How to work as a doctor in the UK: PLAB route and GMC fees (2026)

Official fees: £1,800plus 3 that vary
Steps: 6from degree to licence
Language: English: IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with at least 7.0 in each part, or OET Medicine
Planning time: About 1–2 years from the English test to registration
Our estimate, not official

Where did you qualify?

Outside the EU and English-speaking countries EU, EEA or Switzerland UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand

Graduates of medical schools in the EEA or Switzerland usually do not need PLAB. Check the GMC's route for your qualification.

Step by step

Each fee links to the page we took it from.

1

Prove your English
paid to IELTS or OET

IELTS Academic with at least 7.0 in each area and 7.5 overall, in one sitting – or OET Medicine at the GMC's required grades. The test fee goes to the test provider. Source
2

Open a GMC Online account
EPIC fees apply

The GMC checks that your medical qualification and English are acceptable before you can book PLAB 1. Your primary medical qualification is verified through EPIC.
3

Pass PLAB 1
£283

Written exam: 180 single-best-answer questions in three hours. You can sit it in the UK and in a number of other countries. Source
4

Pass PLAB 2
£1,036

Clinical exam (OSCE) with 16 scenarios of eight minutes each, such as a mock consultation or an acute ward, held at the GMC's clinical assessment centre in the UK. Source
5

Register with a licence to practise
£481

Apply within two years of passing PLAB 2. There is a 50 % discount if your worldwide income is under £38,500. Source
6

Find a job and a visa
visa fees apply

Most international doctors start in an NHS trust post and come on a Health and Care Worker visa sponsored by the employer.

Not included: courses, translations, travel, visas and living costs.

Practise with someone who passed

One-to-one online sessions with doctors who sat these exams themselves – they know what the examiners want.

PLAB 1 tutors →PLAB 2 tutors →

Study materials

Official practice tests, books and courses for each exam, checked on the publisher's or exam body's own page.

PLAB 1 materials →PLAB 2 materials →

Stories from people who took this route

No story here yet. Took this route yourself? Share your story – it helps the next person more than any brochure.

Choose where to live

Compare the United Kingdom's 12 regions and nations side by side: immigrant population, people from your country, recorded crime and, where official data exists, hate crime. Official figures only, no scores.

Compare regions of the United Kingdom →

Settling in the United Kingdom

Renting a home, using your driving licence and the paperwork of your first months – three short guides, every rule linked to the official page.

Renting a home →Driving licence →Everyday life →

Agencies that help with this route

No agency listed for this route yet.

Recruiter, school or consultant for doctors in the United Kingdom? List your agency.

Questions

Where is PLAB 2 held?

Only in the UK, at the GMC's clinical assessment centre. You need a visitor visa for the trip if your nationality requires one.

How long are PLAB results valid?

You must be granted registration within two years of passing PLAB 2.

What happens if I cancel PLAB?

The GMC keeps part of the fee. For PLAB 2 it keeps 10 % more than 42 days before the test, 50 % between 42 and 29 days, and everything 28 days or less before.

Sources

Last checked 19 October 2026. Fees and rules change – always confirm with the regulator before you pay. PassPeers is independent and not affiliated with any regulator or exam provider.