MRCP(UK) - Frequently Asked Questions
Application:How will I know if my application form has arrived at the College?
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.
In order to alter any record of a candidate name, original or authorised copies of certificates need to be submitted.
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.
Please refer to the withdrawal guidelines.
All address change requests must be submitted in writing to your Administration Office.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Yes, written papers are identical and the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) is standardised worldwide.
Part 1, Part 2 Written, and PACES Examination dates are published up to one year in advance on this website.
As all parts of the MRCP(UK) Diploma are conducted in English, the Royal Colleges of Physicians advise candidates that in order to be sufficiently prepared to sit the MRCP(UK) Diploma, their English language ability should be equivalent to IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Level 7 in each module.
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:
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?
Eligibility for stage 2 of the MRCP(UK) Examination, that is Part 2 Written and PACES, is dependent on the diet in which a candidate passes their Part 1 Written Examination. For example if you passed the Part 1 Written Examination in the diet 2010/1 your eligibility will expire in the diet 2017/1. After this diet you will be required to sit the Part 1 examination again. Please refer to new
GMC policy change regarding the limit on attempts a candidate will have at each part of the MRCP(UK) examination.
Fees and payment:
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.
Cheques for exam fees should be made payable to the Royal College of Physicians.
No. Candidates who withdraw or are absent from an exam session have to reapply at the next session and provide a new payment.
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:
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.
No, this is not necessary.
Please refer to the curriculum:
Specialty Training Curriculum for General Internal Medicine (GIM)
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.
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).
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.
What ID can I bring to the exam?
As per the MRCP(UK) Regulations no candidate will be allowed into an MRCP(UK) Examination without appropriate ID from 1 January 2013.
The aim of enforcing this is to ensure that a candidate attending the exam is who they say they are – thus preventing identity fraud at the exam.
Primary acceptable ID:
- Current valid passport (containing photograph and signature)
- Full or provisional photo-card driving licence
- EEA Member State identity photo-card
- National identity photo-card for non- EEA foreign nationals
- Identity card issued by the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland
Secondary acceptable ID (Please note two forms of secondary ID will need to be shown together eg. NHS card with a debit card. At least one of these MUST CONTAIN a photograph):
- Certified/attested copy of passport or driving licence*
- Valid credit or debit card
- NHS card
- Paper driving licence
- Valid student card with picture
* These documents must be accompanied by an official stamp or letter from the issuing organisation in order to qualify as an acceptable form of ID. Self-made photo copies will not be accepted alone.
Additional forms of ID will be considered providing all candidates contact us well in advance of an examination. If you have any queries surrounding the validity of your ID please email us at IDqueries@mrcpuk.org
For more information on the policy please see section 11.2.4 of the
MRCP(UK) Regulations.
When is a candidate categorised as not having appropriate ID?
A candidate is considered as not having appropriate ID when they don’t bring in any ID or it’s not on the list of acceptable ID listed below.