Onterra Tutor🇬🇧 NHS nursing (NMC registration)
To register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and work as a nurse or midwife in the UK, you need IELTS Academic at 7.0 overall, with at least 7.0 in Listening, Reading and Speaking. Writing is the one concession: a 6.5 in Writing is accepted as long as everything else holds.
The requirement at a glance
| Test accepted | IELTS Academic |
|---|---|
| Overall band | 7.0 |
| Listening, Reading, Speaking | 7.0 in each |
| Writing | 6.5 accepted (7.0 preferred) |
What people miss
- It must be the Academic test. General Training is not accepted by the NMC.
- The NMC lets you combine two sittings taken within 6 months, if both are 6.5+ in every skill and together they cover the required scores.
- The OET (Occupational English Test) is an alternative route with grades B (and C+ in writing).
- Recruiting trusts often sponsor the Health and Care Worker visa once your English and NMC steps clear, so the language score is usually the gate.
Are you already there?
Find out before you pay the exam fee. Check a real essay or record a speaking answer and get examiner-style bands in about a minute, free.
Questions people ask
Can nurses combine two IELTS sittings for the NMC?
Yes. Two Academic sittings within 6 months can be combined if no skill drops below 6.5 in either sitting and the combined result meets the full requirement.
Is 6.5 in writing really accepted for NHS nursing?
Yes, the NMC accepts 6.5 in Writing specifically, provided Listening, Reading and Speaking are 7.0 or better and the overall is 7.0.
Figures reflect commonly published requirements and can change. Confirm against the official government or regulator source before booking.