Gather identification documents
When you sit your oral exam you will need to show the examiner:
- your AMSA-issued sea service assessment letter or email.
- photographic identification—for example a current Australian driving licence or passport.
Prepare for your online oral exam
Follow these steps to ensure your online exam runs smoothly.
Before the day of the online oral exam
- Download Microsoft Teams or connect through a web browser. You can also test your connection before an exam by contacting AMSA Connect. They can help you prepare by giving you a test call.
- Check that your camera, microphone and internet connection work with Microsoft Teams. For your internet connection, we recommend a minimum of ADSL 2, 10 mbps. If your internet connection is not good enough to support the exam, we may cancel it. If this happens you will need to book another exam and pay another fee.
You must not use a smart phone (iPhone or Android) for an online oral exam (even as a hotspot). You must also be able to send and receive email during your exam.
- Check the time of your exam, taking into account your time zone. We will record your examination result as a fail if you do not join the meeting before the start time. If you are not sure what local time the exam starts, check the meeting invitation or contact AMSA Connect.
- Set up your room for the exam. You'll need somewhere quiet where you can be alone. The room must be well-lit and closed off from other spaces. Remove any notes, books or reference materials.
- Set up your desk. It must be clear apart from:
- your computer or tablet (positioned to avoid glare)
- a whiteboard and marker (preferred) or blank paper and pen/pencil
- a ruler
- a calculator.
On the day of the online oral exam
- Log in to the meeting at least 15 minutes before the start time. Check that Microsoft Teams is working.
- Check you have:
- your photo ID (current drivers licence or passport)
- AMSA-issued sea service assessment letter or email.
- Check your room setup. Your room and desk should be consistent with the conditions outlined above.
- If your phone is in the room, place it face down on the desk. You must not touch it during the exam.
- Check your camera setup. Your upper body and hands must be visible to the examiner throughout the exam. You may need to sit at least one metre away from your camera so the examiner can see your hands.
Note: You must not access your computer unless the examiner tells you to during the exam.
During the online exam
The examiner will check your ID documents and letter, and exam room setup.
- Exam space - The examiner will ask you to pan your camera 360 degrees around the room at the start of the exam. They may ask you to do this again at any time during the exam. You must follow this direction immediately. If you don't, we will end the exam.
If your online exam stops before completion
If the exam stops before it is complete, the examiner may decide the outcome based on your performance up until that time. The examiner may provide an opportunity for you to re-join or may choose to decide the result of the exam. The examiner’s decision is final. In cases of genuine difficulty, the examiner may re-book and continue the exam as soon as possible.
Prepare for a face-to-face oral exam
Follow these steps to ensure your face-to-face exam runs smoothly.
On the day of the examination
- Arrive at the AMSA office at least 15 minutes before the examination start time. Make sure you bring your photo ID and assessment letter.
- Leave all bags and equipment including jackets, laptops, tablets and phones outside the exam room. We will provide a place for your gear if you need one.
Conduct during oral examinations
- No recording - We do not permit the recording of oral exams. If you attempt to record the exam the examiner will mark your exam as a fail.
- No getting help - If the examiner thinks you are getting help with the exam, they will end the exam immediately. The examiner will mark your exam as a fail.
You must be on time - The examiner may record the exam as a fail if you don't join the meeting or attend the AMSA office before the start time. But we take a fair and reasonable approach in these situations. Where circumstances out of your control stop you from attending your exam, contact AMSA Connect.
After your exam
Notification of the result
The examiner will tell you whether you have passed or failed. We’ll also send you your results in an email within 3 business days.
If you pass your exam
- International STCW Certificates of competency or recognition - If you pass, you will need to apply for the issue of your certificate. If your oral exam was for a skilled migration assessment we’ll send a letter for your immigration application.
- Near Coastal Certificate of competency - If you pass the oral exam we will issue and send your certificate of competency. We will also notify you when we issue your certificate of competency. You can use this notification as evidence of your certificate of competency. So you can start work straight away - before you receive your certificate in the post.
If you fail your exam
If you fail your exam, you will be able to try again. You will have to pay the fee each time you book an oral exam.
We have mandatory wait periods between oral exams. See our policy and rules for the conduct of oral examinations for more information