Therapeutic radiographer jobs in the UK with CoS include radiotherapy treatment, pre-treatment and senior clinical posts. Verified NHS England basic salaries range from £32,073 to £56,515 annually across Bands 5 to 7. Overseas applicants need suitable radiotherapy qualifications, appropriate Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration and an employer willing to sponsor the appointment. This guide explains registration, costs and visa requirements, with direct vacancy links and clear distinctions between sponsorship applications being welcomed and a CoS being guaranteed. nhsemployers.org
These are gross annual NHS England basic salaries in pounds sterling, effective from 1 April 2026. They exclude London supplements, recruitment premiums and additional shift payments.
Job or level
Annual basic salary
Typical requirements
Band 5 therapeutic radiographer
£32,073 to £39,043
Relevant radiotherapy qualification and HCPC registration
Band 6 senior therapeutic radiographer
£39,959 to £48,117
Registration and relevant post-registration experience
Band 7 specialist or team-leading radiographer
£49,387 to £56,515
Substantial specialist experience and leadership skills
The official NHS pay scales establish the bands. Your actual offer depends on the appointment, hours and employer’s starting-pay policy. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate pay arrangements. nhsemployers.org
Check whether the advertised salary is full-time equivalent or pro rata. Also ask whether any recruitment premium is permanent, conditional or time-limited.
2. Which roles match your qualifications and experience?
Newly qualified therapeutic radiographers
Band 5 posts are a practical starting point. Look for structured preceptorship, supervised induction and rotations through treatment and pre-treatment services.
The reviewed Newcastle vacancy encourages newly qualified radiographers to apply and offers a structured development programme. Maidstone’s vacancy also welcomes students qualifying this year, while requiring the appropriate professional registration for appointment. trac.jobs
Experienced treatment and pre-treatment radiographers
Match your experience to the department’s equipment and techniques. Employers may assess your competence in treatment delivery, patient positioning, image evaluation, quality assurance and safe use of ionising radiation.
Describe what you have actually performed, your level of responsibility and how competence was assessed. Listing equipment names without explaining your clinical role gives recruiters little evidence.
Senior and specialist applicants
Band 6 and Band 7 appointments may require supervision, audit, service improvement and specialist technical experience.
For example, Royal Berkshire’s reviewed senior post requires substantial radiotherapy experience, image-guided radiotherapy knowledge and experience supporting learners or junior colleagues. trac.jobs
Diagnostic radiography is a different practice area
Do not assume a diagnostic radiography qualification automatically establishes eligibility for a therapeutic radiographer appointment. Check your education and clinical experience against the HCPC radiographer standards and the vacancy’s therapeutic registration requirements. The HCPC
Hypothetical example: An applicant experienced in diagnostic CT may have useful imaging skills, but still needs evidence of appropriate radiotherapy education and therapeutic practice competence.
3. Where to find legitimate employers and vacancies
Search NHS Jobs and employers’ recruitment pages using “therapeutic radiographer”, “radiotherapy radiographer” and relevant specialist terms.
The examples below were checked on the research date. Published deadlines can change or vacancies can close early.
Verified vacancy welcoming sponsorship applicants
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Therapeutic Radiographer
Location: Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.
Reference: 317-2026-32-42-DR-A.
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 annually, Band 5.
Contract: Permanent, 37.5 hours weekly.
Closing date: 25 October 2026.
Sponsorship evidence: The NHS Jobs advert welcomes applications from candidates requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship.
Registration: Appropriate UK registration as a therapeutic radiographer is required.
Read the employer’s recruitment listing and apply. The role includes treatment and pre-treatment rotations. Sponsorship applicants may be considered, but appointment and CoS assignment remain conditional on eligibility and recruitment checks. Jobs
Verified vacancy with sponsorship wording requiring clarification
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust: Therapeutic Radiographer
Location: Maidstone Hospital, Kent Oncology Centre.
Reference: 359-8224717-T3-A.
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 annually, advertised pro rata.
Contract: Permanent, 37.5 hours weekly.
Closing date: 30 October 2026.
Requirements: Radiotherapy degree or equivalent, appropriate registration and relevant clinical knowledge.
The NHS Jobs version contains sponsorship-welcome wording. However, the employer’s recruitment page does not provide a separate, detailed commitment to overseas sponsorship. Confirm CoS availability and the required registration stage directly with recruitment.
Verified recruitment where sponsorship is normally unavailable
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust: Senior Therapeutic Radiographer
The reviewed Band 6 advert explicitly states that sponsorship is not normally available and applicants must have suitable UK work permission by their proposed start date.
