The full form of the OET is the Occupational English Test. Every year over 1,50,000 students take this test. The OET Exam for Nurses is basically an English language proficiency test for those who want to work in the English speaking nations in the healthcare and medical field. Additionally it is very popular in the healthcare industry. The Occupational English Test focuses on the language skill that is required for the real-life healthcare system which includes for part; listening, reading, writing, and speaking abilities.
In this blog, we will know what is OET Exam for Nurses 2025, its fees, eligibility, registration process, assessment and tips which will help you in preparing for the exam.
What is the OET Exam for Nurses?
As you already know that the OET exam is a specialized exam for the English language which is designed for those candidates who want to work in the English speaking language in the Healthcare profession. The OET exam covers the range of healthcare professions which includes nursing. OET exam results are valid till 2 years and also accepted in the many English speaking countries such as; Australia, Bermuda, Portugal, Qatar, Samoa, Canada, Finland, Egypt, UAE, UK, Ireland, Maldives, Namibia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad, Ukraine, and USA.
Moreover, if you are a nurse and you want to work in any of these countries, you have to appear for this exam and score well in all levels to meet the criteria of eligibility.
Before applying for the OET exam for nurses in India it is necessary to understand all the details related to the OET exam including registration fee, procedure, eligibility criteria and many more.
Modes of OET Exam
There are three modes of the exam for the candidates who want to take the OET exam for nurses like; on paper, on computer and home (Remotely). But the speaking test is different from the other exam which is conducted in person via the zoom. Find the details for the exams below to understand it better.
OET Test on Paper
The OET exam is held twice a month on the OET paper and they are taken at the specified OET test centre. The speaking test is conducted real person face to face via zoom call and you will get your result typically within 15 business working days.
OET Test on Computer
Candidates can take the OET exam eleven times in a month on the computer and you can take this exam at the specified exam center or at home according to your preference. The Listening, reading, and writing tests are taken over the computer and the speaking test conducted over computer via zoom call. You will get your result within 10 business working days.
OET@Home
In the process candidates take their all exam over the computer at home including; listening, reading, and writing and like other modes the speaking test is conducted over the zoom. With this option, a proctor must supervise the test administration from a distance.
Candidates are allowed to choose the exam mode as per their choice and you can choose any mode as per your convenience.
OET Test Format for Nurses
The OET for nurses carries four levels in the exam including; listening, speaking, writing and reading and the overall exam duration is 3 hours. This exam is conducted to check your English proficiency in the healthcare profession. You can find a brief description of the exam in the table given below.
| Section | Duration | Description |
| Listening | 45 minutes | This test is conducted to check the understanding of the English language. It has three parts; consultation, workplace, and presentation. |
| Reading | 60 minutes | This exam is held to know the proficiency of the English language and has three parts include; reading, comprehension and understanding. |
| Writing | 40 minutes | In this section you have to write a reference letter specific to the nursing profession. |
| Speaking | 20 minutes | This section has two parts - Role play scenarios simulating interactions with patients or coworkers. |
Listening Sub-Test
The OET listening test consists of three parts with different time duration and in this you will find different questions for which you have to answer correctly. Check out the examples of questions below for your needs.
Part A: In this section you will hear 2 recording conversations between health professionals like doctor and patient and you have to submit the correct answer of question by listening to the recording and for this you will get 5 minutes for each recording.
Part B: This section contains 6 short audio recordings in which 1 or 2 people talk about workplace arrangements, such as task transfers or team briefings. For each recording you will get several answer options and you will have 1 minute for a response.
Part C: This section contains 2 recordings in which you will listen to a person's responses or interviews on a healthcare topic. For each recording you will have 5 minutes to answer 6 multiple choice questions.
Reading Sub-Test
You will get 60 minutes for the OET Reading test for nurses and it is divided into three parts: Part A, B and C. All three parts combined will give you a total of 42 questions. Check out details about this part below:
Part A: In this section you will have to read four short texts and it will consist of 20 questions and it will focus on your skills like; scanning, skimming and identifying specific details and you will get a total 15 minutes to complete this part.
Part B: In this section you will find 6 short texts containing information about policy documents, hospital guidelines, manuals or emails and you will get multiple choice question options to answer.
Part C: You will get 2 long articles in this section and in each you have to attend at least 8 multiple choice questions, and this section will test your ability to find the key details from the long data.
You will get a total of 45 minutes to complete both sections A and B.
Writing Sub-Test
You will find the OET Writing subtest more difficult than the rest of the tests. To be fully prepared, you can take a mock test before taking the Writing test. You get a total time of 45 minutes in this, which is divided into two parts.
The first part is reading time and in this part you will be given 2 long pages and you have to understand the scenario and you will get a total of 5 minutes to read this completely and you are not allowed to take notes and underline the text while taking the test.
The second part is writing time which takes a total of 40 minutes in which you have to write a formal letter based on the case notes. And in this part you have to write at least 180 to 200 words as per the instructions given.
Speaking Sub-Test
In this section you will play two roles as per the given scenarios and each section will be of 20 minutes. In this section you will have to do a role play with the examiner who plays the role of a patient or relative of the patient. Chances are that you will find this section a bit challenging as you will have to use your words carefully as the examiner will cross-question you on every answer. The purpose of this section is to get an idea of how you would interact with a patient in real life.
The first stage is to focus on introduction and warm-up, in this part the examiner wants to know about your professional background, it is like an interview, where you will have a brief conversation about your work experience.
