degree/diploma</strong></li> <li><strong>Meet IELTS/OET requirements (passed either of the tests)</strong></li> </ul> <p></p> <p>The application process is a 4-step process. You’ll first have to create a user account on the NMC official website before starting your application process.</p> <h3>Step 1: Self-Assessment</h3> <p>This step ensures you are eligible to enter the NMC register. The NMC website features a checklist to help with the process. During the application process, you must provide identity evidence, qualification, and registration information. Additionally, you need to pay the non-refundable evaluation fee of £140 to proceed to the next step.</p> <h3>Step 2: Take the CBT exam</h3> <p>The exam is a computer-based theoretical test. It costs £83 and comprises 120 multiple-choice questions that test your knowledge of children&#8217;s nursing, adult nursing, mental health, leadership, communication, and ethics of the nursing profession, among other nursing areas.</p> <p>The<a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/nmc-cbt-exam/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> CBT exam</a> can be done in a test center or online, depending on where you apply. The results take, at most, two days to be out. If you fail it three times, you can retake it after six months. </p> <h3>Step 3: Documentation</h3> <p>You’ll have to provide a few documents for your application process. Some you can upload to your portal, while others you’ll send to the NMC by courier.</p> <p>Documents to upload to the NMC portal include the following;</p> <ul> <li><strong>Passport</strong></li> <li><strong>Birth Certificate</strong></li> <li><strong>Qualification Certificate</strong></li> <li><strong>Employment certificate</strong></li> <li><strong>Registration certificate</strong></li> <li><strong>Police Clearance</strong></li> </ul> <p></p> <p>Documents to send by courier;</p> <ul> <li><strong>Transcript of training</strong></li> <li><strong>Declaration of good health from GP</strong></li> <li><strong>Verification form from your nursing school</strong></li> </ul> <p></p> <p>Once you’ve submitted the required documents and they have gone through the assessment stage, you’ll receive a decision letter via email inviting you to complete the final step, the OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) exam.</p> <p>Need to verify your documents? Sign up for a FREE TrueProfile.io account and get your credentials verified: </p> <div class="is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons"> <div class="wp-block-button is-style-fill"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button" href="https://sso.trueprofile.io/register" style="border-radius:100px;background-color:#00497a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up today</a></div> </div> <h3>Step 4: Take the OSCE exam</h3> <p>The <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/osce-exam" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OSCE</a> is a practical exam made up of 10 stations. Four stations are linked around assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation, four test skills, and two assess values, behavior, and evidence-based practice.</p> <p>The UK exam costs £794 and results are emailed within 15 working days. If you pass it, you’ll receive instructions for the next steps, while those who fail will receive feedback on stations and elements to help them prepare to retake the OSCE.</p> <p>If successful, you will officially become a registered nurse in the UK and receive your NMC Personal Identification Number (PIN).</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="312" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/11/Blog-graphic-UK-Nursing-Requirements-Everything-You-Need-to-Know-Top-Tips-to-Nurse-in-the-UK-Shutterstock_526502386.jpg" alt="UK Nursing Requirements: Everything You Need to Know Top Tips to Nurse in the UK " class="wp-image-16943" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/11/Blog-graphic-UK-Nursing-Requirements-Everything-You-Need-to-Know-Top-Tips-to-Nurse-in-the-UK-Shutterstock_526502386.jpg 820w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/11/Blog-graphic-UK-Nursing-Requirements-Everything-You-Need-to-Know-Top-Tips-to-Nurse-in-the-UK-Shutterstock_526502386-300x114.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/11/Blog-graphic-UK-Nursing-Requirements-Everything-You-Need-to-Know-Top-Tips-to-Nurse-in-the-UK-Shutterstock_526502386-768x292.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /></figure> <h2>UK Work Visa</h2> <p>A visa is another UK nursing requirement. You can apply for a <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/apply-uk-health-care-worker-visa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Health and Care worker visa</a> to work as a nurse in the UK for five years. You must meet a few necessities to be eligible for the visa, including being a healthcare professional.</p> <p>If you don’t meet the Health and Care worker visa requirements, you can apply for a skilled worker visa through the<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uks-points-based-immigration-system-policy-statement/the-uks-points-based-immigration-system-policy-statement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> UK’s points-based immigration system</a>. To qualify for the visa, you must obtain 70 points.</p> <p>You earn 50 points by having a required skill level job from an approved employer and a good command of English. The remaining 20 points you get if your new job pays a minimum of £25,600 or £20,480 a year.</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>There you have it, some of the UK nursing requirements for international nurses. Ensuring you meet all the requirements before <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/jobs/job-search-results?title=&amp;country=United+Kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">applying for a nursing job in the UK</a> is one sure way to start working in the UK quickly.</p> <p>You can use TrueProfile.io to help you meet some requirements, like preparing for IELTS and OET tests. TrueProfile.io also offers plenty of other beneficial services to help you realize your dream of working in the United Kingdom.</p>