Medical radiographers fall under occupation code 2254, which is eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa. The employer, salary and appointment must also meet the route’s requirements. www.gov.uk
The process has three separate stages:
Job offer: An employer offers employment, usually subject to checks.
Certificate of Sponsorship: A licensed employer assigns an electronic record with a reference number.
Visa application: You apply to UK Visas and Immigration for permission to enter and work.
A CoS is not a visa and does not guarantee approval. The UK does not use Canada’s LMIA process.
Follow the official Health and Care Worker visa guidance. Healthcare salary assessment uses the relevant requirements and national pay scales. Do not automatically apply the general Skilled Worker salary threshold to every NHS radiographer post. www.gov.uk
Prepare your qualification certificate, course information, identity documents and professional experience evidence. Current applications require a standards of proficiency mapping document, showing exactly where your evidence addresses each relevant standard. www.hcpc-uk.org
A job offer does not replace HCPC approval. Ask whether registration must be complete when applying or before starting.
English language requirements
Where test evidence is required, HCPC’s radiographer thresholds include:
IELTS: Overall 7.0, with no component below 6.5.
Radiography OET: Total 1,400, with no component below 300.
HCPC accepts qualifying IELTS Academic and General tests taken at official test centres. Applicants with primary qualifying qualifications from countries on HCPC’s qualifying list may meet the requirement through that qualification.
Budget separately for English tests, translations, required checks, travel and accommodation.
Health and Care applicants usually need £1,270 maintenance funds, held for 28 consecutive days, unless exempt or the employer certifies maintenance. Eligible applicants do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. www.gov.uk
Documents and employer responsibilities
Visa evidence includes your passport, CoS reference, salary, occupation code, sponsor details and accepted English evidence. Criminal record certificates, tuberculosis testing and certified translations may also be required. Follow the official document checklist. www.gov.uk
Under England’s international recruitment code, employer costs such as the sponsor licence, CoS, agency fees and applicable Immigration Skills Charge must not be reclaimed from recruits. Obtain relocation support and any repayment conditions in writing. www.gov.uk
6. Permanent residence possibilities
Current GOV.UK settlement guidance allows eligible Health and Care Worker visa holders to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five qualifying years.
You must satisfy residence, applicable salary and continuing employment requirements, plus other conditions. Most applicants aged 18 to 64 must pass the Life in the UK Test. Settlement requires a separate application and is not guaranteed by receiving a CoS. www.gov.uk
7. How to apply, step by step
Confirm your HCPC route and therapeutic practice evidence.
Prepare registration documents, including standards mapping and English evidence.
Shortlist suitable vacancies by band, clinical duties and registration deadline.
Confirm sponsorship for the specific post and your circumstances.
Tailor your CV and supporting statement using real examples of safe treatment delivery, patient care, teamwork and quality assurance.
Verify the contract, including salary, shifts, work sites, deductions and repayment clauses.
Obtain the CoS and apply through GOV.UK, following official identity and evidence instructions.
Match the vacancy reference to the employer’s recruitment page.
Read post-specific sponsorship restrictions.
Reject requests to purchase a CoS or pay for a guaranteed appointment.
Confirm that the role matches your therapeutic qualifications and competence.
Applicants resident in Nigeria should also understand ethical recruitment rules. Nigeria is on the recruitment red list, but individuals may independently apply directly to UK employers. The restriction concerns active recruitment targeting residents, rather than a blanket ban on individual applications. www.gov.uk
9. Frequently asked questions
Can newly qualified overseas radiographers apply?
Potentially. Newcastle’s reviewed vacancy encourages newly qualified applicants, but appropriate registration and immigration eligibility still apply. trac.jobs
Must I already know the employer’s treatment machines?
Check the person specification. Some posts provide structured development, while senior roles may require substantial experience with modern treatment techniques. Explain your actual competencies and training needs honestly. trac.jobs
Does sponsorship include relocation funding?
Not automatically. Ask separately about flights, temporary accommodation, registration reimbursement and any repayment clause. CoS support alone does not establish a relocation package.
Is a radiotherapy apprenticeship a shortcut for qualified overseas applicants?
Do not assume so. Apprenticeships have separate training, employment and funding conditions. Overseas-qualified applicants should first establish their HCPC route and eligibility for registered vacancies.
Your next-action checklist
Confirm HCPC eligibility for therapeutic practice.
Prepare complete qualification and clinical evidence.
Match vacancies to your experience.
Obtain written CoS confirmation.
Verify the employer, actual salary and contract.
Apply through official recruitment and GOV.UK channels.
