The next Acute Medicine SCE exam date is Wednesday 5 May 2027. Applications open on 13 January 2027 and close on 10 February 2027, at 08:00 UK time on both days. Results from the September 2026 sitting were released on 28 October 2026, so whether you are planning a first attempt or a resit, May 2027 is the sitting to prepare for.
This guide covers the UK Specialty Certificate Examination in Acute Medicine, run by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians. It sets out the dates, the fee, the exam-day format and what to do between now and the application window.
Acute Medicine SCE 2027 at a glance
- Exam: Wednesday 5 May 2027, at a test centre
- Applications: 08:00 UK time on Wednesday 13 January 2027 to 08:00 UK time on Wednesday 10 February 2027
- Reasonable adjustment requests: by Thursday 18 February 2027
- Fee: £700 (UK) or £875 (international)
- Format: two papers of 100 best-of-five questions, three hours each, on the same day
- Results: six weeks after the exam
- Pass mark: a scaled score of 460 (how the pass mark works)
Checked against the Federation’s Acute Medicine page and its exam dates and fees page on 1 November 2026.
Acute Medicine SCE exam date and deadlines
The Federation currently lists the following sittings. Application windows open and close at 08:00 UK local time, so the closing date does not mean the end of that day.
| Sitting | Exam date | Applications | Adjustment deadline | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/01 | 16 September 2026 | 27 May to 24 June 2026 (closed) | 2 July 2026 | 28 October 2026 (released) |
| 2027/01 | 5 May 2027 | 13 January to 10 February 2027 | 18 February 2027 | 6 weeks after the exam |
Source: the Federation’s Acute Medicine examination page and its exam dates and fees page. Passing candidates are sent certificates about eight weeks after results are released. Check both pages again before you apply or book travel.
The Federation states that the Acute Medicine SCE is delivered every nine months. A date after May 2027 has not yet been published, so do not plan around one.
How much does the exam cost?
The exam dates and fees page lists the SCE fee as £700 for UK candidates and £875 for international candidates. The page does not say which sitting these fees apply to, so confirm the amount when the application window opens in January 2027.
If you need a reasonable adjustment, the request deadline for May 2027 is 18 February 2027, eight days after applications close. Gather any supporting evidence before January so the deadline does not catch you out.
What is the exam format?
The exam has two computer-based papers on the same day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each paper contains 100 best-of-five questions and lasts three hours, with a one-hour break between papers. That gives you an average of 108 seconds per question before allowing time to review answers. See the Federation’s format guidance.
Each question has one best answer and four plausible alternatives. There is no negative marking, so answer every question. Since June 2026, UK and international SCEs have been delivered in test centres rather than by remote online proctoring, so May 2027 candidates should prepare for a test-centre sitting.
Questions are spread across 13 blueprint categories, from cardiovascular and respiratory medicine to critical care and poisoning. Our Acute Medicine SCE syllabus and blueprint guide lists them with their question counts.
Practise a full three-hour paper at least twice before May. Ten questions at the end of a shift feels very different from question 85 of a paper, and pacing is a skill you can train.
What should I do before applications open?
Put the key dates in your calendar now: 13 January (applications open), 10 February (applications close), 18 February (adjustments) and 5 May (exam). Then request study leave for the exam day and, if you can, a few days before it. Rotas for May are often written early in the year.
If you sat in September 2026 and did not pass, start with your results feedback before rebuilding your timetable. Our Acute Medicine SCE pass mark guide explains the current passing score of 460 and how to read the official figures.
From 10 February, the day applications close, there are exactly 12 weeks until the exam. Our 12-week Acute Medicine SCE revision plan is built around that window and weights each week by the blueprint.
Start revising for May 2027
Revision Pro’s Acute Medicine SCE course covers all 13 blueprint categories, with a timed Mock Mode of two 100-question papers. Try it free for 72 hours.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Acute Medicine SCE?
The next scheduled sitting is 5 May 2027. Applications run from 08:00 UK time on 13 January 2027 to 08:00 UK time on 10 February 2027.
When are results released?
The Federation gives an interval of six weeks after the exam for the May 2027 sitting. Results are published through your MyMRCP(UK) account; watch the Federation’s news page for the release announcement.
Can I apply after the closing date?
Plan on the published window being final. Check the Federation’s examination page for its current policy, and contact the examinations team directly if you have a specific problem.
Does a revision subscription include exam registration?
No. Apply for the exam through the Federation. A revision course is a separate purchase and does not reserve a place.
