The DHA Exam is the licensing test set by the Dubai Health Authority for any doctor, nurse, pharmacist, dentist, or allied health professional who wants to practice legally in Dubai. It’s a computer-based test delivered through Prometric testing centers, and passing it is one of the last steps standing between you and a medical career in the UAE.
If you’re planning to apply, the process can feel like a maze at first: DataFlow verification, a Sheryan account, an exam booking, then a license activation that only happens once an employer hires you. This guide walks through every part of it, using the DHA’s own published requirements alongside what other applicants have gone through recently.
What Exactly Is the DHA Exam?
The Dubai Health Authority was established in 2007 to regulate healthcare across the emirate. One of its main jobs is making sure every professional who treats patients in Dubai actually meets the qualification standards the DHA sets for that role. The exam is how it checks.
Depending on your specialty, the test is either a computer-based exam (CBT), taken at a Prometric center, or an oral assessment for certain categories. Most physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and allied health professionals go through the CBT route. The exam itself is specialty-specific – a general practitioner, a radiographer, and a registered nurse aren’t answering the same questions. Each profession has its own blueprint covering the clinical knowledge the DHA expects at that level.
Passing isn’t the finish line, either. It gets you an eligibility letter, not a license. The actual DHA license only gets issued once a Dubai healthcare facility hires you and activates it on your behalf.
Who Needs to Take the DHA Exam?
Any healthcare professional applying for a new DHA registration typically needs to sit the exam, unless they qualify for an exemption (some senior specialists and professionals coming through mutual recognition agreements are assessed differently). Categories that commonly go through this route include:
- Physicians and specialist doctors
- Dentists
- Registered nurses and midwives
- Pharmacists
- Radiographers, lab technicians, and other allied health roles
- Physiotherapists and occupational therapists
Each category has its own exam code, question count, and passing threshold, so the experience genuinely differs depending on what you do.
Table of Contents
DHA Exam Eligibility Requirements
Before you can even book the exam, the DHA needs to confirm you meet its baseline requirements. These vary a little by profession, but the core structure looks like this:
| Requirement | Details |
| Educational qualification | Must match the DHA’s Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) for your category |
| Work experience | Generally 2 years post-qualification for general practitioners and most allied health roles; 3 years for specialists |
| Professional license | A valid license from your home country or last place of employment |
| Good Standing Certificate | Issued within the last 6 months |
| Primary Source Verification | Completed through DataFlow before or alongside your exam booking |
A few things trip people up here. Internship or house job years usually don’t count toward your experience requirement – only time worked after you’re fully qualified does. And if any single document is missing, the DHA doesn’t just skip it; you’re expected to upload a justification letter explaining why, or your application stalls.
The DHA’s official Self-Assessment Tool, available through the Sheryan portal, is the fastest way to check where you personally stand before spending money on DataFlow or exam fees.
DHA Exam Syllabus and Format
The syllabus is built around what a competent professional in your category is expected to know on day one of practice in Dubai – it’s not designed to test niche or rarely-used knowledge. For physicians and specialists, that generally means core clinical topics: diagnosis, management, pharmacology, emergency care, and ethics relevant to the specialty. Nurses are tested on fundamentals, patient safety, adult and maternal-child care, and unit management. Allied health categories are tested on the technical and clinical skills specific to that role.
Question counts and timing vary by category. Many exams run somewhere between 70 and 150 multiple-choice questions, with a time limit of around 90 to 165 minutes depending on the specialty. The exact number of questions, topic weightings, and time allowed for your specific profession are published on the DHA’s Mode of Exam per Specialty page, and it’s worth checking that directly rather than relying on secondhand numbers, since these details do get revised.
The DHA does not publicly release an exact passing score for every category, and Prometric has been explicit that it does not sell or endorse any third-party practice content claiming to be “official.” That doesn’t mean preparation doesn’t matter – it just means the smart approach is structured study aligned to the published exam blueprint, not memorizing leaked question banks from unverified sources.
How to Apply for the DHA Exam: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Run the Self-Assessment. Before anything else, use the DHA’s Self-Assessment Tool on the Sheryan portal to confirm you meet the eligibility bar for your category.
Step 2: Create your Sheryan account. Sheryan is the DHA’s official online licensing platform. Every application – registration, exam booking, license activation – happens through this one portal.
Step 3: Submit documents for DataFlow verification. This is Primary Source Verification, where DataFlow confirms your degree, license, and experience directly with the institutions that issued them. It typically takes several weeks, and you can run this step in parallel with scheduling your exam rather than waiting for it to finish first.
Step 4: Pay the fees and book your exam. Once your documents are in order, you pay the required fees on Sheryan and schedule your exam through Prometric, choosing a test center and date that works for you.
Step 5: Sit the exam. Arrive early, bring your passport and exam confirmation, and follow the test center’s identification procedures – Prometric’s biometric requirements mean you’ll need fingerprint verification in most countries.
Step 6: Receive your eligibility letter. A pass unlocks an eligibility letter on your Sheryan account. This isn’t a license yet – it’s what you use to apply for jobs at Dubai healthcare facilities.
Step 7: Get hired and activate your license. Once a facility offers you a position, they submit the paperwork to activate your DHA license, along with your malpractice insurance and labor card. This part of the process is handled by the employer, not by you directly.
