The FRCEM SBA exam runs twice yearly — typically in March and November — delivered at Pearson VUE test centres worldwide. The FRCEM OSCE is held in London, usually in June and December. Registration windows open several months before each sitting and close well in advance of the exam date. Always confirm current dates directly on the official RCEM website before making any travel or study commitments.

One of the most avoidable reasons candidates underperform in the FRCEM is poor timing. Not clinical knowledge, not preparation quality — timing. Missing a registration deadline by a week means waiting another six months. Starting revision too late because you assumed the exam was further away than it was. Booking the OSCE before passing the SBA without understanding how the sequencing works.

Getting the FRCEM exam dates right is the foundation everything else is built on. This guide covers what you need to know about the exam schedule, how to plan your preparation around it, and how to avoid the most common timing mistakes candidates make every cycle.

How the FRCEM Exam Structure Works

Before diving into dates, it's worth being clear on what you're actually scheduling.

The FRCEM Fellowship comprises two separate assessments that can be sat in any order, though most candidates tackle the SBA first:

FRCEM SBA — A written examination consisting of 180 Single Best Answer questions across two papers, each two hours long. All questions are mapped to the 12 Specialty Learning Outcomes of the 2021 RCEM curriculum. It's delivered at Pearson VUE centres worldwide, making it accessible to international candidates.

FRCEM OSCE — Sixteen eight-minute clinical stations held in London, assessing practical skills, communication, clinical decision-making, and professional behaviour under pressure. One resuscitation station is now mandatory to pass, regardless of overall score — a change introduced in late 2025.

Both assessments are independent. Failing one doesn't affect your ability to sit the other, and there's no requirement to complete them in a specific order, though the SBA's international availability tends to make it the natural first sitting for candidates outside the UK.

FRCEM Exam Dates 2026: What to Expect

RCEM typically runs the SBA twice per year, with sitting windows in spring and autumn. The OSCE follows similar biannual scheduling, with sessions held in London during the summer and winter periods.

While RCEM confirms exact dates on a rolling basis and candidates should always verify through the official rcem.ac.uk website, the general pattern for 2026 follows the established schedule:

SBA Spring Sitting: Exam window typically falls in March, with registration opening in January and closing in late January or early February. Results are usually released within four to six weeks of the exam window closing.

SBA Autumn Sitting: Exam window typically falls in November, with registration opening in late summer and closing in September. Results follow a similar four-to-six-week timeline.

OSCE Summer Sitting: Held in London, typically across several days in June. Registration for this sitting usually opens around March or April and closes approximately six to eight weeks before the exam.

OSCE Winter Sitting: Held in London, typically in December. Registration generally opens in September with a closing date in October.

The key principle with all of these: registration closes significantly earlier than the exam date itself. Candidates who miss the registration window — often by only a few days — face a six-month wait for the next available sitting. This is one of the most common and most frustrating avoidable setbacks in FRCEM preparation.

How Far in Advance Should You Start Preparing?

The exam dates don't just tell you when to sit — they should dictate when you start.

For the SBA, most candidates who pass on their first attempt begin structured preparation four to six months before their sitting. That timeline allows for:

• Early SLO mapping and topic prioritisation
• Daily question practice building from 25–40 questions to 60–100 in the final weeks
• At least five full 180-question timed mock exams before the sitting date
• A dedicated revision period in the final two weeks focused on previously incorrect questions

For the OSCE, preparation looks different — less about content volume and more about clinical communication, station technique, and repeated practice under observation. Most candidates begin OSCE-specific preparation eight to twelve weeks before their sitting, though familiarity with the SLO content from SBA preparation provides a strong foundation.

Planning Around Registration Deadlines

Registration deadlines are the dates that actually need to go in your calendar — not the exam dates themselves. The gap between registration close and exam window is typically six to ten weeks, which means your commitment to a sitting happens well before you walk into the test centre.

A practical planning approach:

• Identify your target sitting date based on where you are in preparation
• Count back from the registration deadline — not the exam date — to set your preparation start point
• Set a calendar reminder two weeks before the registration deadline closes, not the day it closes
• Confirm your Pearson VUE centre availability for SBA sittings early, as popular centres can fill up in the weeks after registration opens

For international candidates, the SBA's availability through Pearson VUE globally makes centre selection more flexible, but popular locations in major cities still book out. The sooner you register after the window opens, the more choice you have in exam centre, date, and time slot.

The SBA and OSCE Sequencing Decision

Candidates often ask whether to sit the SBA or OSCE first. Officially, there's no required order — you can sit either assessment in any sequence and combine passes from different sittings toward the full Fellowship.

In practice, most candidates sit the SBA first for two reasons. First, the SBA is accessible worldwide, making it easier to schedule around clinical commitments without requiring travel to London. Second, the SLO-based curriculum knowledge built during SBA preparation creates a strong content foundation that supports OSCE performance — particularly for clinical reasoning stations.

That said, some candidates — particularly those currently training in London or who have strong clinical communication skills they want to convert to a pass quickly — choose to sit the OSCE first. Neither approach is wrong, but the decision should be deliberate rather than based on whichever exam happens to have the nearest available date.

Keeping Up With Date Changes

RCEM occasionally adjusts exam windows, registration deadlines, or venue arrangements. These changes are communicated through the official RCEM website and member communications, which is another practical reason to maintain an active RCEM membership — members receive direct communication about schedule updates before they're widely publicised.

The most reliable source of current FRCEM exam dates is always rcem.ac.uk. Third-party resources — including this article — can provide useful context and planning frameworks, but should never be the primary source for registration deadlines or sitting dates.

How StudyFRCEM Fits Into Your Timeline

Once your exam dates are confirmed and your preparation window is clear, the quality of your revision resource becomes the most important variable. StudyFRCEM (studyfrcem.co.uk) is built specifically for the current FRCEM SBA curriculum — 1,800+ SLO-mapped practice questions, timed mock exams in the real exam format, and detailed explanations covering all four answer options for every question.

The performance dashboard tracks your progress across all 12 SLOs over time, making it straightforward to identify which areas need attention in the weeks before your sitting date. A free demo is available without commitment, which is worth exploring early in your preparation window rather than after you've already booked your exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does the FRCEM SBA run each year?
The FRCEM SBA typically runs twice per year — once in spring (usually March) and once in autumn (usually November) — with candidates sitting at Pearson VUE centres worldwide during each window.

Can I sit the FRCEM OSCE outside London?
No. The FRCEM OSCE is held exclusively in London. International candidates need to factor in travel and accommodation when planning their OSCE sitting, which is an additional reason many choose to sit the SBA first.

What happens if I miss the FRCEM registration deadline?
Missing the registration window means waiting for the next available sitting, which is typically six months away. There are no late registration options once the deadline closes.

How long after the exam are FRCEM SBA results released?
Results are typically released four to six weeks after the exam window closes. RCEM communicates the expected results date at the time of registration.

Do I need to pass the SBA before sitting the OSCE?
No — the two assessments can be sat in any order. However, most candidates choose to sit the SBA first given its worldwide availability and the content foundation it builds for OSCE preparation.