OET Score Calculator
Understand your OET scores, grades, and whether you meet the requirements of healthcare regulators including NMC, GMC, AHPRA, and more.
The Occupational English Test (OET) is a healthcare-specific English proficiency test developed by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. It is accepted by medical regulators and healthcare employers in over 40 countries including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, and the UAE. OET is designed exclusively for healthcare professionals across 12 professions: medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, radiography, speech pathology, veterinary science, podiatry, and optometry.
Unlike IELTS or TOEFL, OET uses entirely healthcare-specific scenarios throughout the test — listening passages are medical consultations, reading passages are clinical texts, the writing task is a clinical letter, and speaking tasks are role-play patient consultations. This makes OET content directly relevant to the clinical work healthcare professionals already perform.
There is no single overall OET score. Each of the 4 sub-tests (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) is scored independently on a 0–500 scale and assigned a separate grade from A (highest) to E (lowest). For registration with most major healthcare regulators, every sub-test must individually reach Grade B (350+) — there is no compensation between sub-tests.
OET Score Grade Calculator
OET has no overall score — each sub-test is scored and graded independently on a 0–500 scale.
OET Grades and Score Ranges
Each OET sub-test is scored from 0 to 500 and mapped to a grade from A to E. The table below shows all grade boundaries, CEFR equivalents, descriptors, and regulator thresholds.
| OET Score | Grade | CEFR Level | Descriptor | Meets NMC / GMC / AHPRA? | Meets HCPC? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 450–500 | A | C2 | Exceptional — near-native clinical communication | Yes | Yes |
| 350–449 | B | C1 | Proficient — strong healthcare English | Yes | Yes |
| 300–349 | C+ | B2 (strong) | Competent-High — good healthcare English with minor gaps | No | Yes |
| 200–299 | C | B1–B2 | Competent — adequate but noticeable gaps | No | Some professions |
| 100–199 | D | A2–B1 | Developing — significant gaps in clinical communication | No | No |
| 0–99 | E | Below A2 | Beginning — unable to communicate effectively in clinical settings | No | No |
How Each OET Sub-Test Works
Each sub-test uses healthcare-specific content and assesses language skills in a clinical context. Understanding the format helps you prepare for what is actually assessed.
Listening — approximately 40 minutes
Scored 0–500, mapped to Grade A–E
Part A: A healthcare professional consulting with a patient. Test takers complete a form while listening, capturing clinically relevant details in a note-taking format. This simulates real clinical documentation under time pressure.
Part B: Six short extracts from healthcare workplace settings — ward rounds, health education talks, team presentations. Test takers answer multiple choice questions on each extract.
Key challenge: Part A requires simultaneous listening and form completion under time pressure. Clinical terminology accuracy is essential — approximate spelling is accepted but meaning must be clear. General English listening practice does not adequately prepare for the OET Part A format.
Reading — approximately 60 minutes
Scored 0–500, mapped to Grade A–E
Part A (15 minutes): Four short healthcare texts — drug information leaflets, clinical guidelines, procedures. Twenty questions requiring fast scanning to locate specific information. The strict 15-minute time limit means approximately 45 seconds per question.
Part B (45 minutes): Two longer texts on healthcare topics with multiple choice questions requiring deeper comprehension and understanding of argument structure.
Key challenge: Part A is extremely time-pressured — many candidates find it the most stressful component of OET. Practise scanning clinical texts specifically (drug leaflets, guidelines) and time yourself strictly to build the required speed.
Writing — 45 minutes
Scored 0–500, mapped to Grade A–E
A single task: write a professional letter (referral letter, discharge letter, or letter of advice) of approximately 180–200 words based on a set of case notes. The letter is written to another healthcare professional or, in some professions, to a patient or carer. Scored by trained human examiners on 6 criteria:
- Purpose — is the communication purpose clear?
- Content — are all relevant case note details included and irrelevant details excluded?
- Conciseness and Clarity — is the letter concise and unambiguous?
- Genre and Style — is the register and tone appropriate for a professional clinical letter?
- Organisation and Layout — is the letter logically structured with correct letter format?
- Language — grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation.
Key challenge: Selecting relevant information from case notes and excluding irrelevant details is the most commonly failed criterion. Many candidates include too much or too little information. Responses that exceed 200 words are penalised for conciseness.
Speaking — approximately 20 minutes
Scored 0–500, mapped to Grade A–E
Two role-plays with a trained interlocutor. The test taker plays a healthcare professional in their own profession and the interlocutor plays a patient, carer, or colleague. Role-play cards are given 2–3 minutes before each role-play. Scored on 9 criteria across two groups:
Linguistic Criteria: Intelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language, resources of grammar and expression.
Clinical Communication Criteria: Relationship building, understanding and incorporating the patient's perspective, providing structure, information gathering, and information giving.
Key challenge: The clinical communication criteria are unique to OET and are not assessed in IELTS or other general English tests. A technically fluent speaker who fails to demonstrate empathy, structure the consultation, or check patient understanding can score lower than expected. Healthcare professionals must demonstrate patient-centred communication, not just English language proficiency.
