Healthcare professional reviewing the DHA exam passing score and cut-off marks for 2025 on a laptop with medical documents.

DHA Exam Passing Score & Cut-Off Marks (2025 Updated)

Understanding the DHA exam passing score, DHA cut-off marks, and the DHA minimum score required for your profession is one of the most important steps when preparing for the Dubai Health Authority licensing. Every year, thousands of healthcare professionals attempt the DHA exam, but only those who clearly understand the scoring system and qualifying benchmarks succeed on their first attempt.

This updated 2025 guide explains the passing score for each profession, how DHA calculates scores, whether there is negative marking, what to do if you score below the pass mark, and how the cut-off changes every year.

Importance of Knowing the DHA Passing Score

Knowing the official DHA passing score helps you set realistic preparation targets, understand how the exam is evaluated, and focus on meeting the minimum required score instead of guessing during exam preparation. When candidates have a clear benchmark, they can track mock test results effectively, plan revision strategies, and avoid unnecessary stress on exam day.

Overview of the Official DHA Scoring System

The DHA exam is computer-based and MCQ-based, and scores are calculated using a scaled scoring system. Although the exact scoring algorithm is not publicly disclosed, candidates receive a Pass or Fail result based on their performance relative to the required competency level for their profession. DHA employs a psychometric analysis model to ensure fairness, which means that the difficulty level of questions influences the final score, rather than simply counting correct answers.

Minimum Passing Marks for Different Professions (Updated 2025)

The DHA minimum score varies depending on the healthcare profession because each role requires a different level of clinical expertise. Below are the most updated passing mark ranges for 2025.

Doctors – General Practitioners & Specialists

Passing Score Range: 60% – 65%

Doctors typically face more advanced clinical MCQs, and DHA expects a higher accuracy rate to ensure patient safety and professional competence.

Nurses: RN, PN, Midwives

Passing Score Range: 55% – 60%

Nursing exams focus heavily on patient care, safety, basic procedures, and scenario-based problem-solving, so the score requirement is slightly lower than doctors.

Pharmacists

Passing Score Range: 55% – 60%

Pharmacy candidates must demonstrate strong knowledge of drug mechanisms, interactions, dispensing rules, and UAE pharmacy law.

Allied Health Professionals

Includes: Physiotherapists, Lab Technicians, Radiographers, Dieticians, OT, Dentists & more.

Passing Score Range: 50% – 60%

The passing score is different depending on specialization or complexity of clinical responsibility.

Is There Negative Marking in the DHA Exam?

No, the DHA exam does not have negative marking, which means candidates should attempt all questions. Since there is no penalty for incorrect answers, guessing educated options increases your chances of scoring above the DHA minimum score.

Difference Between Pass Mark and Cut-Off Mark

Although used interchangeably, passing score and cut-off mark are slightly different.

The passing score is the minimum score you must achieve to officially qualify.

The cut-off mark refers to the benchmark DHA sets after evaluating exam difficulty and candidate performance, meaning it may change slightly year to year.

You have to meet or exceed both to receive the “Pass” result.

What Happens If You Score Just Below the Passing Mark?

If you fall slightly below the required DHA passing score, your result will unfortunately show Fail, and you must retake the exam. DHA does not offer grace marks or score rounding. However, you can analyse your score report, identify weak areas, and prepare for a retake with a targeted study plan to increase your chances of success.

Retake Policy & Score Improvement Tips

DHA does permit multiple attempts, but with certain restrictions:

You are allowed to retake the exam after a gap of 45 days.
After three failed attempts, additional training or a gap is required, depending on your profession.
You must rebook through the Sheryan portal and pay the exam fee again.

Tips to Improve Your Score in the Next Attempt

Analyse your score report: Identify weak domains like pharmacology, procedures, or case interpretation.
Use updated DHA exam MCQs: Focus on scenario-based questions—these make up the majority of the exam.
Strengthen clinical concepts rather than memorisation of facts.
Practice time management: Many candidates fail because they cannot complete the exam on time.
Attempt all questions as there is no negative marking.

Consistent practice and structured revision drastically improve your chance of meeting the DHA cut-off marks on the next attempt.

Factors That May Vary DHA Cut-Off Every Year

The DHA cut-off marks are not always fixed and may vary yearly due to several reasons:

Difficulty Level of the Exam

If the exam questions are harder in a particular year, the cut-off may slightly decrease to balance overall performance.

Number of Candidates Appearing

A higher number of candidates can lead to competitive benchmarking, potentially raising the cut-off.

Shifts in Standards of Care

DHA updates competency requirements regularly to match global medical guidelines, sometimes affecting the expected passing level.

Profession-Specific Demand

If certain specialities are in short supply (e.g., nursing, radiology), DHA may adjust cut-off expectations.

Psychometric Scoring Adjustments

Score normalisation ensures fairness, but it may cause minor fluctuations in the final pass threshold.

Understanding these factors helps candidates prepare with realistic expectations and avoid unnecessary confusion when results are published.

Conclusion

The DHA exam passing score, DHA cut-off marks, and DHA minimum score requirements are essential for every healthcare professional planning to work in Dubai. While the passing range varies between 50% and 65% depending on your profession, the key to success lies in understanding the exam pattern, practising quality MCQs, improving weak areas, and attempting every question confidently since the DHA exam has no negative marking. With correct preparation and a clear understanding of the scoring system, you can successfully clear the exam and move one step closer to your healthcare career in the UAE.