DHA Exam for Nurses: Eligibility, GNM, Pass Mark and Steps
The DHA exam for nurses from India: registered nurse or assistant nurse, GNM and freshers, career gaps, 150 questions in 3 hours, the 50% pass score, attempts and the eligibility letter.
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Nurses with a bachelor's degree of at least 3 years can take the DHA exam as registered nurses with no experience. A nursing diploma of at least 18 months fits the assistant nurse title. The exam has 150 questions in 3 hours, and the pass score for a registered nurse is 50%.
Nurses from India are among the largest groups taking the DHA exam. This guide answers the questions nurses ask most: can a fresher apply, what about GNM, how many questions are there, what is the pass mark, and what happens after you pass.
For every profession and the full steps, see the DHA exam guide. Preparing for the exam? See our DHA exam coaching, or let us book your DHA exam.
Registered nurse or assistant nurse?
The DHA exam follows your professional title, and for nurses the title decides almost everything. The Unified PQR, which DHA, DOH and MOH share, sets two main nursing titles:
| Registered nurse | Assistant nurse | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | Bachelor's degree in nursing of at least 3 years full-time | Nursing diploma of at least 18 months |
| Experience after qualifying | Not required | Not required |
| How you work | Independently, as a registered nurse | Under the supervision of a registered nurse or midwife |
A nurse with a bachelor's degree who is licensed as an assistant nurse can ask to be upgraded to registered nurse, as long as her assistant nurse experience is not more than 5 years.
Can a GNM nurse take the DHA exam?
The PQR does not name GNM. It sets a bachelor's degree of at least 3 years for a registered nurse and a nursing diploma of at least 18 months for an assistant nurse. It also does not mention post-basic BSc, which is a 2-year course.
So DHA decides your title when it reviews your documents. In our cases, GNM nurses are usually designated Assistant Nurse. Before you apply, send us your certificates and mark lists on WhatsApp: we check which title your qualification fits, so you book the right exam.
For a post-basic BSc, in our experience it is accepted only when it was a regular course from a UGC-approved university. Distance education (for example IGNOU) is not accepted.
Do fresher nurses need experience?
Not under the current PQR (3rd version, 2022). A registered nurse with a bachelor's degree of at least 3 years and an assistant nurse with a diploma of at least 18 months need no experience after qualifying.
A job is a different question: hospitals in Dubai set their own requirements when they hire. The exam itself does not ask for experience.
In our cases, fresh nursing graduates can apply to the UAE authorities (DHA, DOH and MOH) without experience.
A gap in your nursing career
If you have not worked as a nurse for more than 2 years, the PQR asks for continuing education credits and supervised training before you are licensed:
| Gap in practice | What DHA asks for |
|---|---|
| 2 to 3 years | 20 CME credits and 4 months of supervised training |
| 3 to 4 years | 40 CME credits and 6 months of supervised training |
| 4 to 5 years | 60 CME credits and 8 months of supervised training |
| More than 5 years | Non-UAE nationals cannot apply |
A break after marriage or a baby counts as a gap. Tell us your dates and we check what applies to you before you apply.
DHA nursing exam pattern and pass mark
- Questions: 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours for most titles. The time includes registration and the introduction.
- Pass score for a registered nurse: 50%. DHA can change pass scores without notice.
- Result: pass or fail on Sheryan. DHA does not share your score.
- Language: English.
- Where: at Prometric test centres.
The questions follow the nursing title you apply for. Our coaching covers nursing fundamentals, clinical procedures and patient care, nursing ethics and professional standards, with multiple-choice practice.
Attempts and the eligibility letter
- Attempts: 3 in total, with no waiting time between them. After a third fail you cannot apply to DHA for 2 years.
- Across the UAE: 3 attempts across DHA, DOH and MOH, and one last attempt may be granted with a different authority.
- After you pass: you get a registration certificate, often called the DHA eligibility letter. It is valid for 1 year from the result.
- The licence: a licensed facility in Dubai activates your licence when it hires you, inside that year.
Step by step for nurses
Check your title
Registered nurse or assistant nurse, from your qualification. We can check it with you.
Apply on Sheryan
Create your account, apply for your title and upload your documents. Sheryan gives you an eligibility ID.
Book and sit the exam
Book a Prometric slot with your eligibility ID, or let us book it for you. To change the date, reschedule at least 5 calendar days before; Prometric charges a fee.
Dataflow
Your degree, registration and experience are verified at their source. See DHA Dataflow.
Job and licence
A facility in Dubai hires you and activates your licence within the year your pass is valid.
You also need a Good Standing Certificate from the nursing council of the country where you last worked, issued no more than 6 months before you apply. For Kerala nurses, see our Kerala Nursing Council page.
Applying under the wrong title
GNM, post-basic BSc and BSc can lead to different titles. Check yours before you book.
Waiting too long after the pass
Your eligibility letter lasts 1 year. Start Dataflow and your job search early.
A name that does not match your passport
Your name in Sheryan must match your passport. Fees are not refunded for a name mismatch.
Frequently asked questions
Can a BSc nurse fresher take the DHA exam?
Yes. Under the Unified PQR, a registered nurse with a bachelor's degree in nursing of at least 3 years needs no experience after qualifying to apply.
Can a GNM nurse write the DHA exam as a registered nurse?
The PQR does not name GNM. It lists a nursing diploma of at least 18 months under assistant nurse, and a bachelor's degree of at least 3 years under registered nurse. DHA decides your title from your documents, so we check yours before you apply. In our cases, GNM nurses are usually designated Assistant Nurse.
My GNM college is on the INC withdrawal list. Can I still apply?
In our experience, no: the university has to be accepted by the UGC, and state council recognition alone is not enough. Send us your certificates and we check your case before you apply.
Is a distance (IGNOU) post-basic BSc accepted?
No. In our experience, distance education is not accepted. A post-basic BSc is accepted when it was a regular course from a UGC-approved university.
How many questions are in the DHA exam for nurses?
150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours for most titles, including registration and the introduction.
What is the DHA passing score for nurses?
50% for a registered nurse, under the DHA exam guideline updated in September 2026. DHA can change it without notice and shows only pass or fail.
How long is the DHA eligibility letter valid for nurses?
1 year from the exam result. Within that year a licensed facility in Dubai has to hire you and activate your licence.
I failed the DHA exam 3 times. Can I try MOH or HAAD?
The UAE rules allow 3 attempts across DHA, DOH (HAAD) and MOH. One last attempt may be granted with a different authority. After a third DHA fail you cannot apply to DHA for 2 years. In our cases, after the last failed attempt the options are to change the authority or to wait 2 years.
When do I get my DHA exam result?
DHA releases it on Sheryan as pass or fail. In our cases, it shows the next day.
Should I do Dataflow before or after the DHA exam?
Either order works for DHA: you can take the exam first and then Dataflow, or complete Dataflow first and then the exam. Dataflow verifies your degree, registration and experience at their source, and it is needed for your licence.
Is there online coaching for the DHA nursing exam?
Yes. Our DHA coaching is online: a 45-day programme with recorded classes, 3 to 4 live sessions a week, the Trueway app and more than 1,500 practice questions.
