The rule for nurses in Australia
For an Australian nursing application, the date you sat OET matters. The NMBA uses the Ahpra standard, whose April 2026 update raises Writing above the former C+ threshold and requires 360 in Reading and Speaking. A Nursing result with four B grades can therefore still miss the numeric standard: 350 in Reading is B, but is ten points short. Keep your test date next to your four numbers when comparing an older result with the current table. Australian visa evidence follows Home Affairs rules separately.
| Requirement | AHPRA / NMBA |
|---|---|
| Listening | 350 (B) |
| Reading | 360 (B) |
| Writing | 350 (B) |
| Speaking | 360 (B) |
| One sitting / combining | Up to two sittings within 12 months can be combined. You must sit all four sub-tests each time, and neither sitting can go below Listening 320, Reading 340, Writing 350 or Speaking 350. Results from a different English test can't be mixed in. |
| Validity | 2 years. If you combine two sittings, the 2 years run from the earlier one. |
| OET@Home accepted? | Not accepted. Paper-based tests and computer tests at a test venue are accepted; the boards have accepted the remotely delivered Speaking part of a venue computer test. |
| Profession version | Take the Nursing version. OET has no separate midwifery version, so midwives sit Nursing too. |
Last checked 21 Oct 2026. Official rule ↗
What to aim for in practice
Prioritise the two 360 components rather than treating every B as equal. In a nursing handover role-play, practise explaining a falls plan, checking the patient’s concern and agreeing what happens next. For Writing, use the transfer task on the Nursing page and select the mobility, wound-care and medicine-timing details the receiving nurse needs. A polished introduction cannot compensate for leaving those requests unclear.
| Skill | Official component target / floor | OETAce conservative practice guide |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 350 (B) | 32/42 gives an estimated 350–370 |
| Reading | 360 (B) | 33/42 gives an estimated 360–380 |
These raw-mark ranges use the same estimate as our test marker. They are a study aid, not an official OET conversion or registration decision. Part A alone cannot predict a score for a full 42-question test. Review Writing and Speaking feedback separately.
Matching Nursing practice
Nursing guide and sample tasks · Nurses role-play cards · Sample letter task
Speaking cards
- Post-operative pain management Surgical ward
- Community visit: patient removing compression bandages Patient's home (community nursing visit)
- Bronchiolitis: father wants antibiotics and to take his baby home Paediatric ward
Writing case notes
- Discharge to the community nursing service: new insulin and diabetic foot ulcer discharge letter
- Transfer to residential aged care after a stroke: dysphagia and pressure injury transfer letter
- Referral to pulmonary rehabilitation after a COPD admission referral letter
Free full Listening test · Free Reading Part A · Practice plans and prices
Questions candidates ask
What OET score do nurses need in Australia?
If you sit OET on or after 23 April 2026, AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia need at least 350 in Listening, 360 in Reading, 350 in Writing and 360 in Speaking, from a paper or test-venue computer sitting, not OET@Home.
Can nurses combine OET sittings for Australia?
Up to two sittings within 12 months can be combined. You must sit all four sub-tests each time, and neither sitting can go below Listening 320, Reading 340, Writing 350 or Speaking 350. Results from a different English test can't be mixed in.
How long are OET results valid for nurses in Australia?
2 years. If you combine two sittings, the 2 years run from the earlier one.
Other destinations for nurses: UK, Ireland, New Zealand, US, Canada, UAE, Malta.
Sources
Last checked 21 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
OETAce is an independent practice site. OET is a registered trademark of Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment (CBLA); we are not affiliated with or endorsed by CBLA. All practice material here is original.