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Applying for the Final Membership Examination

In general, it is recommended that registrars on an approved training programme sit the exam with at least two years (whole time equivalent) of training remaining. This usually happens about six to twelve months after passing the Diplomate examination. Registrars working less than full time should discuss the timing of the examination with their Training Programme Director and Educational Supervisor.

A maximum of 24 people can be accommodated at each sitting, but this number may be reduced e.g. if there are candidates needing reasonable adjustments. It is therefore important that candidates apply once they are sure they know when they wish to sit the exam, even if this is some time in the future.

We have completed a thorough evaluation of the online delivery of the MFPH exam and made the decision to return to face to face delivery from September 2022.

Please note that you will be asked to select either the morning or afternoon session on booking. There is a thirty minute longer waiting time prior to the exam for those sitting in the afternoon session. This is due to the need for a cross over between the two groups of candidates.

The current sittings are as listed below:

Examination Date	Application Closing Date	Venue	Places Available (yes/no)	Fee
26 February 2025	20 December 2024	RCEM Octavia House, 54 Ayres Street, London, SE1 1EU	No	£982
30 April 2025	28 February 2025	GMC Manchester, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3AW (Please note this circuit is in the centre of the building so does not have windows or natural light)	No	£982
26 June 2025	1st May 2025	RCEM Octavia House, 54 Ayres Street, London, SE1 1EU	No	£982
17 September 2025	18 July 2025	RCEM Octavia House, 54 Ayres Street, London, SE1 1EU	No	£982
3 December 2025	2 October 2025	RCP The Spine, 2 Paddington Village, Liverpool, L7 3FA	Yes	£982
February 2026 TBC	Opening date TBC	TBC	Opening date TBC	£982
29th April 2026	2nd March 2026	RCP The Spine, 2 Paddington Village, Liverpool, L7 3FA	Yes	£982

Please note closing dates are absolute. Applications received after 17:00 (UK time) on the closing date will not be accepted.

New application system

Please note that from Friday 3rd May, bookings can only be made through the FPH Membership Portal. Please find instructions below on how to do this.

Guidance For Candidates On How To Book An FPH Final Membership Exam Attempt

If you have any queries about making your booking, please contact victoriastrode@fph.org.uk.

If you have any difficulties logging in to your FPH Membership Portal, please contact fphmemberportal@fph.org.uk

Tax relief for exam fees

The HMRC confirmed in 2015 that they are satisfied that public health registrars employed on a specialty training contract and who pay the MFPH exam fees themselves will qualify for a deduction of the cost of those fees against their earnings from that employment.

Registrars will be able to claim this tax relief either by completing form P87 or through their self-assessment tax return if they meet the criteria for self-assessment. For more information, please visit GOV.UK.

To allow HMRC to handle claims as efficiently as possible, registrars should include a receipt or proof of payment from the Faculty for the MFPH exam. Claims made without a proof of payment may be delayed while HMRC contact the individual to request supportive evidence.

Withdrawals

Candidates withdrawing from an examination before the closing date can be charged 25% of the fee. This increases in increments up to the exam.
No refund will be made to candidates withdrawing within seven days of the examination.
No refund will be granted without written notice of intention to withdraw.

The Membership examinations withdrawal policy and application form are available here.

Reasonable adjustments

As part of the Equal Opportunities Policy of the Faculty of Public Health, a policy of reasonable adjustments is used to ensure that no candidate is substantially disadvantaged because of his or her disability.

The Assistant Academic Registrar is responsible for considering such requests and they should be submitted, with the appropriate supporting documentation, alongside the application form for each exam sitting.

To ensure the process is fair for all candidates, the Faculty requires all the necessary evidence to be supplied and submitted with the application for each exam and exam attempt. An adjustment cannot be considered without it and late documentation will not be considered. Please note that there is a fee associated with withdrawing if you wish to delay your attempt due to a condition that is currently being assessed.

Requests should be received by the Faculty as early as possible, ideally at least three weeks prior to the examination closing date. Further information is available here.

Extenuating circumstances

Extenuating circumstances are serious circumstances that occurred in the three weeks up to and including the date of the Final Membership Examination that adversely affected the examination performance (please note, extenuating circumstances only apply if you sit the exam).

Candidates may claim by sending a completed form to the Faculty, which must arrive no later than three working days after the examination date. This information will be made available to the Chair of Examiners.

Please note that marks/results will not be altered to reflect individual circumstances. The only available outcome from a successful submission is that the attempt will be discounted.

The Membership examinations extenuating circumstances policy and application form are available here.