Evidence of your knowledge of English for physician associates and anaesthesia associates

When you apply for registration, we need to be satisfied you have the necessary knowledge of English to practise safely in the UK as physician associate (PA) or anaesthesia associate (AA). We need to be confident you can communicate effectively in English, so you do not put the safety of your patients at risk.

Communicating includes speaking, reading, writing, and listening.

There are a few ways in which you can demonstrate your knowledge of English:

  • you are newly qualified and can confirm your PA or AA qualification was taught and examined in English
  • you have practised continuously for the two years immediately before your application, in a country on our list of acceptable English language speaking countries
  • a pass in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
  • a pass in the Occupational English Test (OET).

Sometimes, you may be able to submit other evidence of your knowledge of English. However, this is at our discretion.

Qualification was taught and examined in English

We may accept your PA or AA qualification if it:

  • is less than two years old when you apply for registration, and
  • was taught and examined solely in English.

When we ask you to, you'll need to email us a letter or certificate from your course provider that confirms:

  • all of the course was taught and examined solely in English
  • at least 75% of any course related clinical interaction, including personal contact with patients, their families and other healthcare professionals, was conducted in English ie without any translation support
  • the date you passed your final exam.

We’ll need this, along with confirmation of whether you have taken the academic IELTS test or the OET. If you have, you’ll need to provide your Test Report Form if you’ve sat IELTS, or your candidate number if you’ve sat OET.

You do not need to provide us with the above evidence if:

  • you have a UK PA or AA qualification, or
  • you have a qualification from a country on our list of acceptable English language speaking countries, and you have practised there continuously since it was awarded, or
  • you have a PA or AA qualification from a country on our list of acceptable English language speaking countries, and you are also a national of a country on that list.

If your qualification doesn’t meet these criteria, you can't use it as evidence of your knowledge of English.

Providing a reference from your employer

We may be able to accept confirmation from your employer if you're applying for registration. You must have practised continuously for the two years immediately before your application, in a country on our list of acceptable English language speaking countries.

We’ll ask you to get your employers from the last two years to complete an English language reference form and to send this to us directly. You'll also need to confirm whether you have ever taken the academic version of the IELTS test or the OET test.

IELTS

Types of IELTS we can accept

We can accept your IELTS certificate as long as you took the Academic version of the test. 

Our minimum scores

For us to accept your IELTS certificate, it must demonstrate:

  • that you took the academic version of the test
  • that you achieved a score of at least 7.0 in each testing area and an overall score of at least 7.5
  • that the scores were achieved in the same sitting
  • that you achieved these scores in your most recent sitting of the test
  • that the test was taken in person, in an authorised test centre
  • the original stamp and test report form number.

How long is your certificate valid for?

IELTS certificates are valid for two years. If you are applying for registration, it must be valid when you submit your application.

If your IELTS certificate is more than two years old, please refer to the next section of this guidance. You should read our English language requirements policy for further information.

Please note, IELTS may not be acceptable evidence of your English language skills for the purposes of obtaining a UK visa. You will need to check with UK Visa and Immigration for their requirements.

OET

Types of OET we can accept

We can accept the following versions of OET:

  • OET on paper
  • OET on computer
  • OET@Home

You must take the Medicine version of the test. 

Our minimum scores

For us to accept your OET certificate it must show:

  • that you took the medicine version of the test
  • that you achieved at least a grade ‘B’ in each testing area (speaking, listening, reading and writing)
  • that you achieved those grades in the same test
  • your candidate number
  • that you obtained the grades in your most recent sitting of the test.

How long is your certificate valid for?

OET certificates are valid for two years. If you are applying for registration, it must be valid when you submit your application.  

If your OET certificate is more than two years old, please refer to the next section of this guidance. You should read our English language requirements policy for further information.

English language tests accepted by another regulatory authority

We may accept a pass in a language test taken to gain registration with a medical regulatory authority in a country on our list of acceptable English language speaking countries. This must be less than two years old at the point your application is submitted.

If you are not able to provide any of the evidence above, you should read our English Language policy for PAs and AAs to see if there is any other evidence you are able submit. Or you may wish to sit either the IELTS or OET.

List of acceptable English language speaking countries

These are the English language speaking countries and territories we currently accept.

  • Ascension
  • Australia
  • Bermuda
  • British Antarctic Territory (BAT)
  • British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
  • Canada
  • Falkland Islands
  • Gibraltar
  • Guernsey
  • Guyana (formerly British Guiana)
  • Ireland
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • New Zealand
  • Pitcairn
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on Cyprus (CBA's)
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • St Helena
  • Tristan da Cunha
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • US Virgin Islands

Caribbean Islands:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Anguilla
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Grenadines
  • Jamaica
  • Montserrat
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands