Exam Fees

• Part A: £650 for 2026 sittings; £670 for sittings from January 2027
• Part B OSCE: £1,177 for 2026 sittings; £1,212 for sittings from January 2027
• Fees rise 3% from 1 January 2027 (ICBSE announcement, August 2026). Candidates in India pay 18% GST on top.

Part A location: Pearson VUE test centres worldwide. Part B: delivered by each Royal College in the UK, Ireland and selected overseas centres.

Part A — Key Dates

Part B OSCE — UK Diets (RCS England)

Overseas Part B diets for 2026–27 include Cairo and Alexandria (November 2026), Karachi (December 2026), Hyderabad (January 2027), Lahore (April 2027), Colombo (June 2027) and Abu Dhabi (July 2027). RCSI Dublin runs Part B in February, May and October. Dates and deadlines vary by College — always confirm with the College you are applying through.

Results dates for 2027 Part A sittings had not been published at the time of writing. Part A results are normally released around five to six weeks after the exam.

ICBSE and the four surgical Royal Colleges (UK and Ireland) have agreed a 3% increase in MRCS examination fees, effective for examinations from 1 January 2027.

The Royal Colleges are already quoting the 2027 fee for sittings that take place after 1 January 2027 (for example the January 2027 Part A and the January/February 2027 Part B diets), even though applications open in late 2026.

Following requests for rechecks from candidates who sat the final MRCS (ENT) OSCE in Glasgow in February 2026, ICBSE carried out a detailed review of the marksheets and recorded marks for that examination.

• For the majority of candidates the recorded marks were confirmed as accurate.
• In a small number of cases, discrepancies were identified in how marks had been recorded. These records have been corrected.
• No candidate's overall pass or fail outcome changed as a result of the corrections.
• Additional checks have been completed and procedures reviewed to reduce the risk of similar recording errors in future.

Candidates who requested a recheck are being contacted directly with the outcome of their individual review. ICBSE has apologised for any concern the matter caused.

Eligibility:

• Must hold a primary medical qualification accepted by the UK GMC or Medical Council of Ireland.
• First-time applicants not on GMC/IMC registers must provide original or authenticated qualification certificates.

Exam Structure:

• Part A: Two MCQ papers (3hr + 2hr) taken same day.
• Part B: OSCE—normally 17 stations, each 9 minutes.

Attempts:

• Up to 6 attempts at Part A.
• Up to 4 attempts at Part B OSCE (+1 possible under Additional Attempt Policy).
• Must pass Part B within 7 years of passing Part A.

Identification:

Valid ID (passport or driving licence) required; must remove facial coverings for ID check.

Withdrawals/Refunds:

• Withdraw before closing date: 80% refund (minus admin fee).
• Medical/bereavement: up to 100% refund if documentation provided within 14 days.
• Special needs: Advise college at time of application, provide medical evidence if needed.

Misconduct:

Cheating or failure to declare relevant warnings/suspension can result in exclusion.

Fit to Sit Policy:

Sitting the exam confirms you are fit; no mitigation claims after the exam.

The final diet (February 2026)

• Hosted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.
• Online component: Monday 16 February 2026. Clinical component: 25–27 February 2026.
• Applications opened 20 November 2025 and closed 4 December 2025, capped at 250 candidates across all Colleges on a first-come, first-served basis.

What this means now

• Candidates wishing to enter Higher Surgical Training in ENT must pass the standard MRCS Part B OSCE.
• The ENT Specialty Advisory Committee has confirmed that MRCS Part B satisfies the eligibility requirement for ENT HST.
• DO-HNS Part 1 holders who did not complete MRCS (ENT) must register for and pass MRCS Part A and Part B.

Background: the cessation was first announced in July 2024 following stakeholder consultation; the final-diet details were confirmed by ICBSE on 8 September 2025.

From October 2024, all UK and Ireland MRCS OSCEs will be marked electronically using iPads.

• Examiners will enter scores directly into the device.
• This process has been successfully trialled in Glasgow and London and will now be used for all sittings.
• Benefits: Real-time monitoring and faster results.

• The tax is added to the base exam fee and shown during online payment.
• Applies to all exam types and resits, only for sittings held in India.
• Invoices are provided. GST may be refundable if the exam fee is refunded (per College and tax regulations).
• Payments in any currency will incur GST, calculated from the base fee in GBP.
• Does not apply to candidates sitting MRCS exams in other countries.