Complete Guide to the OCANZ Examination for International Optometrists

If you're an internationally qualified optometrist looking to practice in Australia or New Zealand, the OCANZ (Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand) examination is your pathway to registration. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know.

What is the OCANZ Examination?

The OCANZ Competency in Optometry Examination (COE) assesses whether internationally qualified optometrists meet the entry-level standard of competence expected in Australia and New Zealand — excluding ocular therapeutics, which are assessed separately (see After Passing the Examination below). It ensures patient safety and maintains the high standards of optometric care in both countries.

Eligibility Requirements

Before applying, you must meet the following criteria:

Educational Requirements

• Hold an optometry qualification from a recognised institution
• Your qualification must be at least a 4-year full-time equivalent program
• Include supervised clinical training

English Language Proficiency

Registration is granted by the Optometry Board of Australia through Ahpra, and English is assessed against Ahpra's common English language skills registration standard — separately from the OCANZ examination.

The minimum scores changed on 23 April 2026. Which set applies to you depends on when you sat the test, not when you apply.

For tests sat on or after 23 April 2026:

Test	Overall	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
IELTS Academic	7.0	7.0	7.0	6.5	7.0
OET	—	350	360	350	360
PTE Academic	63	58	59	60	76
TOEFL iBT	91	22	22	23	24

Two things changed that catch people out. OET moved from letter grades to numeric scores, so "grade B in all four components" is no longer the requirement — B starts at 350, but reading and speaking now need 360. And PTE speaking rose to 76, well above its old 66.

IELTS did not change. If you sat your test on or before 22 April 2026, the earlier scores apply to it: IELTS 7 / 7 / 6.5 / 7, OET B / B / C+ / B, PTE 66, TOEFL 94 total.

At-home and remotely proctored versions are not accepted, the sole exception being the OET computer-based test taken at a test centre. Results are valid for two years before the date you lodge, and you may combine two sittings within a 12-month period.

Source: Ahpra, "Accepted English language tests" (Table 2, in force from 23 April 2026). Checked 27 August 2026.

Professional Experience

• OCANZ does not impose a fixed clinical-experience minimum for COE eligibility — the threshold is qualification-based (a 4-year full-time optometry program, or a 3-year program plus supervised practice equivalent). Recent clinical practice is nonetheless valuable for the Clinical Examination's live patient cases.
• Evidence of current or recent practice in optometry

Examination Structure

The OCANZ examination consists of multiple components:

Part 1: Written Examination

Two papers sat in a single examination period (per OCANZ's COE Examination Guide 2026):

• Clinical Science: 144 MCQs covering biomedical, vision, optical, and clinical science — 3 hours
• Diagnosis & Management: 18 short-answer questions

First sitting: both papers must be attempted together. If only one paper is failed, you may repeat that single paper at the next examination period; if both are failed (or the single-paper repeat is failed), both must be re-sat together.

Part 2: Clinical Examination (Skills Station Examination + Patient Examination)

OCANZ's Clinical Examination runs over five days at the Australian College of Optometry in Melbourne, and has two components — the Skills Station Examination (12 stations) and the Patient Examination (live patient cases). The five-day length is the part candidates most often underestimate when booking travel and leave. Together these test:

• Patient history taking
• Refraction and prescribing
• Ocular health assessment
• Binocular vision assessment
• Contact lens fitting
• Communication and patient management

Important: the Clinical Examination must be passed within 3 years of passing the Written Examination (per the COE Examination Guide 2026) — plan your sittings accordingly.

Key Topic Areas

The examination covers these core competency areas:

1. Refraction and Visual Optics

   • Subjective and objective refraction techniques
   • Prescribing considerations
   • Visual optics principles

2. Ocular Health Assessment

   • Anterior segment examination
   • Posterior segment examination
   • Ocular disease recognition and management

3. Binocular Vision

   • Assessment techniques
   • Management of binocular vision disorders
   • Strabismus evaluation

4. Contact Lens Practice

   • Fitting principles
   • Lens selection
   • Aftercare management

5. Professional Practice

   • Ethics and legal requirements
   • Australian/NZ healthcare system

Not examined in the COE: ocular therapeutics. OCANZ's 2026 Examination Guide is explicit: "Therapeutic competencies are NOT assessed in the OCANZ Competency in Optometry Examination." They are assessed afterwards — see After Passing the Examination below.

Preparation Timeline

We recommend the following preparation timeline:

6-12 Months Before

• Review eligibility requirements
• Complete English language testing
• Begin studying Australian clinical guidelines

3-6 Months Before

• Intensive study of OCANZ examination topics
• Practice clinical skills
• Use practice questions and mock exams

1-3 Months Before

• Focus on weak areas
• Revise Australian clinical guidelines on diagnosis, management and referral
• Practice time management

Tips for Success

1. Understand the Australian Context: Familiarise yourself with local guidelines, regulations, and common conditions in Australia/New Zealand.

2. Practice Clinical Skills: The Clinical Examination requires hands-on proficiency. Practice with colleagues or mentors.

3. Time Management: Both written and clinical exams are time-pressured. Practice under timed conditions.

4. Stay Current: Review recent updates to Australian clinical guidelines.

5. Join Study Groups: Connect with other candidates for peer support and learning.

After Passing the Examination

Passing the COE does not register you, and on its own it does not lead to general registration. OCANZ says the COE certificate is evidence of entry-level competence "excluding ocular therapeutics, but does not automatically confer a right to be registered". What it does is enable you "to apply for limited registration in Australia, or for the Provisional Optometrist Scope of Practice in New Zealand".

For general registration you also need ocular therapeutics, assessed separately:

• Already trained in ocular therapeutics overseas? You can apply to sit OCANZ's Assessment of Competence in Ocular Therapeutics (ACOT), or complete an approved ocular therapeutics course. ACOT is open once you have passed the COE, and OCANZ's Examination Eligibility Committee decides eligibility — the evidence includes practice involving ocular therapeutics within the past five years.
• Not trained in ocular therapeutics? Complete an ocular therapeutics course approved by the Optometry Board of Australia (or, in New Zealand, the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board).

Alongside that:

1. Apply for registration with the Optometry Board of Australia (OBA) or Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board (NZ)
2. Obtain professional indemnity insurance
3. Begin your optometry career in Australia or New Zealand

Because ACOT eligibility looks at recent therapeutics practice, plan for this step from the start rather than after your COE results.

Sources: OCANZ, Guide to the OCANZ Competency in Optometry Examination (2026); OCANZ, Application Information and General Requirements — Optometrists with Overseas Qualifications (updated August 2026); OCANZ, ACOT Information for Candidates (February 2026). Checked 28 September 2026.

Resources

• OCANZ Official Website
• Optometry Board of Australia
• GdayOptometrist Practice Question Bank

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This guide is regularly updated to reflect the latest OCANZ requirements. Last updated: September 2026.