Do I still sit PRES Level 2?

Yes. Doctors on the PRES route pass PRES Level 2 before Level 3, unless they have passed an exam the Council accepts in its place and apply directly for Level 3: PLAB Part 1 (from 31 March 2025 valid for two years from the exam), USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (dated within seven years), MCCQE Part 1, or the AMC MCQ (valid for as long as the awarding body says).

Is registration cheaper if I qualified recently?

Yes: a full year costs €560 for a doctor who qualified less than three years ago, against €616.

How is my degree verified?

EPIC reports verifying the basic medical qualification and, where applicable, the internship certificate are sent directly to the Council.

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🇮🇪 Ireland · Doctors

What is the PRES exam in Ireland, what does it cost, and who is exempt?

The Irish Medical Council (IMC) charges €352 for PRES Level 2, its written exam, and €1,500 for PRES Level 3, its clinical exam; a pass in PLAB Part 1, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, MCCQE Part 1 or the AMC MCQ replaces Level 2, and a PLAB Part 2 pass or a higher qualification the Council recognises exempts you from the PRES.

Checked 23 Oct 2026 · IMC ↗

Fees

Step	Fee
First-time application for registration	€451
PRES Level 2, unless you passed PLAB Part 1, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, MCCQE Part 1 or the AMC MCQYou pay	€352
PRES Level 3You pay	€1,500
Registration for a full year, as a recently registered doctor	€616
Total sitting Level 2, before any resit	€2,919
Total with an exam that replaces Level 2, before any resit	€2,567

How the PRES works

Levels, where and how often	Level 2 (multiple-choice clinical knowledge) and Level 3 (clinical skills; OSCE and data interpretation); Level 3 is held in Ireland only, two to three times a year; three attempts at any level
PRES Level 2	A written exam of multiple-choice questions answered in three hours, held in Dublin and in Dubai; two years or three attempts from the date you are declared eligible; results by email about six weeks after the exam
Time limit	Must be passed within two years of eligibility and within three attempts; otherwise a new registration application is needed

Who does not sit the PRES

The Council's rule	Pass the PRES, or be exempt through a Certificate of Experience the Council treats as at least equivalent to an Irish internship, a recognised higher qualification, or a pass in the GMC's PLAB Part 2
PLAB Part 2	A doctor who passes PLAB Part 2 (after PLAB Part 1) may be admitted to the register without the PRES, subject to the other registration requirements; recency of practice is reviewed if more than three years have passed without practice; PRES 2 is not recognised by the GMC
Recognised higher qualifications	MRCP(UK), MRCPI, FRCPI, MRCS, MRCSI, FRCSI, FRCS, MRCOG, MRCPCH, FRCA, FCAI, MCAI, FRCR, FFR RCSI, MRCEM, FRCEM, FRCPath, FRCPA, FRACP, FRACS, FRCPC, FANZCA, FACEM, MRCPsych, MRCGP, MICGP and American Board certification

Good to know

Do I still sit PRES Level 2?: Yes. Doctors on the PRES route pass PRES Level 2 before Level 3, unless they have passed an exam the Council accepts in its place and apply directly for Level 3: PLAB Part 1 (from 31 March 2025 valid for two years from the exam), USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (dated within seven years), MCCQE Part 1, or the AMC MCQ (valid for as long as the awarding body says).
Is registration cheaper if I qualified recently?: Yes: a full year costs €560 for a doctor who qualified less than three years ago, against €616.
How is my degree verified?: EPIC reports verifying the basic medical qualification and, where applicable, the internship certificate are sent directly to the Council.

What to do next

Tell us your degree, your internship and the exams you have passed, and we show whether you need the PRES and what else the Medical Council asks, with each fee and how long it takes.

Sources

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