Occupational English Test

What Occupational English Test does

Occupational English Test (OET), founded in 2013 and headquartered in Collingwood, Australia, is a private for-profit company that develops and delivers an English language proficiency test exclusively for healthcare professionals. The OET Test assesses listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills using real healthcare scenarios developed in collaboration with medical experts, targeting doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals (including surgeons, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and veterinarians) seeking to practice or register in English-speaking healthcare systems. The company is recognized by healthcare regulators, educational institutions, and visa/immigration services in six countries: the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland. OET employs 101-250 people and operates globally via its website oet.com.

The product portfolio centers on the core OET Test and is complemented by profession-specific preparation courses (Intro to OET for Doctors, Nurses, and Allied Health), a Speaking Booster Course focused on clinical communication, study guides and books, and sample tests, all sold through a self-service e-commerce storefront. In 2025, OET launched a new Speaking Platform intended to enhance the digital environment for the speaking sub-test. The underlying technology stack is not publicly detailed, but the product emphasizes standardized assessment delivery and healthcare-specific content authoring rather than third-party general English test infrastructure.

OET's business model is predominantly direct-to-consumer: healthcare professionals self-serve book tests and purchase preparation materials via oet.com, with pricing denominated in AUD and set at the point of booking. Revenue streams include one-time test booking fees, course sales, guide and book sales, and sample test fees. The company supplements this with institutional and partnership-led channels, including a core 2025 partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for the North Central London International Educated Nurse Fellowship Programme and a content partnership with Global Nursing Partners to drive US nursing recruitment awareness. Marketing relies on content marketing, events and webinars targeting specific language groups, email lead nurturing, and community-led growth through published success stories.

Name

Occupational English Test

Legal name

OET

Website

https://occupationalenglishtest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

OET is an Australian English language proficiency test provider serving doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals seeking to practice in English-speaking countries. Its healthcare-specific test is accepted by regulators and immigration services in six countries globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare English Language Testing

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (611710), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

ESL for Specific Industries (Healthcare, Hospitality, Construction, etc.) (EDAAACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Exam Prep & Standards-Aligned Review Courseware (Within Curriculum) (EDAFACAO)

Keywords

• English proficiency testing
• Healthcare certification
• Language assessment services
• Healthcare communication training
• Professional English exams

Headquarters

HQ city

Collingwood

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Test Booking Fees: Healthcare professionals pay to take the OET test, which is a proficiency exam for English language skills in medical contexts.
2. Educational Courses and Preparation Materials: OET sells courses (Intro to OET for Doctors, Nurses, Allied Health), Speaking Booster courses, guides, and books for test preparation.
3. Sample Tests: Revenue generated from practice tests and sample materials for candidate preparation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

OET is an English language proficiency test designed specifically for healthcare professionals, assessing listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills using real-world healthcare scenarios. The organization also sells preparation courses, guides, books, and sample tests tailored to doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals seeking registration or employment in English-speaking healthcare systems.

Product overview

Occupational English Test (OET) is a unified English language proficiency testing platform designed exclusively for healthcare professionals. The core offering is the OET Test itself, which assesses listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills in healthcare contexts. Supporting the test are preparation courses including the Intro to OET Course for Doctors, Intro to OET Course for Nurses, Intro to OET Course for Allied Health Professionals, and the OET Speaking Booster Course - Clinical Communication. Additional offerings include study guides, books, and sample tests available through the OET store. The portfolio is delivered as a single integrated platform with related preparation resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OET Test An English language proficiency test designed for healthcare professionals seeking to register and practise in English-speaking environments, covering all four language skills using healthcare-specific scenarios.
• Intro to OET Course for Doctors A preparatory course designed for doctors to introduce them to the OET and prepare them for the test content and format.
• Intro to OET Course for Nurses A preparatory course designed for nurses to introduce them to the OET and prepare them for the test content and format.
• Intro to OET Course for Allied Health Professionals A preparatory course designed for allied health professionals to introduce them to the OET and prepare them for the test content and format.
• OET Speaking Booster Course – Clinical Communication An advanced speaking-focused course that helps healthcare professionals strengthen their clinical communication skills ahead of the OET speaking sub-test.
• OET Guides and Books Published study guides and books that support healthcare professionals preparing for the OET across the four sub-tests.
• OET Sample Tests Sample test materials that enable candidates to practise the OET under simulated test conditions across all sub-tests.

Quantifiable outcome

• OET confirmed as the top English test for nurses moving to the UK (per impact report)

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - North Central London IEN Fellowship ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025OET supports North Central London's International Educated Nurse (IEN) Fellowship Programme at Moorfields Eye Hospital. OET education specialists lead interactive communication workshops with internationally educated nurses as part of their professional development and integration into the UK healthcare system.
• Global Nursing PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInterview published on OET blog featuring a US nursing recruiter from Global Nursing Partners discussing immigration and starting a US nursing career. Content partnership to drive awareness of OET requirements for nurses seeking US employment.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PTE Academic (Pearson): Pearson's PTE Academic is an AI-scored English proficiency test accepted by many of the same regulators that recognize OET. It competes directly on acceptance breadth, delivery format, and candidate pricing for healthcare professional registration.
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): IELTS is the most widely accepted English language proficiency test globally, jointly managed by British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. It is OET's principal substitute for healthcare worker registration and visa applications, competing head-to-head for the same candidate pool.
• TOEFL (ETS): The TOEFL iBT, administered by ETS, is a globally recognized English proficiency assessment accepted in healthcare and academic settings. It competes with OET for the same healthcare professional candidates seeking registration in English-speaking countries.
• Cambridge English (C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency): Cambridge English qualifications are widely accepted by higher education institutions and increasingly by regulators. They overlap with OET's candidate base of internationally mobile professionals seeking English certification.

Broad incumbents

• IDP Education: IDP is a co-owner of IELTS and a global education services provider including English testing and student placement. It competes with OET for both candidate traffic and institutional partnerships in healthcare recruitment corridors.
• EF Education First: EF is a large global English-language education and testing provider, including the EF SET English test. It overlaps with OET at the intersection of English assessment and healthcare professional pathways, though with a much broader education portfolio.
• British Council: The British Council co-owns IELTS and operates a global network of English teaching and testing services. It is a broad incumbent competitor with deeper institutional reach and government relationships than OET in many markets.

Emerging players

• LanguageCert International ESOL: LanguageCert offers internationally recognized English qualifications (including SELT and Academic) accepted for UK visas and other regulated uses. It is an emerging alternative to OET, particularly in UK immigration-adjacent pathways.
• Duolingo English Test: An online, on-demand English proficiency test from Duolingo that is rapidly gaining acceptance among institutions and regulators. Its low price and accessibility position it as a disruptive alternative to OET for healthcare registration pathways where regulators permit it.

Regional players

• CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program): CELPIP is a Canadian-administered English proficiency test used heavily for Canadian immigration and professional licensing. It competes with OET for healthcare professionals targeting Canada specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OfficialOET
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambridge-boxhill-language-assessment-cbla-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Occupational English Test