There are three types of evidence that will satisfy us that you have the necessary knowledge of English to practise in the UK. If we are not satisfied with what you send us, we will ask you to provide an alternative type of evidence.

Evidence Type 1: You have recently achieved the required scores in either IELTS (Academic) or OET.

Evidence Type 2: You have a pre-registration nurse, midwife or nursing associate qualification which was taught and examined in English. We’ll need evidence that the training and assessment of pre-registration course was in English in the form of transcript and/or letter from training institute.

If this programme was completed a country that is currently not on NMC’s majority English speaking countries list, you can provide supporting information from your employer (SIFE) as supplementary evidence of clinical interaction in English with people who use services, their families, carers, and other healthcare professionals. To do this, you must be currently working in an unregulated role in a health or care setting in the UK for at least 12 months full time or full time equivalent if working part time.

If you did not train in a country where English is a majority spoken language and  is not eligible to use SIFE, we’ll consider evidence that meets the criteria set out in our English Language guidance, but please be aware that it’s likely that you’ll need to provide an alternative type of evidence such as a language test.

Evidence Type 3: Employer reference that you have recently practised for one year as a registered nurse, registered midwife or nursing associate in a country where country where English is a majority spoken language.

All applicants trained outside the UK will need to meet our English language requirements using one of the types of evidences as stated in our guidance irrespective of their nationality.

Please refer to the information available on our website for guidance on meeting our English language requirements

We accept Academic version of IELTS including UKVI and OET.

We will accept an IELTS Academic test result that confirms you achieved at least 7 for reading, listening, and speaking, and at least 6.5 for writing. If combining two tests, no scores in either of the two test sittings are below 6.5 for listening, reading, and speaking, or below 6 for writing.

Please use the online test combining calculator available on our website

We will accept an OET test result that confirms you achieved at least grade B (350 or above) for reading, listening, and speaking, and at least grade C+ (300 or above) for writing. If combining two tests, no scores in either of the two test sittings are below grade C+ (300-340) for listening, reading, and speaking, or below grade C (250-290) for writing.

Please see more information about accepted tests here

Please use the online test combining calculator available on our website.

Both IELTS and OET are valid for two years from the test date.

Your test result needs to be valid when your application joins our assessment queue after you have successfully completed both parts of test of competence, submitted your registration application/ fee and we have received all documents including third party verifications.

If you are relying on two tests to meet our English language requirements, both tests need to be within the 2 year validity period when it reaches our assessment queue.

If you are retaking an IELTS or OET, we can only accept tests where you have retaken all modules.

Yes, we accept the Academic version of IELTS including UKVI.

As stated on British Council website, IELTS for UKVI tests are designed to meet specific administrative requirements outlined by the UK Home Office and are taken at a UKVI approved test centre. The actual test taken is the same as IELTS tests for all other purposes and includes the same: content, format, scoring and level of difficulty. Test Report Forms will be slightly different in order to show that you have taken the test at an UKVI approved test centre.

No, after careful consideration we have decided that we are not able to accept the IELTS indicator test at this time.

This is because the security measures for the indicator test are not comparable to those in place for the face-to-face test and do not meet the standards we require for registration.

Yes, we accept OET@home and OET on computer at a test venue in addition to OET on paper at a test venue.

Yes, you can combine these as OET has confirmed they are the same tests, with the same test tasks, difficulty, format, and timings. All tests will be marked according to the same assessment criteria.

Accepting Supporting Information from Employers (SIFE) for those who have narrowly missed the required scores for IELTS and OET is expected to be launched from mid 2023. We will publish more information regarding this option when this option is ready.

This test is currently not included in in our English Language policy.

NARIC/ECCTIS certificates are currently not included in our English Language policy.

Applicants who trained in English but in a non-majority English speaking country could use SIFE. They must have provided a transcript and/official letter from their training institute confirming their pre- registration nurse/ midwife/nursing associate programme was taught and examined in English.

Applicants will be able to nominate their employer to provide Supporting Information from Employers (SIFE) form via their NMC online account when our systems are fully automated by mid 2023.

If you haven’t yet submitted your application, and you meet our eligibility criteria for using SIFE , please choose trained in English and evidence that your pre-registration programme was trained and examined in English while submitting your ‘Registration Application’ on NMC online.

While we are waiting for system updates, applicants who trained in English but in a non-majority English speaking country and who meet our new English language guidance will be contacted directly to offer this route after their submitted application has been assessed.

We are unable to share a blank SIFE form before your registration application is assessed.

We will be able to forward a link to your line manager and counter signatory to provide Supporting Information from Employers (SIFE) via NMC online account when our systems are fully automated by mid-2023.

If you haven’t yet submitted your application, and you meet our eligibility criteria for using SIFE , please choose trained in English and evidence that your pre-registration programme was trained and examined in English while submitting your registration application on NMC online. Evidence could be in the form of your transcript and/or letter from training institute.

While we are waiting for system updates, we will contact applicants directly who satisfy our eligibility criteria for using SIFE after their submitted application has been assessed.

Your line manager (an NMC registrant) can complete Part A of the SIFE form to confirm direct experience of your English language competence. If you’ve had 2 line managers in the last 12 months, you can nominate up to 2 managers (NMC registrants) to cover 12 months or part time equivalent. Your line manager should be an NHS Band 6 (or non-NHS equivalent) or above.

This form also needs be countersigned by an NMC registrant at the organization where you have been working, who is an NHS Band 8a (or non-NHS equivalent) or above, to confirm the process has been fair and consistent.

Our list of countries accepted as majority English speaking is available to view on our website . This is broadly based on a list defined by the UK Border Agency.

Applicants can choose ‘Practice in English/ Recent Practice’ if they have practiced in a majority English speaking country as a registered nurse or midwife.

SIFE is not a standalone route for providing English language evidence. This can be used as supplementary evidence by applicants who are taught and examined in English, but from a country that is not on our list of majority English language speaking countries.