An OET result that gets you registered with AHPRA is not automatically an OET result that earns you points on the Australian points test. Since 23 April 2026 the two tables are close — but not identical, and the difference sits almost entirely in one column: Writing. AHPRA asks for 350 in Writing. Proficient English asks for 380. A health practitioner who scores exactly what their Board requires can be fully registered and still be on zero points for English.
This page puts both tables next to each other, as AHPRA and the Department of Home Affairs publish them, checked on 18 September 2026. Written by Green School (formerly Green English), an online school in Queensland, Australia, that prepares health professionals for OET.
The two tables, side by side
AHPRA's column is the minimum for registration under the National Boards' English language skills registration standard, for tests taken on or after 23 April 2026. The Home Affairs columns are the visa levels for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025.
| OET component | AHPRA registration (from 23 Apr 2026) | Competent English (0 points) | Proficient English (10 points) | Superior English (20 points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 350 | 290 | 350 | 390 |
| Reading | 360 | 310 | 360 | 400 |
| Writing | 350 | 290 | 380 | 420 |
| Speaking | 360 | 330 | 360 | 400 |
Three of the four numbers now match exactly. That is deliberate — AHPRA says so: “From 23 April 2026, National Boards have updated the minimum scores of accepted English tests to align with current score concordance research and scores set by the Department of Home Affairs for migration purposes.”
But Writing did not move all the way. Score 350 in Writing and you meet the registration standard and miss Proficient English by 30 points on the OET scale — three increments, because OET reports in tens. If your migration plan depends on those 10 points, the number to prepare to is 380, not 350.
How the OET scale works
OET reports each of the four sub-tests “on a scale from 0 to 500 in ten-point increments (e.g. 350, 360, 370 etc)”, with a letter grade from A to E alongside. Grade B corresponds to a scale score of 350 — which is exactly why “you need a B” became the shorthand for nursing registration, and exactly why that shorthand is now misleading for anyone who also wants points.
| Scale | 0–500 per sub-test, in steps of 10; letter grades A (highest) to E |
| Grade B | Scale score of 350 |
| Reading and Listening | 42 questions each; candidates awarded Grade B “typically achieve at least 30 marks” |
| Writing | Marked on six criteria: Purpose, Content, Conciseness & Clarity, Genre & Style, Organisation & Layout, Language |
| Results | Computer-based: within 48 hours of finishing all four sub-tests. On paper: from 12 days |
| Re-mark | Can be requested for one or more sub-tests within 72 hours of receiving results |
Note the Writing criteria list. Four of the six are not about English at all — Purpose, Content, Conciseness & Clarity, and Organisation & Layout are about writing a referral letter correctly. That is why OET Writing is the sub-test where fluent speakers most often lose marks, and why preparation for it looks more like clinical documentation practice than like a language class.
Which tests each body accepts
The lists overlap but are not the same, and one difference catches people out every month:
| Test | AHPRA registration | Australian visas |
|---|---|---|
| OET | Yes — any profession-specific version | Yes |
| IELTS Academic | Yes | Yes |
| IELTS General Training | No — Academic only | Yes |
| PTE Academic | Yes | Yes |
| TOEFL iBT | Yes — must select “Taking TOEFL for Australia” | Yes — same registration requirement |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency | Yes | C1 Advanced yes |
| CELPIP General | No | Yes, since 7 August 2025 |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic, MET | No | Yes |
AHPRA states it plainly: “There are currently five English language tests that are accepted by National Boards.” The Medical Board additionally accepts NZREX and the PLAB test for registration as a medical practitioner. Everything else on the visa list — CELPIP, LANGUAGECERT, MET, IELTS General Training — is a visa test, not a registration test.
For the wider picture of which test suits which goal, see our guide to the English tests accepted in 2026. For the earlier AHPRA change itself, see what changed on 23 April 2026.
Three traps that cost health professionals a sitting
1. OET@Home is not accepted for either purpose
OET offers an at-home version with results in 48 hours. It is not on AHPRA's list — the standard specifies OET “on paper or computer based in testing centre” — and Home Affairs names OET@Home among the versions it does not accept, stating that it “does not accept evidence from English language tests where an entire test is delivered online (also known as ‘remote-proctored’ or ‘at-home’)”. Booking the convenient version is the single most expensive click in this process.
