DHA Exam for Nurses: Complete Guide (Syllabus, Fees & Passing Score)

The DHA exam for nurses is the computer-based licensing test run by Prometric for the Dubai Health Authority, required for any nurse who wants to practise in Dubai. It tests clinical nursing knowledge at registered-nurse level, and the passing score is typically around 60 to 65 percent depending on the exact category. Nurses must pass the exam, complete DataFlow primary-source verification, and meet DHA eligibility criteria before a license is issued.

The DHA exam for nurses is the professional licensing examination set by the Dubai Health Authority, the health regulator for the emirate of Dubai. Any nurse who intends to work in a Dubai hospital, clinic, or home-care setting must hold a DHA license, and passing the DHA exam is the central step in earning one.

The exam applies to registered nurses, assistant nurses, midwives, and specialist nursing categories, with the question content matched to the applicant's declared professional title. If you already hold a license from another UAE authority, such as DOH Abu Dhabi or MOH, you may be able to transfer it to DHA instead of sitting the exam, but most first-time applicants go through the full examination route.

The test itself is a computer-based test (CBT) administered at Prometric test centers worldwide, so you can usually sit it in your home country before travelling to the UAE. Booking is done through the Prometric website after the DHA confirms your eligibility and issues an eligibility number.

The DHA exam for nurses follows a syllabus built around core clinical nursing knowledge rather than a published chapter-by-chapter textbook list. The major topic areas are medical-surgical nursing, fundamentals of nursing, pharmacology, pediatric nursing, obstetric and gynecological nursing, psychiatric and mental health nursing, community health, and nursing management and ethics.

Medical-surgical nursing typically carries the largest share of questions, covering assessment, prioritisation, and care of adult patients with common acute and chronic conditions. Fundamentals of nursing covers infection control, patient safety, documentation, and basic procedures, while pharmacology focuses on safe medication administration, dosage calculation, and recognition of common adverse effects.

Pediatric, obstetric, and psychiatric nursing questions test standard care pathways: growth and development milestones, antenatal and postnatal care, and recognition of common mental health presentations. Expect scenario-based questions throughout rather than pure recall, because the exam is designed to test clinical judgment, prioritisation, and patient-safety decision making at the bedside.

DHA periodically updates its question banks, so prepare from current nursing fundamentals and medical-surgical references rather than old recalled-question sets. Studying with NCLEX-style question banks is a common and effective approach because the clinical reasoning tested overlaps substantially, but always anchor your preparation to the nursing standards DHA expects.

The DHA exam for nurses is a multiple-choice computer-based test, usually consisting of around 100 questions to be completed within a fixed time limit, commonly about two to three hours. Each question has four options with a single best answer, and there is no negative marking, so you should answer every question even when unsure.

The passing score for the DHA exam is typically around 60 to 65 percent, though the exact cut score can vary slightly by nursing category and by the version of the exam you sit. DHA does not publish a single permanent percentage, so treat the 60 to 65 percent range as the working target and aim comfortably above it rather than at the line.

Your result is normally available within a few working days after the test, and Prometric reports it back to the DHA. If you do not pass, you can retake the exam after a waiting period, but repeated failures may trigger additional requirements, so most candidates prepare thoroughly and aim to clear it on the first attempt.

The DHA exam fee is paid to Prometric at the time of booking and is typically around a few hundred US dollars, varying by nursing category and region. Because fees are revised from time to time, check the current amount on the Prometric booking page or the DHA website before you pay, rather than relying on older figures quoted in forums.

To book, you first apply to the DHA online, submit your documents, and wait for eligibility approval. Once approved, you receive an eligibility ID that lets you schedule your test date, time, and Prometric test center through the Prometric scheduling portal. Test centers operate in dozens of countries, so most candidates can sit the exam without flying to Dubai first.

On test day, bring the government-issued photo ID that matches your booking details exactly, and arrive early because late arrivals can be refused entry and forfeit the fee. Personal items are stored in a locker, and the center provides scratch paper and a calculator where permitted for dosage-calculation questions.

To sit the DHA exam for nurses, you generally need a recognised nursing qualification, such as a diploma or bachelor's degree in nursing, plus a valid nursing license or registration from your home country. DHA also typically requires a minimum period of clinical experience, commonly around two years for registered nurses, though the exact requirement depends on your category and the country where you trained.

Your documents must include your nursing degree or diploma certificates, transcripts, your current nursing license, a certificate of good standing from your home nursing council, and a valid passport. All documents not originally in English or Arabic usually need certified translation, and copies must be clear and legible because they feed into DataFlow verification later.

DataFlow primary-source verification is a separate, mandatory step: an independent agency contacts your university and licensing body directly to confirm your credentials are genuine. Start DataFlow early, because verification can take several weeks and your DHA license cannot be issued until it completes. The DHA exam result and the DataFlow report together form the core of your license application.

Give yourself eight to twelve weeks of structured study if you are working full time, covering one major topic area per week with daily question practice. Begin with a diagnostic mock test to find your weak areas, then weight your study time toward those topics rather than re-reading subjects you already know well.

Use current medical-surgical and fundamentals nursing textbooks alongside a large question bank, and practise under timed conditions to build exam-day pacing. Aim to complete at least 1,000 to 1,500 practice questions before your test date, reviewing every wrong answer to understand the underlying concept rather than just memorising the correct option.

Pay special attention to prioritisation and delegation questions, dosage calculations, infection-control protocols, and patient-safety scenarios, because these areas are heavily represented and separate passing candidates from failing ones. In the final week, do two full-length timed mocks, review your notes lightly, and avoid cramming new material the night before the exam.

Once you pass the DHA exam for nurses and your DataFlow verification is complete, you submit the final license application to the DHA with all supporting documents. The authority reviews the file, and on approval issues your professional license, which your Dubai employer then activates with an establishment card and labor formalities.

DHA licenses must be renewed periodically, and renewal requires continuing professional development hours plus a current Basic Life Support certificate, so plan for ongoing training from the start of your Dubai career. Keep copies of every document, receipt, and reference number from the process, because employers and future license transfers will ask for them.

If you later move to another emirate, your DHA license and exam record can support a transfer application to DOH Abu Dhabi or MOH, though each authority applies its own rules. Passing the DHA exam once therefore opens doors across the UAE, not just in Dubai.

SteadStaff places qualified nurses with hospitals and healthcare employers across Dubai and the wider UAE, and we guide candidates through the DHA exam and licensing process step by step. Our team helps you understand eligibility, prepare your documents, and time your exam booking so nothing delays your start date.

If you are a nurse planning to work in Dubai, browse our current openings and submit your profile today. Visit /jobs to see live vacancies or head to /apply to start your application with SteadStaff.

Timing is everything in Dubai licensing: start your DHA eligibility and DataFlow applications before you book the exam, and the whole process stays on schedule. Share your documents through /apply and SteadStaff will sequence each step so your license is ready when your employer needs you.