Physiotherapists sit OET Physiotherapy mainly for registration, for example with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia through AHPRA, and for work in other English-speaking health systems that accept OET. Check that your regulator accepts OET, and which format, first.
In 2025 physiotherapy candidates averaged 333 Listening, 331 Reading, 335 Writing and 371 Speaking. With Australia now asking for 360 in Reading, the shared Reading paper is where most physios need to focus.
| Sub-test | For physiotherapists |
|---|---|
| Listening (about 40 min) | Same test for all 12 professions |
| Reading (60 min) | Same test for all 12 professions |
| Writing (45 min) | A letter from physiotherapy case notes, usually to GP, orthopaedic surgeon, sports physician |
| Speaking (about 20 min) | Two role-plays in settings like outpatient physiotherapy clinic, private practice, hospital ward; the interlocutor plays a patient or parent of a child patient |
On paper, OET Physiotherapy runs on alternate paper sessions in 2026. The computer test (at a venue or OET@Home) runs Monday to Saturday.
Sample OET Physiotherapy role-play card
Setting
Private physiotherapy practice
Candidate
You are a physiotherapist in a private practice. Mr Raj Malhotra, 41, an office manager, has had low back pain for five days after lifting boxes at home. Your assessment shows no warning signs of serious disease. He has been resting in bed and wants an X-ray or MRI 'to see what's broken'.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out how the pain affects him (work, sleep, what makes it better or worse)
- Explain that scans are not usually helpful for this kind of back pain
- Reassure him that most acute back pain improves within a few weeks
- Advise him to stay active (gentle walking, avoiding long bed rest, simple exercises, returning to work with adjustments)
- Check that he knows which symptoms need urgent medical attention (numbness between the legs, bladder or bowel changes, leg weakness)
You get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. Two assessors mark the recording: four language criteria and five clinical communication criteria. This card is original, written for this site.
Sample OET Physiotherapy letter task
Referral for knee stiffness after joint replacement. You are an outpatient physiotherapist. Mrs Lorraine Tuckett, 68, had a total knee replacement six weeks ago and her knee bend has stopped improving. You are asking her surgeon to review her early.
Case notes (extract)
- Mrs Lorraine Tuckett, 68; R total knee replacement 09/09/26
- Outpatient physio 2×/wk since 23/09/26
- Knee flexion: 75° wk 3, 80° wk 5, 80° wk 6 (no change)
- Extension: lacks 10°
- Pain 6/10 on bending; knee warm, mild swelling
- Walking with 1 stick; can't manage stairs step-over-step
- Home exercises: doing them 'most days'
- Hx: osteoarthritis L knee; hypothyroidism
- Routine surgical review booked 12 wks post-op (02/12/26)
- Wants to drive to see grandchildren interstate at Christmas
Task: Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to Mr Fergus Lindqvist, Orthopaedic Surgeon, requesting an early review of Mrs Tuckett's right knee.
What a strong letter leaves out
- Wants to drive to see grandchildren interstate at Christmas — a personal plan, not relevant to the surgeon's review
- Hx: osteoarthritis L knee; hypothyroidism — background the surgeon already has; omit or compress
Letter types physiotherapists meet most:
Physiotherapy words to spell right
Listening Part A and your letter both lose marks for misspelt clinical words. Ten that physiotherapists need:
| Word | Note |
|---|---|
| physiotherapist | One word; 'physio' in speech, the full word in letters. |
| proprioception | Sense of joint position; starts p-r-o-p-r-i-o. |
| range of motion | ROM; give values in degrees in letters. |
| flexion | Bending a joint; ends -xion, not -ction. |
| extension | Straightening a joint; opposite of flexion. |
| quadriceps | Front thigh muscle group; same form singular and plural. |
| hamstrings | Muscles at the back of the thigh; one word. |
| ligament | Joins bone to bone; a tendon joins muscle to bone. |
| sciatica | Leg pain from sciatic nerve irritation; starts sc-. |
| rehabilitation | Often shortened to rehab; note -habil- in the middle. |
Practise hearing and spelling them: medical spelling dictation.
How physiotherapists scored in 2025
OET publishes average scores by profession. For physiotherapists in 2025:
| Sub-test | Average | Grade | Against 350 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 333 | C+ | 17 below 350 |
| Reading | 331 | C+ | 19 below 350 |
| Writing | 335 | C+ | 15 below 350 |
| Speaking | 371 | B | at or above 350 |
Averages hide a wide spread, but they show where physiotherapists most often lose marks. Listening and Reading are the same test for every profession, so free Listening practice counts for you too.
Score lines for physiotherapists
| Regulator | Country | L | R | W | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AHPRA (all National Boards) | Australia | 350 | 360 | 350 | 360 |
AHPRA's English standard covers every National Board (including the physiotherapy board) and needs 350 / 360 / 350 / 360 for tests from 23 April 2026.
Combining sittings, OET@Home and validity for every regulator: OET score requirements by regulator.
Tips for OET Physiotherapy
- Give measurements in full sentences: 'Her knee flexion has remained at 80 degrees for three weeks.' Trends over time make a referral convincing.
- When writing to a surgeon, state the concern and the request early: an early review, imaging or a change of plan. Put exercise details later, and keep them brief.
- Role-play patients often want a quick fix such as a scan, rest or an injection. Acknowledge the wish, explain the evidence simply, and give a clear plan for the next week.
- Use everyday words for anatomy in Speaking: 'the muscles at the front of your thigh', not 'quadriceps'. Check understanding before you move on.
Questions candidates ask
Is OET Physiotherapy harder than OET Nursing?
No. The Listening and Reading papers are the same, and Writing and Speaking are marked with the same criteria. In 2025 physiotherapy candidates averaged higher than nursing candidates (333 against 313 in Listening, 331 against 303 in Reading). Your result depends on your English, not the profession label.
Which letter types come up in OET Physiotherapy?
Most are referral letters, for example to a GP, surgeon or sports physician, or update letters reporting progress. Transfer and discharge letters to a community or hospital physiotherapist also appear. You have 5 minutes to read the notes and 40 minutes to write about 180 to 200 words.
Can physiotherapists take OET on paper?
Yes, at alternate paper sessions in 2026; nursing and medicine are the only professions at every session. The computer test runs Monday to Saturday at a venue or at home. AHPRA does not accept OET@Home, so physios applying in Australia should choose paper or a venue.
What score do physiotherapists need for OET?
It depends on the regulator. In Australia, the Physiotherapy Board through AHPRA asks for 350 Listening, 360 Reading, 350 Writing and 360 Speaking for tests from 23 April 2026, with limited options to combine two sittings. For other countries, see the score lines page.
Other professions: Nursing, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Optometry, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology, Veterinary Science.
Sources
- OET Test Handbook 2026
- OET: 2025 test statistics, candidate performance
- OET: Book a test (2026 schedule)
- OET sample tests for Physiotherapy
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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