OET TEST GUIDE
OET for nurses: modes, grades and IELTS
The points to check before you book.
- Three ways to take the test
- Grades required by the UK NMC
- Rules and fees: check the provider first
OET is a trademark of Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. examplat is an independent practice service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the test provider. Case notes, role-plays and questions are fictional and written by examplat. AI feedback is a practice estimate, not a test result.
Three test modes
OET can be taken on paper at a venue, on computer at a venue, or at home with online supervision (OET@Home). The UK NMC accepts all three and allows results from OET@Home and the other modes to be combined. Check dates, fees and availability in your country with the test provider.
Four parts
Listening and Reading are the same for all professions. Writing and Speaking use tasks for your profession: for nurses, a letter written from case notes and two role-plays with a patient or relative.
Grades for nurses in the UK (NMC)
The NMC asks for B in Listening, Reading and Speaking and C+ in Writing on the nursing version of OET. Results from two sittings can be combined if set minimum grades are met in each sitting. Always read the NMC page itself before you book.
Other countries
Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and other regulators set their own requirements, and they can change. Check the regulator's English language page before you book; examplat does not list grades it has not checked.
OET or IELTS for nurses
The NMC accepts both. For IELTS Academic it asks for at least 7 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and 6.5 in Writing. OET uses healthcare tasks; IELTS uses general academic topics. Choose the one whose tasks suit you, and check that your regulator and employer accept it.
Sources
Information checked on 2026-10-21. We review this page once a year. If anything here differs from the regulator's or test provider's pages, follow their pages.
FAQ
How much does a retake cost?
Fees vary by country and change over time, so this page does not list them. Check the test provider's site.
Can I retake only one part?
Rules on retaking parts depend on the test provider and on the regulator. Check both before you book.
Heading to the US instead? NCLEX-RN practice
OET is a trademark of Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. examplat is an independent practice service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the test provider. Case notes, role-plays and questions are fictional and written by examplat. AI feedback is a practice estimate, not a test result. Written by examplat and checked against public guidance (NHS, NICE, BNF).