Mock MCA orals, out loud, with an AI examiner.

What is a voice mock oral in Bridgedeck Study?

A full-length practice oral for the UK MCA deck officer oral exam, spoken from start to finish. An AI examiner asks you questions out loud, you answer out loud, and it questions, probes and follows up on what you actually said. It is voice-only with free-form follow-ups, not a multiple-choice quiz read aloud.

The App Store listing describes an examiner that asks follow-ups, escalates scenarios and 'expects no second chances on the safety-critical topics'.

How long is a mock oral?

You choose 90 or 120 minutes when you set it up. You can sit it across your whole syllabus or narrow it to one part of it.

If you have less time, a topic drill is a shorter voice session, from 10 to 60 minutes, on a single area of the syllabus.

Where do the examiner's questions come from?

From the syllabus for the ticket you pick. The App Store listing describes the question bank as 'grounded in hundreds of real candidate exam reports from UK exam centres', covering syllabus areas such as the COLREGs, buoyage, lights and shapes, stability, cargo work, emergencies and legislation.

Is it the same as the real MCA oral?

No. Bridgedeck Study is an independent prep tool and is not affiliated with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. A mock is practice: it is built to pace and probe like an MCA oral, but your real examiner runs your real exam, and only the MCA can pass you.

How the real oral works — the Notice of Eligibility, the online exam, Part A and resits — is in our MCA oral exam guide.

Which MCA orals can I practise?

OOW Unlimited (STCW II/1) and OOW Yachts under 3000 GT. The App Store listing names those two orals, and also describes the app as for cadets and crew working towards their first deck officer ticket.

You pick your ticket when you first set up the app, and the examiner works from that syllabus.

I'm sitting a different ticket. Is it covered?

The App Store listing names OOW Unlimited and OOW Yachts <3000 GT. If you are sitting a different oral, check the current list on the Bridgedeck Study page before you subscribe.

How do I start a mock oral?

When you first open the app, you tell it your Certificate of Competency and your exam date, and it maps the syllabus to your qualification and the time you have left. To sit a mock, choose the length and the scope, then start talking.

What are the rules during a mock?

Mock conditions: no hints and no coaching mid-session — the examiner runs the room. You can ask the examiner to repeat a question once. The full breakdown comes in Results when you finish.

If you want hints and explanations while you learn a topic, that is what topic drills are for.

What do I get at the end?

Every answer is scored, and you get a full transcript of the session with examiner-style feedback on each question. Your scores build into topic-by-topic mastery and an overall readiness score, covered on the scoring and readiness page.

Is my voice recorded?

No. Your voice is never stored: audio is processed in real time, and only the text transcript of the session is kept. Under our privacy policy, transcripts are kept for 90 days from the session or until 30 days after your exam date, whichever is later, and then deleted automatically.

What do I need to sit one?

The app, an iPhone or iPad, and permission for the app to use the microphone, which voice practice requires. In practice you also need a steady data connection, since the audio streams live rather than being recorded and sent afterwards.

Can I try a mock oral for free?

Yes, briefly: the app includes 15 minutes of free voice practice, with no card required. Beyond that, voice practice needs a subscription or the Exam Pack; the App Store listing sets out what each plan includes and what it costs.

What else is free?

Free, with no card: the COLREGs drills, the flashcards, and 15 minutes of voice practice with the AI examiner. Everything else — voice mock orals and topic drills beyond those 15 minutes, Part A practice and the written drills — needs a paid plan: one of the subscriptions, or the Exam Pack. The App Store listing sets out what each plan includes and what it costs.

How do I cancel a subscription?

Through your App Store account settings, at any time. The subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.

Does Bridgedeck Study work on Android?

No. Bridgedeck Study is on iOS only: the App Store listing says it runs on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with iOS 13.0 or later. There is no Android version at the moment. On Android or a computer, the free COLREGs quiz on this site runs in your browser.