The DHA exam is a computer-based licensing test run by Prometric on behalf of Dubai Health Authority. Every doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, and allied health professional must pass it, along with completing DataFlow verification, before they can legally practice in Dubai. It’s typically 100–150 questions, takes around 2–3 hours, and requires a passing score generally between 55% and 70% depending on your profession.

Everything below answers the specific questions people actually search before, during, and after this process.

What Is the DHA Exam?

The DHA exam is a mandatory computer-based test (CBT) that verifies a healthcare professional’s clinical knowledge before Dubai Health Authority issues them a professional license. It’s delivered through Prometric, an independent testing provider, at test centers worldwide, so you don’t need to travel to Dubai to sit it.

Who Needs to Take the DHA Exam?

Anyone planning to work as a licensed healthcare professional anywhere in the Emirate of Dubai (excluding Dubai Healthcare City, which has its own separate DHCR licensing system) needs to pass the DHA exam. This includes general practitioners, specialists, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, radiographers, and lab technicians.

What Are the DHA Exam Eligibility Requirements?

Eligibility is set by DHA’s Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), and it varies by profession, but the general pattern looks like this:

• Age: at least 18 years old
• Education: a recognized degree or diploma in your healthcare field from an accredited institution, such as MBBS/MD for physicians, BDS for dentists, a nursing degree or diploma for nurses, and the relevant professional qualification for pharmacists and allied health roles
• Experience: typically two years post-internship for general practitioners, three years post-specialization for specialists, and a shorter or waived requirement for nurses and allied health professionals depending on when they graduated

A 2025 PQR update also allows some newly graduated registered nurses to apply without the traditional two-year experience requirement, which is worth checking if you graduated recently.

Before applying, use the free Self-Assessment Tool on the Sheryan portal to confirm you meet the requirements for your specific category. This step costs nothing and saves you from paying fees on an application that isn’t eligible yet.

How Many Questions Are on the DHA Exam, and How Long Does It Take?

Most DHA exams contain 100 to 150 multiple-choice questions, and you’re typically given somewhere around 165 to 170 minutes to complete them, roughly a minute per question. The exact count and time allowance depend on your profession and category.

What Score Do I Need to Pass the DHA Exam?

The passing score generally falls between 55% and 70%, depending on the specific profession and title. There’s no universal published number that applies to every category, and DHA doesn’t release detailed score breakdowns publicly, so treat any specific percentage you see for your profession as a general estimate rather than an official guarantee, and confirm your exact requirement through Sheryan.

There’s no negative marking, so answering every question, even ones you’re unsure about, only helps your score. Leaving a question blank guarantees you lose those marks; guessing gives you a chance at them.

How Do I Register for the DHA Exam?

1. Run the Self-Assessment on Sheryan. Confirm your eligibility before paying anything. 2. Create your Sheryan account and submit your application. Upload the required documents and pay the application fee online. Cash and bank transfers aren’t accepted. 3. Complete DataFlow Primary Source Verification. DataFlow Group contacts your university, licensing body, and former employers directly to confirm your documents are genuine. This step is mandatory and can’t be skipped or shortcut. 4. Receive your DHA Reference Number. Once DataFlow verification is approved, you’ll get this number, which you use to proceed with exam booking. 5. Book your exam through Prometric. Choose a test center and date that works for you from Prometric’s global network. 6. Sit the exam and receive your result. Results are uploaded to Sheryan, usually within about two working days, occasionally extending to three to five days during busier periods.

What Documents Do I Need for the DHA Exam Application?

• Passport copy and passport-size photograph
• Educational qualification certificate and transcript
• Professional license or registration from your current or most recent country of practice
• Experience certificates matching your required clinical experience
• Good Standing Certificate, valid within six months of issue

How Much Does the DHA Exam Actually Cost?

Budget for several separate fees rather than one flat number:

Add these together and most candidates land somewhere between AED 2,200 and AED 3,500 or more for the full journey from application to an activated license, depending on how many documents need verification and your specific profession.

Do I Get My Result Immediately?

No, results aren’t shown on-screen at the test center. They’re uploaded to your Sheryan account, under “Verifications and CBT Assessments,” typically within two working days, sometimes taking three to five. You’ll only see a Pass or Fail outcome; DHA doesn’t disclose your actual numeric score.

What Happens After I Pass the DHA Exam?

Passing the exam gets you an eligibility letter, valid for one year, but this is not the same as a license. You still need a job offer from a DHA-licensed employer, who then initiates license activation on your behalf, covering your employment contract, malpractice insurance, and the activation fee. Until that activation happens, your eligibility letter simply holds your place; it doesn’t authorize you to practice on its own.

What Happens If I Fail the DHA Exam?

