It is disastrous to know that PLAB 1 seats are difficult to book now, given UKMLA is already coming in 2024 and GMC releases them infrequently. You tried so hard to find PLAB 1 exam dates for 2023 and yet could not.
As I come from India, I can understand the pain of booking a seat in my native country. You thought it would be easier? Trust me, this is just the beginning. However, I will try to guide you with the minutest details you should know to pursue your dream of working abroad after MBBS.
Updates
GMC has just tweeted that they will be further releasing slots on 18th March 2023 at 10:00 AM. The dates for which these slots will be released are:
- 15th February 2024
- 23rd May 2024
Many students are already questioning- “What about UKMLA then?”. Well, this appears a gentle reminder concluding that UKMLA is not going to replace the PLAB exam anytime soon. Although preparations are on their way, this update means the current exam will continue till early 2024 at least.
Are you looking for canceled seats? Follow our guide:
Finding PLAB 1 Exam Dates
Assuming you already created a GMC account and verified your IELTS/OET score, the next step is to find PLAB 1 exam dates. In 2022, slots were released relatively more infrequently than in preceding years.
The most recent release of slots by GMC was on 10th December 2022, 10 AM GMT, when the GMC portal was flooded and everyone panicked to see the queue number in 4-5 figures.
The slots were released for 10th August 2023 and 2nd November 2023, while in reality, many were able to book February, May and August exam dates as well.
PLAB 1 exam is held four times an year. This includes both Overseas (like India) and UK.
Bear in mind, if you are an IMG (International Medical Graduate holding an MBBS degree) going to the UK for PLAB 1, you should be ready to face notable expenses for your journey.
On the other hand, PLAB 1 Exam Dates in India for 2023 are difficult to get but you can still try your luck to reduce the cost. Once done with the most tiring task, start by making your custom study schedule and focus on your targeted study material.
Following are the PLAB 1 Exam Dates for 2023 in India (overseas) and the UK:
| PLAB 1 Exam Date | Last Date of Closing (Overseas) | Last Date of Closing (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| 16th February 2023 | 5th January 2023 | 2nd February 2023 |
| 25th May 2023 | 13th April 2023 | 11th May 2023 |
| 10th August 2023 | Not revealed yet (usually 6 weeks before) | Not revealed yet (Usually 2 weeks before) |
| 2nd November 2023 | Not revealed yet (usually 6 weeks before) | Not revealed yet (Usually 2 weeks before) |
Useful Posts
- Step 1: Passing IELTS/OET and providing your English Proficiency Exam to GMC
- Step 2: Knowing the Exam Dates (You are here)
- Step 3: Booking PLAB 1 Slot Effectively
- Step 4: Picking the Right Study Material
- Step 5: Creating A Study Schedule
- Step 6: EPIC Verification
- Step 7: Applying for UK Visa (all documents, cover letter, invitation letter and experiences)
- Step 8: Booking PLAB 2 Academy
- Step 9: Booking an Accommodation
- Step 10: Passing the PLAB 2 Exam
- Step 11: Getting GMC Registration
- Step 12: Creating a Perfect CV
- Step 13: Searching for Jobs
Other guides you can check out:
PLAB 1 Exam Venues
UK
It is held in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.
Overseas
Following are countries where you can take the exam:
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- Canada
- Egypt
- Ghana
- India
- Kenya
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- UAE
Booking PLAB 1 Exam
Follow the steps below once you are in the GMC portal:
5 minutes 5 minutes
Login to GMC Portal
You can access the GMC Portal by logging in to their website. Save your Reference number and Password to preserve time during official releases.
Test Bookings
Head to Test Bookings section from the menu. Here, you will see any previous PLAB 1 exams you appeared in or have booked. Note: You cannot check PLAB 1 exam dates if you have already booked or waiting for results.
Book Test
Once you enter test bookings, you will be able to see buttons- Book Test or Cancel Test. Simply click Book Test and proceed with the terms. Once you are inside the section, you will see all available PLAB 1 Exam Dates.
You can filter depending on your country or date desired. However, in practical life, we don’t see any dates unless GMC releases them or some poor fella cancels his booking and you are lucky enough to snatch it.
Tips on Booking PLAB 1 Exam Dates
Official Releases by GMC
GMC makes official announcements on their Twitter handle. Simply follow them to stay updated on important notifications.
These releases happen infrequently, and they will always tell you a specific date with time. You need to enter the GMC portal and follow the steps mentioned above to find the slot.
Some Real Observations
- Even if you log in on GMC Portal at the exact time, you will still be put in a queue with a random number allocation and a timer. Once this timer ends, you will be directed to the bookings section where you can see all the available PLAB 1 dates and venues.
- You will have 10 minutes to book your PLAB 1 exam date. But practically speaking, every second counts. Delay only means someone else picks up the slot and you return to the initial page of booking. Try to grab your country date as fast as possible (YES! Grow Fappy Fast Fingers).
- Only a fool will not be prepared for payment mode. I would recommend you have a Credit Card ready which has activated foreign transactions. (you can confirm this by calling your bank. If you have already purchased PLABABLE or PLABKEYS subscription while looking for Plab 1 Study material, then you already have this activated)
Booking Cancelled PLAB 1 Date
This is cumbersome and tiring. You have to be patient and look for seats throughout the day for days, weeks and sometimes months.
Pro Tip: Most cancelled slots appear 3-4 weeks prior to closing dates. UK dates are comparatively easier but costly at the same time (in terms of travel, accommodation and UK Visa).
If you need to book PLAB 1 dates in India through this route, I highly recommend you read our post on 9 Hacks for Successfully Booking PLAB 1 Cancelled Seats.
FAQs
How to Book PLAB 1 Exam Date 2023?
You need to register for GMC Portal and get your English Proficiency Exam verified (OET/IELTS). Once done, you can head to the book test section and see all the available PLAB 1 exam dates.
How to Prepare for PLAB 1?
You can start with Plabkeys and combine it with PLABABLE Question bank, Gems and Mocks. I personally never used Medrevisions and don’t recommend it. Everything is covered in the former two sources I mentioned. You can explore all PLAB 1 study material but the two will do just fine.
Is Plabable enough for PLAB 1?
I simply don’t understand why everyone keeps asking this question. 99% of the students preparing for PLAB 1 start with PLABABLE. Everything is there literally (although requires a bit of organization).
If you just began, try to read PLABKEYS first before moving to PLABABLE. Some of the people I knew told me every question we face in exams comes from PLABABLE only, it is just how well you remember where the topic was covered.
What if I have not received a confirmation mail from GMC for the venue after successfully booking PLAB 1?
You can contact GMC for such queries. For the UK, you don’t need venue confirmation, but you should receive for overseas at least 1 week before the exam date.
If you still have not, you can call them or mail them and inquire about issues and seek help.
Hope this post on PLAB 1 exam dates for 2023 helped you find the right ones. Let’s hope you are not looking at this exam as an alternative to NEET PG.