What is the Royal Marine Candidate Preparation Course?

Introduction

The Royal Marine Candidate Preparation Course (CPC) is part of the recruitment and selection process of the Royal Marines.

It is one of three (physical) phases the potential Royal Marine must attend and pass before starting initial training.

Pre-Joining Fitness Test Plus.
Royal Marine Candidate Preparation Course.
Recruit Orientation Phase.
Initial Training.

Prior To Attending CPC

Prior to attending CPC, candidates will be given an itinerary/joining instructions of what to bring and what to expect on the CPC.

What Does the CPC Involve?

The Candidate Preparation Course (CPC) is a three-day (Tuesday evening to Friday) course at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM), Lympstone.

The first day is administration and lectures, followed by the indoor physical tests on day two, and the outdoor tests on day three.

All assessments are demonstrated by a Physical Training Instructor (PTI) from the Commando Selection Team.

The course includes the following:

VO2 Max/Bleep Test assessment:
- 20 metre distance.
Press Up, sit up and pull up assessments:
- 30 press-ups.
- 40 sit-ups.
- 4 heaves (pull-ups).
- All performed to an accompanying beep.
- Candidates will also practise a ‘feet to beam’.
Swimming assessment:
- 33 metre long pool.
- Jump off the 3 metre high diving board.
- Swim two laps (approximately 150 metres).
- Tread water for two minutes.
- Get out of the pool unaided.
Confidence and Determination assessments are also part of the course, which are conducted on the:
- Endurance course (Woodbury Common) and involves going through water, crawling, sprinting and other delights!;
- High obstacle course; and
- Bottom field.
- Press-ups also form a part of the ‘entertainment’, and occur on an irregular basis throughout the sessions.
- Finally, a change into trainers for a three-and-a-half mile run back to camp (probably still in your wet clothes).

Candidates will also receive information session on weapons, fieldcraft, and other information on what life is like as a Royal Marine.

Pass Rate

According to a post on Facebook, the pass rate is 50%.

From 2011 to 2021, the overall success rate for an individual joining to passing out was 54%. In other words, for every 100 people who joined the RM during that period, 54 would eventually pass out (FOI 2021/03635).
An FOI from September 2020 (2020/09674) stated “the average success rate for individuals who completed training, including those who may have been back coursed due to performance or medical reasons while under training, in the period September 2013 to August 2020 is 52 percent. This figure is inclusive of the Recruit Orientation Phase (ROP).”
The average success rate for the Potential Royal Marine Course (PMRC) for the period April 2013 to March 2020 was 63%.
The percentage of individuals who voluntarily withdrew from training in the period September 2013 to August 202 was 34%, inclusive of the ROP.
The percentage of individuals who failed to complete basic training due to performance issues between September 2013 and August 2020 was 33%, inclusive of the ROP.