What is the OET pass rate?
There is no single OET pass rate, for three reasons. OET gives each candidate four sub-test scores (0–500) and grades, with no overall result. Whether you have "passed" depends on the line your regulator, employer or visa sets, and most ask for about 350 (grade B) in each sub-test (see score lines by regulator). And OET publishes grade distributions per sub-test, not the share of candidates who met a line in all four.
What OET does publish is how 2025 candidates were spread across grades. The tables below use the share at grade B or above (350+) because that is the usual line; it is a comparison threshold we chose, not an official pass rate, and it is counted separately for each sub-test.
- Writing: grade A is almost never awarded (at most 0.3% of any first-language group), but B or above runs from 47.6% (Bisaya) to 83.1% (Greek). Grade A was rare in every reported Writing group; these tables don't show where candidates fall within grade B (350–440).
- Speaking has the highest share at B or above for all 12 professions and for 49 of 54 first languages: by first language it runs from 67.8% (Japanese) to 98.3% (Dutch).
- Reading has the widest spread: by first language, B or above runs from 24.0% (Malayalam) to 92.1% (Dutch).
- Nursing Reading in 2025: 24.9% at B or above, 34.0% at C+ (300–340) and 41.0% at C or below, so about a third of nurses sat one grade step under the usual line.
- Profession mix: medicine 57.5% and nursing 38.15% of 2025 candidates, all other professions 4.4% combined.
Share of candidates at grade B or above, by profession (2025)
Sorted by the plain average of the four percentages shown (not an overall pass rate). Nursing and medicine are by far the largest groups.
| Profession | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 77.6% | 78.9% | 79.9% | 92.8% |
| Speech Pathology | 73.1% | 73.2% | 82.9% | 97.5% |
| Occupational Therapy | 57.5% | 52.3% | 73.5% | 92.7% |
| Pharmacy | 55.2% | 50.2% | 72.0% | 88.9% |
| Physiotherapy | 49.8% | 47.7% | 66.3% | 85.0% |
| Podiatry | 41.2% | 50.0% | 56.3% | 100.0% |
| Radiography | 40.6% | 39.3% | 59.1% | 83.4% |
| Dentistry | 36.8% | 42.5% | 59.2% | 79.8% |
| Dietetics | 40.0% | 29.6% | 57.6% | 86.7% |
| Nursing | 32.3% | 24.9% | 63.2% | 82.2% |
| Optometry | 25.0% | 25.0% | 62.5% | 87.5% |
| Veterinary Science | 23.8% | 31.5% | 60.9% | 61.0% |
Doctors reached B or above most often in Speaking (92.8%) and least often in Listening (77.6%). Nurses reached it in Speaking 82.2% of the time but in Reading only 24.9%. Each profession's guide has its own tips and score lines, for example OET Nursing and OET Medicine.
Average OET scores by profession (2025)
Mean scaled scores out of 500. Grade B starts at 350.
| Profession | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 377 | 375 | 349 | 385 |
| Speech Pathology | 371 | 362 | 355 | 391 |
| Occupational Therapy | 343 | 337 | 340 | 379 |
| Pharmacy | 339 | 333 | 341 | 374 |
| Physiotherapy | 333 | 331 | 335 | 371 |
| Podiatry | 321 | 335 | 318 | 385 |
| Radiography | 321 | 318 | 329 | 368 |
| Dietetics | 311 | 312 | 329 | 370 |
| Dentistry | 308 | 318 | 327 | 366 |
| Nursing | 313 | 303 | 334 | 365 |
| Optometry | 305 | 305 | 322 | 363 |
| Veterinary Science | 292 | 311 | 327 | 351 |
Average scores by nationality (2025)
OET lists the 67 nationalities with 100 or more candidates. Nationality is self-reported and may mean place of birth, current or previous residence, so it says little about English proficiency. Sorted by the share at B or above in Reading.
