What the PQR is, and which version this page read
The Unified PQR is one document published jointly by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH), the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the Sharjah Health Authority (SHA). The copy read for this page is a 151-page PDF hosted on DHA's site under the file name PQR_April_2025. It describes itself as the 3rd version and says it invalidates previous versions. This page read it on 24 October 2026, and a newer version may exist, so open the PQR on DHA's site, or the website of the Authority that handles your application, and check the version first.
Band Booster IELTS has no connection to MOHAP, DOH, DHA, SHA or any other health authority, and this page is not licensing, visa or immigration advice. It is a reading guide to the English-language parts of two documents. Which rule applies to a particular person depends on their profession, where they studied, where their licence comes from and where they will work, and only the Authority can say.
What the PQR says about English
The Authorities' examinations are held in English
The PQR says all examinations will be conducted in English and that no translator is allowed to attend the oral examination. It also says the applicant is granted three attempts to pass the examination across the Authorities, and that UAE nationals and Children of Emirati Women are exempted from the Authorities' examinations. Section 1.5 has further provisions on attempts, so read it in full. This page does not describe what the examinations cover, who has to sit one or how attempts are counted. Those details are for the Authority to explain.
IELTS as one of four accepted proofs of English
The nurses and midwives section (13.1.15.4) covers a professional who uses a licence from a listed country to be exempted from the experience requirement. If that person did not complete university studies in English, or if the licence belongs to a non-English-speaking country from the PQR's list, the section asks for one of four proofs of English language proficiency:
| Accepted proof | As printed in the version read |
|---|---|
| TOEFL | Not less than 500, or equivalent |
| IELTS | Not less than 5.0 |
| OET | Not less than C |
| Cambridge Assessment English | Not less than 169 |
Read this narrowly. The IELTS figure is one of four alternatives, tied to the situation the section describes. This page does not say that 5.0 is a minimum for every profession, and the PDF does not say whether the printed figure means an overall band or a minimum in each skill, or whether Academic or General Training is meant. Those are questions for the Authority.
The same note in the exam-equivalency tables
The same English-proof note repeats in the exam-equivalency tables in section 21 (tables 21.12 to 21.23). They cover nurses and midwives, dental hygienists, clinical dietitians, EMS, medical imaging, medical laboratory technologists, nuclear medicine technologists, pharmacists and clinical pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiotherapists, sonographers and other allied healthcare titles. Read the whole table entry for your title, including the exam-exemption conditions that come before the note, rather than the figure on its own. This page does not cover the physician and dentist tables in section 21 and says nothing about English proof there.
One section prints a figure that looks inconsistent
In the allied healthcare section (17.1.15.4), the IELTS figure printed in the version read looks inconsistent with the 5.0 shown in the other sections. This page does not repeat it. If your profession falls under that section, ask the Authority which figure applies instead of taking one from a web page, this one included.
What DOH Abu Dhabi's residency page says
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi says on its residency programme page that it oversees all Residency Programs offered across accredited healthcare facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The page's “Who Should Apply” section names medical, dental and pharmacy graduates seeking advanced specialty training in Abu Dhabi. Under “English Language Proficiency (International Graduates Only)”, the page lists IELTS 6 or above, TOEFL 79 or above, or OET C or above. Its list of “Additional Documents (Where Applicable)” includes a valid English language proficiency test result for international applicants, and the page says all applications must be completed through the TAMM platform. The page also gives an application window, which changes, so this page does not copy it.
This page treats that list as a statement about residency programmes in Abu Dhabi only: it is a programme-entry page, not the PQR. It does not say whether the list applies to other professions, so ask DOH if yours is not named there.
Side by side: two documents, two IELTS figures
| Document | Published by | Where English proof appears | IELTS as printed | Other tests listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unified PQR, 3rd version (read 24 October 2026) | MOHAP, DOH, DHA and SHA | Nurses and midwives, section 13.1.15.4; repeated in the section 21 exam-equivalency tables (21.12 to 21.23) for many allied healthcare titles | Not less than 5.0, as one of four accepted proofs | TOEFL not less than 500 or equivalent; OET not less than C; Cambridge Assessment English not less than 169 |
| DOH Abu Dhabi residency programme page (read 24 October 2026) | DOH Abu Dhabi | “English Language Proficiency (International Graduates Only)” | 6 or above | TOEFL 79 or above; OET C or above |
The 5.0 and the 6 are not merged or averaged here. They sit in different documents that serve different purposes: the PQR is the joint document published by the four Authorities, and the residency page belongs to one Abu Dhabi programme. The two documents also list TOEFL on different terms (not less than 500 or equivalent in one, 79 or above in the other), and this page does not convert between them.
