OET Score Calculator 2026
Written by Dr Zartasha Ali, MBBS, FCPS (Medicine). Reviewed by Dr Ammar Hussain, MBBS, FCPS (Pediatrics), MRCPCH.
Enter how many Listening and Reading questions you got right out of 42, and this OET score calculator turns them into a score on OET’s 0-500 scale and a grade. Add your Writing and Speaking scores and choose a regulator: the result shows whether all four meet its minimum, and whether two sittings can be combined.
OET score chart for Listening and Reading
Listening and Reading each have 42 questions worth one mark each. OET converts the marks out of 42 to the 0-500 scale and says that grade B (350) “typically” needs at least 30 marks. New tests are written for every session, so OET moves the grade boundaries slightly for each one, and it publishes no full conversion table.
The calculator therefore fixes 30 correct at 350 and spreads the other marks evenly between 0 and 500, rounded to OET’s steps of 10. Read the figures below as estimates: on a harder test, 29 may reach B; on an easier one, you may need 31.
| Correct out of 42 | Estimated score | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | 500 | A |
| 40 | 480 | A |
| 38 | 450 | A |
| 37 | 440 | B |
| 35 | 410 | B |
| 33 | 390 | B |
| 31 | 360 | B |
| 30 | 350 | B |
| 29 | 340 | C+ |
| 28 | 330 | C+ |
| 26 | 300 | C+ |
| 25 | 290 | Below C+ |
| 20 | 230 | Below C+ |
Where the marks come from: in Listening, Part A gives 24 marks, Part B 6 and Part C 12, in about 40 minutes. In Reading, Part A gives 20 marks, Part B 6 and Part C 16, in 60 minutes; Part A is taken away after 15 minutes.
What the grades mean
Each sub-test gets its own score from 0 to 500 in steps of 10 and its own letter grade. Grade B is 350 to 440 and C+ is 300 to 340, so A starts at 450. Scores under 300 are graded C, D or E.
Writing and Speaking scores
There is nothing to count for these two: two assessors mark each letter and each conversation against OET’s criteria, and OET does not publish how the criteria marks become a 0-500 score. Enter the scores from your Statement of Results.
- Writing is one letter in 40 minutes, plus 5 minutes of reading time, of about 180-200 words. It is marked on Purpose (0-3) and five criteria scored 0-7: Content, Conciseness and Clarity, Genre and Style, Organisation and Layout, and Language. OET says grade B letters score 2 for Purpose and 5 for each of the others.
- Speaking is two role-plays of about 5 minutes each. Four language criteria are scored 0-6 (Intelligibility, Fluency, Appropriateness of Language, Resources of Grammar and Expression) and five clinical communication criteria 0-3. OET says grade B speakers mostly score 5 on the language criteria and 2 on clinical communication.
What each regulator asks for
| Body | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Two sittings combined? | Results count for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMC, UK (nurses, midwives) | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | Yes, within 12 months; no sub-test under 300 (Writing under 250) in either | 2 years |
| Ahpra, Australia (tests from 23 April 2026) | 350 | 360 | 350 | 360 | Yes, up to 12 months apart; floors 320, 340, 350, 350 | 2 years |
| ECFMG, USA (OET Medicine) | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | No, one sitting | 2027 Pathways: tests from 1 January 2025 |
| Medical Council, Ireland | 350 | 350 | 350 | 350 | No, one sitting | 2 years |
| NMBI, Ireland | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | No, one sitting | 2 years |
| Medical Council of New Zealand | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | Yes, two sittings in 12 months; none under 300 | 2 years |
| Nursing Council of New Zealand | 350 | 350 | 300 | 350 | Scores within 12 months of the first sitting | All sittings within 3 years of applying |
Ahpra’s earlier rule still applies to tests taken up to 22 April 2026: B in Listening, Reading and Speaking and C+ in Writing. NMBI also accepts B in three sub-tests and C+ in the fourth. OET@Home is not accepted by Ahpra, the Medical Council of Ireland, NMBI or the Nursing Council of New Zealand; ECFMG accepts it only where your country has no test venue.
When results come and how to challenge them
Results from OET on Computer can arrive 48 hours after your last sub-test, and OET says 95% are out within 6 calendar days. Paper results come from 5 days after the test in India and the Philippines and from 13 days elsewhere.
If a score looks wrong, you can ask for re-marking within 72 hours of the results being published. It costs AU$120 per sub-test (US$95 in the USA), and the fee is refunded if your grade changes.
After your result
A Listening or Reading score a few marks under the line is the easiest gap to close, because every extra correct answer is worth about 12 points. Our OET question papers give you Listening and Reading tests in the same format, plus Writing case notes and Speaking role-plays for all 12 professions, paid once with lifetime access.
Questions people ask
Is 30 out of 42 always a grade B?
No. OET calls 30 the typical mark for grade B, but the boundary moves with the difficulty of each test, so 30 can fall just short or 29 can be enough.
Can it calculate my Writing or Speaking score?
No. Those scores come from the assessors’ criteria marks, and OET publishes no formula for turning them into the 0-500 score. The calculator uses the scores printed on your results.
Does the calculator save my scores?
No. It runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us or stored.
Is RecallsGuru part of OET?
No. RecallsGuru is not affiliated with OET or any regulator. Check your body’s own website before you apply, because rules change.
Sources
Opened on 15 October 2026:
- OET, Results and scoring: https://oet.com/en-us/test/results-and-scoring
- OET, Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking preparation pages: https://oet.com/ready/listening, https://oet.com/ready/reading, https://oet.com/ready/writing, https://oet.com/ready/speaking
- OET, Writing assessment criteria (PDF): https://cdn-aus.aglty.io/oet/pdf-files/Writing%20assessment%20criteria.pdf
- OET, Speaking assessment criteria and level descriptors (PDF): https://cdn-aus.aglty.io/oet/pdf-files/Speaking%20assessment%20criteria%20and%20level%20descriptors.pdf
- OET support, When will I get my results and Can I request re-marking: https://support.oet.com/s/article/When-will-I-get-my-OET-results, https://support.oet.com/s/article/Can-I-request-re-marking
- NMC, OET requirements and accepted tests: https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/english-language-requirements/accepted-english-language-tests/oet/
- Ahpra, Accepted English language tests: https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Standards/English-language-skills/Accepted-English-language-tests
- ECFMG, OET for 2027 Pathways: https://secure.ecfmg.org/certification-pathways/oet.html
- Medical Council of Ireland, English language: https://www.medicalcouncil.ie/registration-applications/first-time-applicants/english-language.html
- NMBI, English language requirements: https://www.nmbi.ie/Registration/Qualified-outside-the-EU/Application-Process/English-Language-Requirements
- Medical Council of New Zealand, English language policy (PDF): https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Policies/English-language-policy.pdf
- Nursing Council of New Zealand, English language requirements: https://nursingcouncil.org.nz/IQN/IQN/H5.aspx