EDAIC OLA, HOLA and ITA: What They Are and How They Differ

If you have started reading about the European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, you have probably encountered OLA, HOLA and ITA. The acronyms can be confusing because they concern assessment during training and resemble the Part 1 examination. The important distinction is between feedback for learning and a formal diploma examination result. This guide explains that distinction.

The EDAIC is awarded by ESAIC and has a written Part 1 and an oral Part 2. OLA and HOLA provide assessment and benchmarking; they are not the diploma and do not exempt candidates from Part 1. Local training authorities may use assessments for additional purposes, which should be checked separately.

The quick answer: what is EDAIC OLA, HOLA and ITA?

Here is the short version before we unpack each one.

• OLA (On-Line Assessment) is a computer-based assessment using Part 1-style questions for preparation, feedback and benchmarking.
• HOLA (Home On-Line Assessment) is the home version of OLA. The H means Home, not Host.
• ITA (In-Training Assessment) concerns assessment during training. Do not assume that every reference to ITA means OLA or HOLA, or that an in-training result awards a diploma examination pass; confirm the particular arrangement with ESAIC and your training authority.

If you remember one point, make it this: useful preparation and a formal Part 1 pass are different things. OLA/HOLA does not create a Part 1 exemption. The ESAIC Diploma Guide describes separate qualification-based exemption arrangements.

For the foundations of the exam these assessments mirror, our complete EDAIC Part 1 preparation guide is the natural companion to this article.

First, the exam everything points at: EDAIC Part 1

You cannot understand the OLA, HOLA or ITA without a firm grasp of the Part 1 written examination, because all three are modelled on it.

Part 1 is a written paper made of two components:

• Paper A — Basic Sciences: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physics and clinical measurement, equipment, and statistics.
• Paper B — Clinical Anaesthesia and Intensive Care: including regional anaesthesia, special and sub-specialty anaesthesia, intensive care, emergency medicine, and pain.

The question format is MTF (Multiple True/False): a stem followed by five statements, A to E, each judged independently as True or False. Crucially, there is no negative marking — it was removed in 2014 — so a correct statement scores, while a wrong or blank statement scores zero. The practical consequence is simple and you should internalise it now: answer every statement. Leaving one blank can never help you. We dig into the tactics in our piece on MTF question strategy with no negative marking, and there is a deeper walkthrough in our guide to MTF questions for the EDAIC.

Standard setting is criterion-referenced (Angoff-style). The pass mark reflects a defined standard of competence, not a fixed quota and not a norm-referenced curve. You are measured against the standard, not ranked against the cohort — which is reassuring, because it means strong performance by everyone is rewarded rather than capped. If pass marks and standard setting interest you, see our explainer on the EDAIC pass rate and pass mark.

One more useful detail: the Part 1 written exam is offered in several European languages, whereas Part 2 (the structured oral examination, or SOE) is generally conducted in English. For the full structure of the written paper, our breakdown of the Paper A and Paper B format lays it out section by section.

What is the OLA (On-Line Assessment)?

OLA is a computer-based assessment with Part 1-style content. Its practical value is feedback: you can identify topics needing work before a later examination sitting. Departments can also use results to guide training, and some national authorities use the assessment for their own formal requirements.

ESAIC does not set an OLA/HOLA pass mark; it provides previous Part 1 pass marks for comparison. Where OLA is mandatory, the relevant national authority determines its local pass standard. That does not turn the result into an EDAIC Part 1 pass or exemption. See ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance.

Our OLA assessment explainer covers the assessment's role in preparation.

How OLA relates to Part 1

The question format and subject coverage are similar, so preparation can overlap. The administrative outcome is different: OLA feedback does not satisfy the Part 1 requirement for Part 2. Check formal eligibility separately in the ESAIC Diploma Guide.

What is HOLA (Home On-Line Assessment)?

HOLA is the home version of OLA, not an abbreviation for a host institution. It offers flexibility of location and timing within ESAIC's assessment window. Both individual and group registration arrangements exist; check the current rules before registering twice through different routes.

A training body can coordinate group arrangements, but that does not change what the acronym means or create a Part 1 exemption. See ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance for current location, registration and feedback arrangements.

What is the ITA (In-Training Assessment)?

ITA means In-Training Assessment. ESAIC's materials distinguish it by name from OLA/HOLA while referring to similar assessment structure. A reference to ITA should therefore not be treated as proof that OLA and ITA are interchangeable registration products.

For a current training requirement, ask which assessment your programme means, who registers you, and what the result is used for. Do not infer EDAIC Part 1 exemption from any local in-training assessment result.

