MRCEM OSCE exam dates 2026

TL;DR: There are six MRCEM OSCE diets in 2026 across four countries: London (19–30 Jan, 27 May–11 Jun, 3–19 Nov), Hyderabad (23–27 Mar), Chennai (20–24 Jul), and Malaysia (21–25 Sep). London diets cost £586/£695 (member/non-member); India £987/£1,186; Malaysia £1,121/£1,345. Application windows are exactly seven days, opening at 10:00 UK time and closing at 16:00 UK time — miss it and you wait until the next diet. UK ST3 trainees get priority allocation; IMGs should plan for overseas diets where competition is lower.

What are the 2026 MRCEM OSCE dates at a glance?

Six diets, four countries, one screen. 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 exactly seven days later. The RCEM portal does not accept late submissions. There is no appeals route for missed windows — you wait for the next diet.

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

What is the MRCEM OSCE and what are you actually booking?

The MRCEM OSCE is the final Membership exam in the RCEM pathway — 16 stations of 7 minutes each (including 1 minute reading time) plus two rest stations, run over a single morning or afternoon sitting. Total candidate time on the day is around 2 hours. You are tested on clinical communication, examination skills, procedural competence, teaching, and ethics across the EM curriculum.

When you apply, you are booking a diet window, not a specific date. Once RCEM approves your application and (if oversubscribed) allocates you a place, you are assigned a specific sitting day within that window. You do not pick your day. London diets typically run morning and afternoon sittings across the full window; overseas diets compress all candidates into a tighter run of consecutive days.

When are the London MRCEM OSCE diets in 2026?

London hosts three diets in 2026 — January, May/June, and November — all at the RCEM exam venue. These are the cheapest diets at £586 / £695 and the most heavily subscribed, since UK ST3 trainees and many EU/Irish candidates default to London first.

The January and May/June London diets are the most popular among UK-based trainees aiming to fit results in before the August deanery transition. The November diet historically has slightly more capacity per applicant because the September Malaysia diet has already absorbed some of the international demand.

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

When are the overseas MRCEM OSCE diets in 2026?

RCEM runs three overseas diets in 2026: Hyderabad in March, Chennai in July, and Malaysia in September. Overseas diets are open to all eligible candidates worldwide, not just regional candidates — a UK ST3 can sit Hyderabad if they want to, and an IMG based in the Middle East can sit Malaysia.

The Malaysia diet carries the highest fee of any 2026 OSCE because of venue and logistics costs. The two India diets are priced the same despite running four months apart. Travel, accommodation, and visa costs sit on top of the exam fee — a Chennai sitting from the UK with a single hotel night and economy flights typically lands around £700–£1,000 in extras, depending on lead time.

How does MRCEM OSCE oversubscription work?

When applications exceed capacity for a diet — which happens routinely for London and intermittently for overseas diets — RCEM allocates places in a strict published priority order. Knowing where you sit in this queue is more important than knowing the exam date, because it determines whether you actually get a place.

1. UK ST3 trainees in a GMC-approved Higher Specialty Training programme, applying on time.
2. Irish CSTEM 3 trainees on the ASTEM training scheme.
3. NHS hospital doctors in substantive EM posts (non-training).
4. Candidates closest to their 7-year currency expiry from MRCEM Primary or MRCEM SBA.
5. All other eligible candidates, including IMGs without UK posts.

Two practical implications:

If you are a UK ST3 applying on time, you will get a place in your preferred London diet. The system is designed around you.

If you are an IMG outside the UK without an NHS post, your realistic options are the overseas diets (Hyderabad, Chennai, Malaysia), where UK trainees are not competing in volume. London diets are theoretically open to you, but you may be allocated only if there is capacity left after groups 1–4. Plan around overseas diets first and treat any London allocation as a bonus.

For more on this, see our guide to MRCEM exam fees breakdown 2026.

What does the MRCEM OSCE cost in 2026?

OSCE fees vary by location, and the international diets are 60–130% more expensive than London. Membership status affects the price by around £100–£200 per sitting.

Two cost traps worth flagging:

RCEM membership must be paid at least 24 hours before the application window opens. If you join or renew on the same morning the window opens, your portal will still show non-member status when you submit and you will be charged the full non-member rate with no retrospective refund. Pay your membership the week before, not the night before.

