Free NMC CBT Practice Test 2026
Numeracy and clinical mock tests for nurses joining the UK register from India, the Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya and around the world. 272 questions with rationales, written for UK practice. No account needed.
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The NMC CBT exam at a glance
The NMC computer-based test (CBT) is Part 1 of the Test of Competence that nurses educated outside the UK take to join the Nursing and Midwifery Council register; the practical OSCE is Part 2. It is one sitting of 115 questions in 3 hours at a Pearson VUE test centre: Part A, 15 numeracy questions with typed answers in 30 minutes, and Part B, 100 four-option clinical questions in 2 hours 30 minutes mapped to the seven platforms of the NMC Future Nurse standards. Each part is passed or failed on its own: Part A needs 13 of 15 (87%), and Part B pass marks are generally 60% to 70% depending on the field of nursing.
Tigertest has 0 NMC CBT practice questions with explanations, all free with no account required.
- Questions
- 115: 15 numeracy (Part A) and 100 clinical (Part B)
- Time
- 3 hours: 30 minutes for Part A, 2 hours 30 minutes for Part B
- Pass mark
- Part A 13 of 15 (87%); Part B generally 60% to 70%
- Calculator
- On-screen calculator for numeracy
- Fee
- 83 GBP (resit Part A 50 GBP, Part B 70 GBP)
- Attempts
- 3 per application, at least 10 days apart
- Where
- Pearson VUE test centres in most countries
Updated by the Tigertest team. Practice questions follow the NMC Test of Competence 2021 nursing test specification and adult nursing blueprint, and the CBT candidate information booklet (April 2025). Exam rules change, so confirm current details with Nursing and Midwifery Council.
How It Works
Drills on Your Phone
A numeracy drill with typed answers, then one drill for each area of Part B, from the NMC Code to NEWS2 and discharge planning. Check each answer and read the rationale on the spot; every miss comes back until you have it right. Fits around shifts and study.
Full Mock Tests
Part A then Part B in one sitting, timed like the real CBT: 15 numeracy questions in 30 minutes with a calculator, then 100 clinical questions in 2 hours 30 minutes, with flagging and review. Practice Test 2 questions never appear in the drills, so it is a fair check of your progress.
Built on the NMC Test Specification
Each mock test follows the NMC's own blueprint. Part A covers doses, unit conversions, tablets and liquids, injections, infusions and fluid balance. Part B gives each platform of the Future Nurse standards the same number of questions as the real test:
How to Prepare for the NMC CBT
1. Answer as a newly registered nurse in the UK
You may be an experienced nurse, but the CBT asks what a nurse should do in a UK hospital or community setting today. Some answers differ from practice at home: patients with capacity can refuse treatment, next of kin cannot consent for another adult, and nurses raise concerns and are open with patients when something goes wrong. When two options look right, choose the one that keeps the patient safe and follows the NMC Code.
2. Learn the UK frameworks by name
NEWS2 and its escalation thresholds, the Mental Capacity Act 2005, safeguarding under the Care Act 2014, MUST, the Sepsis Six, SBAR and the five moments for hand hygiene come up again and again. Learn the numbers too: 14 units of alcohol a week, oxygen targets of 94 to 98% (88 to 92% for some patients with COPD), hypoglycaemia below 4.0 mmol/L.
3. Make numeracy automatic
Part A needs 13 of 15, so a single slip matters. Use one formula every time (what you want, divided by what you have, times the volume), convert to the same unit before you divide, and read the rounding instruction twice. UK charts write micrograms in full, and a standard giving set delivers 20 drops per mL.
4. Drill your weakest platform, then take a full test
Tigertest shows your practice score by platform. Read the rationales in the area you miss most, then sit Practice Test 2 in one go to check your timing: about 2 minutes a numeracy question and 1.5 minutes a clinical one. These scores track your practice and do not predict your result.
NMC CBT Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NMC CBT?
The computer-based test is Part 1 of the NMC Test of Competence, which nurses trained outside the UK take before the practical OSCE when applying to join the NMC register. It has two parts sat together: Part A, 15 numeracy questions in 30 minutes, and Part B, 100 clinical multiple-choice questions in 2 hours 30 minutes. You take it at a Pearson VUE test centre, and most countries have one.
What is the pass mark for the NMC CBT?
Each part is passed or failed on its own. The NMC test specification gives the Part A numeracy pass mark as 87%, which is 13 of the 15 questions. Part B pass marks vary by field of nursing but are generally set between 60% and 70%. If you fail one part, you resit only that part.
Can I use a calculator in the NMC CBT numeracy test?
Yes. The candidate information booklet says an on-screen calculator is available and you can work on an erasable note board. You type each numeracy answer as a number, and you may need to give it in the right unit, so practise converting milligrams, micrograms, grams, litres and millilitres until it is automatic.
What is on Part B of the NMC CBT?
100 four-option questions with one correct answer, spread across the seven platforms of the NMC Standards of proficiency for registered nurses: being an accountable professional, promoting health, assessing needs and planning care, providing and evaluating care, leading and managing care, improving safety and quality, and coordinating care. Some questions target communication skills and nursing procedures. All of them follow UK practice and the NMC Code.
Is the Tigertest NMC CBT practice test free?
Yes. Both practice tests and all eight drills are free, with no account needed. The questions are original practice questions written from the NMC test specification and blueprint, not real exam questions. Create a free account to keep your progress in step between your phone and your computer.
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Free to start. No account needed. 272 questions across numeracy and all seven platforms, written for nurses joining the UK register.
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