Please see the statement below that was released on March 7, 2025, from the College of Optometrists of Ontario,
New!
At the March 7, 2025 meeting, Council approved a motion to cease approving the NBEO exam as of March 7, 2025. Accordingly, the College will no longer accept NBEO exam results after March 7, 2025, for registration purposes unless candidates had registered for Part I, Part II, or Part III PEPS by March 7, 2025.
Candidates who had already registered for a part of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) exam by March 7, 2025, will be permitted to continue registering for the other parts of the NBEO exam and their NBEO exam scores will be recognized by the College.
The College accepts the following entry-to-practice exams:
- the Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) written exam and OSCE; or
- National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) Exam. In order to be accepted for registration in Ontario, all three parts of the NBEO examination (Part I ABS, Part II PAM, TMOD, and Part III CSE or PEPS) must have been successfully challenged after January 18, 2019, and at least one part has been registered for by March 7, 2025. Passing the TMOD component in Part II is required for registration in Ontario.
The College will also accept the Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry (CACO) from applicants who challenged the exam in the past.