OET GUIDES
Learn how OET actually works
Written for working clinicians preparing around shifts: what the assessors score, why strong English still lands on C+, and how to practise so the grade moves. Clinician-reviewed, plain language, no filler.
How Writing is scored
What the six OET Writing criteria measure, how the 0 to 500 score is built, what grade B means, and how to gain a band on each criterion.
Why C+ in Writing
C+ means 300 to 340: close, but short of grade B. The five most common reasons letters land there, how to identify yours, and a focused plan to close the gap.
Letter structure
How to read OET case notes, decide what the reader needs, and structure a referral, discharge, or transfer letter: layout, paragraph plan, and word budget.
OET vs IELTS
An honest comparison of OET and IELTS Academic for healthcare registration: format, difficulty, scoring equivalence, cost, and how to choose.
Speaking role plays
The OET Speaking format explained: role play cards, the 3 minute preparation, the two families of criteria, and the habits that separate grade B consultations.
8 week study plan
A realistic week-by-week OET preparation plan for people studying around shifts: baseline first, criterion-focused practice, and a taper that protects exam day.
What score to pass OET
OET reports grades, not pass or fail. What grade B (350) means, what each grade covers, and why the score you need depends on your regulator.
OET Writing tips
Practical OET Writing tips organised by the criterion each one improves: selection, purpose, register, structure, and the timing habits that protect the grade.
Writing correction: human vs AI
The options for getting OET letters corrected, from tutor correction to AI marking: what each does well, and how to combine them without wasting money.
OET Speaking tips
Practical OET Speaking tips grouped by what assessors score: intelligibility and fluency, and the clinical communication criteria that decide most role plays.
Is an OET remark worth it?
How the OET re-mark works, how often scores change, and how to decide between requesting a remark and retaking the subtest after a near miss.
OET validity and retakes
How long an OET result stays valid, how often you can sit the test, whether you can retake a single subtest, and how regulators treat combined grades.
OET timing for ECFMG/Match
How to work out the latest safe OET sitting date for ECFMG certification and the Match, and why nobody can give you an exact universal cutoff.
NMC clubbing rule
How the NMC lets you combine OET scores across two sittings within 12 months, the C+ and C thresholds, and when a single-subtest resit beats a full retake.
What is OET?
What OET is, who it is for, how the four sub-tests work, how scoring and the Overall Score work, and how to book it.
Listening format
How OET Listening is structured, what each of the three parts tests, timing, and how the 42 questions are marked.
Reading format
How OET Reading is structured, what each of the three parts tests, timing, and why Reading is not profession specific.
Why C+ in Speaking
C+ means 300 to 340: close, but short of grade B. The five most common reasons role plays land there, how to identify yours, and a focused plan to close the gap.
How Speaking is scored
What the linguistic and clinical communication criteria measure, how the 0 to 500 score is built, and how to gain a band on each.
Why C+ in Listening
C+ means 300 to 340: close, but short of grade B. The five most common reasons candidates lose marks in Listening, and a focused plan to close the gap.
Why C+ in Reading
C+ means 300 to 340: close, but short of grade B. The five most common reasons candidates lose marks in Reading, and a focused plan to close the gap.
Last reviewed 12 July 2026. Independent preparation guidance based on publicly available OET materials; not affiliated with OET or Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. Regulator requirements change: always confirm scores with the regulator you are registering with.