MCA oral exam preparation
Master <500 GT Near-Coastal Oral Prep
- STCW II/3
- E-Learning Academy
- Twice-weekly live clinics
Your first command ticket: Master of vessels up to 500 gross tonnage on near-coastal voyages.
The oral now tests judgement as much as knowledge — this programme rehearsing both until they hold under examination pressure.
94%
First-time pass rate
Candidates who complete a full preparation programme
1,800+
Candidates coached
Deck officers prepared since the academy opened
4.9/5
Average review score
Across independent learner feedback
120+
Structured modules
Video lessons, quizzes and revision notes in the library
About this course
The Master under-500 oral marks the shift from executing the passage plan to owning it. Examiners probe command judgement — what you would do when the plan meets fog, a defective anchor windlass or a tired crew — and they expect answers that start with the safety of the vessel and end with the log.
The programme covers the STCW II/3 syllabus in full: navigation and COLREGs, passage planning and passage execution, shipboard operations, emergency response and the near-coastal legislative framework including the relevant merchant shipping notices.
Twice-weekly live clinics are where the preparation happens. Speaking your answers aloud, to a serving Master, in front of other candidates is the closest rehearsal available for the room you will sit in.
Who it’s for
Chief Officers and experienced OOWs on yachts and small commercial vessels stepping up to their first command certificate.
What you’ll be able to do
- Frame answers the way a commanding officer frames decisions
- Apply COLREGs and legislation to command-level scenarios
- Present a passage plan and defend it under questioning
- Walk into the oral with a rehearsed command narrative
What's included
Everything in the programme
One subscription covers the full academy — no tiers of content, no upsells mid-course.
43+ modules
Video lessons, quizzes and notes organised topic by topic across the full syllabus.
Twice-weekly live clinics
Rehearse answers aloud with a serving Master. Recordings available if you are at sea or in another time zone.
Mock orals & 1-to-1
Optional full rehearsal examinations and personal tutorials, booked and charged separately.
Command-scenario question bank with model answers
Downloadable revision notes and mind maps
Curated MSN and MIN reference library
Clinic recordings for candidates at sea
Enrolment
Masters Tier pricing
Subscription to the e-learning academy for the Masters tier courses. Access length is the only difference between tiers — every tier includes the full feature set.
Fast Track
1 month
£495+ VAT
Candidates with an oral date already booked
- 1 month of academy access
- Unlimited access to all features
- Twice-weekly live clinics
- Full revision library
Standard
2 months
£645+ VAT
The typical revision window after an NOE arrives
- 2 months of academy access
- Unlimited access to all features
- Twice-weekly live clinics
- Full revision library
Comprehensive
3–4 months
£765+ VAT
Candidates balancing sea leave with study
- 3–4 months of academy access
- Unlimited access to all features
- Twice-weekly live clinics
- Full revision library
- Revision planner tailored to your oral date
Extended
12 months
£950+ VAT
Long-range crew planning a year ahead
- 12 months of academy access
- Unlimited access to all features
- Twice-weekly live clinics
- Full revision library
Applies to: Master 200 / OOW 500 · Master 500 · Master 3000 · Chief Mate Unlimited · Master Unlimited
Testimonials
Candidates who sat Master 500
“The command-scenario library is worth the price on its own. The examiner took me to exactly the kind of judgement questions I had rehearsed — fog, a dragging anchor, a tired crew — and the answers were already structured in my head.”
James Okonkwo
Master, near-coastal fleet · Master 500
“The meteorology module changed how I brief my own watch. I can actually read a chart now instead of just quoting the forecast, and it showed in the oral.”
Carlos Vega
OOW, ro-ro ferry
Keep climbing
Next tickets on the ladder
Master 200 & OOW 500 Combined Prep
The combined commercial-yacht stepping stone — Master 200 GT and OOW 500 GT preparation in one structured programme.
Master 3000 GT Oral Prep
Command to 3000 GT — full master's syllabus for the large-yacht and small-ship fleet, examined through command scenarios.
Chief Mate Unlimited Oral Prep
Senior officer on unlimited tonnage — cargo, stability, legislation and bridge leadership prepared to chief mate depth.
Any further questions on Master 500?
Ask about the syllabus, your oral date or the right subscription length — we answer every enquiry personally, within one working day.