OET Preparation Blog
Guides, Strategies & Tips
In-depth guides for every OET sub-test, written for nurses, doctors and all healthcare professionals preparing for the exam.
OET for Pharmacists: GPhC, PBA & PSI Score Requirements
A pharmacist-specific guide to OET: the score thresholds the GPhC, PBA and PSI actually require, why pharmacy has no Writing concession the way nursing sometimes does, and how to prepare for medication-counselling role plays and referral letters.
OET Reading Part A, B & C: Strategies That Actually Work
Part-by-part OET Reading strategies: how to work Part A’s matching and completion tasks under a strict 15-minute limit, why Part B’s multiple choice punishes keyword matching, and how to beat Part C’s distractors.
OET Score Requirements for AHPRA Registration in Australia
What AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) requires from OET for registration: the exact score thresholds, which professions it applies to, how long results stay valid, and how OET compares to the other accepted English tests.
OET on Computer vs Paper vs OET@Home: Which Should You Choose?
A practical comparison of OET’s three delivery formats — OET on Computer, OET on Paper and OET@Home — covering test frequency, typing vs handwriting, results speed, and which regulators currently restrict which format.
OET Writing: Why Scores Have Gotten Harder Since 2024
Prep providers and candidates have widely reported stricter marking of Conciseness & Clarity and Genre & Style in OET Writing since 2024. Here’s what that means in practice and how to adjust your preparation.
OET Listening Part B & C: How to Predict Answers From Signal Language
Learn to recognise the functional language patterns that precede correct answers in OET Listening Parts B and C — confirmation, advice, risk, reasoning, and more — before the speaker finishes the sentence.
OET Speaking Role Play Structure: The 9 Phases of a Consultation
A practical framework for structuring any OET Speaking role play — the nine phases of a clinical consultation, from introduction and history-taking to diagnosis, management, reassurance and closing, with model phrases for each.
OET Speaking: Handling Reluctant, Anxious and Angry Patients
How to respond when the OET role player becomes reluctant, worried or angry — plus model phrases for difficult situations like breaking bad news, addressing smoking or alcohol, and referring for further support.
OET Speaking Warm-Up: How to Answer the Introduction Questions
What the short warm-up conversation at the start of the OET Speaking test is, why it isn't scored, the questions you're likely to be asked about your professional background, and how to answer them naturally.
OET Speaking: How to Open the Role Play Strongly
How the first 30 seconds of an OET Speaking role play are scored, how to tell from the role card whether you are meeting the patient for the first time or continuing an earlier conversation, and how tone should change for urgent versus routine settings.
How to Practice OET Speaking Without a Study Partner
Practical ways to prepare for the OET Speaking sub-test when you don't have a study partner to role-play with — from self-recording and shadowing to AI-powered voice role plays that react like a real patient.
OET Writing Guide: Criteria, Letter Types & Common Mistakes
Complete guide to the OET Writing sub-test: the six marking criteria, letter types for every healthcare profession, case note selection, structure, common mistakes, and time management.
Free OET Sample Test: What to Expect in Listening & Reading
What a full OET sample test looks like: the exact format of Listening Parts A, B and C and Reading Parts A, B and C, how scoring works, and how to use practice tests to reach 350+.
OET Listening Part A: Note-Completion Strategies That Work
Proven strategies for OET Listening Part A: how to use the reading time, predict answers, handle spelling and abbreviations, avoid distractor traps, and recover when you miss a gap.
OET for ECFMG Certification: Score Requirements, Pathways & 2027 Deadlines
Everything international medical graduates need to know about using OET Medicine for ECFMG certification: required scores per sub-test, all six Pathways explained, 2027 deadlines, how to submit scores, and how to prepare efficiently.
OET Practice Test for Nurses: What to Expect & How to Prepare
Full guide to the OET exam for nurses: what Listening and Reading sections test, nursing-specific scenarios you will encounter, realistic practice strategies, and how to reach the 350 score required by the NMC and AHPRA.
OET vs IELTS: Which English Test Should Healthcare Workers Take?
Detailed comparison of OET and IELTS for nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals. Covers difficulty, cost, accepted registration bodies, format differences, and which exam gives you the best chance of passing.
OET for Filipino Nurses: Complete 2026 Guide to UK & Australia Registration
Everything Filipino nurses need to know about the OET exam: score requirements for NMC (UK) and AHPRA (Australia), how to prepare, what the Writing sub-test looks like for nurses, and how to register.
OET Score Requirements for NMC Registration: What UK Nurses Need in 2026
Exact OET scores needed for NMC registration in the UK in 2026, including the C+ Writing allowance, score combining rules, valid test formats, and what happens if you fall short in one sub-test.
OET Writing for Nurses: Discharge & Transfer Letters That Score B
Step-by-step guide to OET Writing for nurses. Covers discharge, transfer, and referral letter structures, what NMC and AHPRA require, the six marking criteria, common mistakes nurses make, and sample key points from real nursing scenarios.