OET (Occupational English Test) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the OET (Occupational English Test), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
AU$587
Provider
Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment
Validity
OET sets none, regulators do
Available
Global
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
6-12 months of relevant experience recommended
Specific Requirements
- No formal qualification is required to book, but OET advises that it may not suit candidates who are not health professionals working toward registration in an English-speaking context.
- A valid passport or valid national ID must be supplied at booking and presented on test day.
- A current personal email address, not a university or workplace address. ECFMG applicants must use the same email as their ECFMG record.
- A photo meeting OET's requirements for OET on Paper, or an uploaded image of your ID for OET on Computer and OET@Home.
- Acceptance of the OET Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Collection Notice and Test Regulations at registration.
- For OET@Home, your own computer, a quiet uninterrupted room and a setup that passes the system check.
- Confirmation from your recognising organisation of the minimum grades it accepts, the delivery modes it accepts and whether all four sub-tests must come from one sitting.
Number of Questions
84 marked questions across Listening (42) and Reading (42), plus one letter in Writing and two role plays in Speaking
Duration
About 145 minutes for Listening, Reading and Writing taken consecutively (Listening about 40 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Writing 45 minutes), plus a separate Speaking sub-test of about 20 minutes
Question Format
Note completion from a recorded consultation (Listening Part A), Multiple choice on short workplace extracts (Listening Part B), Multiple choice on presentation and interview extracts (Listening Part C), Short answer matching and completion across four short texts (Reading Part A), Multiple choice on short workplace documents (Reading Part B), Multiple choice on two long healthcare texts (Reading Part C), One profession-specific letter of referral, transfer, discharge or advice written from case notes, Two profession-specific speaking role plays with an interlocutor
Passing Requirement
Set by the recognising organisation, not by OET. GMC requires Grade B in each testing area of OET Medicine. NMC requires Grade B (350 to 440) in reading, listening and speaking and Grade C+ (300 to 340) in writing on OET Nursing.
How It Is Delivered
OET Test on Paper at a test centre, OET Test on Computer at a venue, or OET@Home with remote proctoring. The Speaking sub-test on computer is delivered with an interlocutor over Zoom.
Languages Offered
English
Rules specific to this exam
- Listening and Reading are identical for all 12 professions. Writing and Speaking are profession-specific.
- Reading Part A is an expeditious reading task with a strict 15 minute limit, and materials are collected after 15 minutes.
- The Listening, Reading and Writing sub-tests run consecutively with no scheduled breaks, including no scheduled bathroom breaks.
- On paper, candidates get two minutes at the end of Listening to check answers across all three parts. On computer and at home there is a short pause after each question instead.
- Listening audio uses Australian, British and American accents, with New Zealand, Irish, Canadian and South African accents also appearing.
- You must take Listening, Reading and Writing together, and Speaking within the same test administration, usually 8 days before or after them. Miss the Speaking slot on paper and it scores 0.
- Bookings for each test administration close 7 calendar days before the scheduled start time, at 11:59pm UTC.
Visit the official Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
Score Scale
0 to 500 per sub-test, reported in ten-point increments, mapped to letter grades A (highest) to E (lowest)
Score You Need
Set by the recognising organisation, not by OET. GMC requires Grade B in each testing area of OET Medicine. NMC requires Grade B (350 to 440) in reading, listening and speaking and Grade C+ (300 to 340) in writing on OET Nursing.
How It Is Calculated
Listening and Reading award one mark per correct answer out of 42, and the raw total is converted to the 500 scale. Writing is scored by two assessors across six criteria and Speaking by two assessors across four linguistic criteria marked out of 6 plus five clinical communication categories marked out of 3. Criterion scores are combined and converted to the same 500 scale.
When You Get Results
Within 48 hours of completing all four sub-tests for OET on Computer and OET@Home; 12 days after the test date for OET on Paper, with about 5 days in India and 6 days in the Philippines. OET aims to release results within 6 calendar days of the final sub-test and reports meeting that in 95 percent of cases.
In raw terms: OET states that candidates awarded Grade B (350) typically achieve at least 30 of 42 marks in Listening and at least 30 of 42 marks in Reading. Grade boundaries move slightly between test versions.
- There is no aggregate pass mark. Each of the four sub-tests carries its own score and grade.
- A re-mark of one or more sub-tests can be requested within 72 hours of receiving results.
- The NMC publishes the grade ranges it uses: Grade B is 350 to 440, Grade C+ is 300 to 340 and Grade C is 250 to 290.
- Results are shared with recognising organisations digitally through your OET account rather than by posting a paper certificate.
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the OET (Occupational English Test)?
No formal qualification is required to book, but OET advises that it may not suit candidates who are not health professionals working toward registration in an English-speaking context.. A valid passport or valid national ID must be supplied at booking and presented on test day.. A current personal email address, not a university or workplace address. ECFMG applicants must use the same email as their ECFMG record.. A photo meeting OET's requirements for OET on Paper, or an uploaded image of your ID for OET on Computer and OET@Home.. Acceptance of the OET Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Collection Notice and Test Regulations at registration.. For OET@Home, your own computer, a quiet uninterrupted room and a setup that passes the system check.. Confirmation from your recognising organisation of the minimum grades it accepts, the delivery modes it accepts and whether all four sub-tests must come from one sitting..
How much does the OET (Occupational English Test) cost?
The OET (Occupational English Test) exam costs AU$587. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the OET (Occupational English Test)?
Visit the official Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the OET (Occupational English Test)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
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