As far as nursing goes, there aren’t many better places to work than the United Kingdom. Nurses working in NHS roles are paid under national pay bands; from 1 April 2026, a newly registered Band 5 nurse in England starts at £32,073 a year, or about $42,500 depending on the exchange rate. Job opportunities remain available, although demand should be checked against current vacancy data; as of 31 March 2026, NHS England reported 21,643 vacancies in the registered nursing staff group in England.
Public healthcare in the UK is delivered through the National Health Service (NHS), one of the world’s largest healthcare employers. NHS roles commonly come with national terms and conditions, including paid leave, pension arrangements, and the right to request flexible working. Individual benefits and training opportunities can vary by employer, role, and location.
While the NHS provides most publicly funded healthcare, there are also private hospitals and independent healthcare providers. Salaries outside the NHS vary by employer, specialty, location, and experience, so compare job offers carefully.
This guide will set you on your way as we talk about the basic steps of how to become a nurse in the UK.
How to Become a Nurse in the United Kingdom
Step 1. Get a Nursing Education and Work Experience
To become a nurse in the UK, you’ll need to meet the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). If you study in the UK, the usual direct route is an NMC-approved pre-registration nursing degree, such as a BSc or BNurs. Some graduate-entry master’s routes are also available. If you trained outside the UK, the NMC will assess your qualification and registration route and tell you which evidence you need to provide.
If you choose to study in the UK, you’ll usually specialize in one of four fields: adult nursing, children’s nursing, learning disability nursing, or mental health nursing. Each of these specializations trains you in the fundamentals of the profession and field-specific skills. UK’s King’s College London, the University of Manchester, and the University of East Anglia are examples of UK universities that offer nursing programs; King’s College London is currently ranked second in the world for nursing in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
The advantage of more specialized education is that it allows you to work closer to your interests and increases your value in a specific job market. You also have the option to do a dual-field degree, which means that you’ll study two of the four nursing fields.
Overseas-trained nurses generally need to provide qualification and registration information, meet English language, health, and character requirements, and pass the Test of Competence unless an exemption applies. The NMC’s “recent practice in English” route can use one year of recent practice in a majority-English-speaking country as English evidence, but this is not the same as a blanket one-year work-experience requirement for every overseas applicant.
Step 2. Take an English Proficiency Test
Nursing is one profession where communication skills are essential. You’ll constantly be talking to patients and doctors, often under very stressful conditions. Because of this, you must have a strong command of English.
To become a registered nurse in the United Kingdom, you’ll need to meet the NMC’s English language requirements. If you use an English test, the NMC accepts IELTS Academic and the OET only. For IELTS Academic, you’ll need at least 7.0 in listening, reading, and speaking and 6.5 in writing. For the OET, you’ll need at least grade B in listening, reading, and speaking and grade C+ in writing. The TOEFL is not currently accepted by the NMC.
Step 3. Apply Through the Nursing and Midwifery Council
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is responsible for regulating nursing and midwifery professionals in the UK. It maintains the register of nurses, midwives, and nursing associates who can legally practice in the country.
To apply to be registered with the NMC, you’ll complete an eligibility and qualification application and provide the evidence requested for your route. This can include identity evidence, qualification and registration information, English language evidence, health and character evidence, and confirmation of professional indemnity arrangements. The NMC may also verify information with referees. It’s best to check the NMC’s website for the current list of requirements before you apply.
To become registered with the NMC, many internationally trained applicants need to pass the Test of Competence. This has two main parts: a computer-based test (CBT) and a practical Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The CBT includes Part A for numeracy and Part B for clinical questions, while the OSCE has ten stations. You’ll take the test that matches the part of the register you’re applying for, such as adult nursing, children’s nursing, learning disability nursing, or mental health nursing. Practice materials are available online.
Step 4. Find a Job
After you have secured NMC registration, or while you are completing an employer-supported route toward registration, the next step is finding employment. A confirmed eligible job offer is also required for the Health and Care Worker visa. Most healthcare professionals in the country work for the NHS, so a good place to conduct your job search is the NHS Jobs website. There, you can search for roles by keyword, sector, occupation, location, and salary.
Outside of this, you can also look for jobs through sites like Indeed, Glassdoor, individual NHS trust websites, private hospital websites, and recruitment agencies that specialize in healthcare. If you study in the UK, your university’s career services and placement network can also be valuable tools.
Step 5. Secure a Health and Care Worker Visa
The UK has a special visa for health professionals called the Health and Care Worker visa. To apply for this visa, you’ll need a confirmed job offer from an eligible UK employer that has been approved by the Home Office. Your employer will give you a certificate of sponsorship reference number, which you’ll need for your visa application.
You’ll also need proof of English proficiency, a valid passport or identity document, your job title and annual salary, your occupation code, and your employer’s name and sponsor license number. You must also meet the salary requirement for your role. For many eligible health and care jobs, the salary must usually be at least £25,000 or the job’s going rate, whichever is higher, although some occupation codes have different salary rules.
A Health and Care Worker visa can last for up to five years. You’ll need to extend or update it if it expires or if you change jobs or employers. All applications must be completed online through the UK government’s website, and applicants outside the UK usually receive a decision within three weeks after applying online, proving their identity, and providing their documents.
Choosing the United Kingdom for your nursing career means working within one of the world’s largest healthcare systems, with competitive salaries and opportunities for professional development. By following the steps above and checking the latest NMC and UK government requirements, you can work toward becoming a highly valued healthcare professional in the UK.
We hope that you found this article on how to become a nurse in the UK informative and helpful. To learn more, make sure to also check out the Study in the UK Guide and other Available Programs for International Students!
