How are OET results reported?

You receive results for the four sub-tests that make up the OET as one of five grades – A to E. A is the highest grade, E is the lowest.

There are descriptions for each grade on the printed Statement of Results you receive:

There is no overall grade; you receive a separate grade for each sub-test you take.

Most boards and councils that recognise the OET require you to have at least a B grade in each of the four sub-tests. However, you should check with the boards and councils that regulate your profession to confirm what is currently required in your situation.  The OET Centre cannot take any responsibility for providing or checking this information for you.

You may receive different grades for your performances in different sub-tests. There are many aspects to being able to use and communicate in a language effectively and the OET tests many of these across the four sub-tests. Test design separates test materials into the four macro-skills (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) for practical reasons and to acknowledge that these involve different sub-skills and strategies.

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How is the final grade obtained from the score for each sub-test?

Details about how each sub-test is assessed is given on the test information page for that sub-test.

Writing and Speaking

The 'fair score' generated by the statistical analysis of the two sets of scores from two independent assessors of each candidate's Writing script or Speaking recording becomes the final grade through a direct conversion following established practice.

Listening and Reading

There is no fixed score-to-grade link for these sub-tests.  The grades are re-set for each administration.  This is because different test materials are used at each administration and, as explained on the sub-test information page for Reading, one or more items may be deleted if found not to contribute to the overall reliability of the sub-test.

The Listening and Reading sub-test scores allow all candidates taking each sub-test at the same administration to be listed from strongest performance to weakest performance. The next step is to establish where the boundaries between the grades (A-E) are. This is done by taking the grades set for the Writing sub-test and the Speaking sub-test for the same administration of the OET. A mean average of the percentage in each grade for these two sub-tests is taken and applied to the spread of performances on the Listening and Reading sub-tests.

For example, if 8% of candidates have grade A for Writing and 10% have grade A for Speaking, the average is 9%.  Then, the strongest 9% of candidates in the Listening and Reading sub-tests are also awarded a grade A for those sub-tests.  This process is carried out for all five grades.

Part A Reading scores

Each section of the new format Reading sub-test is weighted equally. That is, Part A is worth 33.3% and each text in Part B is also worth 33.3% of the total score.

Why is the Reading sub-test weighted equally when there are more questions (items) in Part A?

When you sit the reading test, you will get a raw score on Part A (between 25 and 35 depending on the number of items on that particular test) and a raw score on Part B (between 16 and 20 depending on the number of items on that particular test). Your scores will then be converted to a total score for the reading test in which your score for Part A counts for 33.33% (one-third) of the total score, and your score for Part B counts for 66.66% (two-thirds) of the total score. Your total score for the reading test will then be transformed into a grade (A – E).

This type of weighted score conversion is very common. For example, in the listening sub-test, although one Part A might have more available marks than Part B, your score on each part is converted so that it counts for exactly 50% of your total score for the whole listening sub-test.

The reason why there are different weightings for each part of the reading test is to reflect the relative importance of the skills we are measuring in each part in the overall estimation of your reading ability. Part A tests a relatively narrow set of reading skills – skimming and scanning – whereas Part B tests a range of different reading skills through different types of multiple choice questions.

Do I need 65% for each Reading section individually?

Part A and Part B scores are converted to a percentage (reflecting relative weighting) that is then converted to a total score. Data from your total score across both sections are used to calculate band-scores for each administration. The score is a combination of your total weighted scores for Parts A and B; you do not therefore necessarily need to achieve the exact score that equates to a ‘B’ (for a given administration) in both sections. Conceivably, you may score slightly lower for one section but still maintain an overall higher level if your scores for the other section are higher.

Qualitative Feedback

You may apply for qualitative feedback on your performance in the Writing or Speaking sub-test. However, OET Centre policy does not provide for re-marking on request. Test procedures are rigorous and results are accurate.

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How long are OET results valid?

The length of time the results are recognised as valid is decided by the authorities (boards and councils; government departments) that recognise the OET. This period is usually two years, but you should check with the boards and councils that regulate your profession to confirm.

Each sub-test has its own two-year validity. A set of results for the four sub-tests is valid for as long as the oldest satisfactory sub-test result remains valid.

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How is the OET developed?

The topics of the Reading and Listening sub-tests are chosen carefully to be accessible to all candidates of the OET. They are of general medical interest and cover a wide variety of issues. The OET is a test of English, not of medical knowledge, and the test developers are careful in the test design to minimise areas where candidates may use prior knowledge rather than language skills to respond.

All OET profession-specific test materials for Speaking and Writing have been reviewed by experts in the field. It is vital to maintain the direct link between the content of the OET and workplace practice.