Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Need for Test & Guidelines

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Do You Need to Take It?

There are various different routes to registration with a licence to practise in the UK.

  • Before you apply for registration with a licence to practise, you have to meet the following criteria, apart from passing the PLAB test:
  • You should be a national from any country except UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who has done his graduation from a medical school located anywhere except in UK or You are a UK national but you have completed your graduation from a medical school outside the UK, EEA or Switzerland
  • You should not be having any EC rights (opens in a new window) nor are you supposed to be sponsored under an arrangement approved by us
  • Also you should not hold an approved postgraduate qualification and neither you should be a trained GP or specialist

If the above criteria is not met by you, you can apply for registration with a licence to practise without passing the PLAB test. Please see our Applications section to find the guidance that is relevant to you.

Guidance for PLAB Test Candidates

This section is specially designed for candidates who wish to take up PLAB test. Here is all included what the candidate must know before taking up the test. In particular you should read the information about job prospects for IMGs (opens in a new window) before you apply.

Click on the headings below or on the left menu to read each section separately.

If we make any changes you will always find the details here on the GMC website, which we keep under regular review. These notes are designed to help you, but remember-they are only guidelines, and do not have legal force. If you have any comments on the guidance we provide, please let us know.

Visit: GMC PLAB Website