Knowing exactly how the day runs takes some stress out of the Optometry Admission Test. The schedule and rules below come from the OAT 2026 Candidate Guide.
Arrival
You must report to the testing center at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. The guide warns that arriving too late can mean being refused admission and losing your full testing fee.
Related: What to Expect on the OAT: Format, Scoring, and How to Prepare
The official schedule
- Tutorial (optional): 15 minutes
- Survey of the Natural Sciences: 90 minutes
- Reading Comprehension: 60 minutes
- Scheduled break (optional): 30 minutes
- Physics: 50 minutes
- Quantitative Reasoning: 45 minutes
- Post-test survey (optional): 15 minutes
The total administration time is 5 hours and 5 minutes, including the optional parts.
The one scheduled break
The optional break comes after the first two test sections, and it's the only scheduled break. If you take it, the test resumes automatically after 30 minutes, so be back in your seat in time.
Any other break is an unscheduled break, and the rules are strict. You may not access personal belongings or prohibited items, study or look at notes, use a phone, eat or drink from your locker, or leave the test center. Locker access is prohibited during unscheduled breaks.
During the test
- Questions appear one at a time on screen.
- If there's a lag while a question loads, the timer pauses, so loading time doesn't count against you.
- A periodic table is available during General Chemistry, and an on-screen calculator during Quantitative Reasoning.
- No personal items are allowed in the secure testing area.
After the test
When your session ends, you'll usually receive an unofficial score report at the test center showing your scale scores. OAT scores range from 200 to 400 in 10-point increments. The unofficial report is subject to audit, and official scores go to the schools you selected.
Plan your energy
The heaviest science section comes first, and Physics and Quantitative Reasoning come after the break. Eat and hydrate during the scheduled break. It's your only chance to use your locker.