OET exam fees 2026: AU$587 in every country
The OET exam fee is AU$587 everywhere (about US$410, £310 or ₹39,000), with one US exception. Your currency, plus prep, re-sit and admin costs.
The OET exam fee is AU$587, and — this is the part almost nobody states plainly — it is AU$587 whether you sit the test in London, Manila, Mumbai, Dubai or Auckland. OET bills in Australian dollars everywhere outside the United States. There is no cheaper country.
The realistic total cost of clearing OET, once practice materials, prep and a likely re-sit are counted, is several times that one number. This guide is the honest budget.
Fees change. The figures below reflect rates published by OET in 2026. Always confirm the current test fee on the official OET site before booking. The structure is stable; the numbers drift up by 3–8% per year.
The headline exam fee
| Format | Rest of the world | United States |
|---|---|---|
| OET on Paper (test centre) | AU$587 | AU$587 |
| OET on Computer (test centre) | AU$587 | US$455 |
| OET@Home (online) | AU$587 | US$455 |
The format you choose does not change what you pay. The country you sit in does not change it either — with one exception: candidates in the United States taking OET on Computer or OET@Home are billed US$455 directly, while US candidates sitting OET on Paper still pay AU$587.
OET exam fee in your country: India, the UK, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Gulf
OET does not publish a local price list. It charges Australian dollars and your card issuer converts, so the number that lands on your statement moves with the exchange rate and with whatever margin your bank adds on top.
| Where you sit it | Charged in AUD, your bank converts to | AU$587 is about |
|---|---|---|
| United States (OET on Paper) | US dollars | ≈ US$410 |
| United Kingdom | Pounds sterling | ≈ £310 |
| Ireland | Euro | ≈ €366 |
| India | Indian rupees | ≈ ₹39,000 |
| Pakistan | Pakistani rupees | ≈ Rs 113,600 |
| Philippines | Philippine pesos | ≈ ₱25,800 |
| United Arab Emirates | UAE dirhams | ≈ AED 1,504 |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi riyals | ≈ SAR 1,536 |
| Nigeria | Nigerian naira | ≈ ₦551,000 |
| Kenya | Kenyan shillings | ≈ KSh 53,300 |
| New Zealand | New Zealand dollars | ≈ NZ$731 |
| Canada | Canadian dollars | ≈ C$583 |
Mid-market rates on October 15, 2026; your bank's rate will differ.
Two practical consequences. First, searching for "OET exam fees in India" or "OET test fees UK" will not find you a local price, because there isn't one — the answer is always AU$587 converted on the day: about ₹39,000 in India, £310 in the UK, Rs 113,600 in Pakistan or ₱25,800 in the Philippines at the rates above. Second, most banks add a 2–3% foreign transaction fee on top of the conversion, so budget roughly AU$600 equivalent rather than AU$587 exactly. A card with no FX fee saves you real money here.
What's included in the sitting fee
- One full OET attempt across all four sub-tests
- One copy of your results sent to up to 5 nominated regulators
- Access to the candidate portal for booking, results, and additional verifications
What's NOT included
The big ones:
1. Practice materials
The official OET preparation portal has free sample tests for each sub-test. That gets you started but isn't enough for a serious cohort.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Official OET sample materials | Free |
| Official additional practice tests | ~$30–50 per set |
| Third-party prep books (e.g. Cambridge English OET) | $30–80 per book |
2. Prep courses (optional but common)
| Provider type | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Group online course (8 weeks) | $200–600 |
| 1:1 tutoring (hourly) | $30–80/hour |
| Full intensive program (6–12 weeks) | $800–2,000 |
Many candidates clear OET without paid courses by using free official materials + a structured self-study plan. See How to prepare for OET.
3. Re-sit costs
The most-forgotten line item. A re-sit of the full OET test is another AU$587. Some regulators accept partial re-sits (e.g. Speaking only), which typically cost less but still aren't free.
About 40% of candidates re-sit at least one sub-test before clearing all requirements. Build re-sit into your budget — don't assume you'll pass clean.
4. Additional result-sending fees
The first 5 regulators are included. Additional regulator submissions are typically $15–25 each.
5. Result verification (rare but possible)
Some regulators ask for additional verification of your results from OET directly. Fees vary, usually $30–50 per request.
6. Re-marking (rare)
If you believe your Writing or Speaking was scored unfairly, you can request a re-mark. Fees apply (typically $80–150). Re-marks rarely change scores significantly; mostly worth it if you're 5–10 marks below a threshold.
A realistic total budget
For a typical candidate who clears OET in one to two sittings:
All figures below are converted to US dollars at 15 October 2026 rates so the line items are comparable; the exam fee itself is charged in AUD.
| Item | Best case | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| First OET sitting (AU$587) | US$410 | US$410 |
| Practice tests + materials | $50 | $150 |
| Self-study course or tutor (optional) | $0 | $400 |
| Re-sit (likely if scoring near the threshold) | $0 | US$410 |
| Additional regulator submissions | $0 | $40 |
| Total | ~$460 | ~$1,410 |
For most migrating candidates, budget around US$1,100–1,500 for the full OET journey. Less if you're confident on a single sitting, more if you need significant prep support.
Comparing OET cost vs IELTS Academic
| OET | IELTS Academic | |
|---|---|---|
| Per-sitting fee | AU$587 (≈US$410) | ≈US$215–280 |
| Frequency available | ~16 sittings/year | ~4 sittings/week |
| Total typical journey | ≈US$1,100–1,500 | ≈US$700–1,200 |
IELTS is cheaper per attempt and offered more often, which is why it's the cheaper exam for candidates who expect to need multiple sittings. OET tends to clear faster for healthcare professionals because the format matches their working context — fewer re-sits offsets the higher per-sitting fee. See OET vs IELTS for the full comparison.
Payment options
OET accepts:
- Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, AmEx)
- Some local payment methods depending on region
- No instalment plans for the sitting fee (must pay in full at booking)
Refund policy
- Cancellations more than 5 days before the sitting: partial refund (typically 75% of the fee)
- Cancellations within 5 days: no refund
- Medical/emergency: OET sometimes accommodates rescheduling with documentation; not guaranteed
Tax deductibility
In some jurisdictions, OET fees are tax-deductible as a professional registration expense:
- Australia: typically deductible against employment income if you're already employed in your profession
- UK: usually deductible if directly related to current employment
- Canada: case-by-case
- Consult your local tax advisor
Free things to take advantage of
- Official OET sample tests — free from the OET preparation portal
- First 5 regulator submissions — included in the sitting fee
- Results portal access — included
- Public OET rubric documents — invaluable for self-marking
Hidden costs people forget
- Travel to the test centre — if it's a city away, factor in flights/transport + accommodation
- Time off work — a sitting day plus travel days
- Internet upgrade for OET@Home — if your home internet isn't stable enough
- Stationary — practice notebooks, printed practice tests
- Tutor hours — even if you're mostly self-studying, one or two 1:1 sessions for Speaking diagnosis can be worth $60–150
Next steps
- Plan the sitting: OET test dates and booking
- Format choice: OET at-home vs test-centre
- Strategy: How to prepare for OET
- The fee is the same for everyone, but the grade is not — what your own board requires: doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, physiotherapists
Before you pay for a sitting, find out where you stand: take a free OET Speaking practice test in your browser and get it scored on all nine criteria.
