UK Nurse Registration for Irish Nurses

The NMC pathway, step by step

Even on the recognition route it helps to understand the full six-stage pathway — the stages the NMC may still apply if it finds gaps in your qualification.

1. 1

   Create an NMC account and check eligibility

   You begin by opening an account on the NMC online portal and completing an eligibility self-assessment. The NMC checks that your nursing qualification and clinical experience map to a UK part of the register (for example, Registered Nurse — Adult). You will need your qualification certificates, transcripts, and proof of registration with the nursing regulator in your country of training.

2. 2

   Provide evidence of English language competence

   You must show the NMC that your English meets the required standard — normally an IELTS Academic or OET result, unless you qualify for an exemption (for example, a nursing qualification that was taught and examined in English, or recent registration/practice in a majority English-speaking country). The exact accepted routes and scores are published by the NMC and are summarised on our English requirements page.

3. 3

   Pass the Computer Based Test (CBT) — Test of Competence Part 1

   The CBT is the first part of the NMC Test of Competence. It is a multiple-choice exam delivered at Pearson VUE test centres in many countries (and, for some parts, remotely). It has a numeracy section and a clinical section based on the standards expected of a UK-registered nurse. You can sit the CBT from your home country before travelling to the UK.

4. 4

   Submit your registration application and supporting documents

   You complete the full NMC application, upload your qualifications, and arrange for your training institution and regulator to verify your records and provide references. The NMC assesses your documents, identity, health and character declarations. This is the stage where most timelines vary, so keep your paperwork complete and responsive.

5. 5

   Pass the OSCE — Test of Competence Part 2

   The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is taken in person at an approved test centre in the UK. It assesses whether you can apply nursing knowledge safely across assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation, plus practical clinical skills. Many internationally-educated nurses arrive in the UK on a role that supports OSCE preparation and sit the OSCE within their first weeks.

6. 6

   Pay the registration fee and receive your NMC PIN

   Once every requirement is met, you pay the NMC annual registration fee and are entered on the register. You receive an NMC PIN, which is the number that confirms you are a registered nurse in the UK and can practise. Registration is then renewed each year, with revalidation every three years.