For Internationally Trained Nurses·Last updated: 11 May 2026

OET for Nurses — Pass Writing With Confidence

Writing is the sub-test most nurses retake. Since 2014 we have corrected thousands of nurse letters from candidates pursuing NMC, AHPRA, and NMBI registration. Profession-specific case notes, six-criteria feedback, 24-hour turnaround.

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Quick answer

Internationally trained nurses need Grade B (350) in Listening, Reading and Speaking for NMC (UK) and NMBI (Ireland) registration; AHPRA (Australia) sets numeric minimums. The NMC accepts Grade C+ (300) in Writing with Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking. For tests taken from 23 April 2026, AHPRA requires 350 in Listening and Writing and 360 in Reading and Speaking. Writing is the most retaken sub-test — typically because of Conciseness & Clarity losses from over-including case notes.

Key takeaways for nurses

Required grade: Grade B (350) in all four sub-tests is accepted by the NMC and NMBI. The NMC accepts Grade C+ (300) in Writing, with Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking; for tests taken from 23 April 2026, AHPRA requires 350 in Listening and Writing and 360 in Reading and Speaking.
Most common letter type: Referral letter to a community team, discharge letter to a GP, or transfer letter to a specialist unit.
Top criterion lost: Conciseness & Clarity — caused by over-including case notes. See the six criteria explained.
Re-taker pattern: 6–8 corrections across 4–8 weeks is the typical path back to Grade B.
Validity: NMC requires test results within 2 years of application submission.

Required OET Scores by Regulator (Nursing)

Regulator

Country

Required (Writing)

Combine sittings

NMC

United Kingdom

C+ (300)*

Yes (two sittings)

NMBI

Ireland

B (350) in Listening, Reading, Speaking; C+ (300) in Writing

AHPRA

Australia

350 Listening and Writing, 360 Reading and Speaking (tests from 23 Apr 2026)

Yes (12 months)

NCNZ

New Zealand

350 in Listening, Reading, Speaking; 300 in Writing

Yes, within 12 months of the first sitting

CNO (Ontario)

Canada

Speaking 350, Listening 350, Reading 330, Writing 320

No (one attempt)

*NMC: at least Grade C+ (300) in Writing, with at least Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking. Two sittings can be combined if every score in both sittings is at least C+ in Listening, Reading and Speaking and at least C in Writing. Full NMC requirements.

The Three Letter Types Nurses Write Most

1. Referral letter

Sent from the ward or community team to another healthcare professional (GP, community service, specialist nurse). Most common single letter type in the OET nursing exam.

Marking watch-out: Purpose criterion — the opening must state clearly why you're writing, not just who the patient is.

2. Discharge letter

Written when a patient is leaving inpatient care, usually addressed to the GP. Requires summary of admission, current status, and follow-up needs.

Marking watch-out: Conciseness — discharge letters tempt candidates to recap the whole admission. Summarise; don't narrate.

3. Transfer letter

Used when a patient moves between facilities or wards. Addressee may be a specialist team or rehabilitation unit.

Marking watch-out: Organisation — paragraphs must follow a logical clinical handover order: history → current status → reason for transfer → ongoing needs.

The Four Mistakes That Cost Nurses Their Grade

Across thousands of nurse letters corrected, the same four mistakes recur. Each maps to a specific OET criterion — and each is fixable in 2-3 corrections once named.

Over-inclusion of case notes

Costs marks in: Conciseness & Clarity

Including every case-note line in the letter, regardless of relevance to the addressee. Fix: ask 'does this addressee need this fact to act on the patient?' before including.

Hedging the urgency

Costs marks in: Purpose

Writing 'I would be grateful if you could see this patient' when the patient needs urgent review. Fix: match register to clinical reality — 'urgent review required' is acceptable and clearer.

Recap-style opening

Costs marks in: Organisation & Layout

Spending the first paragraph re-introducing what the addressee already knows. Fix: open with the reason for writing in the first sentence.

Spoken-register slip

Costs marks in: Genre & Style

Conversational phrases like 'as you know' or 'I just wanted to let you know' that don't fit a clinical handover. Fix: prefer 'I am writing regarding' or 'I am referring this patient'.

How Our Service Helps Nurses Specifically

Nursing-trained correctors

Correctors familiar with nursing handover, NMC vocabulary, and community-nursing case-note patterns.

Nursing case-notes library

Practice case notes spanning ward, community, paediatric, mental health, and aged-care contexts.

Six-criteria feedback per letter

Per-criterion scoring (Purpose, Content, Conciseness & Clarity, Genre & Style, Organisation & Layout, Language) — no single black-box grade.

24-hour turnaround

Standard pack returns corrections within 48 hours; urgent add-on returns within 24. Useful when your exam date is approaching.

Frequently Asked Questions

What OET score do nurses need for the NMC?+

In a single sitting the NMC requires at least Grade B (350) in Listening, Reading and Speaking and at least Grade C+ (300) in Writing. Grade B in all four sub-tests also meets the requirement. The NMC lets you combine two sittings if every score in both sittings is at least C+ in Listening, Reading and Speaking and at least C in Writing. AHPRA in Australia accepted Grade C+ in Writing only for tests taken up to 22 April 2026; for tests taken from 23 April 2026, AHPRA requires 350 in Listening and Writing and 360 in Reading and Speaking.

What letter type do nurses typically write in OET Writing?+

Nurses are most often asked to write a referral letter, a discharge letter, or a transfer letter. The case notes are usually from a community nursing, ward, or aged-care context. Less commonly, the letter may be to a patient's family member or to a community service rather than another healthcare professional.

Why do nurses fail OET Writing more than the other sub-tests?+

Three patterns recur across the thousands of nurse letters we have corrected. First, over-inclusion of case notes (Conciseness & Clarity). Second, mismatch between the addressee's expected register and the candidate's register (Genre & Style). Third, hedging language that obscures clinical urgency (Purpose). Targeted correction against the six criteria addresses each in turn.

How many corrections do nurses typically need before passing?+

From our internal data, the median nurse buyer who passes does so after 6-8 corrections spaced across 4-8 weeks. First-time candidates often pass after a 4-letter pack; re-takers more typically need 8 corrections to consolidate the criterion they previously lost. There is no guaranteed number — only a pattern.

Can I take OET on computer as a nurse?+

Yes. OET on computer is accepted by the NMC, NMBI, and AHPRA. The Writing sub-test format (250-word letter, case notes) is identical on paper or computer. Some candidates prefer paper for the working-margin space; others prefer the speed of typing.

Related guides for nurses

NMC OET English Requirements 2026

Score thresholds, combining sittings, exemptions.

The Six OET Writing Criteria

What examiners look for, criterion by criterion.

OET Letter Templates

Reference structures for referral, discharge, transfer.

OET Writing Common Mistakes

The patterns that cost marks across all professions.

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