2. Two sittings may be fine for the Board and not for the visa
AHPRA allows results to be combined across “a maximum of two test sittings in a 12-month period”, subject to floor scores in every component. That concession belongs to the registration standard. Do not assume it carries across to your visa application — check the requirement for your specific subclass before you plan a split sitting.
3. Aiming at the Board's number when you also need points
This is the expensive one, and it is pure arithmetic. Prepare to 350 in Writing and you have a registration result. Prepare to 380 and you have a registration result and 10 points. The extra work is three increments on one sub-test; the second sitting, if you get it wrong, is a test fee plus weeks of waiting plus whatever the delay costs your application.
What this means for you
- Decide first whether you need registration only, or registration and points. They are different targets and the difference is one column.
- If you need both, prepare to Writing 380 from day one. Everything else in the Proficient column you already have to hit for AHPRA anyway.
- Book a test centre sitting. Not OET@Home, whatever the turnaround promises.
- Check your own Board, not just AHPRA's general page. The standard is national, but your profession's Board publishes its own guidance and pathways.
- Treat Writing as a documentation skill. Four of its six criteria mark the letter, not the language.
FAQ
What OET score do I need for AHPRA registration?
For tests taken on or after 23 April 2026: Listening 350, Reading 360, Writing 350, Speaking 360. Any profession-specific OET test can be accepted, and it must be sat on paper or on computer at a test centre.
Is OET Grade B enough for AHPRA?
Grade B corresponds to a scale score of 350. That meets the Listening and Writing minimums but not Reading (360) or Speaking (360), so “all Bs” is no longer a safe description of the requirement. Read the four numbers, not the letters.
Does an OET score that meets AHPRA give me points for my visa?
Not necessarily. Proficient English (10 points) requires Writing 380, where AHPRA requires 350. Listening, Reading and Speaking are the same in both tables, so Writing is usually the only gap.
What OET score is Superior English?
Listening 390, Reading 400, Writing 420, Speaking 400 — worth 20 points on the points test.
Does AHPRA accept CELPIP?
No. National Boards accept five tests: Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, IELTS Academic, OET, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT. CELPIP is accepted for Australian visas but not for registration.
Can I take OET at home for AHPRA or a visa?
No. The registration standard specifies a test centre, and Home Affairs excludes entirely online tests, naming OET@Home among them.
How long does an OET result take?
Computer-based OET results can be available within 48 hours of completing all four sub-tests; paper results from 12 days. A re-mark of one or more sub-tests can be requested within 72 hours of receiving your results.
Preparing for OET
Green School, an online school in Australia, has taught English exam preparation since 2018 to more than 3,500 students. OET preparation with us is one-to-one, because a nurse, a pharmacist and a physiotherapist are marked on different materials and there is no point pretending otherwise.
👉 One-to-one OET preparation — or, if you are still deciding between OET and IELTS Academic, start with a trial class (A$29) and be assessed on both. Who we are and how to verify it: our school facts page.
Nothing on this page is registration or migration advice. It sets out published standards; for your own application, check with your National Board and with your own registered migration agent.
Sources
- Ahpra, Accepted English language tests — the five accepted tests, Table 2 minimum scores from 23 April 2026, two-sitting rule, test-centre requirement: ahpra.gov.au/.../Accepted-English-language-tests (checked 18 September 2026)
- Department of Home Affairs, Competent English: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/.../competent-english (checked 18 September 2026)
- Department of Home Affairs, Proficient English: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/.../proficient-english (checked 18 September 2026)
- Department of Home Affairs, Superior English: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/.../superior-english (checked 18 September 2026)
- Department of Home Affairs, English language visa requirements — at-home test exclusion: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/english-language (checked 18 September 2026)
- OET, Results and Scoring — scale, grades, marking criteria, results timing, re-marks: oet.com/test/results-and-scoring (checked 18 September 2026)
Checked 18 September 2026 against the sources above. Both tables change; we update this page when they do.