Pharmacists
United States
NABP will accept OET for FPGEC certification from January 11, 2027. Only tests taken on or after that date will count.
Until then, TOEFL is the English test for FPGEC. If you need your score sooner, prepare for TOEFL.
← OET for doctors and pharmacists
OET for pharmacists
OET Pharmacy, made for pharmacists.
Practice the letters and patient conversations you will actually face on test day, with feedback built on 20 years of teaching healthcare professionals, on a platform designed only for pharmacy.
Free trial coming soonBook a free consultation
Writing open nowFeedback on all six criteriaLive coaching with Sherlen
What Pharmacists Need, Country by Country
Pharmacists
United Kingdom
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) accepts OET with a grade B in all four sub-tests, and you need it before the registration assessment.
Pharmacists are not exempt from the visa English rule, so you will usually need a separate approved test for the Health and Care Worker visa.
Pharmacists
Australia
The Pharmacy Board of Australia asks for Listening 350, Reading 360, Writing 350 and Speaking 360.
Take OET at a test centre. OET@Home is not accepted for registration or visas.
Pharmacists
Canada
The Ontario College of Pharmacists accepts OET for licensing, and other provinces set their own rules, so check your college.
OET does not count for Express Entry. For immigration you will need CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core.
Pharmacists
Ireland, New Zealand and beyond
Pharmacy regulators in many other countries also recognize OET. If OET is accepted where you are going, we can prepare you for it.
Requirements change, so always confirm with your regulator before you book. Last checked October 2026.
Going to the United States?
NABP accepts OET from January 11, 2027
See the timeline, what changes for FPGEC, and get our free guide, OET Writing for Pharmacists.
The OET Test, Explained
Four sub-tests, about three hours in total. Listening and Reading are the same for every profession. Writing and Speaking are written for pharmacists.
About 40 minutes
Listening
Three parts: consultation extracts, short workplace recordings, and longer presentations or interviews on healthcare topics.
60 minutes
Reading
Three parts: a fast search across short texts, workplace documents such as guidelines, and longer healthcare articles.
45 minutes
Writing
One professional letter based on case notes, with 5 minutes to read and 40 minutes to write.
Pharmacists usually write to a doctor or another healthcare professional about a patient’s medicines, for example a medication problem, a dose change or a referral.
About 20 minutes
Speaking
Two role plays with an interlocutor, each with 3 minutes to prepare and about 5 minutes to speak.
You play the pharmacist. Typical role plays include counselling a patient on a new medicine, explaining side effects, or helping a worried caregiver.
How OET Is Scored
Each sub-test is scored from 0 to 500 and given a grade. Most regulators ask for a grade B in every sub-test.
A450 to 500
B350 to 440, the usual target
C+300 to 340
C200 to 290
Writing is marked on six criteria
PurposeContentConciseness and clarityGenre and styleOrganisation and layoutLanguage
Our platform gives you feedback on all six after every letter, so you know exactly which one is holding your score down.
Speaking is marked on two sets of skills
IntelligibilityFluencyAppropriate languageGrammar and expressionRelationship buildingThe patient’s perspectiveStructureGathering informationGiving information
Clear English is only half of it. You are also marked on how well you communicate with the patient, and that is where accent and communication coaching makes the difference.
How We Prepare Pharmacists
Live coaching with Sherlen and a platform built only for pharmacy, so you get a teacher and daily practice together.
Coming soon
Private coaching with Sherlen
One-to-one OET Pharmacy coaching shaped around your scores, your country and your deadline, coming soon.
- A starting evaluation that shows exactly where your score is lost
- Pharmacy letters to doctors and other professionals, with detailed feedback on every letter
- Patient counselling role plays: new medicines, side effects, worried caregivers
- Pronunciation and fluency support from an accent specialist
- Reading and Listening strategies for the hardest question types
Writing open now
The OET Pharmacy platform
Daily practice between classes, on a platform designed only for pharmacy.
- Real pharmacy case notes and letters with the 5 plus 40 minute exam timer
- Instant feedback on all six official Writing criteria, with examples from your own letter
- Reading, Listening and Speaking, arriving in October
- AI patient role-play partner for counselling practice
- Pharmacy vocabulary trainer and progress tracking that finds your weakest skill
Free trial coming soon
Where Pharmacists Lose Points
1
Copying the case notes
A strong letter selects only what the reader needs. Copying every note hurts Content, Conciseness and Purpose at the same time.
2
Speaking like a textbook
Patients need plain English. Explaining a medicine the way a pharmacology book does costs you marks for appropriate language and for the patient’s perspective.
3
Forgetting the patient’s concerns
In role plays, listening and responding to worries is scored, not just the information you give.
4
Fossilized grammar and pronunciation
Small errors repeated for years quietly lower your Writing and Speaking. Our method finds them and repairs them for good.
Start Your OET Pharmacy Preparation
A free trial of the platform is coming soon. In the meantime, book a free consultation and Sherlen will help you plan your preparation.
Free trial coming soonBook a free consultation