OET GUIDES · LAST REVIEWED 9 JULY 2026
What score do you need to pass OET? Grade B, 350, and what regulators ask for
By the MedEngly clinical team, led by a UK based IMG doctor who came through this pathway.
OET does not report a pass or a fail. It reports a grade from A to E for each of the four subtests, mapped to a number on a 0 to 500 scale. What counts as a passing score is not set by OET at all: it is set by the regulator or employer you are applying to, and most of them commonly ask for grade B.
This guide explains what each grade means, where the common thresholds sit, and how to work out the score you actually need before you book.
Grades and numbers: the 0 to 500 scale
Each subtest is graded A, B, C+, C, D, or E, and each grade corresponds to a band on the 0 to 500 numeric scale. Grade A is the top band; grade B sits at 350; C+ covers 300 to 340; C and below fall under 300. The number is what regulators quote, which is why candidates talk about needing 350.
The four subtests, Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, are graded separately. There is no single overall OET score that decides everything: your result is four grades, and the requirement is usually stated per subtest.
What grade B (350) actually means
Grade B is the level most healthcare regulators commonly treat as the working standard: it indicates you can communicate effectively in a professional healthcare environment, with only occasional lapses that do not impede understanding. It is a high intermediate to advanced level, commonly mapped to around IELTS 7.0.
For most candidates the practical target is therefore B in each of the four subtests, which means 350 or above in each. Missing B in a single subtest is the most common reason a strong candidate still has to retake, because the requirement is usually per subtest rather than an average.
The score you need depends on your regulator
There is no universal OET pass mark. The NMC, GMC, AHPRA, the Irish NMBI, the New Zealand and Gulf bodies, and individual employers each set their own accepted grades, and some accept specific combinations rather than a flat B in everything.
A number of regulators have at times accepted a C+ in one subtest alongside B in the others, or allowed grades to be combined across two sittings within a time window. These allowances are precise and they change. Always confirm the current rule directly with the regulator you are registering with before you plan around it.
Why per subtest matters more than the total
Because the requirement is usually per subtest, your weakest subtest defines your result. A candidate with A in Listening and Reading and C+ in Writing has still not met a B requirement, and the strong subtests do not compensate. This is why preparation should be weighted toward your weakest subtest, which for most clinicians is Writing or Speaking.
How to find your real target before booking
Do two things before you book. First, get the current accepted grades from your regulator, including any subtest combination or validity window rules. Second, sit a timed baseline in each subtest and get Writing and Speaking marked against the criteria, so you know the gap between where you are and the 350 line per subtest.
That gives you a specific target, per subtest, rather than a vague sense of needing to be better at English, and it usually shows the work is narrower than feared.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Is OET pass or fail?
OET does not pass or fail you. It reports a grade from A to E per subtest on a 0 to 500 scale. Whether your grades are accepted is decided by your regulator or employer, most of which commonly ask for grade B.
What is grade B in OET?
Grade B corresponds to 350 on the 0 to 500 scale and indicates effective professional communication with only occasional lapses. It is commonly treated as comparable to IELTS 7.0. Most healthcare regulators commonly ask for B in each subtest.
Do I need grade B in all four subtests?
Usually, but not always. Many regulators ask for B in each of Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, while some have accepted a single C+ alongside Bs, or allowed grades combined across sittings. These rules are specific and change, so confirm the current requirement with your regulator.
What happens if I miss grade B in one subtest?
You generally retake that subtest rather than the whole exam, since OET lets you book individual subtests. Whether your regulator accepts the new grade combined with your earlier ones is a separate rule with its own conditions and time limits, so verify it before booking.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
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Independent preparation guidance based on publicly available OET materials; not affiliated with, or endorsed by, OET or Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. Regulator requirements change: confirm current scores with the regulator you are registering with.