DHA Licence Exam for Dubai: How the CBT and Oral Assessment Work, and the 3-Attempt Rule
Healthcare professionals need to pass a Dubai Health Authority assessment to get licensed. Here is how the Prometric CBT and oral exam work, the attempt limits and when results arrive.
UAEIn brief
- Most healthcare professionals must pass a DHA assessment to get a Dubai licence: a Prometric CBT or an oral exam.
- You get three attempts. After three failures you cannot reapply to DHA for two years.
- CBT results appear in Sheryan within 2 working days; oral results within 3 to 5 working days.
- Passing gives a Registration Certificate valid for one year, which a Dubai health facility must activate into a licence.
| Country | UAE |
|---|---|
| Organization | Dubai Health Authority (DHA) |
| Official source | DHA – Manual for Professional Assessment (Oral/CBT) ✓ dha.gov.ae |
To work as a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or allied health professional in Dubai, you need a licence from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). For most professions, that means passing a DHA assessment first. This guide is based on DHA's official manual for professional assessments.
Two types of assessment
| Assessment | How it works |
|---|---|
| Computer Based Test (CBT) | Taken at a Prometric test centre |
| Oral assessment | Usually held online on a DHA platform; DHA can ask you to attend in person |
Which one you sit depends on your professional category. An oral assessment covers at least five clinical scenarios and lasts at least 20 to 30 minutes.
Some professionals are exempt from the exam under the UAE's unified Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR). An exemption only removes the exam. You still need credentialing, experience checks and primary source verification.
How to book
- Create an account on Sheryan, DHA's licensing system. This gives you an Eligibility ID.
- For the CBT: book your slot on Prometric's DHA page using that Eligibility ID. Arrive 30 minutes early.
- For the oral exam: choose a date or date range in Sheryan and pay the fee. DHA confirms the date based on availability. Arrive 15 minutes early.
You can reschedule an oral exam once, if you ask more than 5 working days ahead. Prometric bookings must be changed at least 5 calendar days before the exam.
Results
- CBT: uploaded to Sheryan within 2 working days. The letter Prometric gives you on the day does not show whether you passed.
- Oral: released on Sheryan within 3 to 5 working days.
You only see PASS or FAIL. DHA does not share scores or a topic breakdown. In the oral exam, all panel members must agree that you passed.
The attempt limits
This is the part many candidates overlook:
- You get three attempts in total.
- DHA can cut this to one or two if serious competency gaps put patients at risk.
- After three failures, you cannot reapply to DHA for two years.
- You can get three fresh attempts after earning an extra recognised qualification, or after at least two years of licensed clinical experience since your last attempt.
- There is no waiting period between attempts, apart from slot availability.
- Cancelling or missing an exam does not use up an attempt, but the fee is not refunded.
After you pass
Passing gives you a Registration Certificate, valid for one year. It is not yet a licence to practise. A licensed Dubai health facility must hire you and activate it into a full licence. So aim to have job offers lined up within that year.
Tips
- Prepare for the format as well as the content. The CBT weights each subject area differently.
- Treat each attempt seriously, because the two-year block after three failures is long.
- Apply only through Sheryan and Prometric. Agents cannot speed up DHA decisions.
Related: Warning signs of a fake UAE job offer.
Frequently asked questions
How many attempts do I get for the DHA exam?
Three attempts in total. DHA can reduce this to one or two in serious cases. After three failures you are blocked from reapplying to DHA for two years.
How long does the DHA exam result take?
CBT results are uploaded to Sheryan within 2 working days. Oral assessment results are released within 3 to 5 working days. You only see PASS or FAIL.
How long is a DHA eligibility (Registration Certificate) valid?
One year from the result date. It must be activated into a full licence by a licensed Dubai health facility that hires you.
Is there a waiting period between DHA exam attempts?
No. There is no fixed waiting period, apart from slot availability. Cancelling or missing an exam does not use up an attempt, but the fee is not refunded.
Apply only through the official source.
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