Retaking OET After a Near Miss: What to Do Next
Missing your target by one sub-test or ten points is frustrating, but it tells you exactly where to work. This guide shows you how to read the result, which regulators let you combine two sittings, when a re-mark or a single sub-test re-sit is worth considering, and how to plan the retake.
First, read the result for what it tells you
A message we often receive after results day is a version of: "I got 340 in Listening and B in everything else. Do I have to sit the whole test again?" The answer depends on your regulator, but the first step is the same for everyone.
Each sub-test is reported separately on a scale from 0 to 500 in 10-point steps, with a grade from A to E. Grade B corresponds to 350. A score of 340 sits at the top of grade C+ (300–340), one step below B. You receive a Statement of Results and can share results with organisations through your online account.
Listening and Reading each have 42 questions. OET says grade B candidates typically achieve at least 30 marks, but the conversion depends on the test version, so a 340 does not tell you exactly how many answers you missed.
Writing is scored on six criteria and Speaking on four linguistic and five clinical communication criteria, combined into one score per sub-test. To see which criterion held you back, you need practice marked against those criteria.
Enter all four scores in the OET score calculator and compare them with your regulator in the score requirements guide. Some regulators set a minimum for every sitting, so a score you passed can still matter next time.
Should you request a re-mark?
A re-mark is a check of your existing result, not feedback. You have to decide quickly, so know the rules before results day.
- Request within 72 hours of your results being released; later requests are not accepted.
- The fee is AU$120 per sub-test (US$95 in the USA), refunded if your grade changes.
- The outcome may go up, go down or stay the same, and may take three to six weeks.
- No qualitative feedback is provided, and a published re-marked result cannot be reversed.
- The cost of another test taken during re-marking is not refunded, even if your grade rises.
A re-mark is most worth considering when the result is clearly out of line with your recent, independently marked practice in that sub-test. If your practice scores sit around the same level, the money is usually better spent on preparation. Either way, keep preparing as if the result stands: the outcome can take weeks, and a booked retake will not be refunded.
Can you combine two sittings? Regulator rules
Whether a near miss can be fixed with one more sitting depends entirely on the organisation reading your result. These are the rules on each regulator’s own website, checked on 2 November 2026.
| Regulator | Required scores | Two sittings? | Single sub-test re-sit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NMC (UK nurses and midwives) | OET Nursing: B (350) in Listening, Reading and Speaking; C+ (300) in Writing | Yes: two sittings within 12 months of each other, all four skills tested each time. Each requirement must be met once, and in both sittings no Listening, Reading or Speaking score may be below 300 and no Writing score below 250. Both tests must be no more than 2 years old when your complete application is assessed | No: the NMC says you cannot take or retake individual test domains separately. OET and IELTS cannot be combined |
| GMC (UK doctors) | OET Medicine: at least B in each of the four sub-tests | No: all four grades must come from the same test and from your most recent sitting. Certificates are valid for two years | The four grades must be achieved in the same test, so plan a full sitting |
| Ahpra (Australia, National Boards) | Tests from 23 April 2026: Listening 350, Reading 360, Writing 350, Speaking 360 (earlier tests: B, B, C+, B) | Yes: two sittings no more than 12 months apart, all four components each time, and no score in either sitting below 320 Listening, 340 Reading, 350 Writing or 350 Speaking. If the first sitting was on or before 22 April 2026 and the second later, Ahpra says the first must meet the old minimums and the second the new ones. The two-year validity runs from the earlier sitting. OET@Home is not accepted | No: the one-skill retake Ahpra accepts applies to IELTS only, and results from different test providers cannot be combined |
Rules for NMBI, the GPhC, New Zealand, ECFMG and others are in the combining sittings section of our score requirements guide. Always confirm on the regulator’s own page before you book, because these rules change.
Re-sitting a single sub-test: OET’s rules
OET does let you re-sit individual sub-tests, but the option is narrower than many candidates think.
- Only on paper, and only if you have previously taken the full OET Test; your first sitting must include all four sub-tests.
- Not offered in the USA.
- Fees: AU$315 for one sub-test, AU$415 for two and AU$515 for three, including the online booking fee.
- OET tells you to check first that the organisation receiving your results accepts single sub-test results.
For the three regulators above, a single sub-test re-sit does not solve a near miss: the NMC and Ahpra require all four skills in each sitting, and the GMC requires all four grades from the same test. If you are applying elsewhere, read your regulator’s wording on single sub-test results before you pay for one.
Three worked examples (invented scores)
These score profiles are invented to show how the rules work. They are not real candidates’ results.
| Sitting | L | R | W | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | 340 | 380 | 320 | 370 |
| Second, 5 months later | 360 | 340 | 300 | 360 |
Listening missed B by 10. In the second sitting Listening reaches 360, and no score in either sitting is below the floors (300, or 250 for Writing), so the two sittings together meet the NMC requirement. Had Reading dropped to 290 in the second sitting, the combination would fail.
| Sitting | L | R | W | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | 370 | 360 | 340 | 380 |
| Second | 380 | 340 | 360 | 390 |
Writing improved to B, but Reading slipped to 340. Because the GMC needs B in all four in the same, most recent sitting, neither sitting qualifies. This is the risk of a Writing-only study plan.
| Sitting | L | R | W | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | 360 | 350 | 350 | 370 |
| Second | 340 | 370 | 340 | 380 |
Reading missed 360 by 10 and reaches 370 in the second sitting. But Writing in the second sitting is 340, below Ahpra’s two-sitting floor of 350, so the combination fails. Ahpra’s two-sitting floor for Writing equals its Writing minimum, so Writing has no room to slip.
