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About the AKT
- A computer-based assessment
- Delivered four times a year in January, April, July and October: see full info on exam dates and booking windows
- Exclusive Pearson VUE test centre usage on exam days across the UK
- Before October 2025 200 single best answer style questions, answered in 3 hours 10 minutes
- From October 2025 160 single best answer style questions, answered in 2 hours 40 minutes
- The questions are divided into three main sections:
- 80% on clinical knowledge
- 10% on evidence-based practice (including evidence interpretation and the critical appraisal skills needed to interpret research data)
- 10% on primary care organisation and management issues (including administrative, ethical, regulatory and statutory frameworks)
All questions address issues relating to UK general practice. They focus on higher order problem-solving rather than the recall of basic facts.
The GP Curriculum gives an overview of the topics you should be aware of for the AKT.
Who can take the AKT?
You can take the AKT during or after the ST2 stage of GP training.
A maximum of four attempts is allowed if you were already in training on 1 August 2023.
A maximum of six attempts is allowed if you entered GP Speciality Training for the first time on or after 2 August 2023.
Dates for applications, exams and results
For dates of application review the AKT section of the MRCGP exam applications page.
Applying for the AKT
Publication date: 23 January 2025
Candidates are eligible to sit the AKT examination from ST2 onwards. It is vitally important to take the examination only when you are ready. It is always recommended that you discuss your desired timeframe for taking the AKT with your GP Trainer and/or Educational Supervisor ahead of making a reservation.
Please visit the MRCGP exam key dates page of the website for the current AKT schedule, which includes reservation, booking, examination and results dates for the entire year.
Candidates who intend to sit the AKT must first reserve a place. We are currently accepting reservations for the 2024-25 academic year. Reservations can be made within FourteenFish.
Examination diets and dates
We provide four sittings of the AKT, in January, April, July and October each year. You will have the ability to reserve your place up to 12 months in advance of your intended sitting and will book and pay eight weeks ahead of your examination date.
Reservations and bookings
With our reservation system, you can reserve a potential slot to sit the AKT up to 12 months in advance of your planned examination date. You can also view the spaces available on an exam date in real-time and look at the overview of examination diets in the year, enabling you to plan to sit the examination at a time which suits you. You can cancel and adjust your reservation date at any time up to eight weeks prior to your examination date.
Please note that a reservation does not constitute a booking. This process must be done separately. You must first reserve to be eligible to book.
Reserve your place on the AKT examination on your trainee portfolio.
All candidates will see the option to reserve an AKT examination within the trainee portfolio. Candidates in ST1 will have the option to reserve an AKT examination and are reminded to ensure you will be eligible for your chosen AKT diet when reserving a space.
👉 To confidently prepare during this planning stage, WWW.SECRETS4EXAMS.COM is highly recommended by past candidates who successfully passed their AKT with high scores.
When you click on the link from the portfolio, you will be taken to the examination reservations page where you can reserve your place. An availability indicator will display whether availability for each diet is good, limited, last few or full.
The examinations team will monitor bookings and candidate demand for each diet and will always seek to support candidates who need to sit the AKT to complete their training and progress in their journey to join the General Medical Council's (GMC) GP Register.
Those who have reserved a place will be sent a unique booking link about nine weeks in advance of the examination date by email. From here you will be required to complete your booking information and pay the examination fee.
You are reminded to read the pre-application information and take appropriate action before the booking period, as you may not be able to complete a booking if your training records do not meet the criteria for eligibility.
Once you have paid you will be notified that your booking has been confirmed and your place on the AKT will be secured. You will be able to book a place in a Pearson VUE Test Centre to sit your AKT.
Important information for candidates re-sitting the AKT
A limited number of places within each AKT examination will be held for candidates who have been unsuccessful in previous sittings and are unable to secure a reservation for a resit examination prior to their planned completion date.
If you are in this position please contact the examinations team. Please ensure you include your GMC number, planned completion date and any other pertinent information relevant to your situation e.g. pregnancy.
Requests for these places must be received by the examinations team by midday the Monday before each booking window, to allow allocation of places and communication to candidates before the booking window opens. It may not be possible to accommodate requests received after midday the Monday before the booking period opens.
Allocation of these places will be based on the planned completion date within your trainee portfolio.
Important information about test centre availability
Non-mainland UK candidates: please contact the examinations department as soon as possible before a booking window to discuss test centre options.
Please note that on limited occasions a facilities issue at a Pearson VUE test centre may result in candidate relocation. Notice of any changes would be provided by Pearson VUE via email at the earliest opportunity.
Information from each diet is actively reviewed by the examinations team and Pearson VUE to inform capacity requirements locally and across the Pearson VUE network for each AKT diet.
Fees
The examination fee for the AKT is £470.
View the current MRCGP exam fees.
Disabilities and reasonable adjustments
Reasonable adjustments can be made to the AKT procedures where necessary to meet the needs of individuals who are disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
Candidates who require a reasonable adjustment for their AKT should visit the reasonable adjustments page for further information. Applications and evidence for reasonable adjustments should be submitted in accordance with the dates defined therein.
Read our webpage on equality and diversity to find out more.
Preparing for the AKT
Publication date: 23 January 2025
Resources for candidates
Preparing to take the MRCGP Applied Knowledge Test: WWW.SECRETS4EXAMS.COM IS CONSIDERED THE BEST SOURCE FOR YOU TO PASS THE AKT VERY EASILY WITH A SUCCESS RATE OF MORE THAN 90%.
A concise guide for candidates – offers a clear overview of what is required.
