NMC OSCE: what it is, what it costs and how to practise

Who sits the NMC OSCE

The Test of Competence is for people joining the NMC register from overseas without a qualifying European qualification. It also covers some people returning after a long absence who lack enough practice hours. It has two parts: a computer-based test and the OSCE. You can sit them in either order, but you must pass both within two years of each other, and a pass stays valid for five years.

The OSCE exists for six parts of the register: adult, mental health, learning disabilities, children's, midwife and nursing associate. Nurses and midwives share one NMC page. Nursing associates have their own, with a different layout and 3 linked stations instead of 4 (NMC nursing associate OSCE page).

How the 10 stations are built

Four stations follow one patient through assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. Read how the four APIE stations work before you book. Four more are practical skills, arranged as two linked pairs. The last two are written: evidence-based practice and professional values.

Full minutes for every station are on the NMC OSCE stations list and timings page. The NMC changes the pool of stations from time to time, so treat any list as a guide to topics, not a prediction.

Pass rules in one minute

Passing is station by station. You need the pass score in every station, and each marking grid has essential criteria you must meet. An unsafe action that could harm a patient, or put the candidate, the simulated patient or the assessor at risk, is a red flag. A panel reviews it, and an agreed red flag is an automatic fail for that station. Candidates are told the stations they failed, not a numeric score.

If you fail, you retake only the failed stations. The detail is on the NMC OSCE results and resit page and the marking criteria guide.

What it costs and how hard it is

The fee is £794. A resit is £397 or £794 depending on how many stations you retake. See the NMC OSCE cost breakdown and our own pricing.

The hard number is the first-attempt pass rate. In January to March 2026 it was 41% to 49% at the three centres still open. Most second attempts pass: 76% to 84% at those centres in the same quarter. The NMC OSCE pass rates page shows every quarter.

Practise the way the exam runs

Spoken stations reward habits: introduce yourself, check identity with two identifiers, speak to a manikin as if it were a patient, and say your checks aloud. Written stations reward clear, plain answers within 10 minutes. Try one station free with an AI patient, with no sign-up. Start with the NMC OSCE mock test or read about NMC OSCE scenarios.

Written-station guides: professional values and evidence-based practice. Skills guide: fluid balance questions. Booking and places: NMC OSCE centres.

More on this exam

• NMC OSCE stations list and station timings
• NMC OSCE mock test and practice test
• NMC OSCE marking criteria 2026
• NMC OSCE pass rates by centre
• NMC OSCE cost, resit cost and price
• NMC OSCE results time and resit rules
• NMC OSCE APIE: the four linked stations
• NMC OSCE professional values station
• NMC OSCE evidence based practice station
• NMC OSCE fluid balance questions
• NMC OSCE centres in the UK
• NMC OSCE scenarios with answers

Common questions

How many stations are in the NMC OSCE?

Ten for nurses: four linked APIE stations, four skills stations and two written stations. Nursing associates also have ten, with three linked stations in place of four.

How much does the NMC OSCE cost?

The fee is £794. A resit costs £397 if you retake 7 or fewer stations and £794 if you retake 8 or more.

How many times can I sit the NMC OSCE?

Three times per application, with at least 10 days between sittings, all at the centre where you sat first. After a third failed attempt the application closes and you wait at least six months.

What is the first-attempt pass rate?

In January to March 2026 it was 41% at Northampton, 44% at Leeds and 49% at Ulster, according to the NMC.