Maritime training can become confusing quickly. Some courses are required for a Coast Guard credential, some are required by STCW, some apply only to certain jobs, and others may not be necessary at all.
Before enrolling in a course, understand exactly what credential or job you are working toward. This section explains what the major maritime courses are, who needs them, and where they fit in a mariner's career. Mariners Online does not sell training.
Start with your goal
I want to advance on deck
I want to work on tankers
I need to keep my STCW current
Course vs. endorsement: seven things that are not the same
New mariners often treat these as one thing. They aren't, and mixing them up is how people pay for training they can't use yet.
| Coast Guard-approved course | Training delivered by a school, with a course completion certificate. It is evidence for an application, not a credential. |
| National endorsement | A U.S. rating or license on your Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), such as Able Seafarer, OUPV or Master 100 GRT. |
| STCW endorsement | An international qualification printed on the STCW page of your MMC, such as Basic Training or Able Seafarer-Deck. Separate from national endorsements. |
| Sea-service requirement | Documented days aboard qualifying vessels. Many endorsements need sea time that no course can replace. Documenting Sea Time → |
| Practical assessment | A hands-on demonstration of a skill, signed off by an approved assessor, on board or at a school. |
| Coast Guard examination | A written exam for certain endorsements. Some approved courses include an exam that the Coast Guard accepts in its place; check what the course's approval covers. |
| Employer-required training | Training a company requires, which may go beyond the regulations. Ask the employer, not the school. |
Completing a course does not mean you have the endorsement. You hold it only when the National Maritime Center (NMC) approves your application and it appears on your MMC.
Before enrolling: Training completion does not guarantee issuance of an MMC, medical qualification, employment, or approval of any waiver or suitability review. Confirm that you understand the current credential, medical, drug-testing, and background-review requirements before paying for training.
Browse training by type
Start with what you need, not where the school is. Then check the course against the NMC checklist for your endorsement.
License Prep
Deck, engine, celestial, Rules of the Road, and navigation problems.
Tip: Exam prep doesn’t automatically replace a Coast Guard exam. Check whether the course’s approval grants exam credit for your exact endorsement; otherwise, pick prep that matches the modules on your approval-to-test letter.
Our exam prep →STCW Training
Basic Training, Advanced Firefighting, Medical Care Provider, and Proficiency in Survival Craft.
Tip: What you need depends on your vessel, voyage, duties, and endorsement; not every mariner needs every course. Check the continued-competence rules for each one. For Basic Training, qualifying sea service affects whether you revalidate or take a refresher. What is STCW? →
Towing
TOAR, Apprentice Mate (Steersman), and towing assessments.
Tip: A TOAR (Towing Officer Assessment Record) must be signed by a Coast Guard-approved Designated Examiner authorized for those tasks and that route. Confirm which assessments a provider can complete. A finished TOAR doesn’t cover every requirement; check the NMC checklist and NVIC 03-16.
Towing careers →Tank Vessel
Courses for Tank Vessel-PIC, Tank Barge-PIC, Tank Vessel-Assistant, and Tank Vessel-Engineer, in Dangerous Liquids (DL) or Liquefied Gases (LG), plus STCW tanker training.
Tip: Match the course to the exact endorsement and cargo category. Where STCW applies, also check the basic or advanced oil, chemical, or gas tanker qualification. A course alone isn’t enough: service and cargo transfers must be documented too. Tankerman-PIC guide →
Tanker careers →Offshore
Dynamic Positioning, MODU, and offshore safety training.
Tip: DP Operator certificates are issued through industry schemes, such as The Nautical Institute’s. Confirm which scheme your employer accepts before enrolling. Courses are only part of it: schemes also require documented sea experience and revalidation. DP certification doesn’t replace your Coast Guard credentials.
Entry Level
Basic Training (BT, formerly Basic Safety Training), RFPNW, Able Seafarer, and QMED pathways.
Tip: Some approved courses or programs grant specified sea-service credit. Verify the exact credit and which endorsement it applies to.
OS to Able Seafarer →Maritime Academies
Four-year unlimited officer programs.
Tip: Degree, sea training, and a license at graduation.
The academy route →How to check a course
Open the NMC checklist
Start with the current checklist for your exact endorsement and application type: original, renewal, raise of grade, or increase in scope. Check national and STCW requirements separately when both apply, and note the required training, assessments, sea service, and any alternatives that fit your existing credentials. NMC checklists →
Check the course approval
Use the NMC’s listings to confirm the course is Coast Guard-approved for the specific purpose you need. Approved course list (PDF) · NMC courses & approvals →
Ask the school
Ask for the current approval letter, course approval number, approved location and delivery method, and exactly what credit the certificate gives. Confirm any prerequisites and how long the certificate stays usable. If the listing and the approval letter disagree, ask the NMC.
Veteran? Check the GI Bill separately
Coast Guard approval doesn’t make a course GI Bill-eligible. Check the school and specific program in the GI Bill Comparison Tool, then confirm coverage with the school’s certifying official and the VA. Licensing tests and test-prep courses have separate reimbursement rules. Confirm your remaining entitlement and out-of-pocket cost before enrolling.
Not sure which training your endorsement calls for? The relevant NVICs explain how the Coast Guard applies the requirements and documents assessments. Read the current NVIC and its changes alongside your NMC checklist; the regulations control. See NVICs & Approved Courses →
Find a class that fits your time off
Search scheduled classes at MITAGS, MPT, STAR Center, Maritime Institute and Orange Coast College by course and by the dates you’re home.
Browse by region
We’re verifying schools one at a time before listing them by region. Until our regional directory is ready, use the NMC’s listings for Coast Guard-approved courses and programs. For industry certifications such as DP, use the certification body’s directory.
Official sources
- NMC credential checklists
- NMC courses, Designated Examiners and Qualified Assessors
- Merchant Mariner Credentialing NVICs
- 46 CFR Part 13: Tank vessel personnel
- 46 CFR 15.105: STCW exemptions
- VA GI Bill Comparison Tool
- VA: Licensing and certification tests and prep courses
- The Nautical Institute DP scheme (standards and accredited centres)
Complicated situation?
If you're not sure which training you actually need, get your record evaluated before you spend money on courses.
Where this fits in your journey
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