OOW Revision: Application, NOE & Oral Examination (MSN 1856, Sections 16-19)

Revision card 7 of 7 — Officer of the Watch (OOW) Unlimited, STCW Convention Regulation II/1, MSN 1856 (M+F) Amendment 1.

Application

• Apply using form MSF 4274, with the correct fee and supporting documents
• Meeting the requirements gets you a Notice of Eligibility (NOE) — your ticket to book the MCA oral exam. It's valid for 5 years from the date of issue

What Your OOW II/1 NOE Submission Needs

• The appropriate fee
• ENG1 (or accepted equivalent)
• Passport (attested copy)
• Required photos
• Proof of seagoing service
• The four STCW basic safety training certificates
• A completed Training Record Book (cadetship route) and a college attendance letter
• At least 6 months of your qualifying seagoing service must fall within the 5 years immediately before your NOE is issued — the same rule applies again when your CoC is issued

The Oral Exam

• Take your current passport (with visa, if applicable) as identification
• It's recommended you complete all your education and training first — the exam is based on it
• A pass is valid for 3 years, and must still be in date when your CoC is issued
• Fail it, and re-sits follow fixed minimum gaps: 2 weeks before a second attempt, 2 weeks before a third, then 3 months for each attempt after that — the examiner can adjust this, including imposing extra seagoing service on a candidate who shows a lack of basic competency across the syllabus