CST guides
Direct answers for CST format, studying, exam day, scores, and what to do next.
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About 69% of first-time CST candidates passed in 2025, by NBSTSA's own count. Here is what makes the surgical technologist exam hard, which popular claims about it are wrong, and how to judge whether you are ready.
Read the guideNBSTSA accepts graduates of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited surgical technology programs and of military programs, plus a few edge cases. Here is the proof each route needs, what the application costs, and how the Authorization to Test and PSI scheduling work.
Read the guideNBSTSA's CST pass mark is 98 correct answers out of 150 scored questions, effective January 1, 2024. Here is how the November 2023 standard setting produced that number, why it holds across exam forms, and when each kind of candidate sees a result.
Read the guideAs of October 25, 2026, NBSTSA has announced no new CST content outline, passing score or format for 2027. Here is what a 2027 candidate will take, what changes every January anyway, and the milestones that would signal a new exam.
Read the guideNBSTSA says it alone will manage CST student exam registration starting January 5, 2027, with a $220 student fee. Here is what changes, what NBSTSA says stays the same, and what to do if your class bought AST Gold Bundles.
Read the guideNBSTSA's CST outline, effective January 1, 2023, fixes how many scored questions come from each of eight sub-areas. Here is the full count, how many task lines sit behind each number, and how to turn that into study priorities.
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