DHA Exam: Eligibility, Pattern, Pass Marks and Booking
The DHA exam of the Dubai Health Authority explained: who can take it, 150 questions in 3 hours, pass scores by profession, attempts, validity, and the steps from Sheryan to a licence.
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The DHA exam is the Dubai Health Authority's licensing exam, taken at Prometric centres. Most titles have 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours. Pass scores run from 45% to 70% by title (60% for a GP or pharmacist, 50% for a registered nurse). You get 3 attempts, and a pass is valid for 1 year.
The DHA exam is the licensing exam of the Dubai Health Authority. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and allied health professionals take it to be licensed to work in Dubai. This guide explains who can sit it, what the exam looks like, the pass scores, the attempts, and the steps from your Sheryan account to a licence.
For your own profession, read the DHA exam guide for nurses or the DHA exam guide for pharmacists. Preparing for the exam? See our DHA exam coaching, or let us book your DHA exam.
What is the DHA exam?
The DHA exam is the professional assessment of the Dubai Health Authority. It is a computer-based test of multiple-choice questions for your own professional title, held at Prometric test centres, which is why many people call it the "DHA Prometric exam". Some titles also have an oral assessment.
Passing it gives you a DHA registration certificate, which people often call the eligibility letter. It is not yet a licence to practise: a licensed healthcare facility in Dubai activates it into a licence when it hires you.
Dubai has its own exam. Abu Dhabi has the DOH (HAAD) exam, and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has the MOH exam. All three follow the same qualification rules, the Unified PQR.
Who can take the DHA exam?
Eligibility depends on your professional title. The Unified PQR sets the qualification and the experience for each title. These are some of the most common:
| Title | Qualification | Experience after qualifying |
|---|---|---|
| General practitioner | MBBS or equivalent, with a 12-month internship | 2 years |
| General dentist | BDS or equivalent, with a 12-month internship | 2 years |
| Registered nurse | Bachelor's degree in nursing of at least 3 years full-time | Not required |
| Assistant nurse | Nursing diploma of at least 18 months | Not required |
| Physiotherapist | BSc in physiotherapy or physical therapy | 2 years |
| Medical laboratory technologist | BSc in medical laboratory science or technology | Not required |
Pharmacists, specialists and the other allied titles have their own rows in the PQR. Not sure which title your degree fits? Send us your certificates on WhatsApp and we check your category before you apply.
DHA exam pattern and pass scores
The DHA exam guideline (updated September 2026) sets the format:
- Most titles: 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours. The time includes registration and the introduction.
- Consultants: 100 questions in 3 hours.
- Some allied and complementary titles: 100 questions in 2 hours.
- Language: English.
The pass score depends on the title:
| Title | Pass score |
|---|---|
| General practitioner | 60% |
| Registered nurse | 50% |
| Pharmacist | 60% |
| General dentist | 60% |
| Physiotherapist | 50% |
| Radiographer | 55% |
| Consultant | 70% |
Across all titles the pass scores range from 45% to 70%. DHA shows your result as pass or fail and does not share your score.
Attempts and validity
- Attempts: 3 in total. There is no waiting time between attempts.
- After a third fail: you cannot apply to DHA again for 2 years.
- Across the UAE: the PQR allows 3 attempts across DHA, DOH and MOH. One last attempt may be granted with a different authority.
- Validity of a pass: 1 year from the result. Within that year, a facility in Dubai has to hire you and activate your licence.
From Sheryan to licence: the steps
Create your Sheryan account
Sheryan is DHA's online licensing system. You apply for your professional title there and upload your documents.
Get your eligibility ID
Sheryan gives you an eligibility ID, which you need to book the exam.
Book the exam with Prometric
You book a slot with your eligibility ID. Your name must match your passport exactly. We can book the DHA exam for you.
Sit the exam
Arrive early with your valid passport. The result is uploaded to Sheryan as pass or fail.
Primary source verification (Dataflow)
DHA has your degree, licence and experience verified at their source. See DHA Dataflow.
Licence activation
A licensed facility in Dubai that hires you activates your registration into a licence.
In our cases, the order is: the Sheryan account first; then Dataflow or the exam, in either order; then the eligibility process, which gives you the eligibility certificate (the registration certificate). After that you find a job, and finally your employer's HR activates your professional licence.
