The IRSE Professional Exam

The exam regulations ensure that all candidates are given the same opportunities and that the examinations are conducted in a fair manner, we advise that you read these regulations before applying to take the exam. If you have special requirements for sitting exams, please contact the team at exam@irse.org to discuss these - you will need to supply a medical certificate before any requirements can be put in place.

Awards are available to candidates who achieve outstanding marks in the exam. The Thorrowgood Scholarship is awarded to the person(s) who have achieved excellent results in all their exam modules and funds a professional development activity / industry-based study tour. The IRSE-Signet Award is awarded to the person who has gained the highest marks in one of modules B, C or D and funds the winner to attend an IRSE international convention / conference.

All subject to Education & Professional Development Committee agreement,

• those wishing to sit the Certificate in Railway Control Engineering Fundamentals (Module A) can do so in March and October each year - normally the first Saturday in March and October - this is open to IRSE members and non-members.

• those wishing to sit between one and three of the Advanced Diploma modules (Module B, Module C and Module D) can do so in October each year - normally the first Saturday in October - this is only open to IRSE members** who have passed an exam module previously and who are up-to-date with their subscription fees.

** candidates are encouraged to apply for IRSE membership as soon as possible if they wish to sit modules B, C and/or D to gain full benefit of access to the study materials.

Candidates will sit their exams remotely, so will need a computer (not a tablet or smartphone) which can have software downloaded and installed on it, stable internet and a quiet location

Candidates found in breach of the exam terms and conditions may be subject to sanctions, including being disqualified

Candidates are reminded that they must be fully paid-up IRSE members to sit modules B, C and D.  They are asked to apply to become a member in sufficient time for them not only to complete the application process but also to use the study material available for IRSE members only.

Exams are closed book and will be monitored by remote invigilation and anti-plagiarism software to detect any infringement to these rules.

This means that all candidates must only have exam relevant information / material open / to hand, with everything else closed or 'quit' including, but not limited to, means of communication (emails, 'WhatsApp', 'Discord', etc), study materials and work materials.

The syllabus for the Certificate (module A) has been updated for the March 2024 exam and beyond and the essential reading list updated

The Thorrowgood Scholarship is given to the candidate(s) who have excelled in the exams in the year, subject to a satisfactory interview.  In some cases the examiners look back at modules taken in previous year(s) if the candidate has not sat modules B, C and D in that year.  The scholarship winner receives funding of approximately £1,500 to undertake a professional development activity and/or an industry-based study tour.

The IRSE-Signet Award is given to the candidate who has achieved the highest mark in either module B, module C or module D in the year.  The award winner receives funding to attend the IRSE International Convention or ASPECT conference.

Look at the IRSE Prizes and Awards page to read about the latest winners of these prestigious awards.

The following dates are available for exam candidates:

• Candidates wishing to sit the Certificate (module A): Saturday 1 March 2025 and Saturday 4 October 2025.  This will be open for IRSE members and non-members.

• Candidates wishing to sit module(s) B, C and/or D: Saturday 4 October 2025.  These modules are available for IRSE members who have already passed one exam module.

Education & Professional Development Committee have confirmed that all exams in 2025 will be held remotely and will be closed book (no study materials or means of communication open - monitored through remote invigilation and anti-plagiarism software)

Candidates who are not already IRSE members but are intending to sit module(s) B, C and/or D in October 2025 are encouraged to apply for IRSE membership as soon as possible so that they can make use of all the IRSE membership benefits, including access to all study materials for these modules.

It is important to apply to sit any of the modules of the exam only when you are fully prepared, so please take the time to read the syllabus and past / sample paper(s) of the module(s) you plan to sit to ensure your understanding of the requirements and depth of questions.

Passing the IRSE exam is a significant step towards recognition as a professional Engineer within our industry. It will support your application towards IEng or CEng registration and membership routes within the IRSE.

As such, the exam is aimed at individuals who have enough understanding of the industry and its many complex interfaces to confidently answer questions on several topics within the syllabus for each module.

Certificate (Module A) now gives candidates a great taster for what is to follow and will act as the filter for candidates who are ready for a more challenging test of their knowledge. It is a wide ranging exam, covering a wide syllabus and questions are set across all learning objectives

Note that study materials for modules B, C and D are only available for IRSE members, so please ensure that you have sufficient time to prepare once your membership application has been accepted

If you have more questions about the exam, please look at our frequently asked questions, which are updated regularly. If you have any additional questions, please contact the exam team at exam@irse.org

• Questions cover all the essential reading list articles
• Revise the areas you don't know about
• Don't think about the question too deeply
• If you are stuck, move onto the next question(s), and if you have time come back to that question(s)
• Make use of the practice sessions

• Read the question
• Answer the question, not just what you know about the subject
• State your assumptions at the beginning of each of your answers, for example the infrastructure / type of railway your answer covers
• Some answers have been too brief - note the number of marks for each part of the question, and note the use of words in the question such as 'describe', 'explain' and 'discuss'
• Include a diagram if it is being asked for, or you consider that it is appropriate to help explain your answer clearly
• Practice handwriting answers (for 1.5 hours), if that is how you are going to answer
• Practice typing answers (for 1.5 hours), if that is how you are going to answer
• Practice uploading handwritten answers / diagrams into the exam software