FRCS (SN) Section 1: exam format, dates and fees (2026–27)
Everything a candidate needs to know about the written part of the Intercollegiate Specialty Examination in Neurosurgery — what the papers look like, when the next sitting is, what it costs, how many attempts you get, and how to prepare. Checked against the JCIE on 20 September 2026.
What the FRCS (SN) is
The FRCS (SN) — Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Surgical Neurology — is the intercollegiate specialty examination for neurosurgery in the UK and Ireland. It is administered by the Joint Committee on Intercollegiate Examinations (JCIE) on behalf of the four surgical Royal Colleges, and is sat towards the end of higher specialty training.
It has two sections. Section 1 is the written, computer-based examination described on this page. Section 2 is the clinical and oral examination, which you can only enter once you have passed Section 1.
Section 1 format
Under the JCIE regulations (Policy G1, version 10.0, reviewed July 2025), Section 1 is delivered by computer-based testing at Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and Ireland and consists of two papers of single best answer (SBA) questions:
| Paper | Questions | Format | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 120 | Single best answer | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Paper 2 | 120 | Single best answer | 2 hours 15 minutes |
That is 240 questions in 4½ hours of testing — a little over a minute per question. Results are published within six weeks of the examination date.
The papers sample the whole neurosurgical curriculum: applied basic sciences, clinical neurosurgery across the subspecialties (trauma, vascular, neuro-oncology, spine, paediatrics, functional, skull base and peripheral nerve), neuroanatomy, neuroimaging, neurocritical care, and statistics and research methods. You must reach the required standard in Section 1 before you can proceed to Section 2.
Key dates
| Sitting | Exam date | Where | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | 3 November 2026 | Computer-based (Pearson VUE test centres, UK & Ireland) | Closed 13 August 2026 |
| Section 2 | 8 October 2026 | Bristol | Closed 25 June 2026 |
At the time of checking, the JCIE calendar had not yet published 2027 neurosurgery dates. The application window for Section 1 usually closes around three months before the exam, so check the JCIE calendar early and diarise the deadline.
Fees
| Period | Section 1 | Section 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Until 31 December 2026 | £580 | £1,420 | £2,000 |
| From 1 January 2027 | £600 | £1,470 | £2,070 |
Fees are set by the JCIE and are per attempt, so a failed section is paid for again. Against that, the cost of good written-paper preparation is small.
How many attempts do you get?
- Section 1: a maximum of four attempts, within two years of your first attempt.
- Section 2: a maximum of four attempts, with no re-entry.
Eligibility
Candidates must be in good standing with the GMC (or IMC in Ireland) and supply three completed structured reference forms from referees who are themselves on the UK or Ireland medical register and in good standing. The full eligibility criteria and application process are set out on the JCIE website; read them before you plan a sitting, because the requirements are strictly applied.
What comes after: Section 2 in brief
Section 2 is examined over two days. The clinical day comprises intermediate cases (two cases in 40 minutes) and short cases (four cases in 40 minutes); the oral day comprises three 30-minute orals covering operative surgery and surgical anatomy, investigation of the neurosurgical patient including neuroradiology, and the non-operative clinical practice of neurosurgery. The British Neurosurgical Trainees' Association candidate guide gives a first-hand account; the definitive structure is in the JCIE regulations.
How to prepare for Section 1
Section 1 rewards breadth and pattern recognition under time pressure, which is why question-based revision works better than re-reading textbooks. A plan that mirrors the exam:
- Revise by curriculum domain. Work through each subspecialty in turn so that no domain is left thin — the papers sample all of them.
- Read every explanation, including the ones you got right. The distractors in a good SBA are where the learning is.
- Practise timed blocks. Sit full 120-question papers in 2 hours 15 minutes so the pace of the real thing is familiar before the day.
- Track your weak categories and spend the final weeks there rather than on what you already know.
PassNeurosurgery is written by consultant neurosurgeons who have passed the FRCS (SN) and the FEBNS, and is built around exactly that loop: exam-style SBAs grouped by subspecialty, timed exam mode, and per-category performance tracking. Try 10 questions free — no credit card needed — or see the plans.
Sitting the FEBNS instead?
The European Board of Neurological Surgery examination, run by the EANS, has its own format and calendar. The same question bank is used by candidates preparing for the FEBNS Part 1 written paper.
Sources
- JCIE examination calendar — dates, venues and application deadlines
- JCIE FAQs — fees and results timing
- JCIE Policy G1 v10.0 (Regulations) — Section 1 structure, attempts and eligibility
- BNTA FRCS (SN) candidate guide — Section 2 first-hand account
Last checked 20 September 2026. Examination regulations, dates and fees change — always confirm with the JCIE before applying. If you spot something out of date, please let us know.