International candidates may have local VAT or GST added on top. RCEM publishes fees in pounds sterling without local tax; your country of residence may add 5–20% depending on jurisdiction. Indian and Malaysian candidates should budget for an extra GST/SST line on the final invoice.

Annual RCEM membership at the trainee/affiliate rate costs less than the discount on a single OSCE sitting, so for most candidates joining before applying pays for itself on the first attempt.

How do I apply and when do windows open?

Applying for the MRCEM OSCE is a two-step process: you submit your application through the RCEM portal during the published seven-day window, your eligibility is reviewed (and your place allocated if the diet is oversubscribed), and only then are you confirmed a sitting date within the diet window.

The window discipline catches people out every diet. Applications open at exactly 10:00 UK time and close at exactly 16:00 UK time, seven days later. The 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.

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 — image formats sometimes fail silently and you discover the rejection too late.
3. Submit, then confirm the email arrives within an hour. No email means no submission — don’t assume the on-screen confirmation is enough.

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

What if I need to cancel or defer my MRCEM OSCE?

OSCE candidates do not have a deferral option — once you have been allocated a place, you can only sit it or cancel it. RCEM’s cancellation policy (covering exams booked from 11 December 2025 onwards) for OSCEs:

Credit on your RCEM account does not expire but is non-transferable and non-refundable to your bank account — it can only be applied against a future RCEM exam fee.

Because OSCE is capacity-constrained, RCEM cannot reallocate a cancelled place to another candidate at short notice. That is why the cancellation policy is stricter than for theory exams (where Surpass test centre slots are released to other candidates more easily).

Will my MRCEM OSCE results be back in time for what I need?

Results timing varies by diet. UK trainees fitting OSCE into the ARCP cycle, candidates with currency expiry pressure, and IMGs planning visa or job applications all need to back-plan from the results date, not the exam date.

The May/June London diet results land on 23 July 2026, fitting most UK August ARCPs. The November London diet results in January 2027 — too late for the 2026 ARCP cycle. If you are an HST aiming for a clean ARCP this year, the May/June diet is the only realistic London option.

What’s the eligibility for MRCEM OSCE in 2026?

You need all four of:

• A GMC-accepted Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ).
• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise (or equivalent medical council registration if applying as an IMG).
• At least 6 months of full-time-equivalent EM experience post-Foundation (or equivalent).
• A pass in both MRCEM Primary and MRCEM SBA.

The 7-year currency rule means your MRCEM Primary and MRCEM SBA passes must both still be within 7 years of the OSCE sitting date. If your MRCEM SBA pass was in March 2019 and you are aiming for the November 2026 OSCE, your currency clock runs out before the results land — apply for an earlier 2026 diet or risk having to resit Primary.

You get 6 attempts at MRCEM OSCE. Failed attempts do not affect your FRCEM attempt limit if you later progress to fellowship exams.

How does the 2026 calendar compare to 2025?

Three operational notes for candidates returning from a previous attempt:

The diet count is unchanged at six per year — three London, two India, one Malaysia — the same pattern RCEM has run since 2023. There is no Middle East diet in 2026 despite intermittent rumours; candidates based in the Gulf travel to Hyderabad or Malaysia.

The cancellation policy was tightened for exams booked from 11 December 2025 onwards. Older candidates who deferred under the previous policy may remember more flexibility; the 30-day cliff edge and evidence requirement are now standard.

The OSCE format remains 16 stations of 7 minutes with the curriculum coverage unchanged from 2024–2025. If your study materials reference 18 stations or 10 minutes per station, they predate the 2022 restructure and are out of date.

MRCEM OSCE dates 2026 FAQ

Can I apply for more than one MRCEM OSCE diet at the same time?

No. RCEM only permits one active OSCE application at a time. If you apply for the May/June London diet and your application is accepted, you cannot also apply for the July Chennai diet as a backup. If your May/June application is unsuccessful in the oversubscription draw, RCEM does not automatically roll you forward — you must apply again for the next diet during its own window.

Which MRCEM OSCE diet is least competitive in 2026?

The overseas diets — Hyderabad in March, Chennai in July, and Malaysia in September — are typically less oversubscribed than London because UK ST3 trainees default to London first. If you are an IMG without UK trainee status and your timeline allows, the March Hyderabad or July Chennai diets give the best chance of allocation. London November is also slightly easier than London January or May/June because some demand has already been absorbed by the September Malaysia diet.