You also need a Good Standing Certificate from the regulator of the country where you last worked. The PQR asks for one issued no more than 6 months before your application. Read more in our Good Standing Certificate guide for the UAE.
A gap in your practice
If you have not practised for more than 2 years, the PQR asks for continuing education credits and a period of supervised training before you are licensed. The longer the gap, the more credits and training. Non-UAE nationals cannot apply after a gap of more than 5 years.
A career break after marriage or a baby counts as a gap too. Tell us your dates and we check what DHA will ask for before you apply.
DHA exam fee
DHA lists the exam fee for each title in its exam guideline. You pay it when you book with Prometric, and it is non-refundable. Fees can change, so we confirm the current fee for your title on WhatsApp before you book. Our coaching fee is separate and is also confirmed before you start.
Booking and rescheduling
- Book with your eligibility ID through Prometric, or let us book it for you.
- To change the date, reschedule at least 5 calendar days before the exam. Prometric charges a fee for this.
- If your name in Sheryan does not match your passport, contact DHA at least 5 days before the exam. Fees are not refunded for a name mismatch.
How to prepare for the DHA exam
The questions follow your own professional title, so prepare for your title, not for "the DHA exam" in general. Our DHA exam coaching is a 45-day online programme: recorded classes, 3 to 4 live sessions a week with a tutor, the course material in the Trueway app and more than 1,500 practice questions.
Booking before your title is clear
A degree can fit more than one title, for example registered nurse or assistant nurse. Check your title first: the exam follows it.
An old Good Standing Certificate
The PQR asks for a certificate no more than 6 months old when you apply.
Letting the pass expire
A pass is valid for 1 year. Plan your Dataflow and job search inside that year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the full form of DHA?
DHA stands for Dubai Health Authority, the government health regulator of Dubai. The DHA exam is its licensing exam for healthcare professionals.
How many questions are in the DHA exam?
For most titles, 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours. Consultants get 100 questions in 3 hours, and some allied and complementary titles 100 questions in 2 hours.
What is the pass mark for the DHA exam?
It depends on your title: 60% for a general practitioner, a pharmacist or a general dentist, 50% for a registered nurse or a physiotherapist, 55% for a radiographer and 70% for a consultant. DHA can change these without notice.
How many times can I take the DHA exam?
Three times in total. After a third fail you cannot apply to DHA for 2 years. Under the UAE rules, one last attempt may be granted with a different authority. In our cases, after the last failed attempt the options are to change the authority or to wait 2 years.
How long is the DHA eligibility letter valid?
A pass is valid for 1 year from the result. A licensed facility in Dubai has to hire you and activate your licence within that time.
Is the DHA exam the same as the Prometric exam?
Prometric is the company that runs the test centres. The DHA exam is held at Prometric centres, so people call it the DHA Prometric exam. Other authorities also use Prometric, each with its own exam.
When do I get my DHA exam result?
DHA releases it on Sheryan as pass or fail; the test centre does not show it. In our cases, the result shows on Sheryan the next day.
Where can I take the DHA exam in Kerala?
At the Prometric centre in Trivandrum: Prometric Testing Pvt Ltd, 7th Floor, K.E.K Tower, Thiruvananthapuram 695010. This is the Prometric centre our candidates in Kerala use.
Why was my DHA eligibility rejected after I passed and my Dataflow was positive?
A pass and a positive Dataflow report each confirm only part of the requirements, not eligibility for the title you chose. In our experience, the common reasons are: not enough qualifying experience, a qualification that does not meet DHA's PQR, the wrong category or specialty, a Dataflow report that is not linked or is incomplete, a missing or outdated licence or Good Standing Certificate, a gap in clinical practice, or details that do not match across the application.
My name or passport number is wrong on the exam eligibility. What do I do?
Contact DHA, which issued the eligibility, and Prometric straight away, before the exam date. Check your first and last names, passport number, date of birth and eligibility details against your passport, and send a passport copy for the correction. Prometric usually cannot change the record by itself: DHA may need to amend or reissue the eligibility. Do not sit the exam until the correction is confirmed, or you may be refused entry and lose the fee.
Do I need a job offer to take the DHA exam?
No. You can sit the exam without a job offer. A facility in Dubai has to hire you to activate your licence after you pass.
Can I study for the DHA exam online?
Yes. Our DHA coaching is online: recorded classes, live sessions every week and more than 1,500 practice questions, so you can join from anywhere in India or the Gulf.
