OET Score Requirements 2026: Complete Guide by Country and Registration Body

OET score requirements vary significantly by country, registration body, and profession. A nurse targeting NMBI in Ireland faces different rules from one targeting NMC in the UK — and both face different rules from a nurse targeting AHPRA in Australia, which changed its entire scoring framework in April 2026.

This article consolidates every major OET requirement into one place, updated for 2026. Use the section links to jump directly to your destination country.

Understanding OET Grades and Scores

Before diving into country-specific requirements, here is the full OET grading scale with numerical equivalents and the IELTS concordance that most registration bodies use as a reference point.

Grade B (350) is the standard registration threshold for most bodies across all four subtests. The most common exception is Writing, where many bodies — including NMC (UK), NCNZ (New Zealand), CGFNS (USA), and previously AHPRA (Australia) — accept Grade C+ (300).

United Kingdom

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) — Nurses and Midwives

Score combining (clubbing): The NMC allows scores from two sittings taken within 12 months to be combined, subject to floor scores.

This means a nurse who scores C+ in Writing and B in all other subtests in one sitting, and then scores B in Writing in a second sitting, can combine the results — provided all floor scores are met. This is one of the most candidate-friendly policies globally.

General Medical Council (GMC) — Doctors

The GMC does not permit the same flexible clubbing rules as the NMC. International Medical Graduates (IMGs) must demonstrate Grade B across all four subtests in a single sitting. The OET (Medicine) version is required, involving a medical discharge summary or referral letter in Writing and high-stakes clinical role plays in Speaking.

UK Foundation Programme (UKFP) — Junior Doctors, 2026

The UKFP has set the most demanding OET requirements globally for its 2026 recruitment cycle — well above GMC registration standards.

A score of 400 sits at the Grade B/A border — significantly above the 350 Grade B threshold required for GMC registration. IMGs who meet GMC standards but fall short of 400 can be registered but cannot enter the national Foundation Programme. This is a critical distinction for doctors planning a UK training pathway.

General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) — Pharmacists

General Dental Council (GDC) — Dentists

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) — Allied Health

Covers physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, and other HCPC-regulated professions. Speech and language therapists are often held to a higher standard aligned with CEFR Level C2, reflecting the profession’s dependence on nuanced linguistic communication.

Ireland

Ireland’s regulatory framework is notable for its strict single-sitting policy across most professional boards. Combined scores from multiple sittings are not accepted for the majority of Irish registration pathways.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) — Nurses

Critical rules for NMBI:

• All four scores must be achieved in a single sitting — no combining allowed
• OET@Home and computer-based online versions are not accepted — centre-based testing only
• Results must be submitted at Stage 2 of the registration process

For nurses from Kerala, the Philippines, Nigeria, or the Middle East targeting Irish registration, the single-sitting rule makes preparation strategy critical. There is no safety net of combining a strong second attempt with a weaker first. You need Grade B in all three subtests and C+ in Writing in one sitting.

For a full preparation guide for Irish registration, see: OET Writing for international nurses in Ireland and the UK.

Irish Medical Council (IMC) — Doctors

Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) — Pharmacists

Dental Council of Ireland — Dentists

CORU — Allied Health Professionals

CORU regulates allied health in Ireland with requirements that vary by profession.

Speech Pathology has the most demanding Irish requirements of any allied health profession — 400 in Listening, Reading, and Speaking (near Grade A), reflecting the profession’s core dependence on linguistic precision.

Australia

Australia implemented the most significant OET regulatory change of 2026. From 23 April 2026, AHPRA and all 16 National Boards moved from letter grades to specific numerical scores, driven by updated concordance research.

Before and After: AHPRA’s 2026 Changes

The most significant change is Writing: previously C+ (minimum 300), now requiring a numerical score of 350 — a 50-point increase that effectively moves Writing to the Grade B standard. Reading and Speaking have also increased from 350 to 360.

AHPRA Score Combining (Post-April 2026)

AHPRA continues to allow scores from two sittings within six months to be combined. The floor scores for combination under the new numerical system are:

These are substantially higher than the old floor scores, which used C+ (300) as the minimum. Under the new system, candidates cannot rely on a borderline result in one sitting and a strong result in another to push through.

Who AHPRA Covers

The AHPRA numerical requirements apply to all professions registered under National Boards, including:

• Nursing and Midwifery (NMBA)
• Medicine (MBA)
• Pharmacy
• Physiotherapy
• Dentistry
• Optometry
• Occupational Therapy
• Podiatry
• Psychology
• Radiography
• Paramedicine

New Zealand

Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) — Nurses

New Zealand offers more flexibility than Ireland on score combining. Applicants can combine scores from more than one sitting, provided all required scores are achieved within a 12-month period of the first sitting. This is more generous than AHPRA’s 6-month window and makes New Zealand a viable target for candidates with an uneven skill profile.