How much should I budget for an overseas MRCEM OSCE in 2026?

Beyond the exam fee (£987–£1,345 depending on diet and membership), budget for return flights, three to four hotel nights (arrive at least one day early to acclimatise and confirm venue), visa fees if needed, and local transport. A Chennai sitting from a UK base typically comes in around £2,000–£2,500 all-in, and Malaysia around £2,500–£3,000. Book flights and hotels as soon as RCEM confirms your place — the exam venues are usually in city-centre hotels and OSCE-weekend rates climb fast.

Can I sit MRCEM OSCE if my MRCEM SBA was passed more than 7 years ago?

No. Both MRCEM Primary and MRCEM SBA must still be within 7-year currency at the date you sit the OSCE. If your SBA was passed in March 2019, your latest possible OSCE sitting is March 2026 — you cannot use a March 2019 SBA pass to sit the May/June 2026 OSCE. If currency has lapsed, you have to resit the expired component before applying for OSCE.

What happens if I fail one resus station in the MRCEM OSCE?

You can still pass overall. The MRCEM OSCE uses a borderline-regression pass mark across all 16 stations, with no individual station veto. Failing a single resus station will hurt your aggregate score but does not automatically fail the exam, unlike FRCEM OSCE where there is a resuscitation pass requirement. That said, resus stations carry weight — a clear fail in resus usually drags overall close to or below the pass mark.

How many attempts do I get at MRCEM OSCE?

You get 6 attempts at MRCEM OSCE, counted separately from your MRCEM Primary and MRCEM SBA attempts. Failed attempts do not roll over and do not affect your FRCEM attempt limit if you later progress to fellowship-level exams. After six failed attempts you cannot apply for MRCEM membership at all, and would need to apply for an exemption through RCEM — routinely declined.

When will the 2027 MRCEM OSCE dates be released?

RCEM typically publishes the following year’s exam calendar between September and November of the preceding year. Expect the 2027 dates to appear on rcem.ac.uk/exam-calendar-fees/ by late autumn 2026. The January 2027 London diet application window will likely open in mid-October 2026 even if the full 2027 calendar is not yet published.

Do I get to pick which day of the diet I sit?

No. RCEM allocates your specific sitting date within the diet window after your application is approved. London diets typically run morning and afternoon sittings across the full date range; overseas diets compress all candidates into a few consecutive days. You usually receive your allocated sitting date around two to three weeks before the diet begins.

Can I request reasonable adjustments for the MRCEM OSCE?

Yes. RCEM accepts reasonable adjustment requests for documented disabilities, specific learning differences, and temporary medical conditions. Submit the request and supporting evidence at the point of application, not after — retrospective adjustment requests are routinely declined. Common adjustments granted for OSCE include extra reading time per station, separate room, and ergonomic equipment.

Is the MRCEM OSCE the same as the FRCEM OSCE?

No — they are different exams at different points in the pathway. MRCEM OSCE is the final Membership exam (6 attempts, runs internationally) and is a prerequisite for entry to UK Higher Specialty Training. FRCEM OSCE is the final Fellowship exam (4 attempts, London only) sat in ST6 and is a prerequisite for CCT. The clinical curriculum overlaps but FRCEM OSCE is pitched at a higher level of decision complexity and consultant-readiness.

What if RCEM cancels my diet at short notice?

RCEM has occasionally moved or cancelled overseas diets at short notice due to venue or operational issues — most recently affecting an India diet in a previous year. If RCEM cancels your diet, you receive a full refund or a credit transferred to the next diet of your choice. Your attempt is not counted. Travel costs are not reimbursed by RCEM, so consider travel insurance with cancel-for-any-reason cover for overseas diets if your trip is non-refundable.

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 and set a phone calendar reminder for 10:00 UK on the application opening date — not the closing date. Confirm your RCEM membership is paid up at least 48 hours before. If you are aiming for an overseas diet, start scouting flights now — venues book out faster than you would think. When you are ready to start structured OSCE prep, explore EM Final Exams’ MRCEM OSCE station banks and mock circuits built specifically for the 2026 diets.

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