GMC Registration for Overseas Doctors: PLAB, Costs, and Timeline in 2026

Every doctor who wants to practice medicine in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). For International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who did not train in the UK or a recognised EEA country, the primary pathway to registration runs through the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) — a two-part examination system that tests both theoretical knowledge and practical clinical competence.

This is what that process actually involves, what it costs, and how long it realistically takes.

The Two Routes to GMC Registration

Route 1: PLAB. For most IMGs, including doctors from India, Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan, Egypt, and the Philippines, PLAB is the standard route. It consists of two distinct assessments.

Route 2: Specialist recognition. Doctors with primary medical qualifications from countries that have formal recognition agreements with the GMC (mainly European EEA countries, and some others through specific bilateral arrangements) may qualify for direct registration without PLAB. This is a smaller and more restricted category. If you are uncertain whether your qualification qualifies, the GMC's eligibility checker tool is the starting point.

This post focuses on the PLAB route, which applies to the majority of international doctors seeking UK registration.

Step 1: Credential Verification Through MyIntealth

Before sitting PLAB, you must have your primary medical qualification verified. A major administrative change came into effect entering 2025: the EPIC credential verification system was retired. All international qualification verification is now handled through the MyIntealth platform.

Through MyIntealth, you:

• Create an account and submit your medical degree for primary source verification
• Provide your medical school's contact details so MyIntealth can verify your qualification directly
• Wait for verification approval before receiving PLAB 1 authorisation

This verification step is important because it operates separately from your PLAB application and takes time. Start it before you sit any exams. If your medical school is slow to respond to verification requests — a common problem in some regions — this step can stretch to several months.

Step 2: English Language Requirements

The GMC requires proof of English language proficiency before registration. Accepted tests and minimum scores:

IELTS Academic: Overall 7.5, with a minimum of 7.0 in each of the four domains (reading, writing, listening, speaking).

OET: Grade B in all four domains.

If you already passed PLAB in English — which the exam inherently requires — and your certificate is recent, the GMC may accept this as implicit evidence. However, for the visa application itself, having a valid IELTS or OET score covering both the GMC and UKVI requirements is the cleanest approach.

A useful advantage: if your English language test meets GMC standards, the Home Office automatically accepts it for the visa application. You do not need to sit a separate SELT (Secure English Language Test).

Step 3: PLAB 1

What it is: A written multiple-choice examination with 180 questions, testing clinical knowledge across all major medical specialties. It is designed to assess whether an IMG's theoretical medical knowledge meets the standard of a UK Foundation Year 2 (FY2) doctor.

Where it is held: PLAB 1 is available at test centres globally, including centres in India, Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan, and elsewhere — you do not need to travel to the UK to sit it.

Cost: £283 per attempt.

Passing: Results are given as a simple pass or fail. Pass score thresholds are set by the GMC through a standard-setting process and vary slightly by sitting. If you fail, you can resit — there is no hard cap on the number of PLAB 1 attempts, but you must pass PLAB 1 within three years of passing your English language test.

Preparation: The GMC publishes a blueprint document listing the clinical domains and topic weightings for PLAB 1. Multiple well-established prep resources exist: Passmedicine, Pastest, and dedicated PLAB prep books. Most candidates who pass PLAB 1 report studying for 3–6 months.

Step 4: PLAB 2

What it is: A full-day practical clinical assessment held only in the UK (Manchester). It consists of 18 stations, each 8 minutes long, covering simulated clinical scenarios: history-taking, examination, diagnosis, communication, prescribing, and emergency management. It mirrors the format of UK clinical finals and postgraduate assessments.

Where it is held: Only in Manchester, England. You must travel to the UK specifically for PLAB 2. This means either obtaining a visitor visa for the exam, or sitting PLAB 2 after arriving on your Health and Care Worker visa.

Cost: £1,036 per attempt — significantly more expensive than PLAB 1.

Booking: PLAB 2 sitting dates have historically had waiting lists. Demand is high, and available test slots are limited. Check booking availability early — for popular sitting periods, slots can be fully booked several months in advance.

Passing: Three attempts are permitted within a rolling period. After three failures, the pathway closes and re-entry requires a fresh application.

Preparation: PLAB 2 requires practising clinical scenarios in role-play format, understanding UK consultation structure (Calgary-Cambridge model is widely referenced), and being comfortable with UK-specific safety frameworks and escalation protocols. Group preparation courses in Manchester (typically run by UK clinical trainers) are common and effective.

Step 5: Full Registration and Licence to Practice

Once you have passed both PLAB parts and satisfied the GMC's English language and identity requirements, you apply for full registration with a licence to practice. The fee for this as of 2025/2026 is between £433 and £481 (the GMC adjusts fees periodically).

With full registration granted, you can:

• Practice medicine independently in the UK
• Apply for NHS junior doctor posts, specialty training, or hospital trust clinical roles
• Use GMC registration as evidence of professional clearance for the Health and Care Worker visa CoS

Timeline and Costs Summary

A realistic timeline for an IMG applying from outside the UK:

Total elapsed time: 12–24 months from starting the process to arriving in the UK with a visa. 12 months is possible with no exam resits and quick employer matching. 18–24 months is more common.

Total costs: Approximately £2,500–£3,500 in registration, exam, and visa fees, not including travel to the UK for PLAB 2 or English test resits.

After Registration: Finding NHS Posts

Most overseas doctors enter the NHS through Foundation Year posts (if FY2 equivalent is accepted) or through Clinical Fellow or Trust Grade Doctor posts, which are non-training positions that give UK clinical experience before entering specialty training through the formal competitive application rounds.

Once your GMC registration is complete and you have a job offer from an NHS trust, the visa application for the Health and Care Worker route follows the same process as for nurses and AHPs — CoS from the employer, online application, biometrics, and typically 2–3 weeks to a decision.

The UK Health & Care Worker Visa Guide covers the full immigration pathway for doctors alongside nurses and allied health professionals, including the document requirements specific to GMC-registered applicants and the timing for getting the visa application right relative to your PLAB 2 results.