For these regulators, a near miss in one sub-test is not a one-sub-test problem. Each needs all four sub-tests again, and the NMC and Ahpra set a minimum for every sitting, so your plan must protect the scores you already have.
A diagnostic plan for each sub-test
Spend the first week collecting evidence, not doing random practice. Then put most of your time into the sub-test you missed and keep the others ticking over with one timed test each a week.
| Sub-test | Ask first | Evidence to collect | What to change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Were the lost marks in Part A note completion (24 marks) or in the Part B and C questions (18 marks)? | An error log from three timed tests: spelling, missed answers, wrong option | Part A: spelling and plural accuracy, since OET says you may lose marks for spelling. B and C: identify the speaker’s main point before you choose |
| Reading | Did Part A (collected after 15 minutes) run out of time, or were the errors in Parts B and C? | Timed Part A scores and the type of each Part C error | Scanning drills for Part A; for Part C, justify every answer from the text |
| Writing | Which of the six criteria is weakest: selection, purpose, organisation or language? | Three timed letters marked against the six criteria | Fix one criterion at a time; a Writing Assessment shows which one |
| Speaking | Is the gap linguistic (fluency, intelligibility) or clinical communication (structure, checking understanding)? | Four recorded role-plays reviewed against the criteria | Target the weakest indicators with our Speaking tips |
When to book the retake
Book when the evidence says you are ready, then work backwards from your regulator’s deadlines.
- Paper bookings close 24 days before the test date.
- Computer and OET@Home bookings close 7 days before, at 11:59 pm UTC.
- Computer results can arrive within 48 hours of finishing all four sub-tests; OET aims to release 95% within 6 calendar days.
- OET’s paper-test page gives results from 13 days after the test date in most regions.
Dates, fees and results timelines are in our guide to OET test dates and fees.
Book once your timed practice in the missed sub-test has reached your target on at least two or three separate attempts, with the other three holding steady. A full OET mock test under exam timing is the best check. If you plan to combine sittings, keep the second one well inside the 12-month window.
Skills drift. The free English placement test gives an indicative CEFR level for each skill, a quick way to see where you stand before you plan.
Common mistakes after a near miss
Each of these turns a 10-point gap into another near miss.
Without a diagnosis, the same habits produce the same score.
Example B shows the risk: one score rises and another falls.
Check the regulator’s wording before paying for a single sub-test.
The outcome can take weeks and may not change. Keep working.
Ahpra does not accept OET@Home, for example. Confirm the mode before you book.
Official sources
The facts on this page were checked against these official pages on 2 November 2026.
- OET: Results and scoring
- OET: Re-marking policy
- OET: Test regulations (single sub-test re-sits, re-marking)
- OET Support: How much does OET cost?
- OET: Book a test (booking deadlines)
- OET on Paper and OET on Computer
- OET: Listening sub-test and Reading sub-test
- NMC: Accepted English language tests and NMC: OET
- GMC: Using your OET certificate
- Ahpra: Accepted English language tests
Retaking OET FAQ
Short answers to the questions candidates ask after just missing their target.
Can I re-sit only the OET sub-test I missed?
Only on paper, after you have taken the full test, and not in the USA. OET says to check first that the organisation receiving your results accepts single sub-test results. The NMC and Ahpra require all four skills in each sitting, and the GMC requires all four grades from the same test.
Can I combine OET results from two sittings?
It depends on your regulator. The NMC and Ahpra accept two full sittings within 12 months, with minimum scores that apply to every sitting. The GMC requires grade B in all four sub-tests in the same test and your most recent sitting.
Is it worth requesting an OET re-mark after a near miss?
Only if the result is clearly out of line with your recent marked practice. A re-mark costs AU$120 per sub-test (US$95 in the USA), must be requested within 72 hours of results and is refunded if your grade changes. The score can go up, down or stay the same.
How soon should I book my OET retake?
Book when your timed practice in the missed sub-test reaches your target consistently and your other scores are holding. Paper bookings close 24 days before the test and computer bookings 7 days before, so check those dates and any 12-month window your regulator sets.
Is 340 a pass in OET?
It depends on the sub-test and your regulator. A score of 340 is grade C+, one 10-point step below grade B at 350. The NMC, for example, accepts C+ in Writing but requires B in Listening, Reading and Speaking.
Turn a near miss into evidence
Sit a full timed mock test to see where all four sub-tests stand now, and get your Writing marked against the six criteria if that is the score you missed. Then book the date your evidence supports.