Information about the standard of English required to practise medicine in the UK
General Medical Council English language requirements
This webpage sets out the GMC's English language requirements for registration with a licence to practise. All doctors who practise medicine in the UK must have the necessary knowledge of English to communicate effectively so they do not put the safety of their patients at risk. Communicating includes speaking, reading, writing and listening.
Applying for a Tier 2 visa - The Home Office now exempts doctors making a Tier 2 visa (General) application from having to sit an approved English Language Test if they have already passed an English test accepted by the GMC. Doctors who have passed such a test are treated as having demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the English language for the purpose of settlement. The UK government Visas and Immigration website has information about the Tier 2 visa knowledge of English requirements.