How to Become a Registered Nurse in the UK

Are you a nurse looking to relocate to the UK? The UK is currently in need of nurses and other health workers so you might consider moving to the UK to work as a registered nurse as there are more opportunities there with better pay.

We know it can be quite daunting when you do not have the right information on how to become a registered nurse in the UK which is why we put this article together to guide you step by step. If you are a practising nurse, we are here to tell you that you can become a registered nurse in the UK from your home country.

What you will require for this and how to go about it will be covered in this article, do we well to
engage with this article and we will be here to answer any questions you might have.

Here is the step-by-step process to becoming a registered nurse (R.N) in the UK

1. Get your International Passport ready

A major requirement for this process is your international passport as you will need it for your IELTS and Tuberculosis tests. If you are looking at travelling abroad as a nurse, the first step is usually to apply for your international passport.

2. Register for IELTS/OET

Another prerequisite to getting a visa to travel to the UK as a nurse is writing IELTS or OET exam. (OET means occupational English Test for health professionals). Ensure you register and write these exams as soon as possible and aim to get a band 7 for IELTS and above to increase your chances of being picked.

Many experts advise you to write the IELTS/OET exam first before the NMC CBT exam we will show you how to register in this article. This will enable you to prepare well for each one, rather than preparing for both at the same time.

3. Register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of the UK

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of the UK is an independent regulator for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. It is important you register with this body if you intend to practice as a nurse or midwife in the UK. You cannot practice as a nurse in England if you are not registered with them.

Registration for the Nursing and Midwifery Council of the UK costs £153.

Once you register on their website, you will get an email asking you to upload all the necessary documents. They will also assign you a CRM number needed for your verification with NMCN. Note that this verification can be done virtually now. Once you’ve verified with NMC of the UK, you can now prepare for your OET exam.

Note: It is advisable that you are a member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of your own country as this will give you more credibility with the UK authorities and employers.

4. Write the NMC Computer Based Test(CBT)

The CBT test costs £130. You can resit your papers if you fail but you will have to pay again for the exam. here’s the link to register. When you have written and passed this exam, you have crossed a major
hurdle. You are now ready to start applying for jobs nursing jobs in the UK.

5. Apply to Jobs

After meeting all the criteria above, you can start applying for jobs so as to get a sponsor.

You will need an Occupation code also known as ONC code to apply to jobs in the UK. You can see the full list of UK health worker ONC codes here.

You can either use an agent or these sites to look for nursing jobs in the UK that offer visa sponsorship;

https://lavhi.com/jobs
https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/
https://apps.trac.jobs
https://www.jobs.nhs.uk
https://www.nurses.co.uk
Look for jobs around band 4 since you are a still a pre-registered nurse, and haven’t written the OSCE yet.

When you get a band 4 job and you get to the UK, you can now write your OSCE from inside the UK. This is the last part of the CBT test and once you pass this, you can start applying for Band 5 jobs which is where your qualification falls in the UK.

6. Getting a COS

Keep applying for jobs and prepping for interviews, once you get chosen, your sponsor will require the following documents in order to issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship that will help with your visa application.
The documents include;

Nursing diploma certificate or degree certificate
Nursing license
Birth certificate
Tuberculosis Test
Police clearance certificate
Proof of address (you can use light bill, bank statement or gas bill)
References if you have been out of school for 2 to 3 years.

7. Apply for your UK Visa

Once you have secured employment with a NHS approved organization that offers sponsorship and you have been issued your COS, you can now apply for your visa to come and work as a nurse in the UK. Youu will also be requiring the documents listed above.

The Lavhi team wishes you good success!