What each regulator accepts
OET lines are Listening / Reading / Writing / Speaking on the 0–500 scale. IELTS and PTE lines are as each regulator publishes them. Checked 22 Oct 2026.
| Regulator | Country | OET (L/R/W/S) | IELTS Academic | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahpra and the National Boards | Australia | 350 / 360 / 350 / 360 | 7 overall; L 7, R 7, W 6.5, S 7 | 63 overall; L 58, R 59, W 60, S 76 |
| Nursing and Midwifery Council | United Kingdom | 350 / 350 / 300 / 350 | L 7, R 7, W 6.5, S 7 (no overall score stated) | not accepted |
| General Medical Council | United Kingdom | 350 / 350 / 350 / 350 | 7.5 overall and at least 7.0 in each skill | not accepted |
| Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland | Ireland | 350 in three sub-tests, 300 in any one | 7.0 overall; 7.0 in any three skills and 6.5 in any one | not accepted |
| Medical Council of Ireland | Ireland | 350 / 350 / 350 / 350 | 7.0 overall and at least 6.5 in each module | not accepted |
| Nursing Council of New Zealand | New Zealand | 350 / 350 / 300 / 350 | L 7, R 7, W 6.5, S 7 (no overall score stated) | not accepted |
| Medical Council of New Zealand | New Zealand | 350 / 350 / 300 / 350 | L 7.0, R 7.0, W 6.5, S 7.0 (no overall score stated) | not accepted |
| HRSA test list for VisaScreen | United States | 320 / 340 / 350 / 360 | 6.5 overall; Speaking 7 | 55 overall; Speaking 76; Reading, Writing & Listening 62 |
| ECFMG | United States | 350 / 350 / 300 / 350 | not accepted second-hand | not accepted second-hand |
| Canada nursing | Canada | varies by province (Ontario 350 / 330 / 320 / 350) | Ontario (CNO): 7 total; L 7, S 7, R 6.5, W 6.5 | Ontario (CNO): L 73, R 66, W 68, S 75 (no total) |
| Canada medicine | Canada | 350 / 350 / 350 / 350 | 7.0 in each of the four components | not accepted |
Australian visa points with OET
Home Affairs uses OET for visa English and the points test (for tests from 7 August 2025):
| Visa English level | OET (L/R/W/S) | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Competent | 290 / 310 / 290 / 330 | none |
| Proficient | 350 / 360 / 380 / 360 | +10 |
| Superior | 390 / 400 / 420 / 400 | +20 |
Going with PTE, or heading to Australia?
If your regulator accepts PTE and you choose it, our sister site RealPTE has free PTE Academic practice with AI scoring. Same team, same rule: original questions, honest score estimates.
For Australian skilled visas, English points stack with other points: OET Superior (390/400/420/400) gives 20, and a NAATI CCL credential in a community language such as Hindi, Nepali, Punjabi or Malayalam adds 5 more. You can practise CCL dialogues on naaticcl.com, also ours.
How the tests differ
| OET | IELTS Academic | PTE Academic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | 12 health professions | General academic English | General academic English |
| Length | About 2 h 45 min | 2 h 45 min | About 2 hours |
| Writing task | A letter from case notes, in your profession | A graph description and an essay | Short essays and summaries |
| Speaking | Two clinical role-plays, recorded | Face-to-face interview | Speaking into a microphone, AI-scored |
| Results | Computer: usually within 6 days; paper: from 5–13 days | Computer: usually 1–2 days | Typically within 2 days |
| Fee in Australia | AU$587 | AU$490 | AU$499 |
| Fee in India | Charged as AU$587 | INR 19,000 | INR 18,900 |
How to choose
- Start with your regulator. If it doesn't accept a test (the NMC, GMC, NMBI and NCNZ don't list PTE), that test is off the table.
- Look at the weakest skill, not the overall. OET has no overall score, and most regulators set a minimum in every sub-test or band.
- Writing: if essays on general topics are hard for you, OET's case-notes letter is often more familiar. If clinical letters feel slow, practise those first.
- Speaking: OET marks clinical communication as well as language, so empathy and structure count. IELTS and PTE don't test those.
- Try one free part of each before paying for a sitting: OET Listening Part A, OET Reading Part A.
Questions candidates ask
Is OET harder than PTE?
They test different things. PTE is computer-scored general English with fast results; OET uses healthcare tasks marked by people, including clinical communication. Many health workers find OET's content easier to relate to but its Listening and Reading demanding.
Is PTE accepted by AHPRA?
Yes, at a test centre only. For tests from 23 April 2026 AHPRA needs PTE Academic 63 overall with Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 60 and Speaking 76.
Which is better for Australian PR points, OET or PTE?
Both count. For OET, Proficient English (10 points) is 350/360/380/360 and Superior (20 points) is 390/400/420/400 (L/R/W/S). PTE has its own lines on the Home Affairs site.
Is PTE accepted in the UK for nurses?
Not by the NMC, which lists IELTS and OET. Check the NMC's accepted tests page before booking.
Sources
- Ahpra and the National Boards
- Nursing and Midwifery Council
- Nursing and Midwifery Council
- General Medical Council
- General Medical Council
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
- Medical Council of Ireland
- Nursing Council of New Zealand
- Medical Council of New Zealand
- HRSA test list for VisaScreen
- ECFMG
- ECFMG second-hand
- Canada nursing
- Canada medicine
- Pearson: PTE test centres and fees
- IELTS Australia: how much does IELTS cost
- OET support: How much does OET cost
Last checked 22 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.