Failed the GPhC Exam? Appeals, Resits and Your Next Plan

If you didn't pass the GPhC registration assessment, you can usually resit at the next sitting on Tuesday 15 June 2027, and you get up to three attempts in total. Appeals are only possible on two narrow grounds, so for most people the next step is a better resit plan.

By Umar Majid · 9 Nov 2026

If you didn't pass the GPhC registration assessment, you can usually sit it again at the next sitting, on Tuesday 15 June 2027, and you have up to three attempts in total. You can only appeal on two narrow grounds, so for most people the most useful next step is a better resit plan. Below is what to do in the first 48 hours, the first fortnight and the months before your resit.

You're not the only one

Not passing is upsetting. It's normal to feel embarrassed, or to worry about what your employer, family or friends will think. In November 2025, more than 450 candidates didn't pass, and many of them are now registered pharmacists.

If you're struggling, talk to someone. Pharmacist Support is a free, confidential charity for pharmacists and trainees, and it offers wellbeing and practical help.

The first 48 hours

Read your result properly

Your result shows the pass mark for Part 1 and Part 2, your own mark for each part and your overall outcome. Write your marks down, because they're the starting point for your plan.

Your result	What it usually means
Failed Part 1 only	A method or accuracy problem in calculations. Very fixable with daily, timed practice.
Failed Part 2 only	Gaps in clinical knowledge or in applying it to scenarios, or in law.
Failed both	Usually a structure problem: you started too late or revised without a plan.
Just below the pass mark	You're close. Small changes to technique often make the difference.

Read the GPhC's guidance for unsuccessful candidates

The GPhC sends guidance with your results that explains appeals and how to apply for the next sitting. Read it before you decide anything.

Should I appeal?

You can only appeal on one of two grounds:

Procedural grounds: the GPhC didn't apply a registration assessment procedure correctly.
Exceptional circumstances: something unique to you affected your performance on the day, which you didn't know about and couldn't have known about before or during the sitting.

The rules are strict. By sitting the assessment, you're treated as having declared yourself "fit to sit", so something you knew about beforehand, such as illness or a family situation, won't usually be accepted. Nullification comes first: if you could have asked for your attempt to be nullified for the same reason, you can't use that reason to appeal. You'll need clear supporting evidence, sent in the format and by the deadline the GPhC sets for that sitting. For June 2026, that deadline was 5pm on 11 August 2026. And if your appeal isn't upheld, the fail stands and counts as one of your attempts.

Most appeals aren't upheld because the grounds are so narrow. If you think you may have a case, read the guidance carefully and consider advice from your union or defence body, such as the PDA, before you submit.

How many attempts do I have?

You can sit the assessment a maximum of three times, within the time limit for applying to register. Withdrawing before you sit doesn't use an attempt, so if you're not ready, it may be better to withdraw than to sit.

Resit pass rates are lower. In June 2026, first-time candidates passed at 85% but second-time candidates at 59%. That gap is usually about method, not ability.

When is the next sitting?

What	Date
Reasonable adjustment deadlines	12 noon, Monday 11 January 2027 (early panel); 5pm, Wednesday 17 February 2027 (final)
Application window	Not yet published
Assessment day	Tuesday 15 June 2027
Results day	Tuesday 20 July 2027

Our page on GPhC exam dates 2027 has the eligibility details. The GPhC links eligibility to the window you started training in, so confirm with the GPhC or your statutory education body which sitting you can resit in before you plan around June. Dates and rules can change.

A resit plan that changes the outcome

The biggest mistake resitters make is doing more of the same revision. If it didn't work last time, more hours of it rarely will.

Weeks 1 to 2: work out what went wrong

Compare your marks with the pass marks for each part. Read the Board of Assessors feedback for your sitting, which lists the themes candidates found hardest, such as drug interactions, supply quantities, rounding and legislation. Then be honest with yourself. Did you start late? Did you mostly read rather than practise questions? Did you run out of time?

Weeks 3 to 10: rebuild

Calculations every day, timed and by type. See the 9 GPhC calculation types.
Clinical by system, starting with the high-weight areas in the GPhC framework.
Questions, not reading. Spend most of your time on practice questions and on working out why you got them wrong.

Weeks 11 onwards: perform

Move on to mixed, timed papers. Sit a full mock under real exam conditions, and keep an error log that you review every week.

Look after the basics

Many resitters are working full time with less support than before. Agree protected study time with your employer if you can, keep sessions short and regular, and protect your sleep in the final month.

Common questions

Can I resit the GPhC exam? Yes. You can sit up to three times within the time limit for applying to register, and the next sitting is Tuesday 15 June 2027.

What grounds can I appeal on? Procedural grounds, or exceptional circumstances you didn't know about and couldn't have known about before or during the sitting.

Do I have to resit both parts? Yes. You have to pass Part 1 and Part 2 at the same sitting, even if you passed one of them before.

Does withdrawing count as an attempt? Not if you withdraw before you sit.

Where can I get support? Pharmacist Support offers free, confidential help, and your union or defence body can advise on appeals.

You don't have to do the resit alone

Our Foundation Pharmacist Training Programme includes structured lessons for Part 1 and Part 2, a question bank, a mock paper and a revision plan, and your access continues to your next sitting if you're unsuccessful. We'll help you work out exactly what went wrong and build a plan around it.

See the programme or create a free account to start with the first lesson of every chapter.