Short answer: In the UK, the NMC accepts OET for nurses, midwives and nursing associates with grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking and C+ in Writing, and lets you combine two sittings taken within 12 months. The GMC accepts OET Medicine for doctors with grade B in all four sub-tests, all from one test that must be your most recent. Both accept OET@Home, both want results no more than 2 years old, and both check your scores through the OET portal once you give them permission. If you are a nurse, midwife or doctor, a regulator-accepted OET result also covers the English requirement of the Health and Care Worker visa.
What OET score do UK nurses and midwives need for the NMC?
Grade B (350 or above) in Listening, Reading and Speaking, and grade C+ (300 or above) in Writing. That is the rule on the NMC's OET page (last updated March 2024), and it is the same for nurses, midwives and nursing associates: the NMC says its English requirement is the same for all applicants to its register.
Three details on that page catch people out:
- The NMC says all applicants should choose the Nursing version of OET.
- OET on paper, OET on computer and OET@Home are all accepted, and an OET@Home result can be combined with a paper or computer one.
- You give the NMC your certificate and candidate number, and before you apply you must allow the NMC to see your results in your OET account. If you are combining two tests, give permission for both.
The NMC also accepts other evidence, such as a nursing or midwifery programme taught and examined in English, or a year of recent practice in a country where English is the majority language. Its guidance document (updated June 2023) sets out the conditions. If you are using OET, the test rules below are what matter.
Can you combine two OET results for the NMC?
Yes, with conditions. The NMC's accepted tests page says you may combine scores across two sittings if:
- the two tests were taken within 12 months of each other;
- across the two sittings you have each required grade at least once;
- you sat all four sub-tests both times, because the NMC does not accept a resit of a single sub-test;
- both tests are OET (an OET and an IELTS cannot be mixed);
- both are no more than 2 years old when the NMC reviews your application.
On top of that, neither sitting may contain a score below a floor. The NMC guidance sets the floor at C+ (300) for Listening, Reading and Speaking and C (250) for Writing.
Here is how that plays out for an invented nurse, Sara, with two sittings eight months apart:
| Sub-test | Needed | Sitting 1 | Sitting 2 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | B (350) | 360 | 320 | B from sitting 1; 320 is above the 300 floor |
| Reading | B (350) | 330 | 370 | B from sitting 2; 330 is above the floor |
| Speaking | B (350) | 380 | 350 | B in both |
| Writing | C+ (300) | 270 | 310 | C+ from sitting 2; 270 is above the 250 floor |
Sara can combine. Now change one number: if her sitting 2 Writing had been 310 but her sitting 1 Writing had been 240, the pair could not be combined, because 240 is under the Writing floor. She would need a third sitting, and could then pair it with an earlier sitting taken within 12 months of it, as long as both clear every floor.
If you narrowly miss one sub-test after trying to combine sittings, the NMC says you may be able to use information from your current UK employer. Its guidance limits this to a miss of no more than half a grade in OET, after at least 12 months in a health or care setting, with a line manager on the NMC register and a counter-signature from a senior NMC registrant at the same employer. Read both pages before you rely on it.
What OET score do doctors need for the GMC?
Grade B in all four sub-tests, in the Medicine version. The GMC's OET page lists four conditions: at least a B in Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing; all four in the same test; from your most recent sitting; and a certificate that shows your candidate number. It accepts OET on paper, on computer and OET@Home.
"Most recent sitting" is the rule that hurts. Suppose you passed with four Bs in March, then sat again in June hoping for a higher Writing score, and got a C+ in Reading. The GMC looks at June, and you no longer meet the requirement. Book another test after a pass only if you have a reason that outweighs that risk.
The GMC verifies your scores itself. Its page asks you to select the General Medical Council as a recognising organisation in your OET portal so the check is not delayed. If you are booking PLAB 1, the GMC says verification can take up to two working days after you enter your scores.
How long is OET valid for the NMC and the GMC?
Two years for both, counted at a specific moment:
| Body | How old the result may be | Measured when |
|---|---|---|
| NMC | 2 years | When the NMC considers your complete application |
| GMC, for PLAB | 2 years | On the day you sit PLAB 1 |
| GMC, for registration | 2 years | When the GMC approves your application |
The GMC has one extension. If your OET certificate is less than 3 years old on the date your registration application is received, and you passed PLAB 2 less than 3 months before applying, the GMC can accept it. That extension is not available on the sponsorship route. The GMC also describes a route for certificates over 2 years old that relies on references from a tutor, lecturer or employer in a country where English is the first language. Both are on the GMC's OET page.
For a doctor taking PLAB, this means timing matters twice: the result must still be valid on your PLAB 1 day, and then again when the GMC approves your registration. If your OET is already a year old, plan the dates before you book PLAB 1.
Which other UK regulators accept OET?
