English test score checker
Enter your IELTS, OET or other English test scores and see, skill by skill, whether they meet the NMC, GMC, HCPC, NMBI and other regulators' published rules, including combined sittings and expiry dates.
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Add your test date and all your scores
Nurses and midwives
NMC asks for: 7.0 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing. No overall score is required.
Enter your test date and a score for each skill to see whether it meets NMC's rules.
Does this also cover the UK visa English requirement?
New Health and Care Worker visa applicants need English at B2 (since 8 January 2026). If you held the visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending it, the level is B1.
Doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives who have passed an English assessment accepted by their regulator meet the visa's English requirement (Appendix English Language, EL 9.1).
GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa, knowledge of English · Immigration Rules: Appendix English Language (EL 9.1) · GOV.UK: approved Secure English Language Tests and their CEFR scores
About NMC's rules
- The NMC does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake, because all four skills must be tested at the same time.
- Two sittings of the same test, taken within 12 months of each other, with all four skills tested both times. You cannot combine IELTS with OET.
- If you have taken the test twice and missed one score by no more than 0.5 (IELTS) or half a grade (OET), supporting information from a UK employer may help. The NMC decides; the checker does not count it as met.
Effective: 8 March 2024 (page date). Checked 21 October 2026. Source: NMC: IELTS Academic (updated 8 March 2024); NMC: OET (updated 8 March 2024); NMC: guidance on English language requirements (June 2023, PDF). Our NMC guide
The same scores against every regulator
Pick a row to see the detail.
This checker is for planning only. It uses each regulator's published rules, checked on the date shown, and does not decide your case: the regulator does. Regulators can change their English rules at short notice, so check the regulator's own page before you book a test or apply.
Method
How it works
- Step 1
Is the test accepted?
The format must be on the regulator's list. Where its page is silent (for example IELTS for UKVI at some Irish bodies), the result says to check. - Step 2
Every skill
Each skill must reach the minimum, plus the overall or total where one is set. NMBI and CORU allow one skill to be a little lower. - Step 3
Two sittings
Only where the regulator allows it: same test, inside its window, each sitting above its floor. Then the best score in each skill counts. - Step 4
Still in date?
Most accept results up to two years old, measured to the date the regulator names. The checker compares it with your planned application date.
Worked example
Two IELTS sittings: NMC against NMBI
| Sitting | L | R | W | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: 14 February 2026 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 |
| 2: 22 August 2026 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 |
Neither sitting on its own has 6.5 in writing and 7.0 in reading together.
NMC: Meets
The sittings are six months apart (the NMC allows 12), and each is above the NMC's floor (6.5 in listening, reading and speaking, 6.0 in writing). The best scores are 7.5, 7.0, 6.5 and 7.5, which meet 7, 7, 6.5 and 7. The earlier sitting keeps the result in date until 14 February 2028.
NMBI: Does not meet
NMBI accepts one test result only. Sitting 1 has 7.0 or more in three skills but 6.0 in writing, below the 6.5 floor; sitting 2 has only two skills at 7.0. The nurse needs a new sitting that meets all of NMBI's scores on its own.
The rules
English test rules by regulator
How the result is worked out. A test is accepted only if the regulator names it. A single sitting meets the rule when every skill reaches its minimum and, where one is set, the overall band or OET total does too. Two sittings are combined only where the regulator allows it: same test, inside its time window, each sitting above its floor; then your best score in each skill counts. The expiry date is the earlier test date plus the regulator's validity period. IELTS overall bands left blank are worked out as IELTS does: the mean of the four, rounded to the nearest half band.
Left out. We could not read the GMC's and ECFMG's own pages, so their One Skill Retake and OET@Home rules show as "check". TruMerit's criteria for tests taken before 12 May 2026, and the PSI's scores for the new TOEFL scale, are not published in a form we could use, so the checker sends you to them.
