PLAB 1: pattern, fee, centres and syllabus
PLAB 1 is the written part of the GMC's test for doctors who qualified outside the UK, EEA or Switzerland. It checks that you can apply medical knowledge to patient care at the level of a doctor starting the second Foundation year (F2).
Checked against the official sources below on 21 October 2026.
At a glance
| Run by | General Medical Council (GMC), UK[1] |
|---|---|
| Questions | 180 single best answer questions: a short scenario, a question and five possible answers[1][2] |
| Time | 3 hours[2] |
| Level | A doctor starting the second year of the UK Foundation Programme (F2)[1] |
| Marking | One mark for each correct answer; your score is the number you get right[3] |
| Pass mark | Set separately for each sitting by the Angoff method, with one standard error of measurement; there is no fixed pass rate[3] |
| Results | Published in GMC Online six weeks after the exam, with your score, the pass score and the average score[3] |
| Sittings | February, May, August and November[4] |
| Next dates | 5 November 2026 (results 17 December 2026) and 11 February 2027 (results 25 March 2027)[3] |
| Centres in Pakistan | Islamabad and Karachi, run by the British Council[4] |
| Fee | £283 (from 1 April 2026)[5] |
| Cancelling | 10% of the fee if you cancel more than 42 days before the exam; the full fee if you cancel 42 days or less before[5] |
| Attempts | Up to four. A fifth and final attempt needs an application backed by 12 months of clinical practice or a relevant postgraduate qualification[6] |
| After you pass | Pass PLAB 2 within two years of passing PLAB 1 (counted from the exam date)[7] |
Syllabus
PLAB 1 questions are written to the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) content map. They cover common, important and acute conditions an F2 doctor sees, and long-term conditions managed in primary care, but not the advanced duties of a GP. Answers should follow current UK best practice. Your results feedback is split into these ten areas:
Results feedback areas[3]
- Cardiorespiratory
- Child and adolescent health
- Endocrine, metabolic and clinical haematology
- Gastrointestinal
- Mental health
- Musculoskeletal
- Neurosciences and senses (including skin)
- Renal and urology
- Reproductive health
- Ethics and other
Good to know
- Before you can book you need an acceptable overseas primary medical qualification and verified evidence of your English. Booking is only through the PLAB booking service in GMC Online, and registration can close two to six weeks before the test.[8]
- For English, IELTS Academic needs at least 7.5 overall and 7.0 in each area, in one sitting. OET Medicine needs at least grade B in each of the four areas, in one sitting. The certificate must still be valid on the day you sit PLAB 1.[9][10]
- From 2027 the GMC is cutting international sittings from four to three a year: there is no international sitting in February 2027. Islamabad and Karachi are not among the centres being closed.[11][12]
- PLAB 2 is a clinical exam (OSCE) of 16 scenarios, 8 minutes each, held in Manchester. Its fee is £1,036.[1][5]
Practise for PLAB 1
Single best answer questions by topic, marked instantly with an explanation.
Practise PLAB questionsSources
- GMC: A guide to the PLAB test
- GMC: What is the PLAB 1 exam?
- GMC: PLAB 1 results
- GMC: When and where can I take PLAB 1?
- GMC: Fees for doctors
- GMC: Are you eligible for an additional PLAB 1 attempt?
- GMC: What to do after you get your results
- GMC: Information on booking a PLAB 1 place
- GMC: Using your IELTS certificate
- GMC: Using your OET certificate
- GMC: Changes to PLAB 1 in 2027
- GMC news: Changes to international exam locations (20 May 2026)
Waraq is an independent study platform, not affiliated with the General Medical Council (GMC). Exam rules change from year to year: always confirm with the official source before you register or apply.