FAQs about applying for exams

You can apply for the CASC exam via the link for the online application form on the College website. When the application period opens, the link is published on our Applying for your exam page.

Details of the application window are included on the website within the Exam dates section.

Sponsorship must cover the dates of the CASC. If your sponsorship is withdrawn before the CASC, you'll be ineligible to take the exam.

The College reserves the right to verify the details of an applicant’s sponsor. If you can't verify your sponsorship, your application to take the CASC will be refused and the College reserves the right to take appropriate action.

Once your sponsor has authorised your application, you will receive a confirmation email from examinations@rcpsych.ac.uk and you will be asked to complete your application and proceed to payment.

When you apply for your exam there is an option for you to enter the reasonable adjustments you require. As part of the quality assurance process the exams team will look at the request. If this is your first exam they will contact you directly to request additional information as part of the regulations.

We accept scans or pictures of documents. Should the original document not be in English, the applicant is responsible for providing a certified and attested English translation in addition to the original.

Yes, we are moving to three diets a year from 2023.

The default option for sitting Papers A and B is at a test centre.  As was the case pre-pandemic, some travel may be required.  Please contact the examinations unit via email should you have significant difficulties in accessing a slot for this.

The default option for sitting Papers A and B is at a test centre. As was the case pre-pandemic, some travel may be required. Please contact the examinations unit via email should you have significant difficulties in accessing a slot for this.

We encourage all candidates to sit their exams in test centres. This reduces the likelihood of any technical issues and it avoids candidates having their exam annulled as a result of not adhering to the strict invigilation rules in place for online exams. The strict invigilation rules also mean that candidates cannot use a pen and paper to make notes and can only use the onscreen scratch pad and calculator.

In exceptional circumstances candidates may be permitted to sit the exam online – for example those who are unable to sit the exam due to government guidelines regarding the pandemic or accessibility issues in test centres.

Please be aware that if you request an online slot availability is limited and you may not be allocated an online slot for the diet you have applied for.

Not wanting to take the exam online will not be considered a valid reason for extending the validity period, as the exam is available to take.

In most circumstances, yes. Please email examinations@rcpsych.ac.uk to apply for an extension.

There is a limit of six attempts per exam, once you have passed your first written paper. Please note the six attempt rule only starts once you have passed your first exam.

Once you've passed your first written paper – whether that is Paper A or B – you have 1,643 days from the date the results are published to complete all remaining parts of MRCPsych. If you haven't completed all parts within the 1,643 days, you'll need to re-sit all parts to pass. Please note your validity period does not restart each time you pass a written exam – it starts from the publication of the results of your first successful exam. There is a limit of 6 attempts per exam. There are various circumstances under which you may be granted an extension, for instance, if you took maternity leave or worked part-time.

Detailed information on these rules, and how to apply for an extension and make an appeal, is provided in section 1:6 of the exams eligibility criteria and regulations. To apply for an extension please contact the exams team via email.

Details of the latest exam fees are included on the website in the applying for your exams section.

You can submit payments to the College by Visa or MasterCard, credit or debit cards. The exam application form includes full details on submitting payment and entering your card details.

Following a change in the tax case law, trainees who sat the exams should be able to claim tax back. The College recommends that candidates keep all Netbanx and College confirmations for rebate purposes.

If you've lost your Netbanx or College confirmation form, please email examinations@rcpsych.ac.uk.

Full details on the College refund policy is included in Section 5 of our exam regulations.

Once you have booked for an exam the NetBanx receipt is instant. College confirmation will take 24 hours or more once the payment has been processed by the Finance department.

If you are located outside the UK and payment is being refused please contact your card provider and ask them to release the funds, they may have a security check in place as you are making a large payment overseas.