The pharmacy regulator and the HCPC do; the dental regulator does not list it.
| Regulator | Who it registers | OET rule | OET@Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPhC (June 2025 guidance) | Pharmacists | Pharmacy version, B in all four sub-tests, one sitting | Not accepted |
| HCPC | Podiatry, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiography | 1400 in total, no sub-test below 300 | Not mentioned; it names paper and computer only |
| HCPC | Speech and language therapy | 1800 in total, no sub-test below 400 | Not mentioned |
| GDC | Dentists | OET is not listed; the only test the page names is IELTS | Not applicable |
The HCPC is the one UK regulator in this guide that accepts a retake of a single OET sub-test, and only one, taken within six months of the original test. The HCPC also wants the certificate to be no more than 2 years old when it receives your application. If you are a dentist, ask the GDC before you pay for OET Dentistry.
The NMC and GMC rules sit next to other countries' regulators in our OET scores and grades guide, and Which countries accept OET? covers the rest of the world.
Does OET count for the UK Health and Care Worker visa?
For doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives, yes, indirectly. GOV.UK says these professions do not need to prove their English again for the Health and Care Worker visa if they have already passed an English assessment accepted by their regulator. So an OET result the NMC or GMC accepted does the job.
OET is not a Secure English Language Test (SELT). It does not appear among the providers on GOV.UK's approved English tests page. Pharmacists and HCPC professions are not named in the visa exemption, so check the GOV.UK page and ask your sponsor which evidence they expect before you assume your OET covers the visa too.
How do you send your OET results to a UK regulator?
You give the regulator permission to view them; OET does not send them on its own. OET's support article on giving verification access explains the steps:
- Paper test: log in, find your booking, open the menu, choose "Manage Verifier Access", search for the organisation's full name, select it and save.
- Computer test or OET@Home: open "My Results", choose "Manage Verifier Access" and start sharing with the organisation.
Repeat it for each organisation and each test. The NMC, GMC and GPhC all say on their own pages that they verify OET results through this permission. Do it before you submit the application, not after.
Results timing affects your planning. OET says computer and OET@Home results can be available within 48 hours of finishing all four sub-tests, while paper results can be available 12 days after the test date (sooner in a few countries). If an NMC or PLAB deadline is close, that gap matters, and our guide to OET paper vs computer compares the formats.
Where can you sit OET in the UK, and what does it cost?
At an OET test venue, which you find with the search on OET's Book a test page. In 2023 OET announced a UK venue run by the University of Liverpool's English Language Centre; the search shows which venues are taking bookings now. OET@Home is a separate booking option, so check in the booking system whether it is open to you.
OET publishes one price for the full test outside the US: AU$587, according to its fees article (checked November 2026). Single sub-test resits exist on paper at most venues outside the US, only after you have sat the full test once, but the NMC says you cannot retake individual sub-tests, and the GMC and GPhC want all four grades from one sitting, so for those bodies every retake is a full test. Our OET exam fees guide works through the costs.
Where can you practise for the UK grades?
The NMC and the GMC both need a B in Listening and Reading, and those two sub-tests are the same for every profession, so a doctor and a nurse practise them the same way. Try your first OET Listening mock and your first OET Reading mock to see how far you are from 350. In Listening Part A, spelling decides marks: OET explained in one of its live sessions that a common word any healthcare professional should know, such as gallbladder, is marked wrong if misspelt by even one letter, and British and American spelling are both accepted only if you keep to one style throughout the test. The Listening Part A section lets you hear Part A words, type them and check your spelling straight away.
Frequently asked questions
What OET score do nurses need in the UK?
The NMC asks for grade B (350) in Listening, Reading and Speaking and grade C+ (300) in Writing. The NMC tells all applicants to choose the Nursing version. Two sittings within 12 months can be combined if neither has a score below the NMC's floors.
Can doctors combine two OET results for the GMC?
No. The GMC wants a B in all four sub-tests from the same test, and that test must be your most recent sitting. A later sitting with a lower score replaces an earlier pass.
Does the GMC accept OET@Home?
Yes. The GMC accepts OET on paper, OET on computer and OET@Home, all in the Medicine version. The NMC accepts all three formats as well, while the GPhC does not accept OET@Home.
Is OET accepted for the UK visa?
For doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives, GOV.UK says an English assessment accepted by their regulator is enough for the Health and Care Worker visa. OET is not on GOV.UK's list of SELT providers, so other professions should check with GOV.UK and their sponsor.
Can I retake only one OET sub-test for the UK?
Only for the HCPC, which accepts a retake of one sub-test within six months of the original test. The NMC says you cannot retake individual sub-tests, and the GMC and GPhC want all four grades from one sitting.
How long is an OET result valid in the UK?
Two years for the NMC, the GMC and the HCPC. The GMC measures it on your PLAB 1 day or when it approves your registration, and it can accept a certificate up to 3 years old if you passed PLAB 2 less than 3 months before it received your registration application.
Do UK dentists need OET?
The GDC's English language page does not list OET; the only test it names is IELTS. Dentists should confirm with the GDC before booking OET Dentistry.
OET Ultimacy is an independent OET preparation provider and is not affiliated with OET or Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. Test rules, fees and requirements can change, so always check oet.com and the body you are applying to.
