FCPS Part 1 fee 2026: cost, refund policy, and hidden expenses

The CPSP exam fee for FCPS Part 1 changes year on year, and the refund / reschedule rules are buried in PDF circulars that most candidates only find after something goes wrong. Here's the current picture for 2026, in plain English.

Current FCPS Part 1 fee (2026 cycle)

Always verify the exact figure on the CPSP's official notification for your specific sitting at cpsp.edu.pk. Numbers above are the candidate-reported range from the last few cycles — CPSP doesn't publish a fixed price-list and they can revise mid-cycle.

How to pay

1. Online via CPSP portal — credit/debit card or 1Link bank transfer. Fastest path, instant confirmation.
2. Pay order / bank draft — drawn in favour of "College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, Karachi", deposited at any partner bank. Slow (3–5 working days for confirmation), but accepted everywhere.
3. JazzCash / EasyPaisa — not directly accepted by CPSP for exam fee. Only banks and card payments.

Refund policy — the honest truth

Read this carefully. CPSP's stance has been consistent for years:

• No refund once your application is accepted and the admit card has been issued.
• Partial refund (typically 50–60%) if you withdraw before the closing date and before admit-card issuance — written request required, processed in 4–8 weeks.
• No refund if you fail to appear (no-show on exam day, regardless of reason).
• No refund if you fail the exam — fee is for the attempt, not for passing.
• Force-majeure clause (illness, bereavement, hospital admission) — case-by-case, requires medical/death certificate within 14 days. Outcome usually a credit toward the next sitting, not a cash refund.

The single most expensive mistake we see candidates make: paying the fee, then realising they're not ready, and assuming they can roll it over. CPSP does not roll over fees by default. You either sit it, request a deferral with documentation, or lose it.

Reschedule / deferral

• One-time deferral to the next immediate sitting is sometimes granted on written request before admit-card issuance.
• You'll usually pay a small administrative fee (~PKR 2,000–3,000) for the deferral.
• Repeated deferrals are not granted — CPSP treats them as no-show after the second.

Failed the exam — what now?

You can re-sit on the next available cycle. There is no limit on the number of attempts for FCPS Part 1, and your old fee doesn't carry over — every attempt is a fresh fee.

The smart move: if you've failed, take a 1-week break, then audit honestly:

1. What was your final mock-exam average in the run-up? (If <65% you needed more time)
2. Which subjects let you down? (Check your Qbank's subject-wise accuracy)
3. Did you actually do timed full-length mocks under exam conditions? (Most failers say "no, I ran out of time on the day")

Then plan the next sitting using our 8-week plan as a base.

Hidden costs nobody talks about

Total realistic budget for one attempt: PKR 70,000–130,000 if you go all-in. You can do it for half that with second-hand books, library access, and a single Qbank subscription.

Practical checklist before you pay

1. ✅ Confirm your college / university accreditation is on CPSP's recognised list.
2. ✅ Confirm your internship completion certificate is in hand.
3. ✅ Confirm your PMC registration is active.
4. ✅ Decide your exam centre preference — once submitted, it's hard to change.
5. ✅ Run a full timed mock 8 weeks out and score honestly. Below 60% = postpone, don't pay yet.
6. ✅ Keep a scanned copy of your bank pay-order receipt for at least 6 months after the result.

Bottom line

The exam fee is a sunk cost the moment your admit card is issued. Plan to pay it once and pass. Use the 8 weeks before the exam to be ready — not the 4 weeks before paying to "decide if you're ready". A failed attempt costs the fee plus the 6–8 weeks you'll lose to your next prep cycle.

Practise under exam conditions before you commit — try ReviseFCPS1 free for 7 days with full timed mocks and 8,236 real recalls.