FRCEM exam dates 2026 full calendar

TL;DR: There are two FRCEM SBA diets in 2026 (20 May and 7 October, both delivered worldwide via Surpass test centres) and two FRCEM OSCE diets (6–19 May and 30 November–11 December, both London). The dates you actually need to set alarms for aren’t the exam days — they’re the application windows, which open at 10:00 UK time and slam shut exactly seven days later at 16:00 UK time, with no late entries. Miss that window and you’re waiting six months for the next diet.

What are the 2026 FRCEM exam dates at a glance?

Here’s every RCEM exam in 2026 on one screen — the table to screenshot and pin above your desk. Every date below is verified against the RCEM exam calendar as of 30 May 2026.

For what to expect on results day, see our RCEM exam results release timeline.

All application windows open at 10:00 UK time and close at 16:00 UK time on the dates shown. The RCEM portal does not accept late submissions and does not extend windows for clinical commitments, IT failures, or annual leave.

For more on this, see our guide to MRCEM Primary exam dates 2026.

When is the FRCEM SBA in 2026?

The FRCEM SBA runs in two diets in 2026: 20 May 2026 and 7 October 2026. Both are delivered through Surpass Assessment test centres worldwide as a single-day computer-based exam — 180 single best answer questions split across two 2-hour papers, four hours of testing time in total.

You may see it called the “FRCEM Final SBA”, “the written”, or — if you trained on legacy materials — “the SAQ” (its pre-August 2021 name). It is the same exam.

When do FRCEM SBA applications open and close in 2026?

For the May 2026 SBA diet, the application window opens at 10:00 UK on 18 February 2026 and closes at 16:00 UK on 25 February 2026. For the October 2026 diet, the window opens at 10:00 UK on 1 July 2026 and closes at 16:00 UK on 8 July 2026.

For more on this, see our guide to MRCEM OSCE exam dates 2026.

Both windows are exactly seven days. The RCEM portal applies a hard cut-off — applications time out at 16:00:01 UK time on the closing day. Plan to submit on day one, not day seven.

When are the FRCEM SBA 2026 results released?

The May 2026 SBA results are released on 24 June 2026 and the October 2026 results on 11 November 2026 — both by 17:00 UK time, downloadable from your candidate portal on rcem.ac.uk. RCEM never releases results by phone, email, or text. That’s a five-week turnaround from exam day to results in May, and around five weeks again in November.

When is the FRCEM OSCE in 2026?

The FRCEM OSCE runs twice in 2026, both diets in London: 6–19 May 2026 and 30 November–11 December 2026. The OSCE consists of 16 stations of 8 minutes each, with 1 minute reading time and two rest stations — total candidate time on the day is around 2 hours 42 minutes. Your specific sitting date within the diet window is allocated to you after application approval; you do not get to choose.

There is no overseas FRCEM OSCE — only MRCEM OSCE runs internationally. If you are sitting FRCEM OSCE in 2026, you are travelling to London.

How does FRCEM OSCE oversubscription work?

If demand exceeds capacity for a diet, RCEM allocates places in this strict priority order: GMC-approved UK ST6 trainees first, then Irish ASTEM 4 trainees, then NHS hospital doctors, then candidates closest to their 7-year currency expiry. If you are an ST6 in a UK training programme applying on time, you will get a place. If you are a non-trainee NHS doctor or close to currency expiry, apply for the earliest diet you are eligible for rather than hoping for the November sitting.

When are the FRCEM OSCE 2026 results released?

The May 2026 OSCE results land on 30 June 2026 (around six weeks after the diet closes) and the November/December 2026 results on 26 January 2027 (around six to seven weeks after the diet closes). Marking requires that you pass at least one resuscitation station AND achieve the overall borderline-regression pass mark — failing every resus station fails the exam even if your overall score clears the bar.

For more on this, see our guide to FRCEM SBA fees 2026.

When are the MRCEM Primary, SBA, and OSCE dates in 2026?

The MRCEM components in 2026 run as follows: two MRCEM Primary diets (April and October), two MRCEM SBA diets (January and September), and six MRCEM OSCE diets across London, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Malaysia.

MRCEM Primary 2026 dates

MRCEM Primary is the theory paper — 180 SBAs in a single 3-hour sitting at a Surpass test centre worldwide. It tests basic sciences and is the first exam in the MRCEM/FRCEM pathway. The legacy name “FRCEM Primary” (from before the 2016 restructure) refers to the same exam.

Eligibility is straightforward: a GMC-accepted primary medical qualification (PMQ) and current medical registration (provisional or full) somewhere in the world.

MRCEM SBA (Intermediate SBA / Part B) 2026 dates

The MRCEM SBA — sometimes called “Intermediate SBA” or “Part B” — is 180 SBAs across two 2-hour papers in one day, again at Surpass test centres.

Eligibility: PMQ, full GMC registration with a licence to practise, at least 2 years of post-PMQ clinical experience, and a pass in MRCEM Primary. If you sat the January 2026 SBA and heard about a delivery issue with the results on 24 February 2026, that was a publicly-reported technical problem with the initial release — results were re-issued and the 26 February date is the verified release.

