OET Score Requirements by Regulator (2026)
There is no single OET pass mark. Each regulator sets its own minimum score for each sub-test: most ask for grade B (350), several accept C+ (300) in Writing, and Ahpra raised its minimums for tests taken from 23 April 2026. This guide lists the scores, sitting rules, OET@Home acceptance and validity for each major regulator.
OET score requirements at a glance
Minimum scores by regulator for the test dates shown. Each regulator name links to its official page.
| Regulator | Who | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Sittings | OET@Home | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMC | UK nurses, midwives | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | 1, or 2 within 12 months | Accepted | 2 years |
| GMC | UK doctors | 350 | 350 | 350 | 350 | 1 (most recent) | Accepted | 2 years |
| HCPC | UK allied health | Total-score rule | – | – | – | Not stated | Not accepted | 2 years |
| GPhC | UK pharmacists | 350 | 350 | 350 | 350 | 1 | Not accepted | 2 years* |
| NMBI | Irish nurses, midwives | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | 1, no combining | Not accepted | 2 years |
| Medical Council of Ireland | Irish doctors | 350 | 350 | 350 | 350 | 1 | Not accepted | 2 years |
| Ahpra (all National Boards) | Australia, tests from 23 Apr 2026 | 350 | 360 | 350 | 360 | 1, or 2 within 12 months | Not accepted | 2 years* |
| Nursing Council of NZ | NZ nurses | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | More than 1, within 12 months | Not accepted | 3 years |
| Medical Council of NZ | NZ doctors | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | 1, or 2 within 12 months | Not stated | 2 years |
| ECFMG | US 2027 Pathways | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | 1 | Only if no venue | Taken from 1 Jan 2025 |
| CGFNS VisaScreen | US registered nurses | 320 | 340 | 350 | 360 | Not stated | Not accepted | Exams from 12 May 2026 |
| Singapore Medical Council | Doctors (non-English-taught degree) | 350 | 350 | 350 | 350 | 1 | Not stated | 2 years |
* GPhC may accept older results with evidence of maintained English; Ahpra has limited exceptions for continuous work or study.
What OET score do you need in the UK?
The UK has four regulators that matter for OET candidates, and each has its own rules.
- NMC (nurses and midwives): OET Nursing with B (350) in Listening, Reading and Speaking and C+ (300) in Writing. Paper, computer and OET@Home are all accepted, and OET@Home results can be combined with paper or computer results. NMC: OET requirements.
- GMC (doctors): OET Medicine with at least B in all four sub-tests, in the same test and your most recent sitting. Paper, computer and OET@Home are accepted. Results are valid for 2 years, with a possible extension to under 3 years if you passed PLAB 2 less than 3 months before applying (not on the sponsorship route). GMC: using your OET certificate.
- GPhC (pharmacists and pharmacy technicians): OET Pharmacy with at least B in each of the four areas in one sitting, on paper or computer only. The GPhC does not accept OET@Home. Results should be under 2 years old; older results may be considered with evidence that you have maintained your English. GPhC guidance (PDF).
- GDC (dentists): the GDC’s current list of accepted evidence does not include OET, and the GDC says its guidance is under review. GDC: English language controls.
HCPC uses a total-score rule instead of per-skill minimums. You need the profession-specific OET, taken at an official test centre rather than at home, and the certificate must be no more than 2 years old when HCPC receives your application. HCPC: English language proficiency.
| HCPC profession | OET version | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Chiropodists and podiatrists | Podiatry | 1400 total, no element below 300 |
| Dietitians | Dietetics | 1400 total, no element below 300 |
| Occupational therapists | Occupational Therapy | 1400 total, no element below 300 |
| Physiotherapists | Physiotherapy | 1400 total, no element below 300 |
| Radiographers | Radiography | 1400 total, no element below 300 |
| Speech and language therapists | Speech Pathology | 1800 total, no element below 400 |
For the full registration route, see the UK pathway guide.
What OET score do you need in Ireland?
Both Irish regulators want a single sitting and do not accept OET@Home.
- NMBI (nurses and midwives): OET Nursing with B in Listening, Reading and Speaking and C+ in Writing. NMBI accepts one test result only, does not accept combined results and does not accept OET at home. Results must be under 2 years old. NMBI: English language requirements.
