There are several routes to NMC registration as a nurse: a nursing degree (a ~3-year BSc in a chosen field); a Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (~4 years, earn-while-you-learn); or qualifying first as a Nursing Associate (a 2-year foundation degree with its own NMC registration) and later topping up to Registered Nurse. All routes lead to NMC registration and a PIN, subject to meeting the NMC’s education, English-language and health-and-character requirements.
At a glance
- Regulator
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)[2]
- Register parts
- Registered Nurse (four fields), Midwife, Nursing Associate, SCPHN[2]
- Shortest domestic route
- Accelerated two-year programme, for applicants who already hold a degree[1]
- Overseas route
- Test of Competence — CBT online in-country, then OSCE in the UK[3]
- Renewal
- Revalidation every three years[1]
- Annual fee
- £143 from 1 October 2026 (previously £120) — the first rise in 11 years[4]
How long it takes
2-4 years from starting training to full registration[1]
- Pre-registration programme3 years
An NMC-approved nursing degree in one of the four fields of practice. Applicants who already hold a degree may enter an accelerated two-year programme; the apprenticeship route runs to four years.[1]
Unsalaried on the degree route; the apprenticeship route is salaried throughout.
- NMC registrationmilestone
Admission to the relevant part of the register — Registered Nurse in a specific field, Midwife, Nursing Associate or SCPHN. The part matters: registration is to a field, not to nursing in general.[2]
- Practice as a registered nurse3 years
The first revalidation cycle. Registration is maintained by paying the annual fee and by revalidating every three years.[1]
Salaried.
Ways in
- Nursing degree (BSc)
- 3 years · An NMC-approved pre-registration programme in one of the four fields. · not salaried[1]
- Accelerated programme for graduates
- 2 years · An existing degree, usually in a related subject. · not salaried[1]
- Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship
- 4 years · An apprenticeship post with a sponsoring employer. · Salaried throughout; prior learning can shorten it. · salaried[1]
- Nursing associate, then top-up to RN
- Registration as a nursing associate, then a shortened top-up programme. · salaried[1]
- Internationally-educated nurse (Test of Competence)
- A recognised overseas nursing qualification. · CBT sat online in the applicant's own country, then an OSCE sat in the UK. · not salaried[3]
Entry requirements & restrictions
- NMC-approved programme
- The pre-registration programme must be approved by the NMC for the relevant part and field of the register.[2]
- Field of practice
- Registration is to a specific field — Adult, Children's, Mental Health or Learning Disabilities — not to nursing generally.[2]
- Test of Competence
- Required for internationally-educated applicants: CBT then OSCE.[3]
What it costs to qualify
- Pre-registration programme tuition
- not yet verified · Varies by UK nation, entry route and fee status; NHS learning-support funding applies in some nations. Published only once checked against the primary source. · each year of study
- NMC annual registration fee
- £143 · Raised from £120 on 1 October 2026 — the first increase in 11 years; registrants notified of payment before that date pay £120. · annually, by the fee expiry date[4]
What you earn at each stage
What the regulator requires
The NMC registers nurses, midwives and nursing associates in the UK. Registration is to a specific part of the register, and for Registered Nurses to a specific field of practice — Adult, Children's, Mental Health or Learning Disabilities. Registration is maintained by paying the annual fee and by revalidating every three years. Non-payment by the fee expiry date lapses registration automatically, and practice must stop until readmission.
What changed, and what's changing
- 2026-10-01: The NMC's annual registration fee increased from £120 to £143 — its first fee increase in 11 years.
- [4]
Where applications fail
- Letting the annual fee lapse
- Non-payment by the fee expiry date lapses registration automatically, and practice must stop until readmission — which can take between two and six weeks.[5]Registrants should hold an active Direct Debit rather than relying on a card payment near the deadline.
- Expecting to pay in instalments by card
- Instalments are available only by Direct Debit; card payment must be made in full.[6]Applicants wanting quarterly payments should set the Direct Debit up well before the fee expiry month.
- Assuming registration covers all four fields
- A Registered Nurse is registered to a specific field of practice, not to nursing in general.[2]Applicants should confirm the field their programme leads to before applying.
Common myths
- Overseas nurses only need to pass the CBT.
- The Test of Competence has two parts — the CBT taken online in-country, and an OSCE taken in the UK.[3]
- Nursing always takes three years.
- Three years is the standard degree. Existing graduates may enter an accelerated two-year route; the salaried apprenticeship route runs to about four.[1]
- NMC fees have been rising steadily.
- They were unchanged for 11 years. The first increase took effect on 1 October 2026, from £120 to £143.[4]
Where it can take you
- Specialist practice
- Practice in a specialty following registration in a field.
- SCPHN
- A separate part of the register — Specialist Community Public Health Nurse.[2]
Common questions
How long does it take to become a nurse in the UK?
Can you train as a nurse while being paid?
What happens if a nurse misses the NMC annual fee deadline?
How do internationally-educated nurses register in the UK?
Sources & verification
- Routes to NMC registration include a nursing degree (~3yr BSc), a Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (~4yr), and the Nursing Associate route with a top-up to Registered Nurse, source, Last verified 2026-06-09
- The NMC register has distinct parts: Registered Nurse (four fields: Adult, Children's, Mental Health, Learning Disabilities), Midwife, Nursing Associate, and SCPHN, source, Last verified 2026-07-24
- Internationally-educated nurses register via the Test of Competence: a Computer-Based Test (CBT) taken online, then an OSCE taken in the UK, source, Last verified 2026-07-24
- On 1 October 2026 the NMC's annual registration fee increased from £120 to £143, its first increase in 11 years; registrants notified of payment before that date pay £120 and those notified after it pay £143, source, Last verified 2026-10-15 🔶
- If the annual fee is not paid by the fee expiry date, registration automatically lapses and the registrant cannot practise until readmitted, which can take between two and six weeks, source, Last verified 2026-10-15
- The annual fee may be paid by annual or quarterly Direct Debit, or by credit or debit card; instalments are available only by Direct Debit, source, Last verified 2026-10-15
Verified reference information, not professional, medical, legal or careers advice. Regulations change; always check the cited primary source before relying on it.