Start with the four syllabus areas
The syllabus covers general seamanship, acts and regulations, navigation and chart reading, and particularly important topics. The last area has its own pass requirement, so your overall practice score is only part of the picture.
Keep a topic checklist with three possible labels: need to read, need to practise, and can explain. Use the last label only when you can apply the knowledge to a different example without looking at the answer.
An English curriculum PDF is available through Norsk Test. Its revision date is older than some current regulations: use it as a topic checklist and check present-day rules against the Norwegian Maritime Authority’s current guidance.
Sessions 1–2: find your starting point and practise seamanship
In the first session, try a few questions from different topics. For each uncertain answer, record whether the difficulty was unfamiliar knowledge, wording or a calculation. Choose one manageable topic for the next session.
In the second session, describe the preparations for an imaginary trip. What would you check, what information would you need, and what would you explain to passengers? Compare your reasons with the study material. Practise explaining the purpose of each check, rather than simply reciting a list.
Sessions 3–4: rules, charts and units
For the third session, sketch encounters from your study material. Label the types of vessel, their directions and the relevant details of the waterway. Explain which rule applies and why. Change one detail and reconsider the situation.
In the fourth session, work through chart and calculation exercises with a pencil, ruler and dividers. Write the unit beside every number. For example, travelling 4 nautical miles at a constant speed over the ground of 8 knots takes 0.5 hours, or 30 minutes. This calculation assumes that the stated speed applies throughout; it does not establish a safe speed for a real trip.
Sessions 5–7: important topics, a practice exam and review
In session five, revisit the particularly important topics you still find difficult. Mix chart symbols, navigation marks and the application of rules. Explain the difference between alternatives you previously confused.
Use session six for an uninterrupted practice exam without looking up answers. In session seven, review the mistakes and choose new questions testing the same knowledge with different figures or circumstances. If you remember an answer from an earlier attempt, explain the reasoning as well.
Adapt the plan to what you learn
Seven sessions do not mean seven days, and completing the plan does not guarantee a pass. Spread the work over a suitable period and repeat difficult sections. When you start recognising answers without thinking, pause and try explaining the topic again later.
Before booking, check that you have studied the whole syllabus, reviewed particularly important topics separately and carried out chart work yourself. Use the exam guide for the official format and the test-centre guide for practical arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to complete the plan in seven days?
No. These are seven study sessions, which you can spread out or repeat according to your existing knowledge and available time.
Is taking lots of practice exams enough?
Use practice results to decide what to study next. A large number of completed tests does not show whether you understand the reasoning or can solve an unfamiliar problem.
Official sources
Information checked against these sources on .