Your Guide to The Requirements for Working as a Nurse in the UK

Are you a non-UK based nurse? Do you want to work in the United Kingdom as a nurse? If you do, be ready to begin your rewarding nursing career after completing the specialized nursing program of your choice. But first, learn about what you require to work as a nurse in the country.

Registration Body – Overseas nurses have to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It is the first step in beginning your career as a nurse in the UK.

Practice requirements

• Candidates must have been practicing as a nurse or midwife for at least one year (full time or part-time equivalent). Experience should be in the same field the applicant is applying for.

• For those who have qualified longer than a year, they must have practiced for at least 450 hours in the last 3 years.

Fees

Application fee is £140 as of 1 September 2016. The registration fee is £162, which is valid for three years.

Registration requirements

• Candidate must hold a current registration or license with the licensing authority or registration body in their country without any restriction.In addition, their license must show that they are qualified or have been practicing.

• If one has worked in different states or countries, then they must hold registration with the licensing authorities or registration bodies in those countries or states.

Language requirements

Candidate must have passed the IELTS test with appropriate scores, which is a minimum score of at least seven in all sections.They have to provide two IELTS test certificates, in which they should not have scored lower than 6.5 in any category.

Education requirements

Applicant must have completed at least 10 years of school education before starting their nursing training. 

Application process

Part 1

• It will be a computer-based test in which the candidate’s theoretical practice-based knowledge is tested. This multiple-choice exam can be taken in test centers in many countries around the world.

Part 2

• It is an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to test the applicant’s clinical knowledge. It will be held in the UK.

Applicants can attempt these tests two times, and if they fail both attempts, they will have to wait six months to restart the application process.

After completing the tests and an ID check, applicants will have to go through a final declaration and payment for registration to receive their registration number. It may take up to six months to complete this process, so prepare accordingly.

Other than the above mentioned requirements, you may also need health declarations,employer references, and character evidence.To get a valid work permit or visa in the United Kingdom, nurses need to be sponsored by a hospital, private clinic or a company.

Overseas nurses can practice in the following four nursing fields in the UK:

• Adult nursing
• Mental health nursing
• Learning disabilities nursing
• Children’s nursing

So, begin your application process today and benefit from the many job opportunities available in the United Kingdom. INSCOL offers nursing programs in London, UK for international nurses. To learn more about the international nursing programs, visit INSCOL