Facts to calm your nerves for OET

25th February 2020

Are you taking your Occupational English Test with us? As the first Test Venue in Wales, we’ve witnessed how stressful the day can be first-hand so we’ve outlined a few test day facts to calm your nerves for OET.

Who runs the test? 

OET is run by your Venue Manager, Melissa, who has been running the test for approximately 15 months now. Melissa is responsible for recruiting the Test Day staff and works hard to ensure that all staff run the test according to OET regulations.

Our staff are friendly and, above all, focused on providing you with the best possible experience. We are relaxed in our administration of the test to help calm your nerves. Along your test day journey you will meet:

• Your venue manager
• Registration Staff
• Invigilation Staff
• Your interlocutor

Please note that all of our staff will act accordingly to any signs of malpractice or fraudulent behaviour, you must be respectful of any instructions that are given to you.

What does the test day look like?

If you’ve never sat the test before we know this can add to your stress levels, below we’ve outlined some facts to calm your nerves for your OET test day journey. In the morning you will be:

• greeted by our friendly staff and directed to the cloakroom.
• asked to cloak your personal items. Please note that there is a long list of items that cannot be taken into the test room, this includes items such as Mobile Phones, Watches, Mechanical Pens and Pencils, Passport Holders, Big or Puffy Jackets, Correction Fluid/Highlighters.
• asked to register for your test in the registration room. Your picture will be taken and your ID checked thoroughly.
• escorted to a waiting area before entering your test room.
• called to your individual test room to sit your Listening, Reading and Writing tests.

At this point:

• Your ID will be checked.
• You will sit your morning tests with only authorised breaks in-between.

After your morning tests, a lunch break is allocated between 11:45 and 12:30 pm. You are welcome to go off-site at lunchtime as we will re-check your ID document before your Speaking test. Speaking tests are due to start from 12:30 onwards. Similarly to the mornings in the afternoon, you will be:

• called from a waiting area to register for your speaking test.
• asked for your ID to be checked thoroughly, your will be items cloaked.
• asked to remain, supervised, in the registration room and escorted to your speaking test room by OET staff.
• introduced to your interlocutor.

After this you will:

• take your speaking test, consisting of two role-plays.
• return to the cloakroom to collect your items.

You’re free to go! Please leave the venue immediately after your test – why would you want to stay around anyway?!

What about my ID?

The ID document that you bring with you must match the ID document that you submitted online. You can check the OET website for the most up-to-date information about ID. Please be aware that if you do not bring the same ID that you used to register online, as a result, you will not be able to sit the test.

Can my family/friends/partner come with me?

Whilst we understand that it can be a long day it is against regulations to have anyone but OET candidates within the venue. Candidates are welcome to go off-site during lunch but we ask that you return to register at least 15 minutes before your speaking test.

What about the facilities?

Our OET test is run at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Llandaff Campus. The facilities are conducive to test takers, for instance:

The morning test rooms are equipped with ceiling speakers integrated across the room to evenly distribute the sound. The test rooms are comfortable and quiet. We hold the morning tests in small rooms with no more than 20 candidates in each room.

There are prayer rooms and comfortable spaces for you to relax in between morning tests and speaking tests.

The university campus is located just a short walk away from a large Tesco with an on-site cafe alongside other food outlets.

What if I’m not happy with my test day experience?

It is our duty to make sure that you are comfortable on test day; if anything or anyone makes you feel unhappy or uncomfortable on test day please find your Venue Manager as early as possible. Melissa will always do her best to resolve any issues that arrive. However, sometimes things go wrong that are out of our control, in this instance, you can fill out a complaint form on the OET website here.