Key takeaways
- The CST portfolio station is worth 45% of the selection score, the same as the management and clinical station; the MSRA is the other 10%.
- It lasts 15 minutes: a three-minute prepared presentation, two minutes of questions, then two portfolio questions of five minutes each on domains the assessor chooses.
- Evidence is uploaded before interview with a mandatory index sheet and graded A to E across four domains. There is no Oriel self-assessment.
- A missing index sheet scores zero for portfolio evidence. Supervisor letters must carry the supervisor's GMC number.
- Only the top 1,200 at the MSRA upload evidence. In 2026 the window was 16 to 26 February; the 2027 window is not yet published.
- NHS England says it is likely that from 2027 the domains realign to Good Medical Practice: knowledge and skills, safety and culture, and communication.
What is the CST portfolio station?
The CST portfolio station is a 15-minute online interview station, assessed by a panel of three to four, in which your uploaded evidence is graded A to E and discussed with you. It is worth 45% of the Core Surgical Training selection score.
According to NHS England's core surgery interviews page, the station replaced the Oriel self-assessment. Nothing is scored from a form; the marks come from the evidence you upload and the answers you give live.
The format and weighting below are the 2026 position. NHS England has published nothing CST-specific for 2027, so treat the structure as expected rather than confirmed.
How is the CST portfolio station structured?
The CST portfolio station runs in four parts: a three-minute presentation you prepare in advance, two minutes of questions on it, then two portfolio questions of five minutes each on domains the assessor chooses.
- Presentation
- 3 minutes, prepared in advance
- Questions on the presentation
- 2 minutes
- Portfolio question 1
- 5 minutes, on a domain the assessor chooses
- Portfolio question 2
- 5 minutes, on a second domain the assessor chooses
- Total
- 15 minutes
- Panel
- Three to four assessors
You do not know in advance which two domains will be questioned. In practice that means preparing every domain to the same standard, because the weakest one is as likely to come up as the strongest.
What are the four CST portfolio domains?
The four CST portfolio domains are set out in NHS England's portfolio guidance for candidates, and your uploaded evidence is graded A to E in each of them. The guidance also says the domains are likely to change for 2027.
According to that guidance, it is likely that from 2027 the domains will be realigned to Good Medical Practice: knowledge and skills, safety and culture, and communication, combining the communication domains. NHS England's own wording is 'it is likely', so this is stated intent rather than settled policy.
- Number of domains
- Four (2026 position)
- Grading
- A to E per domain, not numeric
- Likely 2027 domains
- Knowledge and skills; safety and culture; communication (NHS England: 'it is likely')
- Surgical experience
- Electives and taster weeks count; foundation placements no longer score
- Descriptors for each grade
- Published in the portfolio guidance for the round; the 2027 edition is not yet out
This page does not reproduce grade descriptors that the 2027 guidance may change. When NHS England publishes the 2027 portfolio guidance, check each domain's A to E descriptors against your evidence before you build the index sheet.
How are the A to E grades awarded?
A to E grades are awarded per domain against the descriptors in NHS England's portfolio guidance, with A the highest grade and E the lowest. The panel grades the evidence you upload, then questions you on it in the station.
The station's own marks are then scored 0 to 6 per item: 0 is no evidence, 3 satisfactory, 6 outstanding. The marked domains are skills and knowledge, and presentation, which covers content, presentation skills and questioning.
Raw marks per station are not published. According to NHS England, only the percentages are: portfolio 45%, management and clinical 45%, MSRA 10%.
What is the CST evidence index sheet?
The CST evidence index sheet is a mandatory document, uploaded with your evidence, that maps each item of evidence to the domain it supports. Candidates who omit it score zero for portfolio evidence, whatever they have uploaded.
That rule is NHS England's, not ours, and it has no discretion attached. The sheet is the panel's route into your evidence in the minutes they have, so an index that leads straight to each document is what earns the grade.
- List every item under the domain it supports, in the order the guidance uses
- Give each item a number that matches the file name you upload
- Keep to evidence that scores; a long index hides the items that matter
- Draft it early. It can be written months before the upload window opens
When is the CST evidence upload window?