- Medical Council of Ireland (doctors): for applications from 1 March 2025, OET Medicine with at least B in each module in a single sitting. OET@Home is not accepted, and the certificate must be dated within 2 years of both your application and your registration. Graduates of Irish, EU/EEA, UK, Australian, New Zealand and US medical schools, among others, are exempt. Medical Council: English language.
What OET score does Ahpra need from 23 April 2026?
From 23 April 2026 the National Boards raised the published OET minimums. Ahpra says this aligns with migration scores and does not change the level of English required.
Ahpra and all National Boards (except the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board) use the same English test list and minimums, so the rules below apply to nurses, midwives, doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists and the other regulated professions. Any profession-specific OET is accepted. Ahpra: accepted English language tests.
| OET test taken | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On or after 23 April 2026 | 350 | 360 | 350 | 360 |
| Two sittings: no score in either below | 320 | 340 | 350 | 350 |
| On or before 22 April 2026 | B (350) | B (350) | C+ (300) | B (350) |
- Sittings: one sitting, or at most two sittings within 12 months, with all four components tested each time. Results from different test providers cannot be combined.
- Mixed dates: if your first sitting was on or before 22 April 2026 and your second on or after 23 April 2026, each sitting must meet the minimums that applied on its date.
- Test mode: OET on paper or on computer at a test centre. OET@Home is not accepted; the computer test’s remotely delivered Speaking component has been assessed as acceptable.
- Validity: results must be no more than 2 years old when you lodge your application, with limited exceptions for continuous work or study in a recognised country. The NMBA also links its English language skills standard to these minimums.
For the full process, see the Australia pathway guide.
What OET score do you need in New Zealand?
Nurses and doctors in New Zealand need 300 in Writing and 350 in the other sub-tests.
- Nursing Council of New Zealand: 350 in Reading, Listening and Speaking and 300 in Writing. Scores can come from more than one sitting, within 12 months of the first, and all sittings must be within the 3 years before you apply. Online tests, including OET@Home, are not accepted; OET on computer at an approved venue is. Nursing Council: English language.
- Medical Council of New Zealand: OET Medicine with 350 in Speaking, Listening and Reading and 300 in Writing, in one sitting or at most two within 12 months, with all four components tested each time and no component below 300 in either sitting. Results must be within 2 years of your registration application. MCNZ English language policy (PDF).
What OET score do you need in the USA?
Doctors use OET for ECFMG certification; nurses use it for the VisaScreen certificate.
ECFMG (2027 Pathways): OET Medicine with 350 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and 300 in Writing in one test administration, taken on or after 1 January 2025. OET@Home is available only if there is no test venue in your country, and results released from 14 May 2026 need your MyIntealth ID. Read the full OET for ECFMG guide for deadlines.
CGFNS / TruMerit VisaScreen: OET is accepted, but at-home versions of English tests are not. For exams taken on or after 12 May 2026 the minimums are:
| VisaScreen group | Speaking | Reading | Writing | Listening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered nurses and other degree-level workers | 360 | 340 | 350 | 320 |
| Occupational therapists and physical therapists | 360 | 340 | 350 | 320 |
| Below-degree-level workers (e.g. LPN/LVN) | 360 | 310 | 290 | 290 |
Exams taken before 12 May 2026 are certified under the previous minimums (registered nurses: 300 in Reading, Listening and Writing and 350 in Speaking). Sources: TruMerit VisaScreen, pre-12 May 2026 scores and CGFNS FAQ. US state boards of nursing set their own English rules, so check your board directly. See the USA pathway guide.
What OET score do you need in Singapore?
The Singapore Medical Council publishes OET minimums for doctors.
Singapore Medical Council: international medical graduates whose basic medical degree was not taught in English need at least B in each of the four OET components in a single sitting, accepted within 2 years of the test date. SMC: documents for registration. We could not find an official Singapore Nursing Board statement on OET scores, so check with the board directly.
What about the Gulf?
Requirements differ by country and licensing route.
Gulf regulators publish their English requirements on their own portals and they change often. We could not confirm current official OET minimums for Qatar or Dubai, so check with the regulator before you book. The Gulf pathway guide walks through the licensing steps.
How do OET scores and grades work?
Knowing the scale helps you read any regulator's table.