You get up to three attempts. If you fail all three, DHA typically requires additional qualifications or training before you can reapply, and in some cases a waiting period applies before a further attempt is possible. Most candidates who fail their first attempt pass on the second, usually after extending preparation by four to six weeks, increasing practice question volume, and focusing more heavily on clinical reasoning rather than pure recall.

Can I Apply for the DHA Exam From Outside the UAE?

Yes. Most candidates complete the entire process, including Sheryan registration, DataFlow verification, and the Prometric exam itself, while still in their home country, and only relocate to Dubai once they have a confirmed job offer and their license is being activated. There’s no requirement to be physically present in the UAE for any stage before license activation.

What Are the Most Common Reasons a DHA Application Gets Delayed or Rejected?

Most delays trace back to a handful of avoidable issues rather than genuine ineligibility:

• Name or date mismatches across your passport, degree, and experience certificates
• An expired Good Standing Certificate: it’s only valid for six months from issue, not from when you submit it
• Incomplete or low-quality document scans, which get flagged and sent back
• Unresponsive former employers or universities during DataFlow’s verification stage, which is outside your control but can be helped along with a direct follow-up from you
• Applying under the wrong professional category, which affects both your PQR eligibility check and your DataFlow authority selection

Catching these before submission, rather than after a rejection, is almost always faster than correcting them mid-process.

How Should I Prepare for the DHA Exam Itself?

The exam uses scenario-based clinical questions rather than pure recall, so preparation that mirrors that format tends to work better than memorizing textbook facts in isolation. A few patterns that consistently help candidates on their first attempt:

• Build a structured study schedule with weekly targets rather than cramming close to your exam date
• Practice daily with multiple-choice questions, starting with a smaller volume early on and increasing closer to your exam
• Run timed mock exams regularly to build comfort with the roughly one-minute-per-question pace
• Focus study time on high-yield clinical topics for your specific profession rather than spreading effort evenly across every possible subject
• If you fail on your first attempt, extending preparation by four to six weeks and shifting focus toward clinical reasoning over recall is what most second-attempt passes have in common

Is There a Difference Between My DHA Eligibility Letter and My DHA License?

Yes, and this distinction trips up more candidates than almost anything else in the process. Passing the exam gets you an eligibility letter, proof that you’ve cleared the clinical knowledge requirement, but it isn’t a license and doesn’t authorize you to practice. Your license only becomes active once a DHA-licensed employer offers you a position and initiates activation, covering your contract, malpractice insurance, and the activation fee. Many candidates pass the exam a full year before they’re actually employed and licensed, which is fine, since the eligibility letter holds that status for twelve months. Just don’t assume passing the exam alone means you’re cleared to start working.

Can I Reschedule or Cancel My Exam?

Yes, through Prometric, though a rescheduling fee typically applies, commonly in the USD 80-100 range depending on how much notice you give. Once you’ve sat the exam, however, the fee itself is non-refundable under any circumstances, so confirm your document readiness and DataFlow status before booking a slot.

Is There a Fixed DHA Exam Date I Need to Wait For?

No. Unlike a university entrance exam with an annual calendar, the DHA exam runs continuously through Prometric’s global test center network. Once your DataFlow verification is complete and you have your DHA Reference Number, you can book a slot that fits your schedule rather than waiting for a fixed date.

How Is the DHA Exam Different From the MOH or DOH Exam?

They test similar clinical knowledge domains and all rely on DataFlow verification beforehand, but each is authority-specific: a DHA license only lets you practice in Dubai (excluding DHCC), an MOH license covers the Northern Emirates, and a DOH license covers Abu Dhabi. Passing one exam doesn’t automatically qualify you for another authority’s license, though DataFlow reports completed for one authority can sometimes be referenced, not automatically transferred, when applying to another. See our DataFlow process guide for how that works in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to travel to Dubai to take the DHA exam? No. The exam runs through Prometric’s test centers worldwide, so you can sit it from your home country before relocating.

Is the DHA exam the same for every profession? No. Question count, time allowance, and passing score all vary by profession and title, though the overall CBT format and registration process are shared across categories.

Can I skip DataFlow verification if I’ve already been verified for another GCC authority? Not automatically. A prior report can sometimes be referenced to speed up or reduce the cost of a new verification, but DHA still applies its own review, so confirm your specific case rather than assuming it transfers in full.

How long is my DHA eligibility letter valid after I pass? One year. You need a job offer and license activation within that window, or you may need to revisit your eligibility status.

Does a low DataFlow document count reduce my costs? Yes, since DataFlow’s fee scales with the number of documents verified, so a candidate with a single steady employer generally pays less than one with multiple job changes or additional qualifications.