| Regulator | Accepted | IELTS | OET | Validity and combining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMCNurses and midwives | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, OET, OET@Home | 7.0 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing. No overall score is required. | Grade B (350) in listening, reading and speaking and C+ (300) in writing. | The scores must have been achieved within two years at the point the NMC considers your complete application. Two sittings of the same test, taken within 12 months of each other, with all four skills tested both times. You cannot combine IELTS with OET.Source · Effective 8 March 2024 (page date) |
| GMCDoctors | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, IELTS Online, OETCheck: OET@Home | 7.5 overall and at least 7.0 in each skill. | Grade B (350) in all four sub-tests. | Two years. The certificate must still be valid when you sit PLAB 1 and when the GMC approves your registration. The GMC asks for the scores in one sitting, and that sitting must be your most recent.Source |
| HCPCPhysiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, dietitians and podiatrists | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, IELTS General, OET, TOEFL (old scale), TOEFL (new scale) | 7.0 overall with no skill below 6.5. | Total of 1400 across the four sub-tests, none below 300. | No more than two years old when the HCPC receives your application. The HCPC does not say you can combine two full sittings, so the checker uses one sitting (plus a One Skill Retake, if you add one).Source · Effective 13 June 2025 (page date) |
| HCPCParamedics, biomedical and clinical scientists, ODPs and other HCPC professions | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, IELTS General, TOEFL (old scale), TOEFL (new scale) | 7.0 overall with no skill below 6.5. | Not accepted | No more than two years old when the HCPC receives your application. The HCPC does not say you can combine two full sittings, so the checker uses one sitting (plus a One Skill Retake, if you add one).Source · Effective 13 June 2025 (page date) |
| HCPCSpeech and language therapists | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, IELTS General, OET, TOEFL (old scale), TOEFL (new scale) | 8.0 overall with no skill below 7.5. | Total of 1800 across the four sub-tests, none below 400. | No more than two years old when the HCPC receives your application. The HCPC does not say you can combine two full sittings, so the checker uses one sitting (plus a One Skill Retake, if you add one).Source · Effective 13 June 2025 (page date) |
| GDCDentists and dental care professionals | IELTS Academic, IELTS OnlineCheck: IELTS for UKVI | 7.0 overall and at least 6.5 in each skill. | Not accepted | Usually less than two years old when you submit your application. The GDC asks for a single IELTS Test Report Form, so the checker uses one sitting.Source |
| GPhCPharmacists and pharmacy technicians | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, OETCheck: IELTS Online | 7.0 overall and at least 7.0 in each skill, at one sitting. | Grade B (350) in all four sub-tests, at one sitting. | Normally less than two years old when you apply. Older results may be accepted if you can show you kept up your English. The GPhC asks for the scores at one sitting of the test.Source · Effective June 2025 |
| GOCOptometrists (international route) | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI | 7.0 overall, at least 6.0 in each section and 7.0 in speaking. | Not accepted | The GOC's page does not state an age limit for the result. Check with the GOC. The GOC page does not mention combining sittings, so the checker uses one sitting.Source |
| Medical CouncilDoctors | IELTS Academic, OET, CambridgeCheck: IELTS for UKVI | 7.0 overall and at least 6.5 in each module, in a single sitting. | Grade B (350) in each module, in a single sitting. | Certificates must be dated within two years of both the date you submit the application and the date of registration. The Council asks for the scores in a single sitting.Source |
| NMBINurses and midwives | IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, OET | 7.0 overall, at least 7.0 in any three skills and 6.5 in the fourth. | Grade B (350) in three sub-tests and C+ (300) in the fourth. | Less than two years old when you submit your registration application (stage 2), not at recognition. NMBI accepts only one test result and does not accept combined results.Source |
| CORUDietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, optical professions and podiatrists | IELTS Academic, OET, OET@Home, CambridgeCheck: IELTS for UKVI | 7.0 overall with no element below 6.5. | Grade B (350) in three sub-tests and at least C+ (300) in the fourth. | Certificates must be dated within two years of your application. Up to two sittings with the same provider, the second within six months of the first. The overall score must be met in both sittings.Source · Effective 8 May 2026 |
| CORUMedical scientists, social workers and social care workers | IELTS Academic, CambridgeCheck: IELTS for UKVI | 7.0 overall with no element below 6.5. | Not accepted | Certificates must be dated within two years of your application. Up to two sittings with the same provider, the second within six months of the first. The overall score must be met in both sittings.Source · Effective 8 May 2026 |
| CORURadiographers and radiation therapists | IELTS Academic, OET, OET@Home, CambridgeCheck: IELTS for UKVI | 7.0 overall with no element below 7.0. | Grade B (350) in all four sub-tests (OET Radiography). | Certificates must be dated within two years of your application. Up to two sittings with the same provider, the second within six months of the first. The overall score must be met in both sittings.Source · Effective 8 May 2026 |
| CORUSpeech and language therapists | IELTS Academic, OET, OET@Home, CambridgeCheck: IELTS for UKVI | 8.0 overall with no element below 7.5. | 400 in three sub-tests and at least 350 in the fourth (OET Speech Pathology). | Certificates must be dated within two years of your application. Up to two sittings with the same provider, the second within six months of the first. The overall score must be met in both sittings.Source · Effective 8 May 2026 |