Each sub-test is reported from 0 to 500 in steps of 10, with a letter grade: A (450–500), B (350–440), C+ (300–340), C (200–290), D (100–190) and E (0–90). OET does not issue an overall score or grade, so regulators look at each sub-test separately. OET: results and scoring.
Listening and Reading each have 42 questions. OET says candidates awarded grade B typically score at least 30 out of 42, but the exact number changes with each test version. Writing and Speaking are marked against published criteria by two assessors. Check your own result against these minimums with the OET score calculator.
Can you combine two OET sittings?
Combining is the exception, not the rule.
- NMC: up to two sittings within 12 months, both no more than 2 years old. Each required score must be met once, with no Listening, Reading or Speaking score below 300 and no Writing score below 250 in either sitting. You cannot retake single sub-tests, and OET and IELTS cannot be combined.
- Ahpra: up to two sittings within 12 months, with the floor scores in the Australia table above.
- Nursing Council of NZ and Medical Council of NZ: allowed under the rules in the New Zealand section.
- One sitting only: GMC, GPhC, NMBI, the Medical Council of Ireland, ECFMG and the Singapore Medical Council.
OET itself only sells single sub-test resits for paper tests, after a full test, and not in the USA. Many regulators will not accept a result built from sub-test resits, so check before you book one.
Is OET@Home accepted?
Check this before you book, because most regulators outside the UK do not accept it.
OET@Home is offered in countries where taking the test at a venue is not yet available, and OET warns it may not be accepted by all recognising organisations. OET@Home.
- Accepted: NMC and GMC.
- Only without a venue in your country: ECFMG.
- Not accepted: Ahpra, HCPC, GPhC, NMBI, the Medical Council of Ireland, the Nursing Council of New Zealand and CGFNS VisaScreen.
How long are OET results valid?
Validity is set by the regulator, not by OET.
OET does not set a validity period for results. Each organisation decides how long it accepts them:
| Regulator | How recent your result must be |
|---|---|
| NMC | 2 years before the complete application is assessed |
| GMC | 2 years (on the day of PLAB 1, or when registration is approved) |
| HCPC | No more than 2 years old when the application is received |
| GPhC | Under 2 years; older accepted with evidence |
| NMBI | Under 2 years |
| Medical Council of Ireland | Within 2 years of both application and registration |
| Ahpra | 2 years before the application is lodged, with exceptions |
| Nursing Council of NZ | All sittings within 3 years before the application |
| Medical Council of NZ | Within 2 years of the application |
| Singapore Medical Council | Within 2 years of the test date |
| ECFMG | Test taken on or after 1 January 2025 (2027 Pathways) |
FAQ
Is there a single OET passing score?
No. OET reports each sub-test from 0 to 500 with a grade, and each regulator sets its own minimums. Many ask for grade B (350) in every sub-test, while some, such as the NMC and NMBI, accept C+ (300) in Writing.
What OET score does Ahpra need in 2026?
For tests taken on or after 23 April 2026, Ahpra and the National Boards ask for at least 350 in Listening, 360 in Reading, 350 in Writing and 360 in Speaking. Tests taken on or before 22 April 2026 are assessed against the previous minimums of B in Listening, Reading and Speaking and C+ in Writing.
Which regulators accept OET@Home?
The NMC and the GMC accept OET@Home. ECFMG accepts it only if there is no test venue in your country. Ahpra, HCPC, GPhC, NMBI, the Medical Council of Ireland, the Nursing Council of New Zealand and CGFNS VisaScreen do not accept it.
Can I combine OET results from two sittings?
Some regulators allow it under strict rules, including the NMC, Ahpra, the Nursing Council of New Zealand and the Medical Council of New Zealand. The GMC, NMBI, the Medical Council of Ireland, GPhC, ECFMG and the Singapore Medical Council need all scores from one sitting.
How long are OET results valid?
OET does not set a validity period; each regulator does. Most, including the NMC, GMC, Ahpra and NMBI, accept results up to two years old under their own rules, while the Nursing Council of New Zealand allows sittings within the three years before you apply.
Know your target? Now close the gap.
Most candidates miss their target in one sub-test, usually Writing or Speaking. Start with the free placement test, then choose the OET course for nurses, the OET course for doctors or OET writing correction.