PLAB 1: format, dates, cost and how to book
PLAB 1 is the written first part of the UK General Medical Council’s Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test — a machine-marked, multiple-choice exam that checks whether an internationally-qualified doctor has the knowledge to work safely in the UK at the level of a first-year Foundation doctor.
Last updated 2026-07-11 · figures are indicative snapshots — confirm current values with the source
What is PLAB 1 and how much does it cost?
PLAB 1 is a 180-question, single-best-answer written exam (two 3-hour papers of 90 questions) that the GMC holds four times a year — in February, May, August and November — in the UK and at a network of overseas centres. As of 2026 the GMC exam fee is in the region of £268–£273 (the GMC raised its fees for 2026 — confirm the current figure on gmc-uk.org before booking).
This is free information only, for internationally-qualified doctors who, of their own accord, want to understand the UK registration route. GeraClinic (Gera Services Ltd) is a telemedicine platform, not a recruitment agency: we do not place doctors into UK jobs, we do not actively recruit from countries on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List (which includes Pakistan and Bangladesh), and we never charge you a fee for finding work. You always apply to UK employers yourself, on your own account.
Format and content
PLAB 1 is delivered as two papers of 90 single-best-answer questions each, three hours per paper (six hours in total). Every question is a short clinical scenario with five options (A–E); there is no negative marking. The content is mapped to the GMC’s UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA) content map, spanning medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, emergency medicine, primary care, public health, data interpretation and professionalism.
Source: GMC — PLAB 1 guide
When and where you can sit it
The GMC holds PLAB 1 four times a year and offers it in the UK plus a number of overseas centres delivered through its testing partners. Seats in high-demand centres often fill within minutes of release, so plan around the fixed February / May / August / November windows.
- Four sittings a year: February, May, August and November.
- Available in the UK and at selected overseas test centres; the GMC has announced it will stop offering PLAB 1 in Dhaka, Alexandria, Accra and Chennai from February 2027, so check the live centre list.(GMC — changes to international exam locations)
What you need before you book
Before the PLAB 1 booking service opens to you, you must hold a primary medical qualification from a medical school listed in the GMC-recognised World Directory of Medical Schools, and the GMC must already have accepted your English-language evidence (see the English requirements guide). The pass mark is set for each sitting using the modified Angoff method, so it varies slightly between exams.
Source: GMC — booking a PLAB 1 place
Global Doctor Career Map — a personalised roadmap across all three routes
A personalised written roadmap for your specialty and country: remote/telemedicine income now, the UK route (PLAB/GMC timeline and costs) and the GCC route (Prometric/DataFlow timeline and costs) — with a stage-by-stage plan you can work through. Delivered in 48 hours, money-back guarantee. It is an education and career-document service only: we never charge a fee for finding you work.
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Frequently asked questions
How many times a year is PLAB 1 held?+
The GMC runs PLAB 1 four times a year, with sittings in February, May, August and November. Seats are released ahead of each window and popular centres fill quickly, so book as soon as booking opens.
How much does PLAB 1 cost in 2026?+
The GMC exam fee is around £268–£273 as of 2026. The GMC revises its fees each year, so confirm the exact current figure on the GMC fees page before you pay — this is an indicative snapshot, not a guarantee.
Can I sit PLAB 1 in my own country?+
Often yes. PLAB 1 is offered in the UK and at a number of overseas centres. The available locations change — the GMC has said it will withdraw some centres (including Dhaka, Chennai, Accra and Alexandria) from February 2027 — so always check the GMC’s live location list before planning.
Earn as a telemedicine doctor while you plan your move
GeraClinic is a telemedicine platform where licensed doctors consult patients online. It is free to apply, with no signup or monthly fees — you set your own hours and fee and keep 85% of every consultation while you work through the pathway above.