OET Score Calculator 2023

Janice Thompson,

Updated On Dec 08, 2023

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Contents

1 OET Exam: An Overview
2 Test Format
3 OET Test Types
4 OET Score Calculator
5 OET Scoring Criteria

Are you a healthcare practitioner who intends to take the OET exam? Then you must understand how the OET examiners evaluate and rank your performance in all four OET modules.

Hence, in this article, we will be learning about the OET score calculator and scoring patterns that are followed by the OET and what various grades suggest corresponding to your performance in the same.

OET Exam: An Overview

The Occupational English Test (OET) is one of the most well-known tests of the English language.

It is aimed at people in the healthcare industry and medical experts. It is acknowledged by numerous healthcare regulatory organizations. It evaluates the language proficiency of medical professionals who want to register and work in an English-speaking setting.

It becomes quite obvious for the aspirants to be curious and at times, worried about the OET scoring patterns and the grading criteria, and that is not unfounded. It is always wise to have thorough information about the scoring parameters of any exam and to keep a tab on such details to have a plain sailing journey.

The OET exam is a set of four different tasks that include Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking subtests. The OET scorecard is released separately for all the subtests after 16 days (approximately) on the website and you can access the result through your profile. You can even download the statement of result for a test administration, which will include your obtained scores.

Test Format

The actual OET test happens for 3 hours. The exam structure of the test looks like this:

Subtest	Duration	Content	Requirements
Listening	40 minutes	2 parts	Candidates must be able to understand a variety of spoken materials, such as patient consultations and lectures.
Reading	60 minutes	2 parts	Candidates must be able to read and comprehend various sorts of written healthcare-related materials.
Writing	45 minutes	1 part	Candidates must compose a letter for a reader that is straightforward and accurate. *This is specific to the candidate’s field of occupation.
Speaking	20 minutes	2 parts	Candidates must be able to communicate effectively in a role-play situation. *This is specific to the candidate’s field of occupation.

OET Test Types

OET now comes in two different formats. They are:

Paper-Based

Computer-based

OET at home
OET on Computer @ test venue

OET Exam types

OET Score Calculator

The OET Score Calculator is a valuable tool for candidates preparing for the Occupational English Test (OET), a language proficiency examination designed for healthcare professionals seeking to work or migrate to English-speaking countries.

The calculator serves as a reference point, helping candidates estimate their overall OET grade based on their performance in the individual test components.

This tool is particularly useful for candidates who wish to track their progress during preparation and set realistic goals. It helps them identify areas where improvement is needed, ensuring a well-rounded approach to language proficiency.

The OET scores range from 0-500 and a grade is awarded for the numeric score you obtained from A to E, where A is the grade and E is the lowest grade.

Let’s have a look at the detailed score structure to have a better understanding.

OET Scoring Criteria

Understanding the OET scoring criteria is essential for candidates seeking to achieve their desired OET scores and pursue careers in healthcare in English-speaking countries.

Listening:

In the Listening module, candidates are evaluated on their ability to understand spoken English in healthcare settings. The scoring criteria for Listening include the following aspects:

Comprehension: Candidates are assessed on their ability to understand the main ideas, details, and specific information presented in the audio recordings.
Identification of Specific Information: Scoring considers how accurately candidates can identify and extract specific details, such as patient names, numbers, or medical conditions.
Interference: The ability to deduce information, make inferences, and draw conclusions from the audio materials is also evaluated.
Understanding the Speaker’s Attitude and Opinions: Candidates should demonstrate an understanding of the speaker’s tone, attitude, and opinions in the given context.

Reading:

The Reading module assesses candidates’ ability to comprehend written English in healthcare-related texts. The scoring criteria for Reading include,

Comprehension: Candidates should show their ability to understand the main ideas, details, and inferences in the written materials.
Identification of Specific Information: Scoring accounts for the accuracy of identifying and extracting specific information from the texts.
Interference: The capacity to deduce information, make connections between ideas, and draw conclusions is considered.
Understanding the Writer’s Attitude and Opinions: Candidates should demonstrate comprehension of the writer’s tone, attitude, and opinions as presented in the healthcare-related texts.

Writing:

The Writing module evaluates candidates’ ability to produce written English in a healthcare context. The scoring criteria for Writing encompass the following elements:

Content: Candidates are assessed on the relevance and completeness of their responses in addressing the task and providing essential information.
Organisation: Scoring considers the logical flow and organization of ideas, including the use of paragraphs and linking language.
Accuracy and Clarity: The ability to use appropriate vocabulary and grammar accurately while maintaining clarity in written communication is evaluated.
Appropriateness of Language: Candidates should use language that is suitable for a healthcare context and the intended audience.

