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Each OET sub-test gets its own score from 0 to 500. A score of 350 is a grade B and 300 is a C+. There is no overall score: compare each sub-test with your regulator’s requirement on its own. OET Test Handbook 2026.
Scores and grades
OET reports scores in steps of 10 and turns them into six grades. OET test statistics.
| Grade | Score |
|---|---|
| A | 450 to 500 |
| B | 350 to 440 |
| C+ | 300 to 340 |
| C | 200 to 290 |
| D | 100 to 190 |
| E | 0 to 90 |
What each grade means
OET describes each grade in terms of how well you communicate in healthcare. C+ and C share one description, even though their scores differ. OET Test Handbook 2026.
| Grade | What OET says you can do |
|---|---|
| A | Communicate fluently and effectively, with complete understanding of written or spoken language |
| B | Communicate effectively with patients and professionals, with occasional inaccuracies and hesitations |
| C+ and C | Keep a relevant healthcare interaction going despite language lapses; understand standard speech within your specialism |
| D | Some interaction and understanding of straightforward facts within your specialism; you may need to ask for clarification |
| E | Basic interaction on familiar topics; understand the main point of short, simple messages if you can ask for clarification; substantial communication difficulty |
Your regulator, not the grade description, sets your target and decides how long a result counts. Find yours in OET score requirements.
Raw marks and why no calculator works
Listening and Reading each have 42 questions, worth 1 mark each. OET says candidates awarded a B typically get at least 30 marks. OET results and scoring.
“Typically” matters here. OET publishes no full table converting raw marks to scores, so 30 out of 42 in practice does not always mean 350 on test day.
In practice, the most useful thing is to understand why each answer was wrong. OETify’s Reading feedback points to the part of the text that holds the answer and explains it.
Writing and Speaking criteria
Writing is marked on 6 criteria: Purpose from 0 to 3, and the other 5 from 0 to 7. For example, Purpose band 3 means the purpose is immediately clear and expanded as needed, and Content band 7 means accurate, reader-focused information with nothing important left out. OET Writing assessment criteria.
Speaking has 4 language criteria marked out of 6 and 5 clinical communication criteria marked out of 3. Intelligibility band 6 means your pronunciation is easy to understand, with effective stress, intonation and rhythm; an accent is fine as long as it does not make you harder to understand. Clinical communication runs from 0 (ineffective) to 3 (adept). OET Speaking assessment criteria.
Each Writing and Speaking performance is marked twice, then quality-checked. OET then combines the criterion marks and converts them to the 0 to 500 scale, but it does not publish the formula. OET Test Teachers Handbook 2024; OET results and scoring. The Writing and Speaking guides explain the criteria in detail.
Practice feedback and readiness estimates
Only an official OET result shows whether you meet your regulator’s requirement. Feedback on practice tells you what to change next: a clearer request in your letter shows progress, but it does not prove you have reached a B.
OETify shows a readiness band for each sub-test instead of a predicted score. The bands are: not enough evidence yet, developing, approaching your target, and consistently at your target. Each band is based on your recent, timed practice, and gets more reliable the more varied work you complete. It is an estimate, not an official result.
To see where you stand today, start a free OETify baseline. When your official results arrive, the OET results guide explains how to read and share them.
Common questions
- What does an OET score of 350 mean?
- 350 is the lowest score in grade B. OET describes B as effective healthcare communication with occasional inaccuracies and hesitations. Your regulator decides whether it meets its requirement.
- What are the OET grade bands?
- A is 450 to 500; B is 350 to 440; C+ is 300 to 340. C is 200 to 290; D is 100 to 190; E is 0 to 90. OET reports scores in 10-point steps.
- Is there an OET score calculator for Writing and Speaking?
- No. OET combines the criterion marks and converts them to the 0 to 500 scale, but it does not publish the formula. So you cannot turn Writing criterion bands into an official score yourself.
- Does 30 correct answers always equal 350?
- No. OET says candidates awarded grade B typically get at least 30 marks out of 42 in Listening or Reading. “Typically” means it is a guide, not a fixed conversion to 350.
- How long are OET results valid?
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There is no single rule. Each regulator or programme decides how long it accepts an OET result. Check yours in our score requirements guide.