MRCEM OSCE 2026 dates

The MRCEM OSCE has six diets in 2026 across four countries. Note that the international diets carry significantly higher fees due to venue and logistics costs.

Eligibility: PMQ, full GMC registration, at least 6 months of full-time-equivalent EM experience post-Foundation, and passes in BOTH MRCEM Primary and MRCEM SBA. The oversubscription order favours UK ST3 trainees first, then Irish CSTEM 3, then NHS hospital doctors, with currency-expiry candidates prioritised at the tail.

What are the FRCEM and MRCEM exam fees in 2026?

Theory exams (MRCEM Primary, MRCEM SBA, FRCEM SBA) all cost the same in 2026: £429 for UK members, £485 for international members, £525 for UK non-members, and £609 for international non-members. OSCE fees vary by location.

Two cost traps to know about:

RCEM membership must be paid at least 24 hours before the application window opens. If you renew or join on the same morning the window opens, your account will still show non-member status when you submit and you’ll be charged the higher rate with no retrospective refund. Pay it the week before.

International candidates may have country-of-residence VAT or GST added on top of the listed fee. RCEM lists the headline figure in pounds sterling; your local tax authority may add 5–20% depending on jurisdiction. Budget accordingly.

What’s the application process and when do windows open?

Applying for an RCEM exam in 2026 is a two-step process: you apply via RCEM, your eligibility is reviewed, and only then — if approved (and for OSCEs, if you’ve been allocated a slot) — do you book your specific test centre or sitting date via Surpass Assessment. You cannot book a date direct with Surpass without RCEM approval first.

The hard rule that catches people out: application windows open at exactly 10:00 UK time and close at exactly 16:00 UK time, seven days later. No exceptions. The RCEM portal has rejected applications submitted at 16:00:30 because the candidate hit “submit” thirty seconds late. There is no appeals process for missed windows — you wait for the next diet.

Three things to do as soon as the window opens:

1. Log in early and check your portal profile — outdated GMC number, lapsed registration, or unpaid membership will block your submission.
2. Upload supporting evidence in PDF — file size limits apply and image-format uploads sometimes fail silently.
3. Submit, then check the confirmation email arrives within an hour. No email means no submission.

You can sign up for RCEM exam reminders by enabling notifications in your portal account on rcem.ac.uk. RCEM also publishes the full calendar at rcem.ac.uk/exam-calendar-fees/ — bookmark it and check monthly for any operational updates.

What if I miss the deadline or can’t sit on the day?

If you miss the application deadline, you cannot sit that diet — full stop. If you’ve already applied and need to defer or cancel, RCEM’s cancellation policy (covering exams booked from 11 December 2025 onwards) breaks down like this:

OSCE candidates do not have a deferral option — once you’ve been allocated a place, you can only sit it or cancel it. If you cancel an OSCE within 30 days, RCEM requires supporting evidence (medical certificate, bereavement documentation, jury service letter) for the 50% credit to be processed. No-shows lose the full fee with no credit.

The credit balance sits on your RCEM account and can be applied against your next application fee — it does not expire, but it is non-transferable and non-refundable to your bank account.

Will my FRCEM results be back before my ARCP?

For most UK HST trainees, yes — but it depends on which diet you sit and when your deanery schedules your ARCP. UK EM ARCPs typically sit between June and September, with most happening in July and August.

If your ARCP is in early July and you sit the May FRCEM OSCE, flag the pending result to your TPD in advance — most deaneries will hold the panel decision pending the 30 June release rather than recording an unsatisfactory outcome. If you’re aiming for CCT in 2026, the May diets are the only ones that work; the October/November diets feed into the 2027 ARCP cycle.

How do the 2026 FRCEM exams differ from previous years?

Three operational changes affect 2026 candidates:

Surpass Assessment replaces Pearson VUE for all theory exams from January 2026. All MRCEM Primary, MRCEM SBA, and FRCEM SBA candidates now book their test centre slot through the Surpass platform rather than the Pearson VUE network. Test centres are largely the same physical buildings, but the booking flow, the practice exam interface, and the on-the-day check-in process all changed. If you sat a theory exam before December 2025, do not assume the experience will feel familiar — work through the Surpass demo before exam day.

The cancellation policy was tightened for exams booked from 11 December 2025 onwards. The £50 admin deferral fee, the 30-day cliff edge for 50% refunds, and the no-evidence-required rule for theory cancellations are all in force for 2026. Older cancellation rules no longer apply.

The 7-year currency rule continues unchanged. You have 7 years from your first FRCEM component pass to complete the second. If you passed FRCEM SBA in mid-2019 and haven’t yet passed FRCEM OSCE, your clock runs out mid-2026 — apply for the May OSCE diet, not November.

Eligibility, exam format, attempt limits (6 per MRCEM component, 4 per FRCEM component), and the oversubscription priority order remain the same as 2024 and 2025.

FRCEM exam dates 2026 FAQ

Can I sit the FRCEM SBA before the FRCEM OSCE?