The NCNZ’s 2026 IQN (Internationally Qualified Nurse) pathway now emphasises competency-based assessments alongside linguistic requirements.

United States

OET recognition in the USA operates at two levels: federal (for visa screening) and state (for licensure). Requirements vary significantly between states.

CGFNS VisaScreen — Federal Visa Requirement for Nurses

The CGFNS VisaScreen is required for nurses seeking an immigrant visa (Green Card pathway). OET is an approved test for this process.

ECFMG — Federal Pathway for Doctors

The OET (Medicine) version is required. All scores must be achieved in one sitting.

State Board Variation — Selected Examples

The divergence between Oregon and Florida illustrates the decentralised US licensing system. Florida represents the most accessible US state entry point for OET at C+ across all subtests. Oregon requires Grade B in all four — equivalent to most international standards. Always verify the current requirements with your specific target state board before booking.

Canada

OET is recognised by 54 organisations in Canada. Requirements vary between the national screening body and provincial regulators.

National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) — National Benchmark

Provincial Nursing Boards — Selected Examples

Ontario and Nova Scotia allow C+ in both Reading and Writing — more lenient than the national NNAS benchmark. The Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) for doctors typically requires Grade B across all four subtests.

Middle East

UAE — DHA (Dubai) and MOHAP

Both DHA and MOHAP align with the Grade B standard. For nurses targeting UAE registration from India, the Philippines, or the Middle East, see: OET Writing tips for the Middle East.

Qatar — DHP (Doha)

Qatar uses an average score methodology rather than individual subtest minimums, which gives candidates with an uneven profile slightly more flexibility — a high score in one subtest can compensate for a lower score in another, provided the average reaches 350.

Maldives — Medical Board

The Maldives has the most accessible OET threshold of any recognised jurisdiction — Grade C (200–290) across all subtests. This reflects the country’s acute healthcare workforce needs.

Singapore

Singapore Nursing Board (SNB)

Singapore Medical Council (SMC)

The SMC accepts OET as a direct equivalent to IELTS 7.0. Centre-based testing is required.

Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC)

Other Jurisdictions

Allied Health: Global Comparison Table

Score Combining: A Global Policy Comparison

Understanding combining rules is critical for candidates with an uneven skill profile. Here is the global picture:

Strategic implication: If you have consistently strong Listening, Reading, and Speaking but struggle with Writing, the NMC (UK) or NCNZ (New Zealand) pathways offer the most flexibility — both allow combining and set Writing at C+ rather than Grade B. NMBI Ireland requires all four in a single sitting with no flexibility.

Score Validity: Don’t Let Your Results Expire

Most regulators enforce a two-year validity period from the date of the test. This matters particularly when:

• Your registration process is long (AHPRA and NMBI both have multi-stage processes)
• You are waiting on visa processing after passing OET
• You are retaking individual subtests over multiple sittings

In Australia specifically, the two-year window is measured from the date your registration application is lodged, not from when you receive your result. Plan your test date to ensure results remain valid at the point of lodgement — not just at the point of sitting.

What This Means for Your OET Writing Preparation

Across every major jurisdiction, Writing is the subtest with the most variation in requirements — and the most room for strategic planning. Key observations:

C+ is still the Writing minimum in most jurisdictions. NMC (UK), NMBI (Ireland), NCNZ (New Zealand), CGFNS (USA), Ontario (Canada), PSI (Ireland), and CORU allied health all accept C+ in Writing. Grade B is not universally required for Writing.

Australia changed this in April 2026. AHPRA now requires a numerical score of 350 for Writing — effectively raising it to Grade B level. This is the biggest change for nurses targeting Australia and means that Writing preparation for Australian registration now needs to be as rigorous as for any other subtest.

The Content criterion determines whether you reach Grade B or C+. Across all jurisdictions, the most common reason candidates score C+ rather than B in Writing is the Content criterion — selecting the right information from case notes, excluding distractors, and calibrating the letter to the reader. This is the criterion generic AI tools cannot accurately assess, because it requires cross-referencing your letter against the specific case notes.

For a free diagnostic that covers all six Writing criteria — including Content — start here: OET Writing practice test.

For annotated sample letters across all professions and letter types, see: OET sample letters collection.