Which Authority handles your application
The PQR has four publishers, and this page cannot tell you which of them handles you. One pointer comes from Dubai Healthcare City's own professional services page, which says all healthcare professional licensing in the Dubai Healthcare City free zone is managed by Dubai Health Authority. This page gives no band figure for the free zone; ask DHA what English proof applies there.
Questions to ask the Authority before you book an IELTS test
- Which document and version applies to my profession? The copy read was the 3rd version; ask whether a newer one has replaced it.
- Do I need proof of English at all? The PQR ties the proof to situations such as where you studied and which country your licence comes from.
- Which tests and which score? Ask whether an IELTS figure is an overall band or a minimum in each skill, and whether Academic or General Training is meant. Our guide to Academic and General Training explains how the two differ.
- How recent must the result be? Most institutions treat an IELTS result as valid for two years, but the Authority sets its own rule.
- Which figure applies in my section? If the section for your profession prints a figure that looks different from the others, ask.
- Does an exemption apply to me? The PQR exempts UAE nationals and Children of Emirati Women from the Authorities' examinations; ask what that means for English proof.
Where you can, get the answer in writing and keep the PDF section number next to it.
IELTS in plain terms, for a first-time candidate
Band scores run from 0 to 9 in half-band steps. The overall band is the average of the four skills, rounded to the nearest half band, and the band score calculator shows the arithmetic.
| Skill | Format |
|---|---|
| Listening | 30 minutes, 40 questions, 4 parts; the recording is played once |
| Reading | 60 minutes, 40 questions, 3 sections |
| Writing | 60 minutes. Task 1 is at least 150 words, about 20 minutes (Academic: describe a chart, graph, table, diagram or process; General Training: a letter). Task 2 is an essay of at least 250 words, about 40 minutes, and counts twice as much as Task 1 |
| Speaking | An interview of 11 to 14 minutes, face to face or by video call: Part 1 is introduction and familiar topics, Part 2 is a long turn on a cue card after one minute to prepare, and Part 3 is a discussion of more abstract questions |
Band Booster is a tutor, not a test centre. It does not register you for the test, set its fee or date, or issue results. For where tests are held in each emirate, see IELTS test venues across the UAE; for how results, copies and remarks work, see IELTS results in the UAE; and if one skill is the problem, see One Skill Retake in the UAE.
English lessons with Mike: what they cover and what they do not
Every lesson is one-to-one and live on Google Meet, taught in English by Mike himself. He holds the Cambridge CELTA (July 2017), teaches from Hanoi, Vietnam, and scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS. See about Mike. Lessons cover Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. In Speaking, Parts 1, 2 and 3 run in the real test format with feedback in the moment; in Writing, Task 1 and Task 2 are marked against the public band descriptors. Each skill has its own page (Speaking, Writing, Listening, Reading), written for students in Vietnam; your price is on the booking page.
The PQR says no translator is allowed at the oral examination. IELTS and General English lessons build general spoken English; they are not preparation for that examination. General English lessons work on conversation, pronunciation, job interviews, presentations and work email.
The limits matter just as much. Band Booster teaches IELTS and General English, one-to-one. It is not a clinical course and not preparation for the Authorities' examinations, and the OET, TOEFL and Cambridge Assessment English tests appear on this page only because the documents list them. No band, outcome or timeline is guaranteed: progress depends on your starting point and the work you do between lessons.
Price and booking from the UAE
The UAE is in a higher regional price tier than Vietnam, and the booking page shows your price in your own currency before you pay. A regular lesson is 60 minutes, and a paid 30-minute trial can be taken once, on your first booking. You can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before a lesson, and there is no subscription or package. After payment, a Google Meet link and calendar invite arrive by email. For how booking works for students in the UAE, see Dubai and the UAE or Abu Dhabi, and for other countries see online IELTS tutor by country.