Do you sit the OSCE or the CBT first for UK registration, and how do they differ?
Quick answer
The NMC says you can sit the CBT or the OSCE in any order, but you must complete both to continue your application1. You must pass them within 2 years of each other2. Most candidates take the CBT first3. The CBT can be taken in most countries, while the OSCE is UK only4.
On this page
Where do the CBT and the OSCE sit in the NMC application?
The NMC's step-by-step guide for nurses who trained outside the UK has 4 steps5:
- Check you are ready to register.5
- Complete the eligibility and qualification application.5
- Take the Test of Competence, and complete the registration application. The NMC may ask for the test once it has confirmed your eligibility.5
- The NMC evaluates your application.5
So "first" means first of the two tests inside the third step. You can book the CBT with Pearson VUE, or the OSCE with a test provider, only after the NMC has confirmed that you need to take the Test of Competence14.
Can you sit the OSCE or the CBT first?
Yes, either order is allowed1. The OSCE booklet adds that most candidates take the CBT first, usually in their home country before travelling to the UK for the OSCE3.
You can sit the CBT and the OSCE in any order, but you must pass both within 2 years of each other.12
Once you have passed both, the Test of Competence stays valid for 5 years2. The NMC gives no ruling on which order is better, so the choice is yours.
How do the CBT and the OSCE differ?
When we last checked (the date is in the sources list below), we read the NMC's CBT page, last updated on 11 September 20266, the OSCE page and both candidate booklets side by side. The OSCE has 10 stations: 4 linked around one scenario, 4 testing skills and 2 on values and evidence-based practice1.
| Feature | CBT | OSCE |
|---|---|---|
| What it tests | Numeracy (Part A) and clinical knowledge (Part B)6 | Clinical and communication skills1 |
| Where | A Pearson VUE test centre, in most countries4 | The UK only, with 3 test providers14 |
| Length | One test of 115 questions, 3 hours4 | 10 stations, about 3 hours of testing3 |
| Pass rule | Each part is passed or failed on its own6 | A pass score at every station3 |
| Fee | £836 | £7941 |
| Results | An exam report straight after, and your Pearson account within 48 hours6 | An email from the test centre within 5 working days1 |
| If you fail | Resit only the failed part: Part A £50, Part B £706 | Resit only the failed stations: £397 for 7 or fewer1 |
| Attempts | 3 in one application, within 1 year6 | Up to 3, and resits at the test centre of your first attempt1 |
| Identity | Valid passport, the same one you gave the NMC16 | Valid passport, the same one you gave the NMC16 |
For the numeracy part in detail, see the CBT numeracy pass mark. Our OSCE course and CBT course are private training and are not NMC products.
Which should you sit first?
The NMC does not decide this for you1. These are the points we would weigh. They are our reading of the NMC pages, not NMC advice.
- Place: the CBT can be taken in most countries and the OSCE only in the UK4.
- Cost: the CBT fee is £83 and the OSCE fee is £79416.
- Time: both must be passed within 2 years of each other, so plan the gap between them2.
- Booking: neither test can be booked until the NMC confirms you need it14.
If you are heading to Australia instead, the process is different. See the Australian RN OSCE day.
Do the NMC pages agree on the fees?
The NMC costs page gives the total cost of fees and tests as £1,226, including the CBT and OSCE, and says its fees increased on 1 October 2026. Resits cost more7.
We compared two NMC pages that list the qualification evaluation fee. The costs page lists £1677. The step-by-step page lists £140 and was last updated on 16 September 20265. That is before the 1 October 2026 increase7, so it may simply be out of date. Check the costs page, or ask the NMC, before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book the CBT before the NMC confirms I need it?
No. You can book the CBT with Pearson VUE, or the OSCE with a test provider, only after the NMC has confirmed that you need to take the Test of Competence14.
How long do my results last?
You must pass the CBT and the OSCE within 2 years of each other. Once you have passed both, the Test of Competence stays valid for 5 years2.
What if I fail one part?
You resit only what you failed: the CBT part, or the OSCE stations you did not pass16. Each test allows up to 3 attempts in one application16.
Do I need my passport at both tests?
Yes. At the CBT and at the OSCE you show a valid passport, the same one you gave the NMC16.
Sources
Each number in the text links to the document the fact comes from. We keep a dated copy of every source with its SHA-256 fingerprint, so we can show what it said on the day we checked it.
- Source 1: NMC: Test of Competence, the OSCE page. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), checked 2 November 2026.
https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/toc/toc-nursing-and-midwifery/osce/ - Source 2: NMC: Test of Competence for nurses and midwives (overview page). Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), checked 2 November 2026.
https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/toc/toc-nursing-and-midwifery/ - Source 3: NMC: Test of Competence, nursing (all fields), OSCE candidate information booklet, V2.4 updated October 2026. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), checked 2 November 2026.
https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/registration/toc-materials-2023/nursing-handbooks/test-of-competence-osce-information-booklet-for-nurses.pdf - Source 4: NMC: Test of Competence Part 1, nursing, candidate information booklet for the CBT, V.3 updated April 2025. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), checked 2 November 2026.
https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/registration/toc-materials-2023/nursing-handbooks/test-of-competence-2021-cbt-information-booklet-for-nurses.pdf - Source 5: NMC: Register as a nurse or midwife if you trained outside the UK, step by step. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), checked 2 November 2026.
https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/register-nurse-midwife/trained-outside-uk/how-to-guide/ - Source 6: NMC: Test of Competence, the computer-based test (CBT) page. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), checked 2 November 2026.
https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/toc/toc-nursing-and-midwifery/cbt/ - Source 7: NMC: How much is it going to cost? (register as a nurse or midwife if you trained outside the UK). Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), checked 2 November 2026.
https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/register-nurse-midwife/trained-outside-uk/how-to-guide/check-ready/costs/
Aptia Skills is a private training company. It is not connected with the NMC, Pearson VUE, Ahpra, the NMBA or any government, and this guide does not replace what the regulator or the test centre tells you.