Which Gulf licensing exam is easiest?

By the ProMCQ Editorial Team

We did not find official pass-rate data that can rank all eight Gulf boards. Choose the board for your job location and qualifications. Then prepare for its paper.

Facts last verified 5 October 2026. Updated 6 October 2026.

What Bahrain’s figures show

NHRA’s Annual Report 2022 gives pass and fail counts for each group. We worked out each pass rate: passes divided by passes plus fails, rounded to 1 decimal place.

The report does not say whether each result is from a different person. It does not separate first attempts from retakes. These figures cover 1 year at 1 board. GP has 152 outcomes; general dentistry has 68. A few results can change a small group’s rate a lot.

Saudi reports compare universities

Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) shows pass rates and mean scores for each university. Its 2025 nursing report covers June 2022 to May 2025. It counts attempts, not people. The reports do not give a pass rate for the whole board or for people who trained abroad.

Pass marks do not rank difficulty

A lower pass mark does not prove a paper is easier. The questions and score scales differ. Use the pass marks and formats to check your paper.

The 56% figure in DHA’s April 2022 MRCGP International feedback is from a postgraduate exam in family medicine. It is not the pass rate for the DHA licence exam.

Choose the board your job needs

Check which board your employer needs and that you meet its rules before paying. In Sharjah, ask whether the facility uses MOHAP or SHA. The UAE authority comparison explains that choice.

Our preparation advice: practise full-length papers for your board. Longer papers need practice at keeping your pace. That is study advice, not a ranking of difficulty.