The CST evidence upload window for 2027 is not yet published. In 2026 it ran from 16 to 26 February, after the MSRA window of 6 to 19 January and before interviews on 2 to 11 March.
- Who uploads
- The top 1,200 applicants at the MSRA
- 2026 window
- 16 to 26 February 2026
- 2027 window
- Not yet published
- National interview window 2027
- Monday 11 January to Friday 2 April 2027 (confirmed)
- Initial offers 2027
- 5pm, Tuesday 6 April 2027 (confirmed)
In 2026 the upload window closed on 26 February and interviews began on 2 March, four days later. Assume the same for 2027 and have the evidence ready before the MSRA result, not after it.
What must CST supervisor letters include?
CST supervisor letters must carry the supervisor's GMC number; NHS England's portfolio guidance makes that mandatory. In practice a letter also needs the supervisor's full name, the date, and the letterhead of the organisation.
Request letters early and ask for the GMC number in the request. A letter that arrives without one has to go back, and consultants are slower to respond in the weeks before an upload window than in the summer.
How is the CST portfolio station scored?
The CST portfolio station is 45% of the selection score out of 100. Within the station, evidence is graded A to E per domain and the interview items are scored 0 to 6, covering skills and knowledge and the presentation.
- Weight
- 45% of 100
- Evidence grading
- A to E per domain, four domains
- Interview items
- 0 to 6 each: 0 no evidence, 3 satisfactory, 6 outstanding
- Marked domains
- Skills and knowledge; presentation (content, presentation skills, questioning)
- Appointability threshold
- None published for CST in any round
- Status
- 2026 position; nothing CST-specific published for 2027
No appointability threshold has ever been published for Core Surgical Training. You are ranked on the combined score, and in 2025 the field was 5,399 applications for 630 posts, 8.6 to 1, about 12% appointed.
How does the portfolio station differ from the old self-assessment?
The portfolio station differs from the old self-assessment in that a panel grades your evidence and questions you on it live, rather than you scoring yourself on Oriel and consultants verifying the points before interview.
The old scheme contributed about 30% under legacy guidance; the portfolio station carries 45%. The Self-Assessment page in this guide sets the two side by side.
How should you prepare for the CST portfolio station?
Prepare the CST portfolio station in this order: index sheet, evidence, presentation, then spoken answers for each domain. The first two decide the grade; the last two decide the 0 to 6 marks.
- Draft the index sheet against the current domains now and revise it when the 2027 guidance is published.
- Chase supervisor letters with GMC numbers before the application closes on 19 November 2026.
- Write the three-minute presentation as a spoken piece and time it; two minutes of questions follow it.
- Prepare a five-minute answer for every domain, with the evidence you would point the panel to.
- Practise those answers out loud with feedback against the marked domains.
coresurgeryinterview's bank includes portfolio-station questions with model answers and AI-marked spoken practice, alongside the management and clinical scenarios: 299 questions for £97 to the end of the 2027 interview window.
FAQ
How much is the CST portfolio station worth?
45% of the Core Surgical Training selection score out of 100. The management and clinical station is another 45% and the MSRA the remaining 10%. That is the 2026 position.
How long is the CST portfolio station?
15 minutes: a three-minute prepared presentation, two minutes of questions on it, then two portfolio questions of five minutes each on domains the assessor chooses.
What happens if I forget the CST index sheet?
You score zero for portfolio evidence, whatever you uploaded. NHS England's portfolio guidance makes the index sheet mandatory with no discretion.
How is CST portfolio evidence graded?
A to E per domain across four domains, with A the highest grade. The grading replaced numeric self-assessment points. Interview items in the station are then scored 0 to 6.
When do I upload evidence for CST 2027?
The 2027 window is not yet published. In 2026 it ran from 16 to 26 February and applied to the top 1,200 applicants at the MSRA.
Are the CST portfolio domains changing for 2027?
NHS England's portfolio guidance says it is likely that from 2027 the domains realign to Good Medical Practice: knowledge and skills, safety and culture, and communication. It is stated intent, not confirmed policy.
Do supervisor letters need a GMC number?
Yes. GMC numbers on supervisor letters are mandatory under NHS England's portfolio guidance. Ask for the number when you request the letter.