PLAB for Nigerian Doctors: GMC Registration Steps, Exam Fees and Timeline to Work in the UK

Thousands of Nigerian-trained doctors now work in the NHS, and many more are planning the move. For most, the gateway is the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test, which lets the General Medical Council (GMC) confirm that an international medical graduate has the knowledge and skills of a doctor starting the second year of UK foundation training. This guide walks through each stage for a doctor who qualified in Nigeria: checking your medical degree, proving your English, sitting PLAB 1 and PLAB 2, getting GMC registration with a licence to practise, finding an NHS post and applying for the visa. It also covers realistic costs, timelines and the scams that target Nigerian doctors.

What PLAB Is and Where It Fits

PLAB has two parts. PLAB 1 is a computer-based exam of single-best-answer questions on clinical knowledge and decision-making. PLAB 2 is an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) with simulated patients and consultations, held at the GMC's clinical assessment centre in Manchester. Since 2024 both parts have been aligned with the content map of the UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA), so preparation materials written for the older blueprint may be out of date.

Passing both parts is not the finish line. It makes you eligible to apply for full GMC registration with a licence to practise, which is what NHS employers need before you can start work.

Who Qualifies: The Basic Checks

• Acceptable primary medical qualification: Your MBBS/MBChB must come from a medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools with a note confirming it is acceptable to the GMC. Most accredited Nigerian universities meet this, but check your own school before paying for anything.
• Internship (housemanship): For full registration the GMC expects evidence of an acceptable internship. A completed Nigerian housemanship is normally the evidence here, so keep your housemanship completion letter and logbook safe.
• English language: You need a valid IELTS Academic or OET result at the GMC's level before you can book PLAB 1 (details below).
• Good standing: At registration stage you will need a certificate of good standing from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and from any other regulator you have been registered with.

English Language Requirements

Nigeria is not on the GMC's list of countries where English is accepted as the native language, so most Nigerian doctors must take a test. At the time of writing the GMC accepts:

• IELTS Academic: an overall band of 7.5 with at least 7.0 in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking.
• OET (Medicine): at least grade B in all four sub-tests.
• Validity: results are generally expected to be less than two years old when the GMC assesses them, so time your test with your PLAB booking in mind.

Many Nigerian doctors find OET easier to relate to because the tasks are based on real clinical communication, such as writing a referral letter. IELTS Academic is more widely available and is also useful if you later consider other countries. Choose the one you can score highest in, not the one your friends took.

Step-by-Step: From Nigeria to GMC Registration

1. Create a GMC Online account and confirm that your primary medical qualification is acceptable.
2. Pass IELTS Academic or OET at the GMC level and add the result to your GMC Online account.
3. Book and sit PLAB 1. At the time of writing, Nigerian candidates have been able to sit PLAB 1 in Lagos and Abuja as well as in the UK. However, the GMC has been reducing overseas locations because of falling demand and has withdrawn centres such as Accra, so check the current list in GMC Online before you plan.
4. Book PLAB 2 in Manchester once you pass PLAB 1. You must pass PLAB 2 within the time limit the GMC sets after your PLAB 1 pass, so plan finances and a UK visitor visa early. PLAB 2 is a permitted activity for standard visitors, but you still need the visa itself.
5. Start EPIC verification of your primary medical qualification through ECFMG's Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials. Your Nigerian medical school must confirm your degree directly, and slow responses from universities are one of the commonest causes of delay, so start this early.
6. Apply for full registration with a licence to practise after passing PLAB 2. At the time of writing you have two years from your PLAB 2 pass to complete this, and you will need an identity check and your good-standing certificates.
7. Secure an NHS job offer and a certificate of sponsorship from the employer.
8. Apply for the Health and Care Worker visa from Nigeria and enrol your biometrics at the visa application centre.

Exam Fees, Visa Costs and Other Expenses

The figures below are those published for 2026 at the time of writing. The GMC and the Home Office usually revise fees each April, so always confirm on the official pages before paying.

The biggest costs are usually not the exam fees but the trips: a PLAB 2 stay in the UK, plus revision courses and mock OSCEs, can cost more than all the official fees combined. Budget for a possible resit too; the GMC allows a limited number of attempts at each part.

Typical Timeline

Most Nigerian doctors who move steadily take somewhere between 12 and 24 months from first English test to first NHS shift. Delays usually come from booking availability, EPIC verification and the job search, not from the exams themselves.

Alternatives to PLAB

• Sponsorship schemes: Some royal colleges and NHS bodies run sponsorship programmes, including the Medical Training Initiative (MTI), which lets doctors in training work in the NHS for up to two years. Sponsorship removes the need for PLAB, but places are limited and you usually need specialty experience and a royal college endorsement.
• Acceptable postgraduate qualifications: Certain UK royal college memberships, such as full MRCP(UK) or MRCS in some cases, can be accepted by the GMC in place of PLAB. Many Nigerian doctors already sitting these exams use this route.
• Specialist registration (Portfolio pathway): Experienced consultants can apply for specialist or GP registration by demonstrating equivalent training and experience. It is document-heavy and slow, but suits senior doctors.

Finding a Job in the NHS

Most new international doctors start in non-training posts, often called trust grade, junior clinical fellow or specialty doctor roles. These give UK experience and references before applying for specialty training. Search NHS Jobs (jobs.nhs.uk), NHS Scotland and HSC Northern Ireland job boards, and the careers pages of individual NHS trusts. Reputable medical recruitment agencies can help, but legitimate NHS employers and agencies never charge you for a job offer.

Be realistic about specialty training. The UK government has moved to prioritise UK medical graduates and certain other groups for foundation and specialty training places from 2026. International graduates can still apply, but competition for training posts is tougher, which makes non-training posts and a strong UK portfolio even more important. Check the current recruitment rules with NHS England before you apply.

Scam Patterns to Avoid

• Paying for a "guaranteed NHS job": No genuine NHS trust sells job offers or interview slots. Anyone asking for money to "secure" a post is a fraudster.
• Fake certificates of sponsorship: A real certificate of sponsorship is assigned by a licensed sponsor through the Home Office system and you never pay for it. Check the employer on the gov.uk register of licensed sponsors.
• Fake GMC or PLAB booking agents: You book PLAB yourself through GMC Online. Do not give anyone your GMC login or pay a third party for "priority seats".
• Leaked PLAB questions or English results without a test: Buying recalls marketed as real exam papers or "IELTS without exam" can end your career if discovered; the GMC treats dishonesty as a serious fitness to practise matter.
• Requests for BVN, ATM PINs or OTPs: No recruiter, embassy or regulator needs these. Pay official fees only on official websites with your own card.

Final Thoughts

The PLAB route is demanding but well-trodden by Nigerian doctors. Start with a strong English score, get EPIC verification moving early, save for the PLAB 2 trip, and treat your first NHS job as a foundation rather than a destination. Keep every document, from WAEC results to your housemanship letter, scanned and organised.

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal, immigration or medical regulatory advice. Fees, scores and rules change regularly, so always verify current requirements on the official GMC (gmc-uk.org) and UK government (gov.uk) websites before booking exams or paying any money.