| PSIPharmacists | IELTS Academic, OET, TOEFL (old scale), CambridgeCheck: IELTS for UKVI, TOEFL (new scale) | 7 overall, with 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing. | 350 in listening, reading and speaking and 300 in writing. | Valid for two years from the date of the test. Super-scoring: two sittings of the same test in the same format, within six months, each meeting the PSI's base scores.Source · Effective Scores approved by the PSI Council on 23 June 2022 |
| Dental CouncilDentists | IELTS Academic, OETCheck: IELTS for UKVI | At least 7.0 in each of the four modules. | At least grade B (350) in each of the four sub-tests. | No more than two years before you submit your application for registration. The Council's page does not address combining sittings, so the checker uses one sitting.Source |
| VisaScreenRegistered nurses, OTs, PTs and other bachelor's-level health care workers | IELTS Academic, OET, TOEFL (new scale), PTE Academic, Cambridge, METCheck: IELTS for UKVI, TOEFL (old scale) | 6.5 overall with 7.0 in speaking. | Speaking 360, reading 340, writing 350 and listening 320. | TruMerit's page does not state an age limit for test results. TruMerit does not say you can combine sittings, so the checker uses one sitting.Source · Effective Tests taken on or after 12 May 2026 |
| VisaScreenLPN/LVNs and other health care workers below bachelor's level | IELTS Academic, OET, TOEFL (new scale), PTE Academic, Cambridge, METCheck: IELTS for UKVI, TOEFL (old scale) | 6.0 overall with 7.0 in speaking. | Speaking 360, reading 310, writing 290 and listening 290. | TruMerit's page does not state an age limit for test results. TruMerit does not say you can combine sittings, so the checker uses one sitting.Source · Effective Tests taken on or after 12 May 2026 |
| ECFMGInternational medical graduates | OETCheck: OET@Home | Not accepted | 350 in listening, reading and speaking and 300 in writing, in one test administration. | For the 2027 Pathways, the passing result must be from a test taken on or after 1 January 2025. ECFMG needs all four scores in one test administration; if you miss one, you retake all four.Source |
Going to Germany?
German recognition asks for German, not English: usually a B2 certificate, then for doctors a medical language test (Fachsprachprüfung) at C1 level, and for nurses B2 German such as telc Deutsch B2 Pflege. Each state sets the details, so this is not a score check. See our Fachsprachprüfung guide.
FAQ
Questions about English test scores
IELTS Academic with at least 7.0 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing. The NMC sets no overall score. IELTS for UKVI (Academic) is accepted; IELTS Online, the IELTS Indicator and One Skill Retake are not.
Yes, if both are the same test (not IELTS with OET), taken within 12 months of each other, with all four skills tested both times. Each sitting must reach a minimum: for IELTS 6.5 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.0 in writing; for OET C+ (300) in listening, reading and speaking and C (250) in writing.
Yes. The NMC accepts OET on paper, on computer and OET@Home, and you can combine an OET@Home sitting with a paper or computer one. NMBI, the GPhC, the HCPC, the Medical Council and the Dental Council do not accept OET at home.
No. The NMC accepts IELTS Academic and OET only. Of the bodies in this checker, the HCPC and the PSI accept TOEFL iBT, and only VisaScreen in the USA accepts PTE Academic.
IELTS Academic with 7.0 overall, at least 7.0 in any three skills and 6.5 in the fourth, from one test less than two years old when you submit your registration application. For OET Nursing, NMBI asks for grade B in three sub-tests and C+ in one. NMBI does not combine results.
A total of 1400 across the four sub-tests with none below 300, using your profession's OET taken at a test centre. Speech and language therapists need 1800 with none below 400. The HCPC accepts OET only for podiatrists, dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, radiographers and speech and language therapists.
Most regulators accept results up to two years old, but they measure the two years to different dates: the NMC to when it assesses your complete application, the Medical Council to both your application and your registration, and the PSI from the test date. The checker shows the date for your regulator.
For doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives, an English assessment accepted by the regulator also meets the Health and Care Worker visa requirement. HCPC professions, pharmacists and optometrists must meet B2 separately, for example with IELTS for UKVI at 5.5 in each skill, unless they are exempt.
Sources
Where the figures come from
- 1NMC: IELTS Academic (updated 8 March 2024)
- 2NMC: OET (updated 8 March 2024)
- 3NMC: guidance on English language requirements (June 2023, PDF)
- 4GMC: using your IELTS certificate
- 5GMC: using your OET certificate
- 6HCPC: English language proficiency (updated 13 June 2025)
Show all 23 sourcesShow fewer sources
- 7GDC: English language controls
- 8GDC: guidance on English language controls (PDF, version 4.1)
- 9GPhC: guidance on evidence of English language skills (June 2025, PDF)
- 10GOC: international optometrists
- 11Medical Council: English language requirements
- 12NMBI: English language requirements
- 13CORU: language requirements (applications from 8 May 2026)
- 14PSI: language requirements
- 15Dental Council: language proficiency
- 16TruMerit: VisaScreen (at-home tests not accepted)
- 17TruMerit: tests and scores for health care workers from 12 May 2026
- 18ECFMG: OET Medicine for the Pathways
- 19GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa, knowledge of English
- 20Immigration Rules: Appendix English Language (EL 9.1)
- 21GOV.UK: approved Secure English Language Tests and their CEFR scores
- 22IELTS: IELTS and the CEFR
- 23OET: results and scoring (CEFR benchmarking table)
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