PLAB fees from 1 April 2026: PLAB 1 £283, PLAB 2 £1,036
From 1 April 2026, the GMC charges £283 for PLAB 1, £1,036 for PLAB 2 and £481 for full registration with a licence to practise; in Ireland PRES Level 3 costs €1,500 an attempt in 2026, and in Australia the AMC's CAT MCQ costs AUD 2,920 and its clinical examination AUD 3,000.
Checked 23 Oct 2026 · GMC ↗
- Effective
- 1 April 2026
- Who it affects
- Doctors in the UK, Ireland and Australia
Exam and registration fees
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| PLAB 1GMC, from 1 Apr 2026 | £283 |
| PLAB 2GMC, from 1 Apr 2026 | £1,036 |
| Full registration with a licence to practiseGMC, from 1 Apr 2026 | £481 |
| PRES Level 3, each attemptIrish Medical Council, 2026 | €1,500 |
| AMC CAT MCQAustralian Medical Council | AUD 2,920 |
| AMC clinical examinationAustralian Medical Council | AUD 3,000 |
What it means for you
The three oldest doctor pathways now carry the regulators' current fees and rules. PLAB fees from 1 April 2026, the GMC's One Skill Retake, Ireland's PLAB 2 exemption and 2026 fees, and Australia's English standard for tests from 23 April 2026 with AMC fees in dollars.
United Kingdom (GMC)
PLAB 1 costs GBP 283 and PLAB 2 GBP 1,036 from 1 April 2026; full registration with a licence GBP 481. PLAB 2 must be passed within two years of PLAB 1 and registration applied for within two years of passing both; four attempts at each part. English is IELTS 7.5 overall with 7.0 in each part in one sitting, and the GMC now accepts an IELTS One Skill Retake once; OET B in each part. An internship of twelve months with three months each of medicine and surgery, or two years' continuous practice, is required. The postgraduate route's UK list is read in full and qualifications must be under three years old.
Ireland (Medical Council)
A PLAB 2 pass now exempts you from the PRES, alongside a recognised higher qualification or an internship the Council treats as equivalent. PRES Level 2 is replaced by PLAB 1, USMLE, MCCQE or the AMC MCQ; Level 3 costs EUR 1,500 per attempt in 2026 and must be passed within two years and three attempts. English is a single sitting of IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in each module or OET B, within two years. The application fee is EUR 451 and registration EUR 560 to 616.
Australia (Medical Board)
The competent authority pathway follows the Board's October 2024 criteria (PLAB or a UK degree with Foundation Year 1, the LMCC, USMLE Steps 1 to 3 with residency, NZREX, an Irish degree with internship). The standard pathway shows the internship the Board requires and the AMC fees in dollars: CAT MCQ AUD 2,920, clinical AUD 3,000. English follows Ahpra's table for tests from 23 April 2026 with two sittings within twelve months, floors and the One Skill Retake.
What to do next
Tell us where you trained, your English and the countries you want, and we show which steps you have left in each, with every fee and how long it takes.
Sources
- GMC: Fees for doctors (registration, annual and PLAB fees from 1 April 2026) ↗
- Irish Medical Council: Fees (2026, with 10% rises in 2026 and 2027) ↗
- Australian Medical Council: Fees and charges ↗
- GMC: Full registration for international medical graduates (application guide; chapters on internship and good standing) ↗
- Irish Medical Council: Registration rules and exemptions (PRES exemptions, PLAB FAQs) ↗
- Irish Medical Council: English language requirements (applications from 1 March 2025) ↗
- Irish Medical Council: Higher qualifications recognised for exemption from the PRES ↗
- Medical Board of Australia: Requirements for eligibility for the competent authority pathway (1 October 2024) ↗
- Medical Board of Australia: Standard pathway ↗
- Ahpra: Accepted English language tests (standard revised for tests from 23 April 2026) ↗
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