| Nationality | Mean L | Mean R | Mean W | Mean S | Reading B+ | Listening B+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexican | 393 | 404 | 346 | 388 | 94.8% | 84.4% |
| Dominican | 387 | 393 | 354 | 386 | 93.1% | 79.6% |
| Lebanese | 416 | 407 | 352 | 388 | 91.6% | 91.1% |
| Dutch | 403 | 393 | 351 | 397 | 88.2% | 85.6% |
| Israeli | 389 | 389 | 332 | 386 | 86.1% | 83.0% |
| Malaysian | 383 | 387 | 354 | 379 | 86.1% | 84.1% |
| Ethiopian | 370 | 383 | 346 | 370 | 85.2% | 76.0% |
| Greek | 386 | 388 | 351 | 376 | 84.9% | 83.6% |
| Jordanian | 380 | 380 | 349 | 384 | 84.8% | 80.1% |
| American | 393 | 387 | 348 | 398 | 84.7% | 83.9% |
| Brazilian | 366 | 387 | 347 | 379 | 84.7% | 68.5% |
| Georgian | 394 | 381 | 347 | 384 | 84.6% | 89.7% |
| Hong Kongese | 343 | 380 | 343 | 368 | 84.5% | 52.5% |
| Colombian | 363 | 385 | 346 | 375 | 83.5% | 64.8% |
| Puerto Rican | 387 | 361 | 318 | 391 | 82.9% | 87.7% |
| Egyptian | 371 | 378 | 354 | 381 | 82.3% | 74.8% |
| French | 372 | 383 | 331 | 376 | 82.0% | 75.3% |
| German | 387 | 382 | 341 | 387 | 81.1% | 79.7% |
| Italian | 358 | 382 | 346 | 372 | 80.9% | 67.7% |
| South Korean | 365 | 381 | 344 | 369 | 80.6% | 67.8% |
| Spanish | 352 | 376 | 344 | 369 | 80.3% | 60.8% |
| Singaporean | 385 | 380 | 346 | 380 | 79.9% | 81.3% |
| Hungarian | 386 | 382 | 354 | 385 | 79.6% | 81.3% |
| Belgian | 399 | 378 | 326 | 392 | 79.5% | 80.5% |
| Myanma/Burmese | 344 | 360 | 351 | 367 | 76.2% | 56.8% |
| Emirati | 393 | 374 | 347 | 389 | 75.9% | 81.8% |
| Canadian | 382 | 370 | 339 | 396 | 75.6% | 79.4% |
| Portuguese | 361 | 368 | 339 | 379 | 74.3% | 66.6% |
| Omani | 346 | 356 | 336 | 379 | 73.4% | 58.1% |
| Palestinian | 353 | 360 | 344 | 375 | 70.9% | 63.8% |
| Kuwaiti | 378 | 367 | 342 | 384 | 70.1% | 76.1% |
| Thai | 339 | 360 | 346 | 359 | 69.6% | 53.4% |
| Pakistani | 368 | 359 | 352 | 381 | 69.1% | 74.1% |
| South African | 378 | 361 | 332 | 395 | 68.3% | 76.7% |
| Saudi | 350 | 356 | 334 | 377 | 67.7% | 59.8% |
| Japanese | 322 | 354 | 344 | 355 | 67.4% | 36.4% |
| Taiwanese | 327 | 354 | 339 | 365 | 66.2% | 47.0% |
| Polish | 370 | 362 | 342 | 379 | 65.2% | 65.4% |
| Chinese | 327 | 356 | 341 | 367 | 64.3% | 44.0% |
| Irish | 371 | 362 | 344 | 387 | 63.3% | 67.2% |
| Iranian | 334 | 348 | 341 | 372 | 62.7% | 49.7% |
| Syrian | 338 | 348 | 345 | 375 | 62.5% | 52.6% |
| British | 372 | 355 | 342 | 384 | 62.4% | 73.2% |
| Kenyan | 358 | 354 | 339 | 376 | 62.4% | 64.4% |
| Iraqi | 347 | 346 | 339 | 377 | 61.5% | 58.5% |
| Sudanese | 338 | 345 | 342 | 378 | 59.5% | 53.9% |
| Bangladeshi | 340 | 345 | 350 | 376 | 59.3% | 54.1% |
| Qatari | 356 | 345 | 330 | 377 | 58.2% | 64.6% |
| Bahraini | 351 | 346 | 337 | 375 | 57.9% | 60.9% |
| Turkish | 327 | 342 | 338 | 360 | 57.6% | 45.6% |
| Libyan | 337 | 333 | 329 | 374 | 53.1% | 54.4% |
| Ugandan | 359 | 338 | 339 | 381 | 52.9% | 68.2% |
| Nigerian | 348 | 338 | 340 | 377 | 52.4% | 59.5% |
| Ukrainian | 313 | 331 | 337 | 368 | 50.2% | 38.2% |
| Australian | 343 | 335 | 331 | 380 | 47.7% | 53.6% |
| New Zealander | 349 | 338 | 334 | 378 | 46.1% | 60.7% |
| Zimbabwean | 347 | 330 | 340 | 377 | 45.1% | 61.1% |
| Sri Lankan | 328 | 331 | 339 | 363 | 45.0% | 42.2% |
| Afghan | 336 | 323 | 340 | 371 | 43.5% | 50.5% |
| Nepalese | 337 | 327 | 343 | 370 | 42.7% | 50.6% |
| Filipino | 349 | 326 | 329 | 370 | 41.6% | 61.9% |
| Zambian | 339 | 321 | 338 | 371 | 39.8% | 56.0% |
| Romanian | 316 | 312 | 318 | 363 | 35.1% | 36.5% |
| Indian | 322 | 313 | 343 | 370 | 32.0% | 37.3% |
| Cameroonian | 332 | 313 | 324 | 374 | 31.7% | 42.2% |
| Ghanaian | 338 | 314 | 335 | 373 | 30.8% | 51.9% |
| Fijian | 324 | 311 | 335 | 374 | 30.3% | 36.5% |
Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking at B or above, by first language (2025)
The 54 first languages with 100 or more candidates, sorted by the share at B or above in Reading. A first language isn't a measure of English ability either: it ignores other languages candidates speak and where they live.