What an in-training assessment is for:

• Tracking progress year on year. Sitting EDAIC-style questions repeatedly through training shows whether your knowledge is moving in the right direction, well before the high-stakes written exam.
• Targeting revision. A breakdown across basic sciences and clinical topics tells you where to spend your limited study hours — for example, whether high-yield pharmacology or physics and clinical measurement is dragging your average down.
• Understand the local stakes. Feedback can guide learning, but some training authorities use assessments formally. Check the consequence of a result with the body setting that requirement.

The most reliable way to make in-training assessment work for you is to combine repeated EDAIC-style testing with spaced repetition and a realistic study plan for the EDAIC. Testing tells you what you do not know; spacing and a plan tell you when to revisit it.

OLA vs HOLA vs ITA: a side-by-side comparison

The useful comparison is assessment purpose and delivery, not a choice between supposed exemption routes.

None of these assessment labels is Part 2, the structured oral examination. Part 2 has its own admission requirements, including the Part 1 requirement or a formally confirmed qualification-based exemption where applicable. Our Part 2 SOE guide introduces that stage.

Where the OLA family fits in your overall plan

For most trainees, the sensible sequence looks like this:

1. Build core knowledge across Paper A and Paper B using a structured plan and question practice.
2. Use assessment feedback from OLA/HOLA or your programme's specified assessment when appropriate to identify gaps.
3. Plan formal Part 1 registration separately. Do not assume an OLA/HOLA result removes it; confirm any qualification-based exemption directly with ESAIC.
4. Check all Part 2 requirements before applying, not just the Part 1 component.

For Part 1 preparation, a useful foundation is: relentless practice with EDAIC-style MTF questions across the whole syllabus. That is exactly what our EDAIC question bank is built for — thousands of items in the real format, with explanations — and our overview of the Part 1 exam itself shows how the pieces fit together. If you want a structured route through it all, the plans page sets out how to combine the question bank with a guided schedule.

A note on dates, fees and deadlines

Here is where you must be careful, because the EDAIC calendar moves and several 2026 windows have already closed.

The one date you can rely on for this cycle is that the EDAIC Part 1 written exam takes place on 19 September 2026. However, the registration window for that 2026 Part 1 sitting has already closed — the deadline fell in June 2026 — so if you are reading this hoping to register for the September 2026 written exam, that window is no longer open.

For everything else — current fees, the next cycle's dates, OLA and HOLA scheduling, exemption conditions, eligibility, and examination centres — go straight to the official ESAIC / EDAIC (myESAIC) website. Those figures change between cycles and are the kind of thing you should never take second-hand. Our EDAIC 2026 dates, fees and registration guide tracks what is publicly confirmed, but ESAIC is always the authority for the live schedule.

If you are an international medical graduate weighing eligibility, our overview of EDAIC eligibility for international doctors is a useful starting point — but, again, confirm specifics with ESAIC.

Frequently asked questions

Does passing the OLA mean I have passed EDAIC Part 1?

No. OLA/HOLA results are assessment feedback, not an EDAIC Part 1 pass and not an exemption. The ESAIC Diploma Guide lists separate reciprocal qualification-based exemptions; an OLA score is not one of them.

What is the actual difference between the OLA and the HOLA?

HOLA means Home On-Line Assessment and is the home version of OLA. It does not mean Host OLA. Check ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance for the current centre-based and home arrangements, including individual or group registration.

Is the ITA a separate exam I have to book?

Do not decide from the acronym alone. Ask your training body exactly which assessment it requires and who registers you. ESAIC refers to ITA separately from OLA/HOLA in its materials; current assessment registration rules should be verified directly, not inferred from this article.

Is the EDAIC the same as the FRCA?

No. The FRCA (Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists) is the UK examination, with its Primary and Final stages, awarded by a different body. The EDAIC is the broadly comparable pan-European diploma awarded by ESAIC. They are separate qualifications; our EDAIC vs FRCA comparison weighs them up if you are choosing between them.

Where should I confirm the current dates and exemption rules?

Use the official ESAIC pages for OLA/HOLA arrangements and Part 1 examination registration. The 2026 OLA date was 17 April, the HOLA window was 23 April–5 May, and Part 1 was held on 19 September. These dates have passed. For qualification-based exemptions, use the ESAIC Diploma Guide and obtain confirmation of the applicable conditions; there is no OLA/HOLA exemption route.

Start practising in the real format

Original EDAIC-style questions can help you practise the format and identify topics to revisit. They do not replace official assessment results or registration requirements. Create an AnesCORE account and use the EDAIC question bank as one part of your preparation.

Correction — 7 October 2026: OLA/HOLA assessment does not grant a Part 1 exemption. HOLA means Home On-Line Assessment. Checked against the ESAIC Diploma Guide and ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance.