What are the NMC CBT and OSCE?
Checked against the regulator’s own pages, October 2026
The NMC Test of Competence has two parts. Part 1, the CBT, is a multiple-choice computer-based test sat at Pearson VUE centres in most countries. Part 2, the OSCE, is a practical exam of 10 stations sat at an NMC test centre in the UK. You can take them in either order, but must pass both within two years of each other.
Who this is for
Internationally trained nurses and midwives whose NMC eligibility outcome says they need the Test of Competence.
What the official guidance says
- There are separate tests for adult nursing, mental health nursing, learning disabilities nursing, children’s nursing and midwifery. You take the test for the part of the register you are joining.
- The CBT has Part A, numeracy (15 questions in 30 minutes), and Part B, clinical (100 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes). You sit both at once, but each part is passed or failed separately.
- The CBT is run by Pearson VUE, with test centres in most countries. Pearson emails your account details once the NMC confirms you need the Test of Competence. Booking the wrong exam code means your CBT will not count.
- You get your CBT exam report straight after the test, and your NMC account updates within 48 hours.
- You have three CBT attempts per application, at least 10 days apart and all within one year. You only retake the part you failed.
- The OSCE has 10 stations: four linked APIE stations (assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation), four skills stations in two pairs, and two stations on professional values and behaviours and evidence-based practice.
- The OSCE test centres listed by the NMC are the University of Northampton, Ulster University and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. You book and pay the provider directly.
- You have up to three OSCE attempts per application, at least 10 days apart, and resits are at the same centre as your first attempt. Results are emailed within 5 working days, and you only resit the stations you failed.
- Once you have passed both the CBT and the OSCE, your Test of Competence stays valid for five years.
What it does not mean
- The CBT is not an English test. English is assessed separately, through IELTS Academic, OET or the other evidence the NMC accepts.
- Failing a part does not end your application straight away, but three failed attempts at either the CBT or the OSCE close it, and you must wait six months before a new application.
- The NMC’s CBT page does not mention sitting the CBT online from home; it lists Pearson VUE test centres.
What to do next
- 01Wait for the NMC to confirm you need the Test of Competence, then look out for Pearson’s account email.
- 02Book the CBT for the exact part of the register you are joining.
- 03Book the OSCE with one of the NMC’s test centres once you are ready to travel to the UK.
- 04Keep the two-year window between passes, and the two-year deadline to complete registration, in your plan.
Questions
Do I have to sit the CBT before the OSCE?
No. The NMC says you can take the parts in either order, but you must pass the CBT and the OSCE within two years of each other.
How much do the CBT and OSCE cost?
The NMC’s costs page lists £83 for the first CBT sitting and £794 for the first OSCE sitting, both paid to the test provider. Check the page before you book, because the NMC says its fees changed on 1 October 2026.
Does Migo help me prepare for the CBT or OSCE?
No. Migo prepares the paperwork around your registration. It does not book, teach or coach the Test of Competence.
Official sources
- NMC: Test of Competence for nursing and midwifery
- NMC: Computer based test (CBT)
- NMC: Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)
- NMC: Costs
Checked October 2026. Regulators change their rules, fees and scores, so confirm them on the official page before you act.
The visa side
Registration and the visa are separate. Migo’s visa guides cover the routes for this country, from the official government pages.
Let Migo prepare the paperwork with you
Migo AI Mobility plans your NMC route from where you are now, using the official NMC and GOV.UK guidance. It asks for your qualification, registration and identity documents, checks them and maps them to what the NMC asks for, then prepares your application for you to review. Nothing is submitted or paid without your approval. You sit the CBT and the OSCE yourself: Migo does not book or teach the Test of Competence.
Your plan is free. You approve every paid step.
Related guides
Migo is independent: it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the regulator named on this page. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.