The GMC publishes its English-language rules for international medical graduates in a guide on its website. This page summarises the IELTS chapter of that guide and the overview page, and points to the pages you should check yourself. The GMC states that the evidence it accepts is subject to change and is assessed against the requirements in place when your application is submitted, so read the current GMC overview page before you book a test.
Which scores the GMC asks for
According to the GMC's IELTS page, your certificate must show all of the following:
- you took the Academic version of the test (UKVI Academic is included);
- at least 7.0 in each testing area and at least 7.5 overall;
- these scores came from the same test;
- these scores came from your most recent sitting of the test;
- you hold the test report form with its number and original stamp.
The same-sitting and most-recent-sitting conditions are part of the GMC's wording, so read them on the GMC page before you plan your test dates. The GMC does not accept the IELTS Indicator test.
| Format | Accepted by the GMC? |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic taken in person | Yes |
| IELTS Online | Yes |
| One Skill Retake | Yes, with conditions |
| IELTS Indicator | No |
| General Training | No, only the Academic version |
IELTS Online and One Skill Retake
The GMC lists IELTS Online as acceptable. One Skill Retake is accepted only in a narrow case. If you miss the minimum in one section of a full test, the GMC will accept a One Skill Retake pass in that section. You can use it only once, and only if:
- you completed the full test at a centre that offers One Skill Retake;
- you sit the retake within 60 days of that full test;
- the full test was IELTS on computer.
The GMC says One Skill Retake is not available for the online or paper tests. For how the retake works, see our One Skill Retake page. Check the provider pages for which Romanian centres offer it; see IELTS test centres in Romania.
How long the certificate is valid
The GMC says IELTS certificates are valid for two years. If you sit PLAB, the certificate must be valid on the day of PLAB part 1. If you apply for registration with a licence to practise, it must be valid when the GMC approves your application.
The GMC page also explains what may help if a certificate is older than two years, for example references covering at least three months of full-time study or work, in a country where English is the first and native language, within the last two years. It describes a possible extension after a recent PLAB 2 pass, and says validity cannot be extended on the sponsorship route. The exact conditions are on the GMC page; do not rely on a summary.
Entering your scores
For PLAB part 1, the GMC says to log in to GMC Online, open the My Tests section and enter your scores, including the report form number of a One Skill Retake if you took one. It says verification can take up to two working days.
What this page does not cover
- PLAB is the GMC's own exam. Preparation for it is outside what Mike teaches.
- The GMC has a separate chapter on the Occupational English Test. This page is only about IELTS.
- The GMC warns that IELTS may not be acceptable evidence for a UK visa. Check the requirements with UK Visa and Immigration; for IELTS for UKVI in Romania see IELTS for UKVI in Romania.
This is general information from public pages, not personal advice about your registration. The GMC decides what it accepts; check its pages on the day you apply.
Where to take the test in Romania
Romanian candidates book through the test providers. The provider pages list cities, formats and dates; see our overview of centres and how to book. Since the GMC wants one Academic sitting that reaches every minimum, it is worth confirming at booking that you are registering for Academic, not General Training. Our page on Academic or General Training explains the difference.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike teaches the four IELTS skills, not medicine and not PLAB. He is CELTA-certified, based in Hanoi, with 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran, and his own IELTS result is 8.5 in Speaking. Lessons are one to one, 60 minutes, live on Google Meet, in English. He marks Writing Task 1 and Task 2 against the public band descriptors and runs Speaking Parts 1 to 3 in the real format with feedback in the moment. Because the GMC looks at every part separately, work on your weakest skill matters more than your average. Read about Mike or see the booking page, where each slot shows in your own time zone.
