Free STCW BST Exam Prep
STCW Basic Safety Training
Prepare for the STCW BST exam without spending hundreds on expensive prep courses. Free study guides, practice questions, flashcards, and related exam resources.
Quick Facts
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STCW STCW Maritime Training Certifications License: Complete Roadmap
Follow this path to organize your licensing and exam preparation
Start with Personal Survival TechniquesYou are here
Learn alarms, muster duties, lifejacket and immersion-suit use, water entry, hypothermia control, and post-launch priorities.
Spend the largest block on Fire Fighting
Focus on fire classes, extinguishing media, fixed systems, PPE, SCBA, hose teams, search patterns, and boundary cooling because this is usually the largest module by training hours.
Drill Elementary First Aid
Review primary survey, CPR/AED basics, shock, bleeding, burns, fractures, and common shipboard illness scenarios.
Finish with PSSR and 2026 Updates
Cover safe work practices, pollution prevention, fatigue, teamwork, and the new violence-and-harassment prevention expectations in Table A-VI/1-4.
Run Mixed Practice Sets
Use full mixed sets to switch quickly between survival, firefighting, first aid, and shipboard conduct questions before your course or refresher.
Can You Take the STCW BST Exam?
Check if you meet the basic eligibility requirements
- •Mariners pursuing an STCW endorsement still need the broader MMC application package required for their credential path.
- •Continued competence is managed on a 5-year cycle, with recent qualifying sea service accepted for certain practical survival and firefighting competencies.
- •From January 1, 2026, PSSR training must explicitly address violence and harassment prevention and response.
STCW BST Quick Facts
Time to Get Licensed
5 days typical for initial BST; refresher timelines vary by provider and sea-service status
From start to license in hand
Retake Policy
There is no single national retake rule because assessments are provider-based. If you do not successfully complete a module or practical demonstration, the approved school sets the remediation or retest process.
Total Cost Breakdown
Free STCW BST Prep Tools
Reported exam pass rate: No single public national pass-rate figure is published because BST is delivered by approved providers rather than one centralized exam body.. Check the exam sponsor for the latest official figure.
200 Practice Questions
Covers all four STCW basic-training modules with detailed explanations.
Free Prep
Study before paying provider tuition or refresher-course costs.
2026 Updated
Includes the January 1, 2026 violence-and-harassment update to Table A-VI/1-4.
Scenario-Focused Review
Practice shipboard safety decisions across survival, fire, medical, and crew-behavior situations.
What You'll Study
6 chapters covering the exam topics in this guide
Chapter 1: STCW Regulatory Framework & Emergency Preparedness
5 sections
Chapter 2: Personal Survival Techniques & Abandon Ship
8 sections
Chapter 3: Fire Chemistry, Hazards & Detection Systems
5 sections
Chapter 4: Firefighting Equipment, SCBA & Suppression Tactics
6 sections
Chapter 5: Elementary First Aid & Life-Saving Interventions
7 sections
Chapter 6: Personal Safety, Social Responsibilities & 2026 Standards
7 sections
STCW BST Exam Details
STCW Basic Safety Training
Administered by U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center / IMO STCW Convention
Exam Content Breakdown
Based on the official U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center / IMO STCW Convention content outline
Emergency signals, muster duties, lifejackets and immersion suits, water entry, hypothermia reduction, life rafts, rescue boats, and post-launch survival actions.
Fire chemistry, fire classes, shipboard fire hazards, detection and alarms, extinguishing media, fixed systems, firefighter PPE, SCBA, hose handling, search, boundary cooling, and overhaul.
Primary assessment, CPR/AED fundamentals, shock, bleeding, burns, fractures, medical emergencies, casualty movement, and communication with shore-based medical support.
Safe working practices, fatigue, teamwork, pollution prevention, emergency readiness, rights and responsibilities on board, and the January 1, 2026 violence-and-harassment prevention update.
What's Included
6 Chapters
Complete exam coverage
Practice Quizzes
With detailed explanations
Free to Start
No credit card required
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What's Next After the STCW BST?
After passing the STCW BST, you can pursue these career paths
Ordinary Seaman / Wiper / Steward roles
BST is the foundational safety training for many entry-level merchant mariner shipboard assignments.
Deck or Engine STCW progression
Supports later endorsements and competence-building in deck and engine departments.
Passenger-vessel and offshore pathways
BST strengthens the safety baseline for mariners moving toward small-vessel, offshore, or towing credentials.
STCW BST Exam FAQ
Official U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center / IMO STCW Convention Resources
Verify information with these official sources
More Free Resources
Ready to Start Your Free STCW BST Prep?
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