OET Requirements by Healthcare Regulator and Country
This section is the primary reference for healthcare professionals seeking registration. Requirements apply per sub-test — every sub-test must individually meet the minimum.
| Regulator | Country | Profession(s) | Min Score / Sub-test | Min Grade | Accepted Alternative | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMC | UK | Nurses and Midwives | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.0 each skill | Scores valid 2 years |
| GMC | UK | Doctors | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.5 each skill | Scores valid 2 years |
| GPhC | UK | Pharmacists | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.0 each skill | Scores valid 2 years |
| GDC | UK | Dentists | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.0 each skill | Scores valid 2 years |
| HCPC | UK | Physiotherapists and others | 200–350 each | C–B | Varies by profession | Verify per profession |
| AHPRA | Australia | Most healthcare professions | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.0 each skill | Scores valid 2 years |
| Medical Council Ireland | Ireland | Doctors | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.5 each skill | — |
| NMBI | Ireland | Nurses | 350 each | B | IELTS 6.5 overall / 6.0 each | — |
| NZ Medical Council | New Zealand | Doctors | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.5 overall / 7.0 each | — |
| Nursing Council NZ | New Zealand | Nurses | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.0 each skill | — |
| DHA | Dubai | Healthcare professionals | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.0 each skill | — |
| HAAD | Abu Dhabi | Healthcare professionals | 350 each | B | IELTS 7.0 each skill | — |
| Singapore Medical Council | Singapore | Doctors | 350 each | B | Verify current requirements | — |
NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) — UK
The NMC requires Grade B in all 4 sub-tests — a score of 350 or above in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking individually. A Grade A in three sub-tests does not compensate for a Grade C in the fourth; each sub-test must independently reach Grade B.
The NMC accepts both OET and IELTS Academic — IELTS requires 7.0 in each of the 4 skills. Many nurses find OET more relevant because the test content uses nursing and healthcare scenarios rather than general academic contexts.
The NMC also accepts IELTS UKVI. OET scores must be no more than 2 years old at the time of the registration application. Always verify the NMC website for the current list of accepted English language tests.
AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency)
AHPRA is the Australian regulator for 15 health professions. For most professions the requirement is OET Grade B (350) in all 4 sub-tests. For nursing and midwifery under AHPRA the requirement is also OET Grade B in all sub-tests.
The IELTS alternative for AHPRA is an overall band of 7.0 with no individual skill below 7.0. AHPRA also accepts PTE Academic with a score of 65 in each communicative skill. OET scores must be no more than 2 years old at the time of application.
OET vs IELTS for Healthcare Professional Registration
Both OET and IELTS are accepted by major healthcare regulators including the NMC, GMC, and AHPRA. The right choice depends on your clinical background, preferred preparation style, and destination country.
| Aspect | OET | IELTS Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Test content | Healthcare-specific throughout — medical consultations, clinical texts, referral letters, patient role-plays | General academic English — graphs, newspaper articles, lectures, general conversation |
| Writing task | Write a clinical letter (referral, discharge, advice) based on case notes — a task healthcare professionals perform at work | Writing Task 1: Describe a graph or chart — rarely used in clinical practice |
| Speaking task | Role-play consultation with a trained interlocutor playing a patient — assesses clinical communication criteria including empathy and patient-centredness | General conversation and long turn — language proficiency only, no clinical communication assessed |
| Score threshold | Grade B (350+) per sub-test for most regulators — approximately CEFR C1 | 7.0–7.5 per skill depending on regulator — CEFR C1 |
| Canadian registration | Generally not accepted — OET acceptance varies by province and profession | Generally required for Canadian healthcare registration |
| Results turnaround | Approximately 16 business days | 3–5 business days (paper); 3–5 days (computer) |
| Score validity | 2 years from test date | 2 years from test date |
| Sub-test retake | Yes — individual sub-tests can be retaken and combined with passing scores from a previous attempt | One Skill Retake available within 60 days of original test (computer-delivered only) |
How to Improve Your OET Score
OET preparation should be profession-specific and format-focused. General English practice is not sufficient — each sub-test has unique challenges that require targeted preparation.
Listening
- Practise Part A form completion with OET official sample tests — the format is unique and general listening practice does not prepare you for it
- Build familiarity with medical consultation language and common clinical terms used in your profession
- Practise simultaneous listening and note-taking under timed conditions
- Focus on recognising when a patient provides a clinically relevant detail versus background information
Reading
- Part A speed is the main barrier — practise scanning clinical texts (drug leaflets, guidelines, procedures) with a strict timer
- Target approximately 45 seconds per question in Part A — time yourself on every practice run
- Build medical reading vocabulary specific to your profession
- For Part B, practise identifying main arguments and distinguishing author opinion from reported evidence
Writing
- Practise selecting only clinically relevant information from case notes — the Content criterion is the most commonly underperforming area
- Study all 6 OET Writing assessment criteria carefully before practising
- Write within 180–200 words — responses that are too long are penalised for conciseness
- Use correct clinical letter format: date, salutation, structured body, appropriate close
- Use profession-appropriate terminology and match the register to a professional clinical audience
Speaking
- Focus on the clinical communication criteria, not just language — empathy, active listening, and patient-centredness are assessed
- Practise with a partner using OET sample role-play cards, with your partner playing the patient
- Structure each consultation: opening (introduce yourself, check patient concerns), middle (address each concern, check understanding), close (summarise, safety-net)
- Practise signposting — tell the patient what you are doing and why at each stage of the consultation
The best OET preparation uses official OET materials from occupationalenglishtest.org — these are the most representative of the actual test format and scoring criteria.