Step 4 of 7 · NG → GB
Meet the NMC English-language evidence standard — Nigeria to United Kingdom
Use an evidence route the NMC accepts: an approved test, a pre-registration nursing or midwifery qualification taught and examined in English, or recent practice in a majority English-speaking country. Each route has detailed evidence rules of its own.
- Jurisdiction scope
- United Kingdom professional registration
- Last verified
- Relevant official-body pillar
- Nursing and Midwifery Council
Purpose
Why this decision point exists
Demonstrate English proficiency through evidence the NMC accepts.
Who needs it
Check whether it applies
Every applicant who has not already satisfied the NMC standard through accepted evidence.
Requirements
What to check at this step
- Use the live NMC guidance for test validity, combination and supporting evidence. — Nursing and Midwifery Council (external site)
- Where education was in a non-majority-English-speaking country, supply the specified academic and employer evidence if relying on that route. — Nursing and Midwifery Council (external site)
Common mistakes
Where applicants trip up
- Treating nationality or an English-medium statement alone as an automatic exemption.
One fact at a time
Official facts
Each value appears with its effective date and cited source. We never assume an optional fact applies to you, and we never convert currencies.
No confirmed numeric fact is shown for this page. Check the linked official pages for current fees, timing, and requirements; a missing value is not zero.
The order of decisions
Where this step sits in the reviewed pathway
Work through the decision points in this order, and expect the responsible body to change, add, or remove requirements for your circumstances.
Step 1
Confirm the UK-wide overseas-trained NMC routeUse the NMC overseas-trained route for professional registration. If employment is involved, check recruitment against the England recruitment code and check immigration separately under the Health and Care Worker visa rules.
Step 2
Provide identity, qualification and registration evidenceComplete the NMC ID Check with acceptable identity evidence and provide the required qualification information. The qualification must allow, or have allowed, registration in the country of training; NMC seeks confirmation from the relevant regulator or, where applicable, the education institution.
Step 3
Pay for and await NMC qualification evaluationNMC evaluates the qualification after the required application material and third-party confirmations are complete. The evaluation outcome determines whether a Test of Competence is required.
Step 4
Meet the NMC English-language evidence standardUse an evidence route the NMC accepts: an approved test, a pre-registration nursing or midwifery qualification taught and examined in English, or recent practice in a majority English-speaking country. Each route has detailed evidence rules of its own.
Step 5
Complete the Test of Competence only if requiredComplete CBT and OSCE only if the NMC requires it after qualification evaluation. The two parts may be taken in either order under NMC rules; OSCE is delivered by an approved United Kingdom provider.
Step 6
Complete health, character, identity and registration decisionProvide the required health and character declarations, police or identity evidence and referee responses, then pay the registration fee and await the NMC decision.
Step 7
Follow the residence-based recruitment code and obtain work permissionNigeria is on the red list under the England recruitment code, so organisations and agencies must not actively recruit people living in Nigeria. You can still apply yourself to a specific advertised vacancy that the sponsoring employer hosts and recruits directly. The rule follows where you live; it says nothing about your nationality and it does not block NMC registration.
Evidence record
Official source ledger
Each entry records who published the source, what it covers, and when it was last checked.
- Nursing and Midwifery Council
English language requirements
- Scope
- United Kingdom professional registration
- Last verified