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200+ Free STCW Basic Safety Training Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: STCW Basic Safety Training Exam

4

Required STCW Modules

Tables A-VI/1-1 through A-VI/1-4

~40 hrs

Typical Initial Course Length

Common USCG-approved 5-day BST format

5 years

Continued-Competence Cycle

46 CFR 11.302

$0

Separate USCG STCW Application Fee

NMC fee schedule

Jan 1, 2026

Harassment-Prevention Amendment

IMO STCW amendments

200

Practice Questions Here

OpenExamPrep question bank

As of March 12, 2026, the U.S. basic-training structure still follows 46 CFR 11.302 and STCW Tables A-VI/1-1 through A-VI/1-4 rather than a single national written exam. The most material 2026 update is the January 1, 2026 STCW amendment that added explicit violence-and-harassment prevention and response content, including sexual assault and sexual harassment, to Table A-VI/1-4. For study planning, a common USCG-approved 40-hour course structure weights the four modules at about 30% personal survival techniques, 40% firefighting, 20% elementary first aid, and 10% personal safety and social responsibilities.

About the STCW Basic Safety Training Exam

STCW Basic Safety Training is the entry-level international safety package required for most seagoing merchant mariners. In the U.S., candidates normally complete a Coast Guard-approved course covering personal survival techniques, fire prevention and firefighting, elementary first aid, and personal safety and social responsibilities, with both classroom and practical performance assessments.

Assessment

USCG-approved 4-module course with written and practical assessments under STCW Tables A-VI/1-1 through A-VI/1-4

Time Limit

About 40 hours over 5 days

Passing Score

Course completion and competency sign-off (no single national written cutoff)

Exam Fee

No separate USCG STCW application fee; training tuition commonly runs about $1,125-$1,484 (U.S. Coast Guard / IMO STCW / USCG-approved training providers)

STCW Basic Safety Training Exam Content Outline

30% practice weight

Personal Survival Techniques

Emergency alarms, muster duties, lifejackets and immersion suits, abandoning ship, water-entry safety, hypothermia reduction, survival-craft equipment, and actions after launching.

40% practice weight

Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting

Fire chemistry, classes of fire, shipboard hazards, detection and alarms, extinguisher selection, fixed systems, firefighter PPE and SCBA, team attack procedures, boundary cooling, and overhaul/search.

20% practice weight

Elementary First Aid

Primary survey, CPR/AED basics, shock recognition, bleeding control, burns, fractures, common shipboard medical emergencies, patient communication, and safe casualty movement.

10% practice weight

Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities

Safe working practices, PPE, permits and hazard controls, teamwork, fatigue, pollution prevention, emergency readiness, and the 2026 violence-and-harassment prevention expectations added to STCW Table A-VI/1-4.

How to Pass the STCW Basic Safety Training Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Course completion and competency sign-off (no single national written cutoff)
  • Assessment: USCG-approved 4-module course with written and practical assessments under STCW Tables A-VI/1-1 through A-VI/1-4
  • Time limit: About 40 hours over 5 days
  • Exam fee: No separate USCG STCW application fee; training tuition commonly runs about $1,125-$1,484

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

STCW Basic Safety Training Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study abandon-ship questions as ordered sequences. BST questions often test what happens first, what must already be worn, and what actions reduce injury during water entry and boarding.
2Memorize the match between fire class and extinguishing method instead of memorizing extinguishers by brand or color. The exam logic is about what interrupts the fire triangle or tetrahedron safely on board.
3Treat firefighter PPE and SCBA questions as team-safety questions. Air management, communications, hose control, and boundary cooling are rarely tested in isolation.
4Use the primary survey as your anchor for first-aid scenarios: scene safety, responsiveness, airway, breathing, circulation, then focused care for bleeding, burns, fractures, or shock.
5Do not ignore PSSR. It is the smallest module by hours, but it now includes explicit 2026 violence-and-harassment prevention content alongside fatigue, teamwork, and pollution-prevention responsibilities.
6Practice with mixed sets after you know each module separately. Real course assessments and practical reviews switch quickly between survival, fire, medical, and shipboard-behavior judgment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is STCW Basic Safety Training?

STCW Basic Safety Training is the baseline safety package required under the STCW Convention for many merchant mariners serving on seagoing vessels. In the U.S., it is normally satisfied by a Coast Guard-approved course covering personal survival techniques, fire prevention and firefighting, elementary first aid, and personal safety and social responsibilities.

Is there one national STCW BST written exam?

No. There is no single national multiple-choice exam with one fixed question count and passing score. Instead, candidates complete an approved course and must demonstrate the required knowledge, understanding, proficiency, and practical skills for each of the four modules.

What are the four required STCW Basic Training modules?

The four modules are Personal Survival Techniques (Table A-VI/1-1), Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (Table A-VI/1-2), Elementary First Aid (Table A-VI/1-3), and Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (Table A-VI/1-4). Many U.S. providers package them as a 5-day, roughly 40-hour course.

How long is STCW Basic Training valid?

For continued competence, the key survival and firefighting competencies are managed on a 5-year cycle. The Coast Guard accepts certain recent sea-service evidence for maintaining competence in those practical areas; mariners without qualifying recent service generally complete approved refresher or revalidation training.

How much does STCW Basic Training cost in 2026?

There is no separate USCG STCW application fee for the endorsement itself on the current National Maritime Center fee page. The main cost is training-provider tuition, and current provider listings commonly place initial BST tuition around $1,125 to $1,484, with refresher courses often priced separately.

What changed for STCW Basic Training in 2026?

The major 2026 change is the January 1, 2026 entry into force of STCW amendments requiring Table A-VI/1-4 training to explicitly address preventing and responding to violence and harassment, including sexual assault and sexual harassment. That update strengthens the PSSR portion of BST rather than changing the four-module structure itself.

Do I need BST before applying for other mariner credentials?

Often yes, especially for STCW endorsements tied to service on seagoing vessels. BST is a foundational safety requirement that supports progression into deck and engine pathways and complements later credentials such as RFPNW, Able Seafarer, OUPV, and Master routes depending on your vessel service and endorsement goals.