OET Registration Guide

OET English Requirements by Regulator

The headline score for English-speaking healthcare regulators that accept the Occupational English Test is Grade B (350) in each sub-test. The NMC and AHPRA accept C+ (300) in Writing, as does Ireland's NMBI. This guide maps each regulator's requirement, score-combining rules and the writing-first path to registration.

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In short

  • The GMC and GPhC require OET Grade B (350) in all four sub-tests. The NMC and AHPRA require Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking and accept Grade C+ (300) in Writing.
  • Combining rules differ: the NMC accepts two sittings, AHPRA accepts two sittings within 12 months, and the GPhC and the ECFMG/USMLE pathway expect a single sitting.
  • Writing is the sub-test re-sat most often — content selection, not grammar, is what decides Grade B.

350

Grade B, out of 500

Headline score most regulators ask for

13

UK · Ireland · AU · NZ · US · CA

Regulators mapped here

4

Grade B in all four is accepted

Sub-tests assessed

OET requirements at a glance

Grade B (350) is the headline minimum, but the NMC, AHPRA and Ireland's NMBI accept C+ (300) in Writing. What also differs is who each regulator covers, which OET version you sit, and how scores can be combined.

Regulator Country Who it covers OET version Minimum Score combining
NMC United Kingdom Nurses & midwives OET Nursing B (L/R/S); C+ Writing Yes — two sittings
GMC United Kingdom Doctors (IMGs) OET Medicine Grade B (350) See guide
HCPC United Kingdom 15 allied health professions OET (relevant profession) Grade B (350) Yes — see guide
GPhC United Kingdom Pharmacists OET Medicine Grade B (350) No — one sitting
GDC United Kingdom Dentists OET Dentistry Grade B (350) Yes — see guide
RCVS United Kingdom Veterinary surgeons OET Veterinary Grade B (350) Yes — see guide
AHPRA Australia 15 registered health professions OET (relevant profession) B (L/R/S); C+ Writing Yes — 12-month window
ECFMG United States Doctors OET Medicine Grade B (350) Single sitting
CGFNS United States Nurses OET Nursing B (Speaking); C+ (L/R/W) Single sitting
MCNZ New Zealand Doctors OET Medicine B (L/R/S); C+ Writing Yes — 12-month window
NCNZ New Zealand Nurses OET Nursing B (L/R/S); C+ Writing Yes — 12-month window
CNO Canada Nurses OET Nursing B (L/S); C+ (R/W) Yes — see guide
NMBI Ireland Nurses & midwives OET Medicine B (L/R/S); C+ Writing Yes — 6-month window
IMC Ireland Doctors OET Medicine Grade B (350) Single sitting

Combining windows and exemptions vary — open each regulator's guide below for the exact, current rules before you book.

Choose your regulator

Each guide covers the exact OET score, score-combining window, exemptions, the IELTS alternative, and the writing-first route to registration.

NMC

United Kingdom

Nursing & Midwifery Council

Nurses & midwives

View NMC requirements

GMC

United Kingdom

General Medical Council

Doctors (IMGs)

View GMC requirements

HCPC

United Kingdom

Health & Care Professions Council

15 allied health professions

View HCPC requirements

GPhC

United Kingdom

General Pharmaceutical Council

Pharmacists

View GPhC requirements

GDC

United Kingdom

General Dental Council

Dentists

View GDC requirements

RCVS

United Kingdom

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Veterinary surgeons

View RCVS requirements

AHPRA

Australia

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency

15 registered health professions

View AHPRA requirements

ECFMG

United States

ECFMG / USMLE pathway

Doctors

View ECFMG requirements

CGFNS

United States

Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools

Nurses

View CGFNS requirements

MCNZ

New Zealand

Medical Council of New Zealand

Doctors

View MCNZ requirements

NCNZ

New Zealand

Nursing Council of New Zealand

Nurses

View NCNZ requirements

CNO

Canada

College of Nurses of Ontario

Nurses

View CNO requirements

NMBI

Ireland

Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland

Nurses & midwives

View NMBI requirements

IMC

Ireland

Medical Council of Ireland

Doctors

View IMC requirements

"Candidates almost always clear Listening, Reading and Speaking before Writing. The letter is the bottleneck to Grade B — and it is the one sub-test where targeted human feedback moves the score fastest."

— Senior OET Corrector, Writing Correction Service (10+ years of OET assessment experience)

Frequently Asked Questions

What OET score do I need for healthcare registration?
Grade B, which is a score of 350 out of 500, in all four sub-tests (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) is accepted by these regulators. The GMC and GPhC require it in every sub-test. The NMC and AHPRA require Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking but accept Grade C+ (300) in Writing. Requirements differ by regulator, so check the specific regulator's page.
Can I combine OET scores from two sittings?
It depends on the regulator. The NMC accepts results from two sittings, and AHPRA accepts results from two sittings within 12 months, provided the minimum scores are met in each sitting. The GPhC requires all four sub-tests at one sitting and does not allow combining, and the ECFMG/USMLE pathway also generally expects the required scores in a single sitting. Always confirm the rule on the relevant regulator's page.
Is IELTS accepted instead of OET?
Yes. The same regulators that accept OET also accept IELTS Academic, at required band scores that differ by regulator, so check the specific regulator's page. OET is healthcare-specific, so many candidates find the Writing task more relevant to clinical work than the IELTS essay.
Which OET sub-test do healthcare candidates fail most often?
Writing is consistently the sub-test that holds candidates back from Grade B. Listening, Reading and Speaking are often passed first time, while the Writing letter is re-sat most frequently because content selection and task fulfilment — not grammar — decide the grade.
Does an OET result expire?
An OET result is generally valid for two years from the test date for registration purposes, though individual regulators may apply their own recency rules. Check the specific regulator's requirements before booking your test so your result is still valid when you apply.

Related OET Writing guides

Continue your preparation with these related resources.

OET Scoring Criteria →

How the 6 criteria are assessed and where most candidates lose marks.

Grade B Sample Letters →

20 worked sample letters by profession × scenario with line-by-line annotations.

Mistake Clinics by Profession →

10 profession-specific mistake clinics — wrong vs right examples per criterion.

Grade A vs B vs C Compared →

Three letters from the same case notes at three bands — what moves you up one.

OET Writing Correction

Clear the Writing sub-test that stands between you and registration

Dr Mariam's OET writing team assesses every letter against the same 6 criteria your official examiner uses, then returns an annotated PDF showing exactly where Grade B marks are being lost — and how to recover them.

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