OET

The Occupational English Test (OET) is an English test designed for healthcare professionals. Instead of general topics, it uses real healthcare situations: patient consultations, case notes, referral letters and workplace communication. Many healthcare regulators accept it for registration, including in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. A2Z Language helps you prepare for each part of the test with practice in your own profession.

Who takes OET?

OET is available for twelve healthcare professions, including nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, radiography, optometry, podiatry, speech pathology and veterinary science. The Listening and Reading tests are the same for everyone. Writing and Speaking are specific to your profession, so a nurse writes and speaks about nursing situations and a doctor about medical ones.

Test format

Sub-test	Time	What you do
Listening	About 45 minutes	Three parts: extracts from consultations between a health professional and a patient, short workplace extracts, and longer presentations or interviews on healthcare topics.
Reading	60 minutes	Three parts: quickly finding information in short texts, short workplace texts such as guidelines and emails, and two longer texts on healthcare topics.
Writing	45 minutes	One profession-specific letter, usually a referral or discharge letter, written from a set of case notes.
Speaking	About 20 minutes	Two role-plays in which you play your professional role and an interlocutor plays a patient or carer.

Scores and grades

Each sub-test is reported as a score from 0 to 500 and a grade from A (highest) to E. Grade B, a score of 350 or above, is the level many regulators require for registration. Some organisations accept a slightly lower Writing grade or allow results from more than one sitting to be combined. Requirements change, so always confirm the current rules with the regulator in the country where you want to work.

Writing the OET letter

The letter is where many candidates lose points, even when their general English is strong. The assessors look at purpose, content, conciseness and clarity, genre and style, organisation and layout, and language. In practice that means:

• making the purpose of the letter clear in the first lines;
• choosing only the case notes the reader needs, rather than copying everything;
• grouping information logically, for example history, current condition and requested action;
• using a professional, polite tone suitable for a colleague;
• keeping the letter to roughly 180–200 words in the body.

In our lessons you write letters from case notes in your own profession and get them back with comments on each of these points.

Speaking role-plays

The Speaking test checks whether you can communicate with patients clearly and with empathy. Besides language, assessors look at relationship building, understanding and including the patient's perspective, providing structure, and gathering and giving information. We practise role-plays such as explaining a diagnosis, discussing medication, calming a worried relative or giving discharge advice.

How we prepare you

• A diagnostic test of all four skills and a study plan based on your target grades.
• Profession-specific letter writing with detailed feedback.
• Live role-play practice with a teacher who acts as the patient.
• Listening and Reading strategies for each part, with timed practice.
• Free initial advice through our OET counselling form.

Frequently asked questions

Should I take OET or IELTS?

If your regulator accepts both, many healthcare professionals find OET more relevant because the content comes from their daily work. Others prefer IELTS because it is offered more often in their city. Check what your regulator and employer accept, then compare dates and fees. Our article on choosing an English exam explains the differences.

Can I take OET from home?

OET offers test centre and at-home options in many countries. Availability and acceptance depend on your location and regulator, so confirm both before you book.

Is A2Z Language an official OET test centre?

No. We are an independent teaching provider that prepares candidates for the test. Bookings, fees and official results are handled by OET and its test venues.