SCA Pass Rate 2026: What You Need to Know

SCA Pass Rates: Every Diet Since Launch

The SCA launched in November 2023. Below is the complete pass rate data for every diet, sourced from the RCGP's published results page.

Source: RCGP Marking and Results page. This table is updated after each diet's results are published.

What the Numbers Tell Us

The average overall pass rate across all published diets sits around 67 to 68%. This means roughly one in three candidates fails at each sitting. That figure has remained relatively stable since the SCA launched, with no clear upward or downward trend.

The most important number for you is the first-time pass rate, which consistently runs 4 to 8 percentage points higher than the overall rate. In the most recent diets, first-time candidates passed at rates between 70% and 77.7%. This gap makes sense: repeat candidates include those who struggled previously and may not have fully addressed the reasons for their initial failure.

The range between diets is significant. The April 2025 diet had the highest pass rate at 72.53%, while the October 2025 diet was notably low at 59.75%. This variation is not random. It reflects the interaction between candidate mix, case difficulty, and the borderline regression method used to set the pass mark.

For a detailed explanation of how borderline regression works, see our SCA Marking Scheme Explained guide.

First-Time vs Repeat Candidates

The data consistently shows that first-time candidates outperform repeat candidates. Across recent diets, the proportion of first-time sitters has ranged from 68% to 84%, and their pass rates have been 4 to 8 percentage points above the overall rate.

This has two practical implications.

First, sitting the SCA when you are genuinely ready matters more than sitting early. Using an attempt before you are prepared doesn't just risk a fail. It also means your second attempt puts you into the lower-performing repeat candidate pool, where the statistics are against you.

Second, structured practice before your first attempt has the highest return on investment. The trainees who pass first time are not necessarily more knowledgeable. They are typically the ones who have practised full consultations under timed conditions, received structured feedback, and addressed their weak domains before exam day.

Practise across all three marking domains with our 100 SCA case simulations, covering Mental Health, Women's Health, Child Health, and 7 other clinical specialties.

Why Pass Rates Vary Between Diets

The 13-point gap between the lowest (59.75%) and highest (72.53%) diet pass rates is striking. Several factors contribute.

Candidate mix. Diets with a higher proportion of first-time candidates tend to have higher pass rates. The April 2025 diet had 81.33% first-timers and the highest overall pass rate. The October 2025 diet, with the lowest pass rate, likely had a higher proportion of repeat sitters, though the RCGP hasn't published the full breakdown for that diet.

Seasonal patterns. Anecdotally, the early autumn diets (September and October) tend to have lower pass rates. One possible explanation is that trainees who sit in autumn are more likely to be re-sitting after a summer attempt, or are sitting earlier in their ST3 year with less clinical experience.

Case difficulty. While the RCGP uses borderline regression to adjust for case difficulty, the interaction between specific cases and the candidate cohort can still produce variation. A diet with several complex cases may see a lower pass rate even after statistical adjustment.

The bottom line: don't read too much into individual diet rates when deciding when to sit. Focus on your own readiness, as assessed by your GP trainer and your performance in practice consultations.

How the SCA Compares to the CSA and RCA

The SCA replaced the RCA (Recorded Consultation Assessment) in November 2023, which itself was a pandemic-era replacement for the CSA (Clinical Skills Assessment). Pass rates have shifted with each transition.

The CSA, which ran until 2020, had pass rates around 79%. The RCA, which ran from 2020 to 2023, had pass rates around 75%. The SCA's average of 67 to 68% represents a notable drop.

This does not necessarily mean the SCA is harder. The exam format is different (remote, standardised cases, different marking structure), and the candidate population has changed. The RCGP's interim performance report notes that the SCA was designed to be a more standardised and reliable assessment than the RCA, where candidates selected their own consultations.

What matters for your preparation is that the SCA has a lower pass rate than its predecessors, which makes structured practice more important than ever. For more context on the exam transition, see our SCA vs CSA vs RCA guide.

Differential Attainment: The Data

The RCGP has acknowledged documented differential attainment in the SCA, consistent with patterns seen in the CSA and RCA. International medical graduates (IMGs) and non-white candidates historically have lower pass rates than UK graduates and white candidates.

The RCGP's interim performance report, published alongside the first year of SCA data, noted this disparity and outlined planned measures to address it, including revised guidance for trainers, enhanced preparation support, and fairness reviews. A separate academic analysis published in the British Journal of General Practice in 2025 raised questions about the psychometric methodology used in the SCA and its potential impact on pass mark setting.

This is an area of active debate within the profession. If you are an IMG or feel you may be affected by differential attainment, discuss preparation strategies with your educational supervisor and consider accessing deanery-funded support programmes. The RCGP's SPEX (Support Programme for Exam Success) provides targeted assistance for trainees who have been unsuccessful in previous attempts.

What This Means for Your Preparation

The pass rate data points to three clear conclusions.

Sit when you are ready, not when you feel pressured. The first-time pass rate is consistently higher than the overall rate. Using an attempt before you are properly prepared reduces your odds and wastes £1,207. Discuss timing with your GP trainer and use practice simulations to assess your readiness objectively.

Focus on all three domains equally. The most common reasons for failure are not about knowledge gaps. They are structural: poor time management (spending too long on history), failing to explore the patient's perspective (Relating to Others), and rushing the management plan (Clinical Management). See our How to Pass the MRCGP SCA guide for specific tips on each domain.

Practise under exam conditions. Reading about the SCA and practising the SCA are different activities. The trainees in the 70 to 77% first-time pass rate bracket are typically those who have practised full 12-minute consultations with structured feedback. MedTutor provides 100 SCA simulations scored against all three domains, with GP trainer review on every session.