United Kingdom
UK pharmacists: why you may need two English tests
Most internationally trained pharmacists need two English results: one for the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to register, and one approved test for the Health and Care Worker visa.
Test 1: English for your GPhC registration
The GPhC asks for proof of your English before you can take the registration assessment. It accepts:
- OET, with a grade B in all four sub-tests
- IELTS Academic
IELTS General Training is not accepted for GPhC registration, so make sure you book the Academic version if you choose IELTS.
Test 2: English for your Health and Care Worker visa
From January 8, 2026, the English level for this visa is B2. Doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives can use their professional registration to prove their English for the visa, but pharmacists are not on that list.
That means pharmacists need a Secure English Language Test (SELT) approved by the Home Office, such as:
- IELTS for UKVI
- PTE Academic UKVI
- LanguageCert
- Trinity ISE
OET is not on the visa list. So if you pass OET for the GPhC, you will still need one of the tests above for your visa.
Can one test cover both?
Sometimes it may be possible, for example if the GPhC accepts the UKVI version of IELTS Academic for registration. Ask the GPhC directly before you book. If they confirm it in writing, one sitting could save you a second test.
Nurses and dentists: a different story
Nurses and dentists are on the visa exemption list. For nurses, the English test you take for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) also covers the visa, and the NMC accepts OET@Home. Dentists can also use the English test for their registration for the visa.
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This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change, so always confirm with the official source before you book a test.