How much does the PLAB route cost?

From PLAB 1 to your first registration, the GMC's own fees come to £1,800 (from 1 April 2026). That is before your English test, degree verification, travel to the UK for PLAB 2, a visa and any resit, which together can cost as much again or more. Here is each piece.

The GMC's fees, from 1 April 2026

• PLAB 1: £283
• PLAB 2: £1,036
• Application for full registration with a licence to practise: £481

The GMC's fees change from time to time; the latest change was on 1 April 2026. Until then, PLAB 1 was £273, PLAB 2 £998 and the registration application £463. Check the GMC's fees page before you pay.

Once you are registered

Keeping a licence to practise costs an annual fee: £481 from 1 April 2026. The GMC offers two reductions worth knowing about:

• A reduced annual fee of £184 if you qualified within the past five years (or moved from provisional to full registration in the past four years).
• A 50% discount on the annual and full-registration fees if your worldwide income is under £38,500 and you do not already get a discounted fee.

The fees page sets out the exact conditions.

What the GMC's fees do not cover

Budget for these too:

1. Your English test, and a second sitting if you need one. Prices are set by the test provider.
2. Verifying your degree. Before the GMC registers you, ECFMG checks your primary medical qualification with your medical school through its EPIC service. ECFMG lists its own fees for this.
3. PLAB 2 travel. PLAB 2 is held at the GMC's clinical assessment centre in Manchester, so plan flights, a visitor visa if you need one, and somewhere to stay.
4. Resits. Each attempt costs the full fee again. If you change a PLAB 2 date, the GMC deducts a cancellation fee.
5. The move itself: your work visa, flights and the first weeks of rent before your first salary.

What it costs in naira

The GMC charges in pounds, so the naira cost moves with the exchange rate. The pathway guide shows each fee as a naira range at a recent rate, and the free planner lets you add your own estimates and use today's rate.

How to keep the cost down

• Sit when you are ready. A resit costs the full fee again, so a steady plan that covers every area is the cheapest way through.
• Time your English test. A recent PLAB 2 pass can count as your English evidence at registration if your IELTS or OET minimum scores are less than three years old, which can save a second test.
• Plan PLAB 2 travel early, and change dates as little as possible.

Questions people ask