OET WRITING BY PROFESSION · DIETITIANS
OET Writing for dietitians: the letter task explained
Most OET Writing advice online is generic, or written for nurses. The OET Dietetics Writing subtest asks dietitians for a specific kind of letter, built around the situations dietitians already handle at work.
This page sets out what that letter task involves, what the six published Writing criteria reward, and how to practise it with feedback rather than guesswork.
THE LETTER TASK
The Writing subtest is a 45 minute letter from case notes, often to a GP or another clinician summarising a nutrition assessment and care plan, or referring a patient on. Good letters organise around the nutrition problem, the plan, and what the reader is being asked to do, without copying the notes wholesale.
WHAT THE SIX CRITERIA REWARD
WHO ACCEPTS IT
OET Dietetics is accepted by bodies including the Dietitians Board of New Zealand, and it is used in Australian skilled migration and credentialing contexts. Acceptance varies more than in the flagship professions, so confirm the current requirements with the specific regulator or credentialing body you are applying to before booking.
See the exact current requirement
LAST REVIEWED 9 AUGUST 2026
COMMON QUESTIONS
What does the OET Writing subtest involve for dietitians?
The Writing subtest is a 45 minute letter from case notes, often to a GP or another clinician summarising a nutrition assessment and care plan, or referring a patient on. Good letters organise around the nutrition problem, the plan, and what the reader is being asked to do, without copying the notes wholesale.
How long is the OET Writing subtest?
45 minutes in total: 5 minutes to read the case notes and the task, then 40 minutes to write the letter.
Which criteria does OET Writing mark?
Six published criteria: Purpose, Content, Conciseness and Clarity, Genre and Style, Organisation and Layout, Language.
Which regulators accept OET Dietetics?
OET Dietetics is accepted by bodies including the Dietitians Board of New Zealand, and it is used in Australian skilled migration and credentialing contexts. Acceptance varies more than in the flagship professions, so confirm the current requirements with the specific regulator or credentialing body you are applying to before booking.
Independent preparation service. Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, OET or Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. Practice feedback is based on published OET criteria and is not an official evaluation. Regulator requirements change: confirm current rules with the regulator directly.
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