Overview
OET (Occupational English Test) is an English-language test built specifically for healthcare professionals — among them nurses, doctors, dentists, pharmacists and physiotherapists — who need to prove their English for registration or a visa in an English-speaking country. Unlike general English tests, every task is set in a healthcare workplace context: a nurse's handover, a doctor's consultation, a discharge letter. It tests the same four skills as other major English tests — Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking — but through healthcare material throughout.
Who can apply
OET covers 12 healthcare professions: Dentistry, Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology and Veterinary Science. There is no nationality or age restriction; candidates register under the profession they practise or are qualified in, since the Writing and Speaking sub-tests are written for that specific profession. OET is generally used by regulatory and licensing bodies for healthcare professionals — such as nursing and medical councils in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland — and for some health-related visa categories, so candidates should confirm with their specific regulator or visa authority which test format and grade they require before booking.
Exam pattern
All candidates, whatever their profession, sit the same Listening and Reading sub-tests. Writing and Speaking are profession-specific: the task content changes to match real tasks in that profession, while the skill being tested stays the same.
| Sub-test | Duration | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | About 40 minutes | 3 parts, 42 questions in total; healthcare topics of general interest, the same for every profession |
| Reading | 60 minutes | 3 parts, 42 questions in total; the same for every profession |
| Writing | 45 minutes | One profession-specific letter-writing task (such as a referral, discharge or transfer letter), based on case notes |
| Speaking | About 20 minutes | Two profession-specific role-plays with a trained interlocutor, each preceded by preparation time |
Listening, Reading and Writing are always taken together in one sitting. Speaking is completed within the same test administration, typically within a few days before or after the other three sub-tests.
OET is offered in three delivery formats: OET on Paper (paper-based, at test venues worldwide outside the United States), OET on Computer (computer-delivered at a test venue) and OET@Home (computer-delivered remotely, with the Speaking sub-test conducted live over video call). For 2026, OET@Home is limited to the Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy professions, and candidates must book it in the same country where they will sit the test.
Marking and results
Each of the four sub-tests is graded independently — there is no single combined OET score. Every sub-test gets a numerical score from 0 to 500 (in steps of 10), which maps to a letter grade from A (highest) down to E (lowest), with a C+ band between C and B. Regulators set their own pass requirements rather than OET itself; many ask for at least a B in each sub-test, but requirements vary by regulator and by profession, so candidates should check the specific grade their registering or licensing body asks for.
OET does not itself publish an expiry date for results — how long a result stays valid for registration or a visa is set by the regulator or authority a candidate is applying to, not by OET, so this should always be confirmed directly with that body.
Important dates
OET on Computer and OET@Home run on multiple days most weeks; OET on Paper is scheduled roughly every two weeks. For 2026, OET recommends registering at least three weeks ahead of a chosen test date. Booking for OET on Paper closes 24 days before the test date; booking for OET on Computer and OET@Home closes 7 days before the test date. Exact dates, formats and locations are published on the official OET site, filtered by profession, location and format.
Fees
The test fee varies by country and by delivery format, and is reviewed periodically. For 2026, OET lists the full four-sub-test exam on Computer or OET@Home at AU455 within the United States) as a reference price; candidates should check the current fee for their own country and format on the official OET site before booking, since local pricing differs.
How to apply
Registration starts with a free myOET account on the official OET site, with the candidate's email verified. From there, a candidate chooses their profession, test format (Paper, Computer or OET@Home), location and date, then pays the fee to confirm the booking. A valid, unexpired passport (or other accepted government photo ID matching the registration details) is required on test day.
Preparation tips
OET's own Preparation Portal offers free sample tests, audio and guides for each sub-test and profession, and is the most reliable starting point since it matches the real test format. Because Listening and Reading are identical across professions, general healthcare-English practice helps every candidate; Writing and Speaking preparation should focus specifically on the case-note and role-play styles used in a candidate's own profession, since these differ from one profession to the next.
Who should take OET instead of a general English test?
OET is for healthcare professionals — such as nurses, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists and the other professions it covers — who need to show English proficiency for professional registration or a related visa. Its tasks are all set in healthcare contexts rather than general or academic topics.
Which professions does OET cover?
Twelve: Dentistry, Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology and Veterinary Science. Listening and Reading are the same for all of them; Writing and Speaking are written specifically for each profession.
How is OET scored?
Each of the four sub-tests — Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking — gets its own score from 0 to 500 and a letter grade from A to E (with a C+ band). There is no overall combined score. Many regulators ask for at least a B in each sub-test, but the exact requirement depends on the regulator and profession, so candidates should confirm it with their own registering body.
How long is an OET result valid?
OET does not set its own expiry date for results. Validity for registration or a visa is decided by the regulator or authority a candidate applies to, so this should be confirmed directly with that body rather than assumed.