The HCPC International Application, Step by Step
If you qualified as a physiotherapist or radiographer outside the UK, you join the HCPC Register through the international application route: the HCPC assesses whether your education and experience meet the UK standards of proficiency for your profession, alongside evidence of your English-language ability and identity.
The six stages
Confirm your profession is HCPC-regulated
Physiotherapists and radiographers (diagnostic and therapeutic) are among the 15 professions the HCPC regulates. Check that your exact profession and title are on the HCPC list before you begin.
Gather your qualification and experience evidence
You will need certified proof of your professional qualification, a detailed breakdown of your training (curriculum, hours, clinical placements) and evidence of your professional experience. The HCPC compares this against the UK standards of proficiency for your profession.
Meet the English-language requirement
Provide evidence of English proficiency β the HCPC accepts IELTS Academic 7.0 (no section below 6.5) or OET Grade B. Some applicants are exempt where they trained and practised in English; the HCPC website sets out who qualifies.
Submit your international application and pay the fee
Complete the HCPC international application and pay the international application (scrutiny) fee. The HCPC then assesses whether your education and experience meet UK standards. Confirm the current fee on the HCPC fees page before you apply.
Respond to any assessment outcome
The HCPC may approve your application, or ask for more information, or require you to address a shortfall (for example through further study or supervised practice) before it can register you. Follow the decision letter carefully.
Join the Register and arrange the right to work
Once registered you may use the protected title and practise. Working in the UK also requires the right to work β many applicants use the Health and Care Worker visa, which needs a job offer from a Home Office-licensed sponsor. HCPC registration and immigration are separate processes.
The English-language requirement
Every HCPC registrant must be able to communicate effectively in English. For international applicants this is usually evidenced by a formal test. As a guide, the HCPC accepts:
- βIELTS Academic β overall 7.0, with no individual section below 6.5.
- βOET (Occupational English Test) β Grade B.
Some applicants are exempt β for example where their entire professional training was taught and assessed in English. The precise accepted tests, minimum scores and exemptions are set by the HCPC and can change, so confirm the current requirement on the HCPC website before booking a test.
Fees to budget for
Costs fall into a few groups. Rather than quote figures that may be out of date, we describe what you will pay for and point you to the official source (as of July 2026):
- HCPC international application (scrutiny) fee
A one-off fee to assess your international application. Current amount on the HCPC fees page.
- Registration & renewal fees
Once approved you pay to join the Register and a periodic renewal fee to stay on it.
- English test & document costs
IELTS or OET test fees, certified translations and document verification are paid to third parties, not the HCPC.
- Visa & immigration costs
If you also need a Health and Care Worker visa, separate Home Office fees apply. See GOV.UK.
Registration and visa are separate
A common source of confusion is treating registration and immigration as one thing. They are not. HCPC registration is about your right to use a protected title and practise in the UK. The right to work is a separate matter handled by the Home Office. Many internationally-qualified professionals use the Health and Care Worker visa, which requires a genuine job offer from a Home Office-licensed sponsor. You will usually need both: registration and the right to work.
Because a visa requires a real job offer, the natural next step for most people is to apply directly to advertised NHS or private roles once they are registered (or eligible). That direct application is always made with the employer, not through GeraClinic.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HCPC international application?+
It is the route by which someone who qualified outside the UK asks the HCPC to assess whether their education and professional experience meet the UK standards of proficiency for their profession. If they do, the applicant can join the HCPC Register and use the protected title.
How much is the HCPC international application fee?+
The HCPC charges a separate international application (scrutiny) fee, plus a registration and periodic renewal fee once you are on the Register. Fees are revised periodically, so check the current amounts on the HCPC fees page before you apply rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere.
What are the HCPC standards of proficiency?+
They are the profession-specific standards that describe the knowledge, understanding and skills a registrant must have to practise safely and effectively in the UK. The HCPC assesses an international application against the standards of proficiency for your specific profession.
What English-language evidence is accepted?+
The HCPC accepts IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with no individual section below 6.5, or the Occupational English Test (OET) at Grade B. Some applicants are exempt where they trained and practised in English. The exact accepted tests and any exemptions are set out on the HCPC website.
How long does HCPC registration take?+
Timescales depend on the completeness of your evidence and the HCPC assessment queue, and are published by the HCPC. Gathering certified documents and sitting an English test can add several weeks or months before you even submit, so plan early. The HCPC publishes current processing information.
Is HCPC registration the same as a visa?+
No β they are two separate processes. HCPC registration establishes your right to use a protected title and practise. Working in the UK also requires the right to work, which for many applicants means a Health and Care Worker visa sponsored by a Home Office-licensed employer with an actual job offer.
Can GeraClinic submit the application for me or guarantee registration?+
No. GeraClinic is a telemedicine platform, not a recruitment agency or immigration adviser. Only the HCPC can register you and only the Home Office can grant a visa. This guide is general information; always follow the official HCPC and GOV.UK guidance for your circumstances.
Explore the rest of this guide
Related on the wider Gera network: allied-health roles on GeraClinic and healthcare jobs on GeraJobs. Applying to any specific vacancy is always done directly with the advertising employer.
Sources & further reading
These are the primary, official sources for everything on this page. Where figures appear, confirm the current value at the source before relying on it.
- HCPC β International registration
Application route and assessment process for professionals qualified outside the UK.
- HCPC β Fees
Current application, scrutiny and renewal fees.
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
UK statutory regulator for 15 health and care professions, including physiotherapists and radiographers.
- GOV.UK β Health and Care Worker visa
Immigration route for eligible medical and social-care roles with a Home Office-licensed sponsor.
- UK Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel (DHSC)
The ethical-recruitment framework and the red/amber country list.