How much does PLAB 1 cost?

As of the 2025–26 GMC fee schedule, PLAB 1 (the Applied Knowledge Test) costs £268. Overseas test centres may add a hosting fee on top of the GMC exam fee. GMC fees are revised periodically — confirm the current amount on the GMC website before you book.

How much does PLAB 2 cost?

PLAB 2 (the Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment) costs £1,036 as of the 2025–26 GMC schedule. It is an OSCE held only at the GMC's assessment centre in Manchester, so you also need to budget for travel to the UK, accommodation and, for many candidates, a preparation course.

What is the total cost of PLAB including registration and visa?

The four fixed official fees total about £2,036: PLAB 1 (£268), PLAB 2 (£1,036), GMC full registration with a licence (£408) and the Health and Care Worker visa (£324 for up to three years). An English test (about £200–£360), travel to Manchester and living costs are extra. The Health and Care Worker visa is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Do I have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as a doctor?

No — the Health and Care Worker visa is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge for the main applicant and their dependants. On the standard Skilled Worker route the surcharge would otherwise be a significant annual cost, so the exemption is one of the main advantages of the health and care route. See GOV.UK for the current rules.

Some doctors can register with the GMC without PLAB — for example those who already hold an accepted UK postgraduate qualification such as MRCP or MRCS, or who qualify through another accepted route. Whether that applies to you depends on your qualifications; the GMC's registration pages set out the accepted evidence for each route.

How much does PLAB cost? The full 2026 fee breakdown

PLAB is the General Medical Council's main assessment for internationally qualified doctors. The exam fees are only part of the cost — this page itemises PLAB 1, PLAB 2, GMC registration, the English test and the visa, with the real figures and where each one comes from.

Reference period: July 2026. Figures are drawn directly from the official sources named on this page.

Fees as of the 2025–26 GMC schedule and July 2026 GOV.UK rates · GMC · GOV.UK · figures revised periodically

How much does PLAB cost in 2026?

The four unavoidable official fees to become a UK-registered doctor via PLAB total about £2,036 as of the 2025–26 GMC schedule: PLAB 1 (£268), PLAB 2 (£1,036), GMC full registration with a licence (£408) and the Health and Care Worker visa (£324). An English test (about £200–£360) and travel to Manchester for PLAB 2 sit on top; the visa is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Source:GMC — PLAB and the MLA·as of 2025–26 GMC fee scheduleupdated when the GMC or Home Office revises fees (last: 3 July 2026)

The full fee breakdown

There is no single official page that adds these fees up, which is exactly why the total is hard to find. Below is every fee itemised for a single applicant taking the PLAB route to GMC registration and coming to work on a Health and Care Worker visa. The four fixed official fees — PLAB 1, PLAB 2, GMC registration and the visa — come to about £2,036. The English test, travel to Manchester for PLAB 2, accommodation and any preparation courses are extra and vary widely by person.

PLAB route: itemised official fees (July 2026)
Item	Fee	Charged by	Notes
PLAB 1 (Applied Knowledge Test)	£268	GMC	Written exam; can be sat at overseas test centres including in India
PLAB 2 (Clinical & Professional Skills Assessment)	£1,036	GMC	OSCE held only in Manchester, UK
GMC full registration with a licence to practise	£408	GMC	From 1 April 2026 (newly qualified discounted rate £157)
Health and Care Worker visa (up to 3 years)	£324	GOV.UK	Per person; more than 3 years is £628
English language test (IELTS Academic or OET)	£200–£360	Test provider	Indicative; paid to the test provider, varies by country
Immigration Health Surcharge	£0	GOV.UK	Exempt on the Health and Care Worker route

What the fees do not include

The figures above are the fees you pay to the GMC, the Home Office and the test provider. They exclude the costs that make the biggest practical difference: return travel to Manchester and accommodation for PLAB 2, PLAB 2 preparation courses (which many candidates take), relocation and initial living costs in the UK, and the annual GMC retention fee once you are registered. If you are relocating, see our full relocation cost breakdown. Every candidate's all-in figure differs, so treat £2,036 as the floor of fixed fees, not the total cost of the move.

PLAB cost: frequently asked questions

How much does PLAB 1 cost?: As of the 2025–26 GMC fee schedule, PLAB 1 (the Applied Knowledge Test) costs £268. Overseas test centres may add a hosting fee on top of the GMC exam fee. GMC fees are revised periodically — confirm the current amount on the GMC website before you book.
How much does PLAB 2 cost?: PLAB 2 (the Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment) costs £1,036 as of the 2025–26 GMC schedule. It is an OSCE held only at the GMC's assessment centre in Manchester, so you also need to budget for travel to the UK, accommodation and, for many candidates, a preparation course.
What is the total cost of PLAB including registration and visa?: The four fixed official fees total about £2,036: PLAB 1 (£268), PLAB 2 (£1,036), GMC full registration with a licence (£408) and the Health and Care Worker visa (£324 for up to three years). An English test (about £200–£360), travel to Manchester and living costs are extra. The Health and Care Worker visa is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Do I have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as a doctor?: No — the Health and Care Worker visa is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge for the main applicant and their dependants. On the standard Skilled Worker route the surcharge would otherwise be a significant annual cost, so the exemption is one of the main advantages of the health and care route. See GOV.UK for the current rules.
Can I avoid PLAB?: Some doctors can register with the GMC without PLAB — for example those who already hold an accepted UK postgraduate qualification such as MRCP or MRCS, or who qualify through another accepted route. Whether that applies to you depends on your qualifications; the GMC's registration pages set out the accepted evidence for each route.

Keep your clinical skills sharp while you prepare

Preparing for PLAB takes months. GeraClinic is a separate remote telemedicine platform where doctors who hold valid registration in their home country can consult with patients online and set their own hours and fee — it is not connected to your GMC application or any UK role.

See remote work for doctors India → UK doctor pathway

Source: GMC — PLAB and the MLA (2025–26 GMC fee schedule).

Source: GMC — Fees for doctors (1 April 2026).

Contains public sector information published by UK Home Office (GOV.UK) and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa (July 2026).

This page is independent educational information for people researching UK healthcare qualification, registration and pay of their own accord. It is not legal, immigration, financial or careers advice, and it is not a job offer. Gera Systems Ltd is not a medical regulator and is not a recruitment agency — it does not register clinicians and does not place anyone into NHS or other UK jobs. Fees, pay scales and immigration rules change periodically — always confirm the current figure with the named source (NHS Employers, GMC, NMC and GOV.UK) before making any decision.

How much does PLAB cost in 2026?

The full fee breakdown

What the fees do not include

PLAB cost: frequently asked questions

Keep your clinical skills sharp while you prepare

More cost & salary answers