Exam Support Resources

for details and updates about applying for the exam, please see our main exam webpage and our exam FAQs

The Certificate is run twice a year, in March and October

Other modules (B, C and D) are only run once a year, in October

A number of study videos have been recorded by the IRSE Younger Members' section and can be found on our Vimeo study area along with recordings of exam reviews where the examiners give feedback on the previous year's exam.  

The IRSE Younger Members' section organise study days / workshops in person and online.  Keep an eye on our events page and social media for announcements and details of how to book your place.

Some volunteers run study groups in towns and cities across the world.  The IRSE does not have a full list of these, but if you want your group advertised here, please let the exam team know by emailing exam@irse.org.  If you are interested in setting up your own group, please read our guidance document.

There is also an independent IRSE exam forum which is run by volunteers, providing support and guidance for all the exam modules.

The material on the following module pages provides information about the exam, and individual modules, on:

• syllabus for each module
• copies of previous year's exam paper for modules B, C and D only
• copies of previous exam questions for that module (for modules B, C and D requires membership login)
• sample questions and answers (for modules B, C and D requires membership login)
• study guides (for modules B, C and D requires membership login)
• suggested reading lists (for modules B, C and D requires membership login)

The IRSE Younger Members' section organise the annual exam review with input from the examiners.

It is always recorded and published on the Vimeo IRSE study showcase webpage and the slide deck from the last review can be found here - October 2023 exam review (March 2024)

This covers all aspects of railway control engineering at a foundation level.  Please click here to be taken to the Certificate's support resources page and here to be taken to the Certificate's reading list.

It is run twice a year, in March and October

This module assesses your understanding of the principles and practices associated with the safety and systems engineering of railway train control and telecommunications systems. It also includes the competence of those who work on such systems. The practices explored in this module apply both to the development and proving of railway principles and their application within a particular scheme.

Please click here to go to the module B support resources page (please note that some documents will only be available when you have logged in as a member).

To sit this module, you must already have passed an IRSE exam module and be an IRSE member. It is run once a year, in October.

This module assesses your understanding of the principles of operation of railway control and communications systems and sub-systems.

Please click here to go to the module C support resources page (please note that some documents will only be available when you have logged in as a member).

To sit this module, you must already have passed an IRSE exam module and be an IRSE member. It is run once a year, in October.

This module assesses your understanding of the the factors to be considered when applying items of railway control and communications equipment as part of a scheme, at all stages in the asset life-cycle from specification to replacement / decommissioning and your ability to apply that knowledge to develop and design railway control and communications applications that are safe, fit for purpose and effective.

Please click here to go to the module D support resources page (please note that some documents will only be available when you have logged in as a member).

To sit this module, you must already have passed an IRSE exam module and be an IRSE member. It is run once a year, in October.