Who Can Take the CST Exam and How to Apply: Eligibility, Fees, and Your ATT

You can take the CST exam only after you establish eligibility with NBSTSA, and for almost everyone that means graduating from a surgical technology program accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES, or from a military surgical technology program. NBSTSA says it is the sole authority on eligibility. Once it approves your application and fee, it emails an Authorization to Test (ATT), and you schedule the exam with PSI within six months.

CST eligibility: the routes NBSTSA accepts

NBSTSA's eligibility page and the CST eligibility policy on its policies page together list these routes, as checked on October 25, 2026:

Two warnings from NBSTSA's FAQ: the program itself must be accredited, not just the school, and not every type of accreditation qualifies. You can check current programs on the CAAHEP and ABHES websites. To confirm a program's past status at the time you enrolled, NBSTSA asks you to call it at 800-707-0057.

Eligibility settles whether you can sit the exam; what you face once you do is the same three subject areas for everyone. The CST exam page shows how full prep will cover them at launch.

What does not qualify you for the CST exam

The eligibility rules themselves cannot be appealed. NBSTSA's appeals policy gives a direct example: it will not accept an appeal from someone who presents a history of working in the surgical technologist role but does not meet the graduation requirements. On-the-job experience alone is not a route to the CST.

What you can appeal is an application you believe was wrongly denied. The appeal goes in writing to NBSTSA's Board of Directors within 90 days of the ineligibility notice, with supporting documents and a $100 non-refundable fee, and the board hears appeals at its spring and fall meetings. If you apply and are found ineligible, NBSTSA refunds the fee minus the $100 processing fee, and minus the $85 rush fee if you paid it.

CST exam fees as of October 25, 2026

NBSTSA's application page, FAQ and 2026 exam application list these fees:

The FAQ says each of the four exam fees in this table includes a $100 non-refundable processing fee. For the AST member rate, you must be an active AST member when you apply, though not on exam day. NBSTSA accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover, credit or debit, and third-party cards; mail-in applications can also be paid by check or money order.

Two things to watch. The application form inside the 2025 candidate handbook still shows a $60 processing fee and no separate retake fee, while the 2026 application and the website show $100 and $300; use the current website figures. And NBSTSA has announced a $220 student rate from January 2027, which the CST 2027 student registration guide covers.

Once you know your likely test month, you can review the CST prep access periods planned for 30, 90 or 180 days; checkout is not open yet.

Testing as a CST student: on campus or at PSI before graduation

You do not have to wait until after graduation to test. NBSTSA's educators page describes on-campus web-based testing (WBT) for programs set up with PSI:

• WBT is for currently enrolled students, and the whole graduating group must take part.
• The group tests no more than 30 days before or 30 days after graduation.
• Applications, the WBT request form and a typed roster must reach NBSTSA at least 45 days before the test date.

Students who are not testing on campus can apply as pre-graduates and test at a PSI center; the 2026 application has a checkbox for it, and NBSTSA's On Test Day page says current students testing at PSI get their score report once their file is complete. For on-campus testing, proof of graduation must reach NBSTSA within 60 days of the exam date. If it does not, NBSTSA invalidates the result and keeps the fees. The NBSTSA pages checked for this guide do not give the proof-of-graduation deadline for pre-graduates testing at PSI, so confirm it with NBSTSA when you apply.

From CST application to Authorization to Test, step by step

1. Apply online. Log in to your NBSTSA account (the "practitioner" login on nbstsa.org) and submit the CST application. NBSTSA accepts mail-in applications but says they may delay processing.
2. Upload proof and pay. Send the proof of graduation for your route and the full fee. NBSTSA asks for copies, not original documents such as Social Security cards.
3. Wait for processing. The FAQ says to allow 2 to 4 weeks for your application to be processed and your ATT issued. Rush processing ($85) completes it in 3 to 5 business days, not counting mailing time.
4. Read your ATT email. It contains your ATT number and PSI's contact details.
5. Schedule with PSI. Use the link in your ATT email or call PSI at 1-833-256-1425. The handbook says sessions run Monday through Saturday at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. NBSTSA warns that weekend dates fill quickly.
6. Test within six months. NBSTSA's policy sets a six-month ATT time limit. If you do not test before the ATT expires, you forfeit the exam fees.

Six months is enough time for a structured review. The free CST study planner turns your test date and daily study time into a week-by-week outline.

Rescheduling, late arrival and ID rules at PSI

The candidate handbook and NBSTSA's On Test Day page set these rules:

• Rescheduling. You can reschedule once at no charge by calling PSI at least 48 hours before your appointment, and the new date must fall inside your six-month window. Missing that deadline forfeits the total fee, and you must reapply.
• Arriving late. If you arrive 15 minutes or more after your scheduled time, you are not admitted and you forfeit your fees.
• Identification. Bring two current IDs whose names match your ATT. The primary ID must have a photo, such as a driver's license, state ID, passport or military ID. The secondary must carry your signature, such as a Social Security card, student ID or employee ID. Temporary IDs are not accepted.
• Emergencies. For a missed exam caused by a serious illness, a death in the family, a disabling accident, a court date or jury duty, a military call-up, or other extenuating circumstances, contact NBSTSA within five business days and send documentation within 30 business days.
• Accommodations. Send the accommodation request and supporting documents with your application. Candidates approved for accommodations test at a PSI center, not on campus.

For the format, timing and official links in one place, the CST exam page summarizes the test and NBSTSA's sources.