EDAIC Part 1 2026: Exam Date and Deadlines

If you are planning your year around the edaic part 1 2026 sitting, the single date to anchor everything to is 19 September 2026 — that is when the Part 1 written examination takes place. The rest of your planning, from when to start revising to when to book travel, flows from that fixed point. This page pulls together what is confirmed for the 2026 cycle, which languages the paper is offered in, and how the registration process actually works — including an honest note that the 2026 registration window has already closed.

A quick word of reassurance before the logistics: the EDAIC is a fair, well-structured exam with a transparent format. Once you understand the moving parts, the admin stops feeling intimidating and becomes a simple checklist. Let's walk through it.

When is EDAIC Part 1 2026?

The edaic part 1 exam date for this cycle is 19 September 2026. This is the written examination — the single day on which candidates across multiple centres sit the two papers that make up Part 1.

If you have been asking when is edaic part 1 2026, that one date is your answer and your planning anchor. Everything in your study calendar should count backwards from 19 September 2026: your mock-exam weeks, your final high-yield revision sprint, and your rest day before the exam.

A few things worth holding in mind about the date:

• It is a fixed, single-day written sitting, not a window you can choose within.
• Part 1 is the gateway: you must pass it before you can be invited to the Part 2 structured oral examination (SOE).
• The exact reporting time, centre allocation and on-the-day instructions come from ESAIC directly once you are registered — always treat your official confirmation email as the source of truth over any blog, forum or third-party summary (including this one).

For a fuller orientation to the whole diploma — both parts, eligibility and the journey end to end — start with our EDAIC Part 1 overview page, then come back here for the dated specifics.

What the EDAIC actually is

The EDAIC is the European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, awarded by ESAIC (the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care). It is a two-part assessment designed to certify a broad, pan-European standard of knowledge and clinical competence in anaesthesia and intensive care.

• Part 1 is a written examination made up of two papers (more on these below).
• Part 2 is a structured oral examination — a viva built around guided clinical questions — taken only after you have passed Part 1.

So when people talk about the edaic exam 2026, they usually mean one of two distinct events: the Part 1 written paper on 19 September 2026, or the Part 2 oral examination later in the cycle. This page is about Part 1. If you are already looking ahead to the viva, our EDAIC Part 2 oral exam (SOE) guide covers what that stage involves.

The two papers: Paper A and Paper B

Part 1 is split into two papers, each testing a different half of the syllabus. Understanding the split is the first step to revising efficiently.

Both papers use the same MTF (Multiple True/False) question format: a stem is followed by five statements, labelled A to E, and you judge each statement independently as True or False. There is no "single best answer" — each of the five lettered statements is its own mini-decision.

The practical consequence is huge: a single stem becomes five marking opportunities. Get comfortable treating each statement on its own merits rather than hunting for "the answer". Our deep dive on MTF question strategy for the EDAIC breaks down the technique, and if you want the full anatomy of both papers, see the Paper A and Paper B format explained.

No negative marking — so answer everything

This is one of the most important things to internalise, and candidates still get it wrong. Negative marking was removed in 2014. A correct statement scores; a wrong or blank statement simply scores zero. There is no penalty for guessing.

The strategy that follows is simple and non-negotiable: answer every single statement. Leaving any A–E blank is leaving free marks on the table. If you genuinely don't know, make your best-reasoned judgement and move on — a blank and a wrong answer cost you exactly the same, so a guess can only help.

How the pass mark is set

The EDAIC uses criterion-referenced standard setting (an Angoff-style method). In plain terms: the pass mark reflects a defined standard of competence — the level a safe, knowledgeable trainee should reach — rather than a fixed quota or a curve.

You are not competing against the other candidates in the room. There is no "top X% pass" cut-off. If everyone sitting reaches the standard, everyone can pass. This should change how you feel walking in: your only job is to demonstrate that you meet the standard, not to outscore your neighbour. We unpack this further in how the EDAIC pass rate and pass mark work.

Available languages

One of the genuinely candidate-friendly features of Part 1 is language choice. The EDAIC Part 1 written exam is offered in several European languages, which is a real advantage for trainees who would rather read dense basic-science stems in their first language under time pressure.

A couple of points to keep in mind:

• The language options apply to Part 1 only. The Part 2 structured oral examination is generally conducted in English.
• The specific languages available, and any constraints on choosing one, are set by ESAIC and can vary — confirm the current list on the official ESAIC/EDAIC (myESAIC) website before you assume your preferred language is offered.

If English will be your exam language and you are an international medical graduate, you are in very good company — a large share of EDAIC candidates sit in English as a second or third language. The vocabulary is learnable, and consistent exposure through practice questions is the fastest way to build it.

How registration works (and an important note for 2026)

Here is the part that needs to be crystal clear.

The registration window for the 2026 Part 1 sitting has already closed. The deadline fell in June 2026. So if you are reading this hoping to still sign up for 19 September 2026, that window is no longer open — please don't bank on a deadline that has passed.

