Missing Grade B by 10 or 20 points is agonising — especially in Writing or Speaking, where human marking introduces an element of subjectivity. Before booking a full retake, consider requesting a remark. It is cheaper than another sitting, and if your score increases, the remarking fee is refunded. This guide explains when a remark is worth it and how to request one.
What Is an OET Remark?
A remark (officially called a 're-evaluation') is a complete re-assessment of your Writing or Speaking sub-test by a different set of trained examiners. Your original score is not visible to the new examiners — they mark your performance independently. The result can be a score increase, a score decrease, or no change.
Important: Remarks are only available for Writing and Speaking. Listening and Reading are machine-scored and cannot be remarked.
When Is a Remark Worth It?
- You missed Grade B by 10 to 20 points (scored 330–340 when you needed 350). A narrow miss suggests your performance was borderline, and a different examiner might assess it differently.
- You felt confident about your Writing or Speaking performance on test day. If you left the exam feeling that you performed well but your score does not reflect that, a remark is reasonable.
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- You cannot afford or do not want to retake the full exam. At approximately AUD 120, a remark costs a fraction of a full resit (AUD 587).
When a Remark Is Probably Not Worth It
- You missed Grade B by 30+ points. A significant gap suggests consistent issues with your performance that a different examiner is unlikely to overlook.
- You know you made errors. If you ran out of time in Writing, forgot to include a closing request, or froze during a Speaking role-play, the low score reflects genuine performance issues — not examiner subjectivity.
How to Request a Remark
- Step 1: Log into your OET account on oet.com.
- Step 2: Go to your test results and select the sub-test you want remarked.
- Step 3: Submit the re-evaluation request and pay the fee (approximately AUD 120 per sub-test).
- Step 4: Wait for the result. Re-evaluation typically takes 4 to 6 weeks.
You must request a remark within 28 days of your results being published. After this window closes, remarking is no longer available.
What Happens to Your Score?
Three possible outcomes:
- Score increases: Your new (higher) score replaces the original. The remarking fee is refunded.
- Score stays the same: No change. The fee is not refunded.
- Score decreases: Your new (lower) score replaces the original. The fee is not refunded. This is a real risk — your score can go down.
Statistically, most remarks result in no change. Score increases do occur, particularly when the original score was borderline. Score decreases are less common but not impossible.
Can You Remark and Retake Simultaneously?
Yes. You can request a remark on one sitting while booking a retake for a future date. If the remark succeeds and your score increases to Grade B, you can cancel the retake (subject to cancellation fees and deadlines). This hedging strategy makes sense if you are on a tight timeline and cannot wait 4 to 6 weeks for the remark result before deciding.
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Remark vs Retake: Decision Framework
- Missed by 10–20 points in Writing or Speaking → Request a remark first (AUD 120). If unsuccessful, then retake.
- Missed by 30+ points → Skip the remark, invest in additional preparation, and retake.
- Missed in Listening or Reading → Remark not available. Retake is your only option.
- Missed in multiple sub-tests → Retake the full exam rather than remarking one sub-test, since you need to improve across the board.
A remark is a low-cost, low-risk option for borderline candidates. At AUD 120 with the possibility of a refund if successful, it is worth considering before committing to a full AUD 587 retake — especially if you missed Grade B by a narrow margin in a human-marked sub-test.