Required
The NMC requires IELTS Academic Listening 7, Reading 7, Speaking 7 and Writing 6.5 for overseas-trained nurses and midwives seeking UK registration, and does not state an overall score. Writing is reported as one band for Task 1 and Task 2 together, so Task 1 still matters. IELTS General Training is not accepted.
IELTS Writing Band ↔ CEFR level — where the NMC Writing minimum (6.5) sits
| IELTS Writing Band | CEFR Level | NMC Status | Academic Task 1 profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | C2 | Well above minimum | Fully accurate; sophisticated integration of all data |
| 8.0 | C1 | Above minimum | Rare minor errors; flexible, precise data vocabulary |
| 7.0 | C1 | Above minimum (safety margin) | Clear overview; sufficient vocabulary range; few errors |
| 6.5 | C1 (lower) | Meets NMC Writing minimum | Overview may be incomplete; some vocabulary gaps |
| 6.0 | B2 | Below NMC minimum | Overview often absent; limited comparative language |
| 5.5 | B2 | Below NMC minimum | Key features omitted; basic language throughout |
Your prep plan
- 1
Diagnose which Task 1 chart type is costing you
Academic Task 1 uses formats such as bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, tables, maps, and process diagrams. Many candidates are confident with one or two and weak on the rest, for example comfortable with bar charts but unsure on processes or maps. Take one timed practice response from each format, score it against the public IELTS band descriptors, and identify your two weakest types. Writing is one combined band, so a consistent result needs competence across all formats, not just the familiar ones.
- 2
Write a disciplined overview paragraph every time
The overview is the single highest-leverage element in Task 1. The public IELTS band descriptors for Band 7 expect 'a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages', and a response without one holds Task Achievement back however good the language is. Position it as a second paragraph immediately after the introduction: two to three sentences summarising the most significant features without including data figures. Practise this in isolation until it takes under 90 seconds to produce.
- 3
Build a vocabulary bank for each chart type
Lexical Resource at Band 7 requires sufficient range to allow flexibility and precision. For charts, move beyond 'increased' and 'decreased' to collocations like 'rose sharply', 'levelled off', 'accounted for the largest proportion', and 'remained relatively stable'. For process diagrams, you need passive voice and sequence connectors ('is heated', 'subsequently', 'as a result'). Build a 20–30 phrase bank per format and produce at least three mock responses using each phrase before the exam.
- 4
Practice under timed conditions with word-count discipline
Academic Task 1 is recommended at 20 minutes with a minimum of 150 words, and writing under 150 words is penalised. Much longer responses usually mean you are including detail the chart does not need, and they cost time you need for Task 2. Target 165–185 words. Use a stopwatch: introduction (1 min), overview (2 min), two body paragraphs (14 min), review (3 min). Run this routine for every practice response — exam timing mirrors practice habits.
- 5
Get annotated feedback and book once your mocks clear your target
AI feedback or a specialist tutor can annotate exactly which sentences lower Lexical Resource or Grammatical Range, which is more useful than more practice without correction. The NMC minimum for Writing is 6.5, and many candidates aim for 7 in mocks to leave a safety margin on test day. Once your recent mock Task 1 responses consistently reach your target, book the test. The NMC expects results to be no more than two years old when it assesses your application, so time your booking accordingly.
What a band 7+ answer looks like
Band 7 sample — Academic Task 1 prompt: "The bar chart below shows the number of nurses employed in four hospital departments in 2010 and 2020."
Overview paragraph: Overall, nursing staff numbers rose across all four departments over the decade, with Emergency and General Medicine recording the most substantial increases. Oncology, by contrast, showed the smallest growth of the four specialisms.
Body paragraph excerpt: Emergency nursing grew most dramatically, climbing from approximately 340 staff in 2010 to just over 510 in 2020 — a rise of roughly 50 per cent. General Medicine followed a similar upward trajectory, increasing from 280 to 430 nurses over the same period. In both cases, the growth appears to reflect wider pressures on acute-care capacity rather than isolated departmental shifts.
Scoring notes: Overview identifies the most and least changed departments — Band 7 Task Achievement requirement met. 'Climbing from … to … — a rise of roughly' uses precise data language with a hedged estimate (Lexical Resource: 7). Cause-effect interpretation ('reflects wider pressures') adds analytical value without inventing data (Task Achievement: 7). Subject-relevant vocabulary ('acute-care capacity') demonstrates topic familiarity without jargon overload.
Source: Score requirements come from the NMC accepted English language tests page (checked October 2026; the NMC page was last updated 8 March 2024). Confirm the current rules there before you book.
Goal-specific tips
- The NMC accepts IELTS Academic, not IELTS General Training. Academic Writing Task 1 is a chart or process description; General Training Task 1 is a letter. Confirm which version you have booked before the exam.
- The NMC also accepts OET (Occupational English Test) as an alternative to IELTS Academic. OET Writing uses a clinical-scenario letter rather than a data chart, which some nurses find more natural. Choose based on your strengths and which preparation resources suit you best.
- The NMC allows two sittings to be combined: the test dates must be within 12 months of each other, both results must be no more than two years old when your application is assessed, all four skills must be taken in each sitting, and each sitting must meet the NMC minimum scores. Only IELTS with IELTS can be combined.
- Individual skills cannot be taken or retaken separately for the NMC, so IELTS One Skill Retake does not count. If one skill falls short, plan a full four-skill resit.
- Writing is reported as a single band, and Task 2 carries about twice the weight of Task 1. Many candidates revise almost only Task 2 and under-prepare Task 1, which can pull the Writing band below the 6.5 the NMC needs.
- The NMC states a minimum for each skill (Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 6.5, Speaking 7) and does not state an overall score. Check the NMC page for any change before you book.