That said, it is worth understanding the broad shape of the process so you are ready for the next cycle:

1. Create or sign in to your myESAIC account. This is the official portal for registration, payment and your candidate communications.
2. Confirm your eligibility. The EDAIC has eligibility criteria, and these matter especially for international doctors — see our note on EDAIC eligibility for international doctors.
3. Select the Part 1 written exam, your centre and your language during the open registration window.
4. Pay the fee and receive confirmation. Your confirmation email becomes your reference for centre, time and instructions.

Crucially, registration deadlines are cycle-specific. They are not a fixed calendar date you can memorise once — each year ESAIC publishes the opening and closing dates for that cycle. Because the 2026 window has closed, the right move now is to:

• Check the official ESAIC/EDAIC (myESAIC) website for the next cycle's registration opening and closing dates, and
• Set yourself a reminder well ahead of that closing date so you never miss a window again.

For a broader logistics companion that is refreshed each cycle, see our EDAIC 2026 dates, fees and registration guide. And when you are ready to start preparing in earnest, you can create a free AnesCORE account and begin practising immediately, regardless of where you are in the registration timeline.

A note on fees and figures: we deliberately don't quote exact euro fees, question counts, pass percentages or specific centres on this page, because these can change between cycles. Always confirm the current numbers on the official ESAIC/EDAIC site rather than relying on a figure copied from a forum.

The OLA route: an alternative to the written paper

Not every candidate has to sit the September written exam at all. The OLA (On-Line Assessment) is a formative, in-training online assessment that uses EDAIC Part 1-style content.

Under ESAIC's defined conditions, passing the OLA can exempt a candidate from sitting the Part 1 written examination. For trainees in programmes that run the OLA, this is a genuinely different pathway worth understanding early — it can change your entire timeline.

The conditions, eligibility and how the exemption is applied are all set by ESAIC, so check the details against the official source. Our explainer on the EDAIC OLA online assessment walks through how it fits into the bigger picture.

How EDAIC Part 1 compares to FRCA

A question that comes up constantly, particularly from doctors weighing their options: how does this compare to the UK's FRCA?

• FRCA is the Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists — the UK examination, comprising the Primary FRCA and the Final FRCA, awarded by the Royal College of Anaesthetists.
• EDAIC is the broadly comparable pan-European diploma, awarded by ESAIC.

They are separate qualifications with different awarding bodies. There is meaningful overlap in the underlying basic-science and clinical content, which is why many candidates prepare for both using overlapping resources — but they are not interchangeable, and each has its own format and rules. If you are deciding between them, our comparison of the EDAIC versus the FRCA lays out the trade-offs.

Building your run-up to 19 September 2026

With the date fixed, the smartest thing you can do is reverse-engineer a realistic plan from it. A few principles that consistently work for EDAIC candidates:

• Start with structure, not panic. A written plan beats heroic last-minute cramming every time — our framework for an effective EDAIC study plan gives you a template.
• Use spaced repetition for the memory-heavy material. Pharmacology, physics and statistics reward repeated, spaced exposure rather than single deep dives — see the spaced-repetition memory method.
• Practise in the exam's own format. Because Part 1 is entirely MTF, the closest thing to "studying the exam" is doing high-quality MTF questions and reviewing every statement — both the ones you got wrong and the ones you got right for the wrong reason.
• Front-load the high-yield basic sciences. Paper A rewards mechanistic understanding; revisit high-yield physiology topics and high-yield pharmacology topics early and often.
• Protect a final revision month. A focused last-month plan consolidates everything — see our final month before the EDAIC revision plan.

If you want the complete, soup-to-nuts roadmap rather than individual tactics, our complete EDAIC Part 1 preparation guide for 2026 ties the whole approach together.

Frequently asked questions

When is EDAIC Part 1 2026?

The EDAIC Part 1 written examination takes place on 19 September 2026. It is a single-day written sitting of two papers (Paper A and Paper B). Always confirm your individual reporting time and centre from your official ESAIC confirmation once you are registered.

Can I still register for the 2026 Part 1 exam?

No. The registration window for the 2026 Part 1 sitting has already closed — the deadline was in June 2026. Registration deadlines are cycle-specific, so for the next cycle's opening and closing dates, check the official ESAIC/EDAIC (myESAIC) website and set a reminder well in advance.

What languages is EDAIC Part 1 offered in?

Part 1 is offered in several European languages, which can be a real advantage if you would rather sit the basic-science paper in your first language. The exact list is set by ESAIC and can change, so confirm it on the official site. Note that Part 2 is generally conducted in English.

Is there negative marking on EDAIC Part 1?

No. Negative marking was removed in 2014. Each True/False statement either scores or scores zero — a wrong answer is treated the same as a blank. Because there is no penalty for guessing, you should answer every statement.

How is the pass mark decided?

The EDAIC uses criterion-referenced (Angoff-style) standard setting. The pass mark reflects a defined standard of competence rather than a fixed quota or a curve, so you are not competing against other candidates — you simply need to meet the standard.

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The date is set, the format is knowable, and the path is well-trodden — what's left is the preparation. The candidates who pass are rarely the ones with the most natural talent; they are the ones who started early and practised in the exam's own format. Create a free AnesCORE account to begin, and put your knowledge to work in our EDAIC question bank, where every MTF question is mapped to the Part 1 syllabus and explained statement by statement. Anchor your plan to 19 September 2026, and start today.