GPhC Reasonable Adjustments: How to Request Extra Time and Other Support
Need extra time or other support in the GPhC exam? Who can apply for a reasonable adjustment, the evidence you need, the 2027 deadlines, what the GPhC will and won't grant, and how appeals work.
By Umar Majid ·
If you want extra time or other support in the June 2027 GPhC registration assessment, your complete application and evidence must reach the GPhC by 5pm on Wednesday 17 February 2027. Apply by 12 noon on Monday 11 January 2027 and you'll get a decision sooner. Late requests aren't accepted, and evidence often takes weeks to arrange, so start now.
What is a reasonable adjustment?
It's there so you aren't unfairly disadvantaged by a health condition, disability, specific learning difficulty or other individual need. The GPhC is clear that it adjusts the process, not the standard. Everyone sits the same assessment and needs the same number of correct answers to pass.
What are the deadlines for 2027?
The GPhC reviews applications at panels, and yours goes to the first panel after you submit it.
| Panel | Sitting | Complete application received by | Outcome by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel 1 | June 2027 | 12 noon, Monday 11 January 2027 | Thursday 4 February 2027 |
| Panels 2 and 3 | June 2027 | 5pm, Wednesday 17 February 2027 | Thursday 25 March 2027 |
| Panel 4 | Autumn 2027 | 5pm, Thursday 5 August 2027 | Thursday 9 September 2027 |
For comparison, the deadline for the November 2026 sitting was 5pm on Thursday 6 August 2026. The GPhC is currently accepting applications for 2027 sittings only.
Aim for Panel 1 if you can. You'll get your outcome in early February, which leaves time to plan your revision around the decision, or to appeal if something has gone wrong. For the other important dates, see our GPhC exam dates page.
Application A or Application B?
Use Application A for specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia. Use Application B for any other condition or need. If you have a specific learning difficulty and another condition, submit both.
For autism, ADHD or AuDHD, use Application A if you have a full diagnostic report, and Application B for other formal diagnoses. Download the current forms from the GPhC's reasonable adjustments page.
What evidence do you need?
Application A (specific learning difficulties)
You need a full diagnostic assessment report with test scores, from a specialist teacher with a practising certificate in assessing specific learning difficulties, or a psychologist with a practising certificate.
For dyslexia, dyscalculia or dysgraphia, the report must have been issued on or after your 16th birthday. For dyspraxia, it's on or after your 14th birthday. Older reports can be sent to the GPhC for review. If the report doesn't recommend the adjustment you're asking for, you'll also need a signed and dated letter on headed paper from the assessor.
Screening reports, summary reports and university needs assessments aren't accepted. Send files that aren't password protected, as that can delay things.
Application B (other conditions)
A qualified healthcare professional involved in your care must complete their part of the form. Their evidence must cover:
- the diagnosis and when it was made
- how long it's expected to last, and any treatment or support
- how it affects your day-to-day life
- why the adjustment is needed, how you'll use it and whether it's appropriate
The professional mustn't have a conflict of interest, so family and friends can't complete it. Your designated supervisor (DS) and other pharmacy professionals involved in your training aren't eligible either.
For mental health conditions, short-term exam anxiety doesn't qualify. The evidence must confirm a formal diagnosis and that the condition has lasted, or is likely to last, 12 months or more.
How much extra time can you get?
The standard amount of extra time is 25%. Anything more needs further justification and evidence.
| Extra time | Part 1 | Part 2 |
|---|---|---|
| None | 2 hours | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| 25% | 2 hours 30 minutes | 3 hours 8 minutes |
| 35% | 2 hours 42 minutes | 3 hours 23 minutes |
| 50% | 3 hours | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| 100% | 4 hours | 5 hours |
If you're granted extra time, plan your pacing around it. Our guide to Part 1 time management shows how to set checkpoints.
What other adjustments are possible?
Other adjustments the GPhC lists include:
- special equipment, furniture or screen overlays
- screen display changes beyond those available to everyone
- coloured paper for notes and workings
- seating near a toilet or exit, or a smaller room
- a sole occupancy room, only where essential, as these are limited
- a test centre with lift access
- permission to leave your seat to move or stretch
Some things the GPhC won't grant: stopping the clock (rest breaks come out of any extra time), sitting over two days, paper versions, changes to the questions or their layout, a reader or reading software, the assessment in another language, or extra time because English isn't your first language.
Items on the permitted items list, such as medication and eye drops, don't need an adjustment.
How are decisions made?
A Reasonable Adjustments Panel decides whether each request is reasonable, appropriate and practical. Outcomes arrive by email, so check your email address and essential email preferences in myGPhC. Your request can be:
- granted for all sittings
- granted for a calendar year
- granted for one sitting only
- partially granted
- not granted, with reasons
Read your letter carefully, as some approvals need a new application for later sittings.
Can you appeal?
Yes, on one or both of two grounds. Either a procedural error affected the outcome, or you have new credible evidence that you couldn't have obtained, or didn't know about, when you applied, and it would have made an important difference.
An appeal will be rejected if the evidence was available when you applied, if you applied too close to the deadline for your healthcare professional to complete the form, or if you're simply unhappy with the number of sittings approved. Your outcome letter gives the appeal deadline. Use the GPhC's adjustment appeal form.
What to do this week
- Read the GPhC's reasonable adjustments page and download the right form.
- Book your assessor or healthcare professional now. Appointments can be hard to get.
- Check your evidence meets the age and content rules.
- Aim to submit by 11 January 2027, and no later than 5pm on 17 February 2027.
Common questions
What is the reasonable adjustment deadline for June 2027? 5pm on Wednesday 17 February 2027. Applications received by 12 noon on 11 January 2027 go to an earlier panel.
How much extra time can I get? 25% is standard. More than that needs extra justification and evidence.
Can my designated supervisor complete the form? No. It has to be a healthcare professional involved in your care for that condition.
Does exam anxiety count? Short-term situational exam anxiety doesn't. A diagnosed mental health condition that has lasted, or is likely to last, 12 months or more may.
Can I appeal if my request is refused? Yes, on procedural grounds or with new evidence that wasn't available when you applied.
Planning your revision
An adjustment levels the playing field, but you still need a revision plan that works for you. If you have questions about how Pre-Reg Shortcuts supports trainees through the year, our FAQ answers the common ones.
Read our FAQ or create your free account to try the first lesson of every chapter in every course.