OET

Complaints policy

Complaints Policy and Process (effective 6 May 2021)

We welcome feedback from our candidates and aim to respond to your concerns with efficiency, sensitivity and care. We're always learning ways to improve our services, and your feedback helps us do that better. 

OET welcomes feedback from our candidates. Where a complaint regarding our service is received, OET undertakes to address that complaint effectively and efficiently. OET takes a responsive approach to complaint management.

1.1 Complaints Process

Please follow this process if you wish to complain about any test day issues or relating to an OET product or service. Please refer to the OET Re-marking Policy if you wish to have sub-test results re-marked.

1.2 There are two types of complaints:

1.2.1 Complaints regarding test day
If you are not satisfied with the way a test was administered or the venue staff’s actions, you must lodge a complaint within 3 calendar days of the test being conducted using the OET Complaints Form. If you do not make your request within that time frame, we reserve the right to refuse to investigate your complaint.

1.2.2 General Complaints
General complaints regarding OET products or services include:

  • test administration other than test day delivery issues (see 12.2.1 above for complaints regarding test day);
  • our service, including the application of our standard processes;
  • test results other than result appeals (please refer to the OET Re-marking Policy for issues related to results); or
  • any other area of concern.

General complaints must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the relevant incident. Your complaint must be submitted by completing the OET Complaints Form. If you do not make the request within that time, we reserve the right to refuse to investigate your complaint.

1.3 Making a complaint

Concerns or issues will be first raised with the relevant operational service to work with the Complainant to resolve the matters raised. The Team Leader or the Manager is responsible for the management of complaints made directly to OET.

A complaint must be lodged by completing the OET Complaints Form and providing as much information as possible to assist us in processing your request.

OET is committed to acknowledging the complaint within 3 business days and will take all reasonable steps to complete the complaint review process within 30 days.

In the event that you are the subject of a malpractice incident and receive an outcome letter from the OET Malpractice Committee, you are not eligible to make a complaint, instead you must lodge a stage 1 Appeal. Refer to Section 13 OET Appeals Policy and Process of these test regulations for more information.

1.4 Management of the complaint

Upon receipt of your complaint, our investigation will include, as appropriate, obtaining additional information from you, statements from other candidates, third parties as required, including but not limited to the Venue Manager and other Venue staff. As part of further investigations we may review seating plans, details of candidate identity verification, or any additional information as required.

1.5 Complaint outcomes

Possible outcomes of complaints may include:

  • Results processed and published – your results may be processed following standard OET assessment processes. NB: OET is NOT able to increase marks in consideration of any issue affecting candidate performance.
  • Resit arranged – you may be offered a free resit if your complaint is upheld. The free resit offered may be for a single or all four sub-tests; this is at the discretion of OET.
  • Reversal of decision – the outcome will be reviewed, assessed and released after further investigation.
  • OET continuous improvement – complaints will be reviewed and used to improve OET processes and test delivery.

1.6 How to lodge an Appeal

Any appeal against your complaint outcome must be lodged within 5 calendar days and will follow the procedure set out below in OET Appeals Policy and Process in section 13 of the Test Regulations.