Enter the four sub-test scores from your OET Statement of Results (0–500, in steps of 10) and get the grade for each from OET's grade table, how far each is from Grade B (350), and how the set compares with the minimums stated for the NMC and other regulators. Free, no sign-up.
Minimum grade per sub-test. The NMC row is from the NMC's own pages (checked 2026-09-16), because OET's directory lists the NMC without a score; the US rows are as stated on OET's site in an undated post. Requirements change, so confirm on the regulator's own page before you book or apply.
| Regulator | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), UK Nurses and midwives registering in the UK (OET Nursing) · OET page | B (350+) | B (350+) | C+ (300+) | B (350+) |
Each sub-test is scored 0–500 in ten-point steps and mapped to a grade. Grades A to C are reproduced unchanged from OET's own grade-band PDF. OET does not publish the D and E ranges there; those two rows come from the UK NARIC benchmarking report OET hosts, and the Source column marks which is which.
| Grade | Score range | Source | Your sub-tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 450–500 | OET grade-band PDF | |
| B | 350–440 | OET grade-band PDF | |
| C+ | 300–340 | OET grade-band PDF | |
| C | 200–290 | OET grade-band PDF | |
| D | 100–190 | UK NARIC report (OET-hosted) | |
| E | 0–90 | UK NARIC report (OET-hosted) |
Listening has 42 questions and Reading 42, each worth one mark. OET converts these marks to the 0–500 scale but does not publish the conversion table, so this page does not estimate one. For Listening, OET says the number of marks needed for Grade B varies from one test to another. OET's guidance is that test-takers awarded Grade B (350) typically have at least 30 marks in Listening and at least 30 in Reading; that is guidance, not a cut-off. Writing is marked on six criteria (Purpose 0–3, Content 0–7, Conciseness & Clarity 0–7, Genre & Style 0–7, Organisation & Layout 0–7, Language 0–7), and Speaking on 4 linguistic criteria (each out of 6) and 5 clinical communication criteria (each out of 3). OET combines the criterion scores and converts them to the same 0–500 scale.
Grade B is 350 to 440 on OET’s 0–500 scale. The full OET grade table is A 450–500, B 350–440, C+ 300–340, C 200–290, D 100–190 and E 0–90. Each of the four sub-tests gets its own score, in steps of 10, and its own grade; OET does not report an overall grade.
350 is the lowest score in Grade B. Several regulators set their minimum at Grade B: the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council asks for 350 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and 300 (Grade C+) in Writing. A score of 340 is Grade C+, not B. Confirm the rule on your regulator’s own page before you apply.
No. OET says there is no single pass result: each recognising organisation (a regulator, employer or university) decides which grade it needs in each sub-test. Check the organisation you are applying to, then compare its minimum with the grade for each of your four scores.
OET does not publish a fixed number or a conversion table. Listening and Reading each have 42 questions worth one mark, and OET converts the marks to its 0–500 scale. For Listening, OET says the marks needed for Grade B vary from test to test. For Reading, OET does not publish a correct-answers-to-score conversion either. OET’s guidance is that test-takers awarded Grade B (350) typically have at least 30 of the 42 marks in Listening, and in Reading; that is guidance, not a cut-off, so this calculator does not convert correct answers to a score.
The NMC asks for Grade B (350 or more) in Listening, Reading and Speaking, and Grade C+ (300 or more) in Writing, on the Nursing version of OET. Results are valid for two years. Two OET sittings can be combined only if they were taken within 12 months of each other, both were completed no more than two years before the NMC assesses your complete application, each sitting tested all four sub-tests at the same time, the two sittings together give the required grade in each sub-test, and every score in both sittings is at least C+ (300) in Listening, Reading and Speaking and at least 250 in Writing. A sitting with a score below those minimums cannot be combined. Confirm on the NMC’s page.
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Source: OET — Understanding your score (grade bands A to C, band descriptors; PDF); OET — After the test: results and scoring; OET Support — What results are considered “a pass”; OET — Get ready for the Listening sub-test; OET — Get ready for the Reading sub-test; OET — Results and scoring; OET — The OET writing guide; OET — OET accepted in the US for both doctors and nurses; NMC — Accepted English language tests; NMC — OET (accepted English language tests); OET — Who recognises OET. Grade table reproduced unchanged; last verified 2026-09-16.