What documents do you need to submit for your Notice of Eligibility and Certificate of Competency?

To apply for your Notice of Eligibility, if it is your first application for a Certificate of Competency, you need to submit the following original documents by post to the MCA:

• Certified copy of passport (and visa if applicable)

• Discharge book or certificates of discharge showing either 12 months sea service (for MNTB approved courses) or 36 months (for the experienced seafarer routes

• Testimonials from the Master to state that you have undertaken 6 months of bridge watch keeping time

• Sea service testimonials

• 2 x countersigned passport size photos

• ENG1 or approved equivalent, which can be expired but must show that you were medically fit to sail

• The following STCW certificates:

⁃ Personal Survival Techniques

⁃ Fire prevention and fire fighting

⁃ Elementary first aid

⁃ Personal safety and social responsibility

⁃ Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats*

⁃ Advanced fire fighting

⁃ Medical first aid*

⁃ NAEST (operational)*

⁃ Efficient Deck Hand*

⁃ HELM (Operational)*

⁃ GMDSS (GOC)*

• UK Signals certificate*
• A letter from your College confirming your attendance on the course
• Your completed Training Record Book (if following the MNTB approved route)
• The fee to be paid for the application

The starred (*) documents do not need to be sent with your initial NOE application, but we would recommend if you have completed them, to send them as it could speed up the process when you apply for your Certificate of Competency.

The application form can be found here.

Once you have submitted the above documents and had them accepted by the MCA, you will be issued with a Notice of Eligibility (NOE). Your NOE is valid for 5 years and you must complete your orals within this time frame.

Once you have your NOE, you can then apply for your orals, which is in two parts. One of which is a computer based assessment (part A) and then the orals exam (part B) with a MCA examiner. You can use the SafeSeas Training Assessment Generator to prepare for your orals, sign up here to get a head start.

Two days prior to your orals, you will be expected to take your Training Record Book to the marine office you are taking your exam at.

On passing your orals, your result will be recorded on your NOE. You will need to submit the following additional documentation:

• If not already submitted:

⁃ Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats

⁃ Medical first aid

⁃ NAEST (operational)

⁃ Efficient Deck Hand

⁃ HELM (Operational)

⁃ GMDSS (GOC)

• UK Signals Certificate
• HNC course completion letter
• SQA results (unless exempt)
• If you are following the foundation degree route, the course completion letter/certificate.

If you haven’t passed your signals exam, did you know we have a practice test with the morse code light and flags to practice with? Sign up here.