OET Occupational English Test (Healthcare) Pass Rate, Format & Study Guide

The Occupational English Test (OET) is an English language test for healthcare professionals, accepted by healthcare regulators and immigration authorities in several countries. It is issued by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment (CBLA). The OET has four sub-tests: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and can be taken on computer at a venue or at home with remote proctoring (OET site, search extract). This portal's practice mock has 40 questions across the listening and reading content types.

Many healthcare regulators and immigration authorities accept an OET result as proof of English ability. A required grade is a step toward registration or a visa in those cases.

Nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals preparing for the OET for registration or migration, and candidates retaking it. Required grades are set by your regulator; check them before you book.

The certifying body does not publicly publish an official pass rate for this exam. Be wary of third-party sites citing a specific number here — treat any pass-rate claim you see elsewhere for this exam as unverified.

OET sets the test regulations, rescheduling and repeat-test rules; check the OET test regulations before you book again.

Passing standard: OET reports a grade for each sub-test, and each regulator or immigration authority sets the grades it requires; no single pass mark exists, so none is quoted here. The OET has four sub-tests: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and can be taken on computer at a venue or at home with remote proctoring (OET site, search extract). This portal's practice mock has 40 questions across the listening and reading content types. No official pass rate for this exam was available in the sources we reviewed, so none is quoted here.

The OET has four sub-tests: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and can be taken on computer at a venue or at home with remote proctoring (OET site, search extract). This portal's practice mock has 40 questions across the listening and reading content types. Format: Four sub-tests (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) · on computer at a venue or at home with remote proctoring. Passing standard: OET reports a grade for each sub-test, and each regulator or immigration authority sets the grades it requires; no single pass mark exists, so none is quoted here.

• Listening24.24%
• Reading36.36%
• Writing27.27%
• Speaking12.12%

The content outline spreads questions across 4 areas: Listening (24.24%); Reading (36.36%); Writing (27.27%); Speaking (12.12%).

There are no formal eligibility requirements for the OET itself, but your regulator or immigration authority decides whether it accepts OET and which grades it needs; confirm with them before you book.

OET lists a US$455 fee in the United States for OET on Computer at a venue or OET@Home (OET site, search extract). Fees differ by country and delivery mode.

OET results are accepted by regulators for a limited period they define; check your regulator for how long a result stays valid.

Start with the heaviest areas of the content outline: Reading (36.36%); Writing (27.27%); Listening (24.24%). Then work through the remaining areas, practise jurisdiction-specific rules separately from the general content, and finish with timed full-length practice runs of 40 questions in one sitting.

Content outlines, fees and passing standards change; this guide follows the materials listed under Verification as of October 2026. Check the licensing authority and test administrator before you register.