| First language | Reading B+ | Listening B+ | Writing B+ | Speaking B+ | Mean R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch | 92.1% | 93.7% | 80.0% | 98.3% | 401 |
| Hebrew | 90.6% | 86.7% | 75.8% | 92.7% | 399 |
| Italian | 86.9% | 71.9% | 78.1% | 83.9% | 391 |
| Greek | 85.4% | 85.2% | 83.1% | 89.3% | 392 |
| German | 82.6% | 82.3% | 74.5% | 94.2% | 390 |
| Spanish | 82.2% | 70.0% | 72.6% | 87.2% | 378 |
| Amharic | 82.0% | 74.8% | 71.9% | 85.1% | 375 |
| Portuguese | 80.5% | 66.3% | 75.5% | 88.3% | 381 |
| Korean | 79.4% | 68.9% | 72.9% | 78.1% | 379 |
| Burmese | 79.2% | 63.9% | 83.0% | 84.6% | 365 |
| Mandarin | 78.4% | 63.0% | 75.8% | 84.7% | 373 |
| Russian | 77.7% | 71.7% | 75.9% | 85.6% | 369 |
| Cantonese | 77.5% | 49.9% | 71.5% | 76.5% | 371 |
| Vietnamese | 77.2% | 61.8% | 82.0% | 78.2% | 370 |
| Malay | 76.0% | 78.9% | 79.3% | 87.3% | 375 |
| Georgian | 75.9% | 86.6% | 76.8% | 92.1% | 374 |
| Chinese | 74.1% | 53.6% | 77.7% | 82.5% | 369 |
| French | 74.0% | 67.9% | 66.0% | 88.2% | 368 |
| Urdu | 71.0% | 77.2% | 82.0% | 94.2% | 362 |
| Arabic | 69.7% | 66.1% | 73.1% | 91.1% | 359 |
| Japanese | 67.0% | 38.0% | 74.7% | 67.8% | 353 |
| Farsi/Persian | 65.3% | 57.0% | 71.4% | 87.3% | 351 |
| Pashto | 65.1% | 69.1% | 81.1% | 93.4% | 351 |
| English | 63.6% | 71.4% | 74.5% | 93.6% | 360 |
| Polish | 61.7% | 54.8% | 60.0% | 82.0% | 352 |
| Bengali | 60.6% | 58.1% | 79.6% | 91.2% | 348 |
| Telugu | 59.7% | 66.9% | 72.4% | 89.2% | 346 |
| Turkish | 59.2% | 49.1% | 69.9% | 73.4% | 344 |
| Ukrainian | 59.0% | 50.3% | 70.0% | 83.5% | 343 |
| Thai | 58.5% | 45.0% | 65.7% | 70.7% | 350 |
| Kurdish | 58.4% | 50.9% | 62.8% | 82.1% | 348 |
| Hausa | 58.3% | 68.9% | 79.2% | 98.1% | 344 |
| Yoruba | 56.8% | 59.2% | 68.3% | 90.6% | 346 |
| Sindhi | 55.9% | 64.8% | 78.6% | 92.9% | 340 |
| Swahili | 55.8% | 63.3% | 64.7% | 90.1% | 348 |
| Albanian | 53.5% | 50.6% | 56.9% | 89.4% | 334 |
| Ibo/Igbo | 52.0% | 62.1% | 69.2% | 92.9% | 335 |
| Gujarati | 50.7% | 56.1% | 68.5% | 87.5% | 337 |
| Hindi | 48.9% | 58.2% | 73.1% | 89.1% | 335 |
| Shona | 48.5% | 63.0% | 68.2% | 93.8% | 333 |
| Marathi | 47.8% | 59.3% | 76.0% | 85.1% | 333 |
| Cebuano/Bisayan | 44.9% | 64.0% | 62.4% | 86.8% | 329 |
| Nepali | 44.2% | 53.1% | 73.0% | 87.0% | 329 |
| Tagalog/Filipino | 43.9% | 67.4% | 57.9% | 85.4% | 329 |
| Sinhalese | 43.3% | 42.4% | 66.8% | 77.9% | 329 |
| Tamil | 43.0% | 46.8% | 71.2% | 85.6% | 325 |
| Filipino | 42.5% | 62.6% | 57.5% | 85.3% | 326 |
| Afrikaans | 41.1% | 57.9% | 61.1% | 88.5% | 325 |
| Bisaya | 41.1% | 54.6% | 47.6% | 86.8% | 324 |
| Kannada | 36.1% | 46.5% | 70.5% | 86.7% | 316 |
| Romanian | 34.9% | 40.6% | 49.9% | 75.9% | 313 |
| Dari | 33.3% | 38.5% | 69.9% | 86.5% | 316 |
| Punjabi | 31.3% | 39.3% | 64.8% | 84.9% | 310 |
| Malayalam | 24.0% | 27.8% | 73.2% | 85.0% | 303 |
Average scores by gender (2025)
| Gender | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 343 | 335 | 342 | 376 |
| Male | 363 | 362 | 343 | 379 |
| Other | 369 | 352 | 339 | 384 |
Averages differ most in Listening and Reading. These summaries don't explain the difference and make no adjustment for profession or anything else, so don't read a cause into it.
What this means for you
