A structured online study programme to help deck officers pass the two SQA written examinations required for the UK MCA Chief Mate Certificate of Competency.
Chief Mate Written Exam Preparation is a structured study programme designed to help candidates pass the two SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) written examinations required for the UK MCA Chief Mate Certificate of Competency (CoC). It is not itself a certification course — it is targeted exam coaching for a mandatory step in the MCA licensing process. The examinations are set by the MCA and administered by the SQA on the MCA's behalf.
The two SQA exams at Chief Mate level cover Navigation — passage planning, chartwork, tides, position fixing, bridge procedures, emergency situations, and international navigation requirements — and Stability and Structure — ship stability principles (GM, righting arms, curves of statical stability), damage stability, loading and discharging operations, and structural considerations. The Stability exam carries 200 marks with a pass mark of 120; both exams require an overall 60% pass. Formula sheets are provided. Exams must be passed within three years before the CoC is issued.
The regulatory basis is STCW 2010 Regulation II/2, which mandates minimum competency standards for Masters and Chief Mates on ships of 500 GT or more. Onboard Maritime's online offering delivers both subjects via self-paced study with 12 months of unlimited access to materials, supplemented by weekly live webinars for each subject, delivered by expert maritime tutors. Online delivery makes the programme accessible to candidates who are still serving at sea.
The Chief Mate Written Exam Preparation course sits at a critical junction in the MCA deck officer licensing route. Passing both SQA exams — combined with the required sea service, ancillary courses, and the MCA oral examination — leads directly to the Chief Mate Certificate of Competency (Unlimited), which is itself the final prerequisite for progressing to Master (Unlimited).
The Chief Mate CoC issued by the MCA is valid for five years (per MSN 1856 and the STCW Convention). Revalidation before expiry requires evidence of 12 months seagoing service within the last five years, or at least three months in the previous six months, along with revalidation of ancillary and safety courses (fire-fighting, personal survival techniques, proficiency in survival craft, fast rescue boats, and advanced fire-fighting). Applications are made to the MCA Revalidation team via form MSF 4201. The SQA written examinations do not need to be retaken on revalidation — they are a one-time requirement for the initial CoC.
Only confirmed providers with verified course listings are shown. Contact Onboard Maritime directly at info@onboardmaritime.com or +44 (0) 344 090 3004 for current pricing, start dates, and availability.