Croatia Master Mariner exam-day guide
Croatia Master Mariner · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid identification document
Bring the identity document the examination provider requires for admission (typically a passport or national ID card). Confirm with the provider which document is accepted and whether a photocopy is sufficient; do not rely on a driving licence unless the provider confirms it.
Admission or registration confirmation
Carry the written confirmation of your registration, candidate number, and the exact session time and venue. If you registered through a maritime school or the harbourmaster's office, keep their contact details with you in case of a last-minute issue.
Exact venue and arrival instructions
Confirm the building, entrance, floor, and room with the provider in advance. Coastal exam venues can be inside port or school complexes with restricted access, so check whether you need to report to a reception or gate first.
Confirmed start time and reporting time
Note whether you must arrive before the stated start time for identity checks and seating. Arrival deadlines and late-admission rules vary; confirm with the provider rather than assuming a grace period.
Permitted and prohibited items list
Ask the provider in advance what may be taken to the desk (pens, non-programmable calculator, plotting instruments, official nautical publications, IMO/STCW extracts) and what must be left outside (phones, smart watches, notes). Rules differ between written and oral parts.
Approved calculator status
If a calculator is allowed for navigation or stability calculations, confirm the permitted type (non-programmable, no stored formulas, no communication capability). Bring a familiar model with working batteries.
Navigation plotting tools
For navigation papers, bring the instruments the provider permits: parallel rulers or plotter, dividers, pencils, eraser, and any chart-based material the provider supplies or allows. Confirm whether charts and tables are provided at the desk.
Language and terminology preparation
The exam is delivered in Croatian, with standard English maritime terminology (COLREGs, SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, GMDSS, ISM, etc.). Practise explaining procedures in Croatian while keeping the technical terms correct in both languages.
Travel and accommodation buffer
Plan to arrive in the exam city the day before where possible, especially for oral examinations scheduled early. Keep a margin for ferry delays, seasonal traffic, and port security checks.
Rest, hydration, and medication plan
Prepare a normal night's sleep, a light meal, and any prescribed medication. Avoid last-minute all-night revision before an oral or long written paper; fatigue shows in calculation errors and hesitant answers.
Backup copies of supporting documents
Keep copies of your sea service records, certificates, and course completion documents accessible in case the provider asks for verification. Confirm with the provider which originals must be presented on the day.
Provider contact details and emergency plan
Save the examination office phone number and email. If illness or transport failure threatens attendance, contact the provider immediately and ask about their documented procedure; do not simply fail to appear.
Plan the day
Reconfirm the venue, room, start time, and reporting time in writing with the provider. Check the permitted-items list one final time and set aside exactly the documents and instruments you will carry.
Switch from broad revision to targeted review: COLREGs rules most often examined, collision-avoidance scenarios, stability and load-line calculations, passage planning, meteorological routeing, emergency procedures, and your own sea-service experience for the oral.
Do one timed practice paper or a mock oral with a colleague. Identify weak areas and write short summary sheets rather than rereading entire textbooks.
Check travel: tickets, ferry or bus times, parking, and accommodation. If travelling on the day, build in a large buffer for weather and port traffic.
Light revision only: key formulas, rule numbers, and standard checklists. Prepare clothing suitable for a professional examination and pack your bag with documents, pens, plotting tools, calculator, water, and snacks.
Confirm you know how to reach the room from your accommodation, including building access and security. Set two alarms and aim for a full night's sleep.
Eat a normal breakfast, take only permitted items, and arrive with time to spare for identity checks. Leave phones and smart devices switched off and stored as instructed.
During the waiting period, avoid intense discussion of uncertain topics with other candidates; it raises anxiety. Review only your own short summary sheets if the provider permits material outside the room.
Read the whole paper first, allocate time per section, and answer the questions you know best first. Show working for calculations, state units, and use standard terminology. Leave time to check rule numbers and arithmetic.
Listen to the full question, take a moment to structure the answer, and state assumptions where a scenario is ambiguous. If you do not know, say so and explain how you would find the answer on board rather than guessing.
Note down questions you found difficult while they are fresh, and confirm with the provider how and when results are communicated and what the appeal or re-sit procedure is.
Rules to check
Bring only the identification document the provider has confirmed as acceptable. If your ID is expired, damaged, or does not match your registration details, contact the provider before the exam day; admission decisions rest with the provider.
Follow the provider's instructions on prohibited items. Phones, smart watches, and unauthorised notes must be switched off and stored as directed; possession of unauthorised material during the exam may lead to removal or invalidation of your paper.
Ask in advance whether breaks are permitted and how they are supervised, particularly for long written papers. Do not leave the room during a session without the invigilator's permission, and confirm with the provider whether water or medication may be kept at the desk.
Raise your hand and address the invigilator or examiner if you need clarification on administrative matters. Do not ask other candidates for help or exchange materials during the exam.
In oral examinations, answer in Croatian and use correct English maritime terminology where standard. Be prepared to justify decisions with reference to applicable conventions, codes, and good seamanship.
Show your working for numerical questions and state units and assumptions. A correct method with an arithmetic slip is generally treated more favourably than an unexplained final number, but confirm the marking approach with the provider.
If you are ill or unable to attend, notify the provider as early as possible and ask about documented procedures for withdrawal, medical evidence, and re-scheduling. Do not assume a re-sit will be granted automatically.
Do not discuss or reproduce specific examination questions afterwards in a way that could compromise the integrity of the examination process. Confirm with the provider what feedback and appeal routes are available.