If you have received confirmation from the courier company/post office that your package has been received, you must not contact the Administrative Office as this will result in delays in processing. Acknowledgment emails will be sent once your application is complete. If your application is incomplete, an email is also sent explaining what you need to do to complete the application. 

My name appears incorrectly in your records. How can I change this?

In order to alter any record of a candidate name, original or authorised copies of certificates need to be submitted.

If I have already submitted my passport to the Home Office or another body, what other form of identification (ID) can I use on the day of the Examination?

Any form of ID having both a signature and a recent photograph is accepted. In cases where candidates cannot provide a single form of ID with both a signature and a photograph, two separate pieces of ID each containing the above can also be accepted.

Admission documents are posted approximately two to three weeks before the exam date.

What if I do not receive my acknowledgement letter or admission document?

Your acknowledgement letters and admission documents will also be emailed to you. If you do not receive a hard copy you can use the emailed version as proof of your entry to the exam. If you have not received the email please check first that your inbox has not treated our email confirmation as spam and that you have given us the correct email address.  

I want to withdraw from the MRCP(UK) Examination. What should I do? Will I get a refund? If so, how long will it take?

Please refer to the withdrawal guidelines.

I have moved house, how can I change my address?

All address change requests must be submitted in writing to your Administration Office.

How can I transfer to another examination centre?

Candidates need to advise their Administrative Office in writing, outlining the reasons for the transfer request. Please note that the Administrative Offices cannot guarantee that any transfer request will be processed as these are subject to centre availability and time within the application processing cycle.

The deadline for transfer requests is two weeks after the closing date for applications.

I have submitted my original certificates or authorised copies to you. How will you return them to me and how long will it take?

Original certificates are sent back by recorded delivery (UK addresses) and registered post (overseas addresses). Authorised copies are sent back by first class post (UK addresses) and airmail (overseas addresses) within one to two weeks of receiving them.

What happens if my application is incomplete?

It is each candidate’s responsibility to ensure that applications are completed as soon as possible. The MRCP(UK) Central Office will contact candidates to advise them of any outstanding information and will provide a deadline for receipt. Candidates will be allocated a provisional exam place in the meantime, but applications will be rejected if the outstanding information is not received by the deadline. Candidates whose applications are incomplete because the full exam fee has not been received must pay this in order to sit any future MRCP(UK) Examinations, even if they subsequently withdraw or are absent from the exam.

Overseas application:

How should I submit my application to a centre outside the UK?

For the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2 Written Examinations, candidates can apply online to all centres outside of the UK apart from Bahrain, Hong Kong and Singapore, which can only accept paper applications. Candidates should refer to the overseas centres pages for further information.

The Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) is not available online and has different procedures, as described on the PACES Overseas Centre page.

I am not a citizen or a resident of the country where the MRCP(UK) is being held. Can I apply to take the Examination there?

For the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2 Written Examinations, candidates can apply online or via paper application for any exam centre, but they must ensure that they can travel to the centre and obtain any necessary visas as refunds cannot be given on this basis. The exceptions to this rule are applications for the Hong Kong and Singapore centres. These centres have restricted entry quotas and applications must be sent direct to the local organisers. Please refer to the Overseas Centres page for further information.

Entry to the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) is restricted to candidates based within the country of the exam and the surrounding areas. Further information can be found in the MRCP(UK) Examination Regulations. 

Is the MRCP(UK) Examination taken at centres outside the UK the same as the one taken in the UK?

Yes, written papers are identical and the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) is standardised worldwide.

How can I find out when and where any of the MRCP(UK) Examinations are being held overseas?

Part 1, Part 2 Written, and PACES Examination dates are published up to one year in advance on this website.  

Are there any English language requirements for taking the MRCP(UK) examinations - do candidates need to have taken IELTS or PLAB?

Candidates do not need to have taken IELTS, the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test, or any other language examination, to sit the MRCP(UK) Diploma. The MRCP(UK) Diploma cannot be used as demonstrating competency in the English language, for which PLAB is necessary before doctors can obtain Limited Registration with the GMC. Full details about the PLAB test are available on the GMC website.

Results:

Are MRCP(UK) results published online?

Yes.  Results are available to all candidates with an My MRCP(UK) account. To find out your result log in to your My MRCP(UK) account, go to the Exam History page and then select the date of the application relating to the exam result you wish to view.

The date when the results are released online are posted on the Latest News section of the website.

In addition to receiving your results online you will also receive a results letter through the post.

Eligibility:

I do not know when my stage 2 eligibility period expires. What should I do?

Fees and payment:

How much are the fees for the MRCP(UK) Examination?

Fees are published on the exam calendar (available from all three Colleges) and are revised annually. Up-to-date information on fees can be found on this website in the following locations: Part 1 Fees; Part 2 Written Fees; PACES Fees.

How are the fees set?

The process for setting MRCP(UK) exam fees starts in July of the previous year (eg. July 2012 for fees running from January to December 2013). All the economic and political factors are taken into consideration at the July MRCP(UK) Management Board. Over the past few years it has been agreed that increases should be based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July which is published in August.

There follows a period of consultation with trainees. The fees are then formally set at the September MRCP(UK) Management Board and published in October.

Who do I make cheques payable to?

Cheques for exam fees should be made payable to the Royal College of Physicians.

Can exam fees be deferred from one exam session to the next?

No. Candidates who withdraw or are absent from an exam session have to reapply at the next session and provide a new payment.

Can I pay with UK postal orders?

Postal orders are accepted as a valid payment for the MRCP(UK) Examinations. Please ensure that you write your name and RCP code number on the back of the postal orders.

Exam preparation:

Do candidates need to be registered with the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom?

No, this is not necessary. However, registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) is required by doctors intending to work in the UK. Prospective candidates who intend to obtain training in a hospital post, whether paid or unpaid, must therefore register with the GMC.

Do candidates need to have passed the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Test?

No, this is not necessary.

Is there a syllabus for the Membership Examination?

Please refer to the curriculum:

  Specialty Training Curriculum for General Internal Medicine (GIM)

Is there a reading list for the MRCP(UK) Examination?

No. Candidates should prepare for the Examination by gaining clinical experience in hospital posts involving the care of emergency medical patients, whether adults or children, and by studying up-to-date postgraduate clinical textbooks and current medical journals.

For more information on preparation for the Examination, advice on registration, clinical attachment, availability and suitability of courses and careers guidance please contact NHS Careers.  

Are there any qualifications that exempt me from any part of the MRCP(UK)?

From 2010 the Royal Colleges of Physicians no longer offers the exemption route to any part of the MRCP(UK) Examination.

Any candidate who was granted exemption from Part 1 prior to 2010 may continue to attempt the Part 2 Written and Clinical examinations until they complete the MRCP(UK) Diploma or their period of eligibility to sit the examinations expires (the 7-year eligibility period starts from the date the exempting qualification was awarded).

Is there a Paediatrics option within the MRCP(UK) Examination?

No. Candidates interested in the MRCPCH Examination (Member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) should contact the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.