In this part you will be required to role play and you will get two topics of this. Also, you will get three minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to role play. You can get a situation based on the real life conversation and you have to act it out with the examiner.
The OET exam for nurses is conducted to check your English proficiency and how you use it in real life. You have to prepare well for each sub-test and score good marks to get a good grade. All the sections are designed to show your strengths and weaknesses and you also get a chance to take mock tests for each section to prepare well for the exam.
OET Exam Fees for Nurses in 2025
You will have the opportunity to attempt for the OET exam for nurses and doctors multiple times a year at many centers according to your interest. The fees for the OET exam is the same for all healthcare related professions, depending on each sub-exam. Check the table below to know more about the fees of the OET Exam for Nurses.
| OET Sub-test Options | OET Price in AUD | OET Price in INR |
| Full Test (All 4 Sections) | AUD 587 | INR 32,256 |
| Three Sub-tests | AUD 515 | INR 28,300 |
| Two Sub-tests | AUD 415 | INR 22,800 |
| One Sub-test | AUD 315 | INR 17,300 |
| Rescheduling Fee (Before Deadline) | AUD 120 | INR 6,500 |
| Rescheduling Fee (After Deadline) | AUD 200 | INR 10,800 |
Moreover, the OET exam fee for 2025 for AUD includes the following sub-tests: speaking, reading, writing, and listening.
Note: These are the fixed exam fees, the value of Indian Rupee may fluctuate according to the exchange rate, so it is better to check the exam fee before applying for the exam.
OET Exam Eligibility Criteria for Nurses and Doctor
If you want to work and study in the medical and healthcare sector in an English-speaking country, you need to appear for the OET exam (Occupational English Test) and score well. Apart from this, you also need to fulfil the eligibility criteria for this exam. Read the required eligibility criteria carefully in the below table before applying for OET for nurses and doctors in 2025.
| Eligibility Criteria | Details |
| Profession | Registered or in practice in a nursing or healthcare profession |
| Educational Qualification | Have completed or pursuing an nursing program |
| Age Limit | There is no stated age limit to take the OET exam, but you must meet the licensing and registration requirements. |
| Nationality | Candidates with any nationality can take this OET exam |
| Minimum Required Scores by Country | Each country has its own minimum score requirements, such as nurses may need a C+ grade in writing and a B grade in listening, reading and speaking to meet the criteria. |
| Test Sitting Requirement | All four subtests must be taken in one sitting. |
| Score Validity | Valid for 2 years |
| Retake Policy | There is no limit on retaking the OET exam, you can take the exam any number of times, but it is advised to take the exam again after completing your preparation. |
How to Register for the OET Exam?
Follow the below mentioned steps to register for the OET Exam for Nurses in India.
Eligibility Criteria: If you want to apply for the OET exam then firstly find out whether you meet the eligibility criteria to appear for the exam.
MyOET Account: Then visit the official website of the MyOET and create a new account.
Test Details: If you want to take the OET exam for nurses in India then you need to choose the preferred location and time duration as per your region.
Personal and Professional Details: For the OET exam online, fill out the required details related to your personal and professional. Make sure you enter the correct details. Incorrect details may cause problems with your application.
Complete the Payment: You can choose any payment mode like debit card or credit card to make the payment. But before completing the payment, make sure to review all the information you have filled while registering for the OET exam.
Assessment Criteria for All Sub-Tests in OET Exam
The marks range set in the OET exam is from 0 to 500 and you need to perform well in the exam if you want to get a good grade in the exam. However, you can check the table below to know how the marks and grades are calculated.
| OET Score | OET Grade | IELTS Band Equivalent | English Level |
| 450-500 | A | 8.0-9.0 | Very high efficiency, excellent understanding and communication. |
| 350-440 | B | 7.0-7.5 | High proficiency, able to communicate effectively in the healthcare system. |
| 300-340 | C+ | 6.5 | Good level of English, and may need some improvement. |
| 200-290 | C | 5.5-6.0 | More complex language may require clarification for adequate understanding. |
| 100-190 | D | 4.0-5.0 | Basic understanding may struggle with complex interactions. |
| 0-90 | E | 0-4.0 | Limited understanding, significant challenges in communication. |
Tips and Study Materials for OET Exam
If you want to appear for the OET exam in 2025, prepare well for the exam and improve your English speaking skills. Also, work on your time management skills. Here are some tips and all the necessary information related to preparation for the OET exam.
- You need to have a good understanding of the format of the OET exam so that you can prepare well for each test section; Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
- A good knowledge of the medical and healthcare field and its vocabulary will be your plus point and and for that you can use the flashcard method to remember the words and sentences. You can also search for online apps, there are many available for the preparation.
- Take mock tests and attempt as many mock tests as you can to get familiar with the syllabus and exam format so that you can easily ace the exam and perform well in each section while managing the time limit. There are many platforms available that provide sample question answers and mock tests in all sections of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
- You can also enroll in preparation courses and tests which also provide feedback and guidance after the exam and the duration of these courses can range from a few weeks to months and it completely depends on your choice.
- Read and practice case studies and you can also schedule them at your convenient time. Learn and focus on managing your time so that you never run out of time when you appear for the exam.
Conclusion
The OET exam can be beneficial for all students and working professionals who want to work and study in the medical and healthcare field in English-speaking countries. Read this blog carefully to know all the crucial information about the OET exam for nurses in 2025. You will also get exam preparation tips and grade details that you can aim and prepare for. Scoring well in this exam can open up many opportunities for your career and professional growth.
