Getting licensed in United Kingdom

Main route

PLAB route to full registration

Who it is for: Doctors who qualified outside the UK, EEA and Switzerland and have no acceptable postgraduate qualification, sponsor or other exemption.

1. 1

   Step 1

   Check the GMC accepts your medical degree

   Before you can sit PLAB or apply for registration, the GMC has to accept your primary medical qualification. Open a GMC Online account and check your medical school against the GMC's criteria. The GMC also lists institutions whose degrees it does not accept, and others it accepts only after its own assessment.

   Run by

   General Medical Council

   Where people get stuck

   • Some schools appear on the GMC's 'not accepted' or 'may accept' lists, and only a direct check will tell you where yours stands.
   • If you have not graduated yet, the GMC needs confirmation that you have passed your finals and met every other requirement for the degree.

   What it opens up

   • Setting up a GMC Online account so you can book PLAB
   • Starting EPIC verification with confidence that the GMC will accept the degree

   SourcesGMC: Acceptable overseas qualifications for doctors (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-04-14)GMC: Information on booking a PLAB 1 place (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-01-14)

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2. 2

   Step 2

   Pass IELTS Academic or OET Medicine at the GMC's scores

   You need accepted English evidence before you can book PLAB 1. For most people that is an IELTS Academic or OET Medicine result at the GMC's minimum scores. Enter the result under 'My Tests' in GMC Online and the GMC checks it with the test provider.

   Run by

   General Medical Council (sets the standard)

   Timing

   The GMC says checking your scores can take up to two working days.

   Where people get stuck

   • You must reach every minimum score in a single sitting, and only your most recent sitting counts, so a weaker later attempt can replace a good earlier one.
   • Certificates last two years, and a slow path through PLAB can leave you with an expired certificate when you apply for registration.
   • The GMC's English rules are separate from UK visa rules, and an English result the GMC accepts may not satisfy the Home Office.

   What it opens up

   • Booking PLAB 1
   • English evidence for your registration application, if it is still valid then

   SourcesGMC: Using your IELTS certificate (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-02-03)GMC: Using your OET certificate (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-09-17)

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3. 3

   Step 3

   Get your degree verified through EPIC (start early)

   The GMC will not grant registration until your primary medical qualification has been independently verified. ECFMG, a division of Intealth, does this through its EPIC service. You open a MyIntealth account, upload your final medical diploma, choose the GMC to receive the report, and ECFMG then confirms the diploma directly with your medical school.

   Run by

   ECFMG, a division of Intealth (EPIC)

   Fee

   ECFMG sets the fee and charges it in US dollars, paid directly to ECFMG. We did not record an amount because the ECFMG fee page could not be fetched.

   Where people get stuck

   • How long it takes depends largely on how fast your medical school answers ECFMG, and you can't get a refund once verification has started.
   • The GMC keeps an application open for only 90 days, so a slow verification can hold up your registration.
   • You need to verify your final diploma, not your transcripts. The name on it has to match your other documents.

   What it opens up

   • A verified degree, which the GMC needs before it grants registration
   • A MyIntealth ID to enter on your GMC application

   SourcesGMC: Primary source verification for international medical graduates (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-19)GMC: What do I need to do? (EPIC steps; read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-10-15)GMC: How much does it cost to verify my qualification? (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-04-21)

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4. 4

   Step 4

   Pass PLAB 1

   PLAB 1 is a written exam of 180 single-best-answer questions in three hours, set at the level of a doctor starting Foundation Year 2 in the UK. It meets the MLA requirements for the Applied Knowledge Test. It is held four times a year, in February, May, August and November, in the UK and at a number of overseas venues, and you book it only through GMC Online.

   Run by

   General Medical Council

   Timing

   Four sittings a year. Bookings close about six weeks before overseas sittings and two weeks before UK sittings.

   Fee

   GBP 283 from 1 April 2026 (GMC fees page, read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-17; checked 2026-10-17). A cancellation fee applies.

   Where people get stuck

   • The GMC says places are limited and in high demand, so you may not get your first-choice date or venue.
   • You can sit it until you have failed four times. After that you need a successful application for one final attempt, backed by evidence of extra learning over a 12-month period.
   • Questions follow current UK best practice and the equipment found in UK hospitals, not how things are done in your country.
   • Only the account holder may book. Booking through a third party or sharing your GMC Online login counts as misconduct.

   What it opens up

   • Booking PLAB 2
   • In Ireland, a PLAB 1 pass also counts in place of PRES Level 2 for two years from the exam date

   SourcesGMC: A guide to the PLAB test (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-08-29)GMC: What is the PLAB 1 exam? (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-01-14)GMC: When and where can I take PLAB 1? (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-09-17)GMC: Information on booking a PLAB 1 place (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-01-14)GMC: Fees for doctors (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-17)Medical Council of Ireland: What is the PRES Level 2? (accepted alternatives)

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5. 5

   Step 5

   Pass PLAB 2 within two years of PLAB 1

   PLAB 2 is a clinical skills exam in OSCE format. It has 16 scenarios of eight minutes each, such as a mock consultation or an acute ward, and takes about three hours in total. It meets the MLA requirements for the Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment. It runs all year at the GMC's two clinical assessment centre sites in Manchester, and you must pass it within two years of the date you sat PLAB 1.

   Run by

   General Medical Council

   Timing

   About three hours on the day. The deadline is two years from the date you sat PLAB 1 (not the date your result came out).

   Fee

   GBP 1,036 from 1 April 2026 (GMC fees page, read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-17; checked 2026-10-17). Cancellation fees rise as the exam date gets closer.

