NMC OSCE Resit After a Test Centre Closure: What Happens to Your Booking

Finding out that your OSCE test centre has closed while you’re mid-way through resits is stressful, especially if you’re already juggling work, family, and the emotional weight of the exam itself. If you originally sat your OSCE at Oxford Brookes University or Northumbria University and haven’t completed your resits yet, this guide walks through exactly what happens next.

We’ll keep this practical: what the NMC’s process actually involves, what you need to send, and what to expect at your new centre.

First, the Reassuring Part

Your progress isn’t lost. If you passed some stations and failed others, you still only need to resit the stations you didn’t pass a centre closure doesn’t reset your attempt count or force you to redo stations you’ve already passed. What changes is where you take that resit, not what you need to complete.

Which Centres Have Closed

• Oxford Brookes University OSCE delivery ended 31 July 2026.
• Northumbria University OSCE delivery ended 19 February 2026 (affecting both RN/RM and nursing associate routes).

If you sat your first attempt at either of these centres and still have stations to resit, this guide applies to you.

Step-by-Step: How to Transfer Your Resit

Step 1: Confirm You Need to Transfer

If your original OSCE attempt was at Oxford Brookes or Northumbria and you have not yet completed all your resits, you’ll need to move to one of the currently approved centres:

• University of Northampton
• Ulster University
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Step 2: Choose Your New Centre

You get to choose which of the three remaining centres you’d prefer for your resit. Consider travel distance, availability, and how soon you want to sit your resit, since demand at the remaining centres has increased following the closures.

Step 3: Email the New Centre Directly

This is the step candidates most often get wrong the transfer isn’t automatic. You need to email your chosen new centre yourself, and your email needs to clearly identify itself as a transfer request. Including a subject line that references the transfer (for example, referencing “Northumbria Transfer Request” or the equivalent for Oxford Brookes) helps the centre process your request quickly and avoid delays.

In your email, it helps to include:

• Your full name as registered with the NMC
• Your NMC PIN or application reference number
• Your original test centre and the date of your last attempt
• Which stations you still need to resit, if known
• Your preferred resit dates or availability

Step 4: Wait for Confirmation

Once the new centre reviews your request and confirms they can accommodate you, they will:

• Confirm your booking directly with you
• Notify the NMC that your centre has changed

From this point forward, all future resits must take place at this new centre you won’t be able to move between centres again unless there’s a further centre closure. This is standard NMC policy for resits generally, not something unique to the transfer process.

Step 5: Complete Your ID Check (If Needed)

If you hadn’t completed your identity verification check at your original centre, this needs to happen at your new centre before you can sit your resit. ID checks are typically appointment-only, and appointment availability can vary by centre, so it’s worth arranging this as early as possible once your transfer is confirmed don’t leave it until close to your resit date.

If your ID check was already completed at your original centre, you generally won’t need to repeat it, but always confirm this directly with your new centre to be certain.

Step 6: Prepare for Your Resit

This is the part fully within your control. A centre transfer doesn’t change the exam content, marking criteria, or station structure it only changes location. So your preparation strategy should focus on the stations you didn’t pass previously, using your original feedback as a guide.

What Your Resit Feedback Tells You

When you don’t pass an OSCE attempt, the NMC provides feedback identifying which specific stations and elements you were unsuccessful in. This feedback is genuinely valuable it tells you exactly where to focus your preparation time rather than re-revising everything from scratch.

If you’re not sure how to interpret this feedback or turn it into a focused study plan, working through it with an experienced OSCE trainer can save significant time compared to generic revision.

A Realistic Timeline for Your Resit

Remember that NMC rules require a minimum of 10 days between OSCE sittings, and you’re permitted a maximum of three attempts as part of a single application. If you don’t pass by your third attempt, your application closes and you’d need to start a new application after a required waiting period so it’s worth taking this preparation seriously rather than treating a resit casually.

Common Questions Candidates Have During This Process

“Do I lose my passed stations if I transfer centres?” No. You only need to resit the stations you didn’t pass, regardless of which centre you transfer to.

“Will the marking be different at my new centre?” No. Every NMC-approved centre applies the same national marking criteria and blueprint. A different location does not mean different standards.

“What if my preferred new centre can’t accommodate me?” You can approach another approved centre instead. The choice of which centre to transfer to is yours, subject to their availability.

“Can I go back to my original centre later?” No once your transfer is confirmed, your new centre becomes your centre for any further resits, in line with standard NMC resit policy.

Turning a Stressful Transfer Into a Focused Comeback

A test centre closure is genuinely outside your control, but how you use the transfer period isn’t. Many candidates find that a forced pause is actually a useful opportunity to revisit exactly why they didn’t pass specific stations the first time, rather than repeating the same preparation approach and hoping for a different result.

Choosing the right OSCE training can significantly impact your success rate on a resit, particularly because resit preparation should be targeted rather than generic. Medax OSCE Academy offers focused resit-oriented coaching across every nursing field, built around your specific feedback rather than a one-size-fits-all course.

Whether you need to revisit Adult Nursing clinical skills stations through our Adult Nursing OSCE training, refresh Mental Health professional values scenarios via our Mental Health OSCE programme, or need a full resit strategy across Midwifery, Paediatric, or Nursing Associate pathways, our team can help you build a plan around the exact stations you need to pass. For a broader view of your options after a centre transfer, our full course list covers every field and format.

If timing is tight and you want practical strategies for managing the exam clock itself often a factor in resits where candidates feel rushed our OSCE time management guide is worth reading alongside your resit preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

My OSCE centre is closed do I need to start my application over?

No. Your application stays open. You simply need to transfer your remaining resits to a currently approved centre.

How do I know which stations I still need to resit?

Your NMC feedback email after a failed attempt specifies exactly which stations and elements you were unsuccessful in using as your resit preparation checklist.

Is there a deadline to transfer after a centre closes?

The NMC and test centres generally allow reasonable time to arrange a transfer, but it’s best to start the process as soon as you’re aware your centre has closed, particularly given increased demand at the remaining centres.

Do I need to pay again to transfer centres?

The standard resit fee structure (reduced fee for resitting 7 or fewer stations) applies as normal; a centre transfer itself does not carry an additional administrative fee.

What happens if I don’t pass at my new centre either?

You can use any remaining attempts within your three-attempt limit, sitting only the stations you haven’t yet passed, at your new centre.

Can I choose Leeds even if it’s not my nearest centre?

Yes. You can choose any of the three approved centres for your transfer, based on your own preference, not just the nearest one.

Final Thoughts

A test centre closure mid-resit is frustrating, but the process to keep moving forward is well defined: confirm your new centre, send a clear transfer request, complete any outstanding ID check, and focus your preparation on the specific stations you need to pass.

If you’d like support building a targeted resit plan based on your actual feedback, register with Medax OSCE Academy and our team will help you map out a clear, realistic path to your next attempt.