Speaking:

In the Speaking module, candidates are assessed on their ability to communicate effectively in healthcare scenarios. The scoring criteria for Speaking include,

Communication Skills: Candidates should demonstrate effective communication, including clear pronunciation, fluency, and appropriate pace.
Intelligibility: Scoring considers how easily candidates’ speech can be understood by healthcare professionals and patients.
Appropriateness of Language: The use of language appropriate for a healthcare context and the ability to respond appropriately to the given role-play scenarios are evaluated.
Interactive and Functional Language: Candidates are assessed on their use of language for interaction, including seeking clarification, giving advice, and managing conversations.

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OET Score Chart

The following table addresses the OET score chart. Go through it to get a clear understanding of your scores and the band descriptors.

Grade	OET score	OET band descriptors
A	500 490 480 470 460 450	Can communicate very fluently and effectively with patients and health professionals using an appropriate register, tone and lexis. Shows complete understanding of any kind of written or spoken language.
B	440 430 420 410 400 390 380 370 360 350	Can communicate effectively with patients and health professionals using appropriate register, tone and lexis, with only occasional inaccuracies and hesitations. Shows good understanding in a range of clinical contexts.
C+	340 330 320 310 300	Can maintain the interaction in a relevant healthcare environment despite occasional errors and lapses, and follow standard spoken language normally encountered in their field of specialisation.
C	290 280 270 260 250 240 230 220 210 200
D	190 180 170 160 150 140 130 120 110 100	Can maintain some interaction and understand straightforward factual information in their field of specialisation but may ask for clarification. Frequent errors, inaccuracies and mis-or overuse of technical language can cause strain in communication.
E	90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0	Can manage simple interaction on familiar topics and understand the main point in short, simple messages, provided they can ask for clarification. The high density of errors and mis- or overuse of technical language can cause significant strain and breakdowns in communication.

Now, if we talk about the validity of the OET scores, then that completely depends upon the concerned authority where one wants to seek admission/employment.

The minimum score that one has to avail is very commonly set at 350- Grade B.

However, that is also subject to the decision of the concerned authority, and hence you should always keep up the race as far as updates are concerned as that would keep the unnecessary hassles at a distance.

Hence, the OET score is calculated by analysing each of the four subtests (writing, speaking, listening, and reading) in terms of content, language, cohesion, fluency, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, understanding, and interaction. It is critical to understand how your score is computed in order to better prepare for the test and increase your chances of success.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does the OET account for?

The OET is a set of four different tasks that aim at assessing your communication skills, including Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking subtests. The total numeric scores accounted for each of these subtests are scaled at a range of 0-500. Please note that these are not the marks of the subtests but the numeric scores of the subtests that you are assigned upon the evaluation of your test booklets and the marks you scored in a specific subtest. These scores are reported in ten-point increments (e.g. 250, 260, 270 etc). These numeric scores correspond to the grades you get ranging from A to E

Do I get an aggregate score or a grade for all the subtests of the OET?

No, there is no such provision in the OET that provides you a aggregate grade or score regarding the marks you have got in the subtests of the OET, i.e., Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening subtests. So, instead, you will be getting a grade (A to E) and numerical score (500-0) depending upon your performance in each of these subtests and these scores are individual/separate scores

How much should I score in the OET as a minimum benchmark?

The minimum scores of the OET that you should aim at for getting selected in a particular organization or an institution for a specific nation depend upon your intent entirely upon the criteria these organizations set. There is no specific minimum eligibility score or a cut-off score for the OET that you need to score in order to pass the examination and this shall be entirely up to the discretional eligibility criteria set by your preferred organization/institution.

When will I get my result for the OET?

For your OET results, you can access your results on the official website of OET. Generally, your results are generated after 16 (approximately) business days from when you appeared for a specific subtest. You can download the official copies of Statements of Results from your online profile. Moreover, you can choose the test administration from which you wish to download a Statement of Results, and the scores you obtained in that particular test administration shall be listed.

How long will my OET scores be valid?

It is the most common question that is registered among the OET aspirants, and understandably so. Well, there is no specific time frame or validity period determined by the OET authority, and hence there is no validity period as far as the OET administration is concerned. However, your organization/institution in which you are seeking admission or employment decides the validity period of the scores you got in the OET, which is mostly two years from the date of the announcement of result. Hence, it would be best to keep a tab on the minimum scores and validity period of the OET scores that your preferred organization has decided.