- Aim for margin in Reading and Listening. These are the sub-tests where a third or more of nurses ended up at C+ (300–340), one step under the usual line. About 30 of 42 correct is the usual guide for a B; our score calculator turns your marks into an honest range.
- Don't expect Speaking to carry you. It has the highest B+ shares, but one sub-test can't make up for another when a regulator asks for 350 in each.
- In Writing, plan for B, not A. A grade B profile is usually Purpose 2 and 5 on the other criteria. Practise selecting case-note facts: see the letter format guide and the 64 writing tasks.
- Practise your weakest sub-test first (our advice, not OET's). Try a timed Reading Part A or Listening Part A, then a full test. If you missed a line already, read what to do after a fail.
How we built these tables
Every statistic in the tables above (percentages, means, grades) comes from two OET PDFs, 2025 test stats: Candidate performance (mean scaled scores and median grades) and 2025 test stats: Demographic data (percentage of candidates at each grade A–E). We added the A and B percentages for "B or above" and did nothing else to the numbers. Percentages in the source are rounded to one decimal, so some rows sum to 99.9% or 100.1%. Languages and nationalities appear only if OET had 100 or more candidates. Grade bands (A 450–500, B 350–440, C+ 300–340) and the about-30-of-42 guide come from OET's published guidance; the advice above is ours. These are 2025 results and say nothing about 2026 scores or pass marks. Last checked 23 Oct 2026.
Questions candidates ask
What is the OET pass rate?
There isn't one. OET reports four separate scores (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) and no overall result, and each regulator sets its own line, usually grade B (350). OET's 2025 statistics give the share of candidates at each grade per sub-test; for example 24.9% of nurses and 78.9% of doctors reached B or above in Reading.
What percentage of nurses pass OET?
OET doesn't say. In 2025, 32.3% of nurses reached grade B or above in Listening, 24.9% in Reading, 63.2% in Writing and 82.2% in Speaking. These are separate percentages for each sub-test; the PDFs don't report who reached B in all four, so that share can't be worked out.
Which OET sub-test is the hardest?
By the share reaching grade B or above, Reading and Listening are the hardest for nearly every group and Speaking the easiest. By first language, B or above in Reading ran from 24.0% to 92.1% in 2025, while Speaking ran from 67.8% to 98.3%.
Is OET harder for Indian or Filipino candidates?
The statistics show averages for groups, not how hard the test is for you. In 2025 the mean Reading score was 313 for Indian and 326 for Filipino candidates, against 350 for grade B. Nationality here is self-reported and can mean place of birth or residence. These figures describe group results in 2025; they can't tell you how much preparation you need or how you will score.
What does 'B or above' mean in these tables?
Grade B covers scores of 350–440 and grade A 450–500, so B or above means 350 or more in that sub-test. We add OET's A and B percentages together. Grade C+ (300–340) is the step below.
Sources
- OET: 2025 test statistics, candidate performance
- OET: 2025 test statistics, demographic data
- OET Test Handbook 2026
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