This is general information from the NMC's own pages, read in October 2026. It is not personal advice, and the NMC can change its rules. Check the pages linked below before you book or pay for anything.
The scores the NMC asks for
On the NMC's IELTS Academic page, the requirement is set skill by skill:
| Skill | Minimum in one sitting |
|---|---|
| Listening | 7 |
| Reading | 7 |
| Speaking | 7 |
| Writing | 6.5 |
The page does not state an overall band score, so do not rely on a number from a forum or an agency. If your overall band looks high but one skill falls short, the skill minimum is what the NMC page describes.
Which IELTS formats count
The NMC accepts both the paper-based and the computer-based IELTS Academic test delivered at a test centre. It also accepts IELTS Academic for UKVI, which its page describes as the same as the standard Academic test by all other measures. It does not accept:
- IELTS Online
- the IELTS One Skill Retake
- the IELTS Indicator
The NMC's accepted tests page names IELTS Academic and OET as the only tests it can accept, so IELTS General Training is not on its list. For where to sit the test in Romania, see IELTS test centres in Romania and computer-delivered IELTS in Romania.
Combining two sittings
The NMC lets you combine scores across two IELTS sittings, but only under conditions. Between the two sittings you must reach at least 7 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and at least 6.5 in Writing. Every score in both sittings must also reach at least 6.5 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and at least 6 in Writing.
The NMC's accepted tests page adds three further points:
- The two sittings must be within 12 months of each other.
- You must sit all four skills together each time, and the NMC does not accept the One Skill Retake.
- You cannot combine an IELTS test with an OET test.
Test scores are valid for two years, according to the same page.
Your TRF number
Your certificate carries a Test Report Form (TRF) number, usually 18 characters of numbers and letters. The NMC page says you must give both certificates and both TRF numbers if you use two IELTS tests to meet the requirement.
A test is not the only route
The NMC's English language page lists three ways to show your English:
- recently achieving the required scores in an accepted test;
- holding a pre-registration nursing, midwifery or nursing associate qualification that was taught and examined in English;
- one year of recent practice as a nurse, midwife or nursing associate in a country where English is the majority-spoken language.
If you cannot give the evidence requested, or the NMC is not satisfied with it, the page says you will need to give an alternative type of evidence. Whether one of these routes fits you is a question for the NMC.
Visa English is a separate matter
The NMC's test is about registration. A UK visa has its own English requirement, so check the official GOV.UK page for your route and do not assume the two match. Our page on IELTS for UKVI in Romania covers the test mechanics only.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike does not run the test, register candidates or set fees, and he is not part of the NMC or any test provider. What he teaches is IELTS Academic skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Lessons are one-to-one, 60 minutes, live on Google Meet, in English.
- Writing: he marks Task 1 and Task 2 against the public band descriptors, so you can see where 6.5 is lost.
- Speaking: Parts 1 to 3 in the real format, with feedback in the moment. He has 8.5 in Speaking himself.
- Progress notes stay in your account between lessons.
Because the NMC sets a minimum in each skill, a plan works best when it follows your weakest skill. You can start with a paid 30-minute trial, once per student on the first booking, via the booking page. The page shows each slot in your own time zone: Romania is 5 hours behind Hanoi in winter and 4 hours behind in summer. The exact price is shown before you pay; PayPal charges the US-dollar equivalent. You can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot. More about the teacher is on About Mike.
