Registered Ship Surveyor exam-day guide
Registered Ship Surveyor · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission letter and confirmed test-centre details
Print the admission or appointment confirmation your provider issued and check the address, arrival time, and any reporting instructions on it. Do not rely on a saved email on your phone. If your confirmation does not state arrival time or permitted materials, confirm with the provider.
Accepted photo identification
Bring the original, unexpired ID type your provider lists (commonly a passport or national photo ID). Check the exact name spelling matches your registration. Photocopies and expired documents are usually refused. Confirm the accepted ID types with the provider before travelling.
Approved calculator or no calculator at all
Many surveyor exams allow only a basic or specified non-programmable calculator, or none. Check the current permitted-materials list and, if a calculator is allowed, confirm the model is accepted. Bring it with fresh batteries and no case or instruction card if the rules forbid them.
Writing implements and any permitted drawing tools
Bring spares of what the provider permits, such as pens, pencils, eraser, and a small ruler. Do not bring loose notes, formula sheets, or tabbed references unless the exam is explicitly open-book. If open-book rules apply, confirm which references and how they may be tabbed or annotated.
Watch or time awareness plan
A simple non-smart wristwatch helps you pace sections if the room clock is not visible. Smart watches and phones are normally prohibited at the desk. Confirm whether a watch is allowed; some centres ban all wrist devices.
Water, snack, and medication plan
Bring water in a clear container if permitted and any necessary medication, and tell the invigilator in advance if you need to access medication. Food and drink rules vary; confirm with the provider what may be taken to the desk.
Travel and backup plan
Plan to arrive ahead of the reporting time with a backup route and transport option. Check local disruption notices the day before. Late arrivals may be refused entry, so treat the reporting time as a hard deadline.
Formula and unit-conversion recall sheet for last-minute review
Prepare a one-page personal summary of stability, strength, tonnage, load line, and survey-reporting formulas and unit conversions. Use it only before entering the room; leave it outside or in your bag as the provider requires.
Rest and logistics the night before
Confirm your alarm, transport, and what you will eat before the exam. Avoid last-minute cramming of new material the night before; consolidate what you already know.
Provider-specific rules confirmed in writing
Before exam day, confirm with the provider: arrival time, permitted items, break policy, whether negative marking applies, and the pass mark or scoring method. Record the answers so you are not guessing on the day.
Plan the day
Re-read the exam syllabus or competence list and map each topic to your notes. Identify the two or three weakest areas and spend focused time on worked problems in those areas, especially calculation-heavy topics such as stability, strength, and tonnage. Stop collecting new reference material; work only from sources you already trust.
Do one timed practice paper under exam conditions, including the permitted calculator and no notes. Mark it strictly, then list errors by cause: misread question, unit slip, missing formula, or genuine knowledge gap. Fix the top causes rather than re-reading everything.
Confirm logistics in writing: test-centre address, reporting time, journey plan, and permitted items. Re-check your ID name spelling against the registration. If anything is unclear, confirm with the provider now rather than on the morning.
Do a light review of your one-page formula and conversion sheet and your error list from the practice paper. Pack your bag: admission letter, ID, permitted calculator, pens and pencils, and any allowed tools. Do not start a new topic.
Set out clothes and transport details, eat a normal meal, and aim for a full night's sleep. Avoid alcohol and heavy late-night study. If you feel anxious, write down your three biggest worries and one concrete action for each; then set it aside.
Eat a proper breakfast, leave earlier than you think necessary, and arrive before the reporting time. Carry only permitted items into the room. Leave notes, phone, and smart devices secured as the provider directs.
Read the instructions and check the total number of questions and marks before starting. Do a quick first pass answering questions you know, flagging the rest, and watching the time allocation per section. Show working for calculation questions so partial credit is possible where the provider awards it.
For calculation questions, write the formula, substitute values with units, and state the answer with units. Check orders of magnitude and whether the result is physically sensible. For written answers, use short structured points that name the survey activity, the reference or criterion, and the acceptance or action taken.
Reserve time to transfer or check answers, ensure every question has a response if there is no negative marking, and verify your name and candidate details on the answer material. Hand in only what the invigilator instructs.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider and present it on request. The name must match your registration; if it does not, contact the provider before exam day rather than at the door.
Do not bring phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices to the desk. If you must carry a phone, switch it off and store it where the invigilator directs. Possession at the desk can lead to removal even if it is not used.
Use only permitted materials. If the exam is closed-book, do not bring notes, formula sheets, or annotated references into the room. If open-book rules apply, follow the provider's rules on which references and annotations are allowed.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on starting, stopping, and breaks. Raise your hand if you need to leave the room; do not communicate with other candidates during the test or during unsupervised breaks.
Do not attempt to copy, photograph, or remove exam material, and do not discuss question content with other candidates during the exam. Report any suspected irregularity to the invigilator.
Confirm the scoring method with the provider in advance: whether there is negative marking, how written and calculation sections are weighted, and what the pass mark is. Do not assume a guessing strategy is safe.
If you believe there is an error in a question or a disruption during the test, note the details and raise it with the invigilator at the time, then follow the provider's post-exam appeal or query procedure.
Arrive by the reporting time stated in your confirmation. Late entry rules vary; confirm with the provider what happens if you are delayed, and do not assume you will be admitted after the start.