Yes — FRCEM SBA and FRCEM OSCE can be sat in either order, and many trainees sit OSCE first because the May OSCE diet falls before the May SBA. There is no RCEM rule that mandates the SBA precedes the OSCE. You do need to have passed both before you can apply for CCT, but the order doesn’t affect anything else.

How many attempts do I get at each FRCEM exam?

You get 4 attempts per FRCEM component (FRCEM SBA and FRCEM OSCE counted separately) and 6 attempts per MRCEM component (Primary, SBA, OSCE counted separately). The 7-year currency rule runs from your first FRCEM pass to your second — fail your attempts within that window and you have to restart the process. Failed attempts at MRCEM do not count against your FRCEM attempt limit.

How much does the FRCEM SBA cost in 2026?

The FRCEM SBA costs £429 for UK RCEM members, £485 for international members, £525 for UK non-members, and £609 for international non-members in 2026. Both the May and October diets cost the same. Membership must be paid at least 24 hours before the application window opens for the member rate to apply.

Where can I sit the FRCEM OSCE in 2026?

The FRCEM OSCE is only delivered in London in 2026 — both the May (6–19 May) and the November/December (30 Nov–11 Dec) diets are London-only. There is no overseas FRCEM OSCE option. If you are based abroad, you are flying to the UK for the OSCE.

Where is the FRCEM SBA delivered in 2026?

The FRCEM SBA is delivered at Surpass Assessment test centres worldwide in 2026 — you choose your specific centre when you book your slot after RCEM approves your application. Surpass replaced Pearson VUE as the delivery partner from January 2026, so the test centre network looks slightly different from previous years.

How early can I book my FRCEM exam?

You cannot book directly — you apply via the RCEM portal during the published seven-day application window, and only once RCEM has approved your eligibility can you book a specific Surpass test centre slot (or, for OSCE, be allocated a sitting date). Applications open exactly seven days before they close, at 10:00 UK time, and the earliest available window for each 2026 diet is listed in the calendar above.

What if my MRCEM is more than 7 years old — can I still sit FRCEM?

Yes — the 7-year currency clock only runs between your two FRCEM passes, not from MRCEM. An MRCEM passed in 2014 still qualifies you for FRCEM in 2026. Once you pass your first FRCEM component (SBA or OSCE), you then have 7 years to pass the second before you would need to resit the first.

Can I request reasonable adjustments for the FRCEM exams?

Yes — RCEM accepts reasonable adjustment requests for documented disabilities, specific learning differences, or temporary medical conditions. You must submit your request and supporting evidence at the time you apply, not after. Adjustments commonly granted include extra time, separate room, rest breaks, and ergonomic equipment — see the RCEM exam regulations for the full process and acceptable evidence.

Do I need RCEM membership to get the member exam fee?

Yes — you must be a paid-up RCEM member at least 24 hours before the application window opens to qualify for the member rate. The member discount on the FRCEM SBA is £96 (UK) or £124 (international); on a London OSCE it’s £109. Membership costs less than that discount, so for most candidates joining before applying pays for itself on the first exam.

When will the 2027 FRCEM dates be released?

RCEM typically publishes the following year’s exam calendar between September and November of the preceding year. Expect the 2027 calendar to appear on rcem.ac.uk/exam-calendar-fees/ by late autumn 2026. The January 2027 MRCEM SBA application window will likely open in late October 2026 even if the full 2027 calendar isn’t published until later.

What’s the difference between FRCEM Primary and MRCEM Primary?

There is no difference — they are the same exam under different names. “FRCEM Primary” is the legacy name from before the 2016 RCEM curriculum restructure; the exam was renamed MRCEM Primary when membership and fellowship pathways were separated. If you see old textbooks or revision courses advertising “FRCEM Primary”, they’re teaching what is now MRCEM Primary.

I’m an IMG — which 2026 MRCEM OSCE diet should I aim for?

As a non-UK-trainee, non-Irish IMG, you sit below UK ST3s and Irish CSTEM 3 trainees in the oversubscription order, so apply for the least-subscribed diets — typically the overseas diets (Hyderabad March, Chennai July, Malaysia September) where UK trainees are not competing for places. Be aware the overseas fees are significantly higher (£987–£1,345 vs £586–£695 in London). If you can travel to London and currency expiry is approaching, apply for the November London diet where currency-priority candidates are placed at the tail of the queue.

Facts last verified

All exam dates, application windows, results dates, and fees in this article were verified against the RCEM exam calendar and fees page on 30 May 2026. RCEM occasionally adjusts dates for operational reasons — always cross-check the official calendar before submitting your application. Cancellation policy details verified against rcem.ac.uk/exam-cancellation-policy/.

What to do next

Pick your diet from the table above, set a phone calendar reminder for 10:00 UK on the application opening date (not the closing date), and confirm your RCEM membership is paid up at least 48 hours before. Then go to bed — you’ve got this. When you’re ready to start structured exam prep, explore EM Final Exams’ question banks and mock papers built specifically for the 2026 MRCEM and FRCEM diets.

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