Short answer: Once the DHA confirms your eligibility, you generally book the exam through the test provider, Prometric, using the reference from your Sheryan file. You choose a centre and date, pay the fee shown on the official page and receive a confirmation. Bring the identification it names. Check official pages for fees and rules.
When you can book
You book after the authority has confirmed that you are eligible for the exam, not before. The eligibility reference from your file is what links your booking to your application. If a booking page does not recognise you, the usual cause is that your file has not reached that stage.
Requirements, fees, document rules and timelines are set by the Dubai Health Authority and its partners and can change, so treat this guide as an outline and confirm every step on the official pages.
Before you book
A few decisions are worth making in advance.
- Choose a realistic date. Count back from the date to see how many weeks of study you will have. The how long to prepare guide helps.
- Check which test centres offer the DHA exam, because not every centre does. Some candidates travel to another city or country.
- Look at your rota and ask for leave early. Do not forget the day before.
- Have your passport details ready. The booking name should match the identification you will bring.
The booking itself
In outline, you open the DHA candidate page on the test provider’s site, enter the details it asks for, select a test centre, pick an available date and time, review the policies and pay. Fees are shown on the official booking pages, and we do not quote them here because they change. After payment you receive a confirmation. Keep it, and check the name, date, time and address straight away.
Read the policies before you pay
Providers publish rules about rescheduling, cancelling and missing an appointment, and about how soon before the date changes are allowed. DHA's Assessment Manual says you can reschedule or cancel up to five calendar days before the exam, and that fees are not refundable. Read the policies. Some bookings are not refundable if you do not follow the policy. Knowing the rules before you commit helps you choose a date you can keep.
What the day looks like
You should plan to arrive 30 minutes before your appointment, as DHA's Assessment Manual says, show a valid passport that matches your registration, complete check-in steps that may include fingerprint or photo capture, and store their belongings. The test is computer-based. Personal items such as phones and notes are not allowed in the exam room. The test centre day guide and exam day checklist go through what to expect, and the phone-handover checklist covers the door.
About the format
Exam length and the number of questions vary by title and can change. DHA's guideline lists 150 questions in three hours for a Registered Nurse and General Practice, including registration time, and fewer for consultants, so rely on the official guideline for yours. Meddex uses 150 questions in three hours for its mock exams as a planning format. Practising in that shape helps with pacing, as explained in time management for long exams.
Choosing a date well
It is tempting to book the first available slot. A better approach is to choose the date you can prepare for. Count the weeks from now. Put your mocks on the calendar working backwards: the last full mock about a week before, two earlier ones at two-week intervals. Check your rota for the day itself, the day before and the day after, and request leave. If the date you want is full, look at other centres or other dates. Booking a date you cannot meet is expensive, because rescheduling rules and fees apply.
Also consider the time of day. If you work nights, a late morning slot after a proper sleep may suit you better than 8 am. If you perform best in the morning, take the early slot. Pick the time when you read most carefully.
Booking from outside the UAE
Some candidates sit the exam in their home country or another location where the provider has a centre approved for the DHA exam. Availability differs by location, and not every centre offers every exam. Look at the centre list on the official page before you make travel plans, and confirm that your chosen centre offers the exam for your title. If you must travel, build in time for a visa if required, accommodation and a day of rest before the exam.
After you receive the confirmation
The confirmation is the document that matters on the day. Check the name against your passport letter by letter, the date and time, the centre address and the arrival time. Add the date to your calendar with two reminders, one a week before and one the day before. Save the confirmation as a PDF and print a copy. Read the section on identification and on prohibited items again a few days before the exam, because it is easy to forget.
Now work backwards: you have a fixed date, so your study plan can have real milestones. If your date is more than a few months away, plan a baseline assessment now and again later, so you can see your progress.
A countdown from booking day
Once you have a date, your preparation becomes a countdown. Here is one way to arrange it, assuming about ten weeks. Weeks 10 to 7: cover each domain once, with questions and cards. Weeks 6 to 4: focus on weak areas and begin timed sets. Week 3: first full mock, with careful analysis. Week 2: second mock and repair. Week 1: light review, logistics and sleep. The ten-week plan gives more detail, and the time management guide helps with pacing.
If you have fewer weeks, shorten the early stages first and keep the mocks and the last week.
If something changes after you book
Illness, a family emergency or an unexpected shift can threaten a booking. Read the provider’s rescheduling rules as soon as you realise there may be a problem, because deadlines for free changes can be short. Contact the provider through the official channel, give the reference and state your request clearly. Keep the confirmation of any change. Do not simply fail to attend, as that may cost you the fee and delay your plans.
Practising the format before the day
Once the date is fixed, practise in the same shape as the exam. Take timed sets on a computer, not on paper, with the same tools you will have: flagging, a question list and a countdown. Practise reading long stems on a screen, which feels different from print. Take your full mocks at the time of day of your slot. If you are sitting in the morning, run a mock at that hour at least once, so that you know how your attention behaves at that time.
The test series in Meddex is built around this kind of rehearsal, with a timer and a review screen, and the analytics show where your time went.
Planning for the cost
Costs go beyond the exam fee. Think of leave, travel, accommodation if you must travel, and the possibility of a retake. Compare the costs of different centres, including the cost of getting there. If your employer supports exam fees or leave, ask about the policy in writing and what conditions apply, such as repayment if you leave soon after. Keep receipts for everything, because some costs may be reclaimable.
Results and what next
How and when results are released is set by the provider and the authority, so check what your confirmation says. If you pass, the next steps are in after you pass the DHA exam. If you do not, the plan in what to do if you fail helps you retake calmly.
Related guide
For what DHA says about dates and what it does not state, see DHA exam dates and booking windows. For where you can sit the exam from abroad, see DHA exam centres and booking from abroad.
Frequently asked questions
This article is general educational guidance, not official advice. Exam rules, fees and timelines are set by the Dubai Health Authority and the test provider and can change, so always confirm the latest details on their official channels.
Last updated .