   Where people get stuck

   • The GMC says demand for PLAB 2 places is high and you may have to wait for a date. Travelling to Manchester also adds cost and planning, including any visa you need to enter the UK.
   • The two-year window from PLAB 1 is strict. The temporary three-year window from the COVID period ended on 31 March 2025.
   • You are limited to four attempts, with a fifth possible only if your application for it succeeds.
   • The stations test UK-style communication, consent and professional behaviour, which may differ from how you were trained.

   What it opens up

   • Applying for full registration (or provisional registration if you have no internship)
   • Exemption from the whole PRES exam for General Division registration in Ireland

   SourcesGMC: What is the PLAB 2 exam? (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-06-22)GMC: Information on booking a PLAB 2 place (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-09-13)GMC: When and where can you take PLAB 2? (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-12-07)GMC: What do you do after you get your PLAB 1 results? (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-08-03)GMC: Fees for doctors (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-17)Medical Council of Ireland: Registration rules and exemptions (PLAB 2 FAQs)

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6. 6

   Step 6

   Apply for full registration with a licence to practise

   Apply through GMC Online. The GMC should approve your application within two years of your PLAB 2 pass. You will need your verified degree, proof of an internship (or two years of continuous supervised hospital practice after graduating), valid English evidence, your passport, a certificate of good standing, a record of your last five years, and an identity check. If you did not complete an internship, you can apply only for provisional registration, which you must hold before starting a Foundation Year 1 post.

   Run by

   General Medical Council

   Fee

   GBP 481 standard application fee for full registration with a licence from 1 April 2026, with a lower fee for some recent graduates. The annual fee is also GBP 481. Source: GMC fees page, read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-17; checked 2026-10-17.

   Where people get stuck

   • The internship must be at least 12 months of continuous practice in an approved public-hospital post, including set periods in medicine and surgery, and some house jobs do not meet this.
   • If your PLAB 2 pass is more than two years old, the GMC asks for extra evidence of your knowledge and skills.
   • Without an internship you need provisional registration and a Foundation Year 1 post, and from 2026 UK graduates and priority groups are offered Foundation places first.
   • If you leave a gap on the form or a document is missing, the application stalls.

   What it opens up

   • Practising as a doctor in the UK
   • Applying for NHS jobs that need GMC registration
   • Applying to UK specialty training (full registration is needed at the time you apply)

   SourcesGMC: Full registration for international medical graduates (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-09-12)GMC: Evidence of your internship or experience (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-01-12)GMC: What do you do after you get your PLAB 2 results? (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-09-12)GMC: Provisional registration for international medical graduates (read via Internet Archive capture of 2025-01-12)GMC: Fees for doctors (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-17)

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7. 7

   Step 7

   Get a first NHS job and a Health and Care Worker visa

   The GMC does not hold job vacancies. You find jobs through the NHS services of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and other listings. Many international graduates start in a locally employed (non-training) role, such as a trust grade or clinical fellow post. If you need a visa, an approved NHS or health employer gives you a certificate of sponsorship, and you then apply for the Health and Care Worker visa.

   Run by

   UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)

   Timing

   You can apply up to three months before your start date. GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within three weeks.

   Fee

   Visa application fee GBP 324 per person for up to three years or GBP 628 for more than three years. No immigration health surcharge. You usually also need at least GBP 1,270 in savings unless you are exempt or your employer covers it. Source: GOV.UK, checked 2026-10-17.

   Where people get stuck

   • You need a confirmed job offer from a Home Office-approved employer before you can apply for the visa.
   • Jobs vary by specialty and region, and the GMC warns that it can be hard to find work after a long time away from practice.
   • Locally employed posts are not training posts and are on local contracts, so terms vary from employer to employer.
   • The visa has its own English and salary rules, separate from the GMC's.

   What it opens up

   • Working legally as a doctor in the NHS
   • UK experience that supports later applications to training posts
   • GOV.UK says you may apply to settle after five years if you meet the rules

   SourcesGMC: Working as a doctor in the UK (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-01-13)NHS Employers: Locally employed doctors (LEDs)GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visaGOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa – your jobGOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa – how much it costs

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8. 8

   Step 8

   Apply for Foundation or specialty training (prioritisation applies)

   UK training places are filled through national recruitment. Under the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, UK graduates and a priority group (graduates of Irish, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian and Swiss schools) are offered Foundation places first. For specialty training, people who have done the UK Foundation Programme or an earlier stage of the same training, and people with certain immigration statuses (for example British or Irish citizens and people with indefinite leave to remain), are also prioritised. From 2027 recruitment this applies at both the interview and the offer stage. You can still apply if you are not prioritised, but you are considered after the prioritised group.

   Run by

   NHS England Workforce, Training and Education (Medical Specialty Recruitment)

   Where people get stuck

   • Most international graduates on a Health and Care Worker visa are not in the priority group, so they are considered only after it.
   • Non-training posts that lead to an Alternative Certificate of Eligibility, trust-based programmes and the Malta Foundation Programme do not count towards prioritisation.
   • You must be fully registered with the GMC when you apply, and you must meet the person specification for each specialty and level.

   What it opens up

   • A UK training programme that leads to a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and specialist or GP registration

   SourcesMedical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)The Medical Training (Prioritisation for Specialty Training Programmes) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/1019NHS England WT&E Medical Hub: Prioritisation for 2027 specialty training recruitmentNHS England WT&E Medical Hub: Specialty recruitment eligibilityUK Foundation Programme: Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act becomes law

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