DHA Exam Fees: What to Budget For
Costs are spread across several stages rather than one single payment, and the exact figures can shift, so treat these as planning estimates and confirm the current numbers on Sheryan before you pay anything.
| Stage | Approximate Cost |
| DataFlow verification | USD 160–210 |
| DHA registration/credentialing fee | Around AED 200, plus applicable Knowledge and Innovation fees |
| Prometric exam fee | USD 140–190 per attempt |
| License issuance fee | AED 400–4,000 depending on your professional category |
Two things worth knowing before you start budgeting. First, you get a maximum of three attempts across authorities to pass – if you fail beyond that, your application can be rejected outright, so it pays to prepare properly rather than treat the first attempt as a trial run. Second, Prometric and the DHA operate a strict no-refund policy. Rescheduling has some flexibility under specific conditions, but a missed exam or a change of heart won’t get your money back.
DHA Exam Result and Score Validity
Results on Prometric-administered exams are generally reported as pass or fail rather than a numeric score you can see. Once you pass, your eligibility letter becomes visible on your Sheryan account, and that’s your proof for job applications.
There’s some inconsistency across sources about exactly how long a passing result and the resulting license stay valid – some sources cite one year before renewal, others cite two. Rather than repeat a number that might be outdated by the time you read this, the reliable move is to check the current validity period directly on your Sheryan dashboard once you’ve registered, since the DHA does update these terms from time to time. What’s consistent across sources is that you generally shouldn’t leave a long gap without active practice in Dubai, since an extended break can affect your standing and may require retesting.
DHA License Requirements: Getting From Eligibility to Practice
Passing the exam gets you registered in the Dubai Medical Registry, but it doesn’t put you on a hospital floor. To actually get your DHA license, a few more pieces need to fall into place.
You need a job offer from a licensed Dubai healthcare facility first. Once that’s secured, the employer submits your job offer and malpractice insurance details through Sheryan. The DHA’s Health Regulation Department reviews this, and if everything checks out, a task appears in your account to pay the license issuance fee – unless you fall under a specific exemption policy. After payment, you typically visit the Health Regulation Department in person to collect your license within a couple of days.
Depending on your professional category, the DHA may also require an oral assessment before final registration is approved, particularly for specialist positions.
DHA vs. MOH vs. DOH: Why the Difference Matters
This trips up a lot of applicants, so it’s worth being direct about it. DHA licenses are valid for practicing in Dubai Emirate only. DOH (formerly HAAD) covers Abu Dhabi. MOH covers the Northern Emirates. These are three separate regulatory bodies, and a license from one does not automatically let you work under another – you’d need a formal endorsement process to move between them.
If your job offer is specifically in Dubai, the DHA exam is the one that matters to you. If you’re unsure which emirate your target employer falls under, it’s worth confirming before you invest time and money into the wrong application track.
Getting Ready: How to Actually Prepare
Since the DHA syllabus is specialty-specific and Prometric has been clear that no outside company sells “official” content, the most reliable prep strategy combines structured study of the published exam blueprint with realistic practice under timed conditions. That’s the gap most self-study candidates struggle to close on their own – not because the material is impossible, but because it’s hard to gauge your own readiness without something to benchmark against.
This is exactly where a structured prep course and a solid MCQ bank make a real difference, especially if you’re studying while working full-time or juggling the DataFlow process at the same time. Working through timed practice questions built around your specific category, rather than a generic question set, is usually what separates a first-attempt pass from a costly second try.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DHA exam the same as the DHA license?
No. Passing the exam gets you an eligibility letter and entry into the Dubai Medical Registry. The actual license only gets activated once a Dubai healthcare facility hires you and submits your job offer and insurance details through Sheryan.
What is the DHA exam syllabus based on?
It’s built around the clinical knowledge and skills the DHA expects from a competent professional in your category, published as a Mode of Exam per Specialty document covering topics, question counts, and duration for each profession.
How much are the DHA exam fees in total?
Costs vary by category but generally include DataFlow verification (around USD 160–210), a DHA registration fee, the Prometric exam fee (roughly USD 140–190), and a license issuance fee once you’re hired. Always confirm current figures on Sheryan before paying.
How do I check the official DHA exam website?
All official applications go through the Sheryan portal at services.dha.gov.ae. Exam scheduling itself happens through Prometric’s official DHA page. Avoid any third-party site claiming to sell official DHA content – Prometric has publicly warned against these.
Can I apply for the DHA exam without work experience?
Generally no. Most categories require at least two years of post-qualification experience, with internship or house job time typically excluded. Specialists usually need three years post-specialization.
How many attempts do I get for the DHA exam?
You’re allowed a maximum of three attempts across authorities. Failing to meet document or passing requirements within those attempts can result in your application being rejected.
What happens after I pass the DHA exam?
You receive an eligibility letter through Sheryan, which you then use to apply for jobs at Dubai healthcare facilities. Your employer activates your actual license once you’re hired. You can prepare for this using Rahat Health Care Consultancy And Training Center’s DHA Preparation Course.
Final Thoughts
The DHA exam process has a lot of moving parts, but none of them are actually complicated on their own; they just need to happen in the right order and with the right documents ready at each stage. Start with the self-assessment, get your DataFlow verification moving early since it takes the longest, and give yourself real preparation time against the actual exam blueprint for your category rather than guessing at what might come up.
About the Author
This guide was written by the team at Rahat Health Care Professionals Consultancy & Training Center, led by founder Rahat Zaman, a medical licensing consultant since 2018 with hands-on experience guiding healthcare professionals through DHA, MOH, DOH, and wider Gulf licensing processes. Our team has supported over 21000 healthcare professionals through DataFlow verification, exam registration, and license activation across the UAE and internationally.
Last updated: July 2026
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