Many of our graduates think about the UK: good training, English at work and a clear registration system. The rules depend mainly on where your degree comes from. A Polish degree is an EU qualification, while degrees from Ukraine and Georgia go through the international route of the General Medical Council (GMC). Here is how each route works.
Who decides
Doctors in the UK are registered and licensed by the General Medical Council. Graduates of medical schools outside the UK, the EEA and Switzerland usually take the PLAB test, which checks that a doctor trained abroad has the knowledge and skills needed to work in the UK.
Degree from Ukraine or Georgia: step by step
- Check your qualification Before booking PLAB, check that the GMC accepts your primary medical qualification. The school must be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, and the programme must last at least three years with at least 5,500 clock hours. Teaching should be mainly in person; the GMC considers significant online learning in exceptional circumstances, such as a conflict or a pandemic.
- English You show evidence of your English. The GMC recommends IELTS or OET.
- PLAB 1 A written exam with 180 single-best-answer questions, which you can also take outside the UK. The fee is £283. Practice questions for the PLAB 1 exam are available on Medmigrant, our learning platform.
- PLAB 2 A practical exam with 16 clinical scenarios, passed within two years of passing PLAB 1. The fee is £1,036.
- Verification Your diploma is verified at the source through an EPIC account.
- Registration You apply for registration with a licence within two years of passing PLAB 2. For full registration you need an internship of 12 months (at least 3 months in medicine and 3 in surgery), the UK Foundation Year 1, or two years of postgraduate practice.
Transfers
The GMC usually accepts at most one transfer between medical schools, and there must be a justifiable reason for it. If you plan to change universities during your studies, plan this with us from the start.
Degree from Poland
A Polish medical degree is a European qualification. Doctors with a relevant European qualification have a separate route to registration without PLAB. In 2023 the UK government decided to keep this automatic recognition of EEA qualifications for a temporary period of five years and to consider another review after that. This is one reason why some students start in Ukraine or Georgia and later transfer to an English-taught programme in Poland.
Foundation Programme and specialty training
Since the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, UK medical graduates and graduates from a small priority group of countries (Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) have priority for the Foundation Programme. Degrees from Poland, Ukraine and Georgia are not in that group. For specialty training, British citizens and some other groups are prioritised. If you already hold a specialist title from abroad, the GMC route is the Portfolio pathway, where you show that your knowledge and experience match those of a UK specialist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take PLAB 1 before graduating?
Before you book PLAB, the GMC must accept your primary medical qualification, so in practice you plan the exams during your final years: check your university, prepare for English and collect your documents.
Does the UK recognise a Ukrainian degree from studies affected by the war?
The GMC criteria allow significant online learning in exceptional circumstances, such as a conflict. Each qualification is assessed individually, so keep your syllabuses and records of clinical placements.
How can Edumetric help?
We help you choose a university that meets the GMC criteria, plan placements and, if you want, a transfer to the EU. Book a free consultation.
Read also: Studying medicine in Ukraine: is it a good idea?, Studying medicine in Georgia: admission, costs and recognition in the UK and Studying medicine in Poland in English: admission, tuition and what comes next. You will find all universities in the university directory.
Have questions about studying abroad?
An Edumetric adviser will answer your questions and put together a list of universities with their costs. The consultation is free.