Core Revision
The exam, decoded
MRCGP AKT 2026–27: format, dates, fees and how to prepare
Everything checked against the RCGP’s published information on 14 October 2026. Always confirm details on rcgp.org.uk before booking — our exam timetable is re-checked against the College every day.
The format (changed October 2025)
The AKT is now 160 questions in 2 hours 40 minutes (previously 200 questions in 3h10). That is an average of one minute per question. Most items are single best answer, but the paper also uses extended matching, multiple best answer and free-text questions. There is no negative marking. Weighting: 80% clinical medicine, 10% evidence interpretation & statistics, 10% primary care organisation & management — which is why the ‘tough 20%’ is worth starting early rather than leaving to the end.
Upcoming sittings and deadlines
| Sitting | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Monday 26 October 2026 | Applications closed 1 September 2026; Pearson centre window was 7–16 September; results 25 November 2026 |
| January 2027 | Tuesday 26 January 2027 | Apply by 1 December 2026; Pearson window 7–16 December; results 24 February 2027 |
| April 2027 | Tuesday 27 April 2027 | Apply by 2 March 2027; Pearson window 8–17 March; results 26 May 2027 |
| July 2027 | Tuesday 6 July 2027 | Reasonable adjustments by 27 April 2027; final booking deadline and Pearson window not yet published by the RCGP; results 4 August 2027 |
The exam fee is £481 for sittings in September, October and November 2026, and £494 for sittings from 1 January 2027 to the end of July 2027. Since 1 April 2026 you can pay the RCGP in full or in three stages: a 25% deposit, a second 25% and a final 50%. You can make the first two payments any time up to the final booking deadline, when the full fee must be paid or the booking may be cancelled. Payments are not taken automatically. Refund rules depend on when you withdraw, so check the RCGP’s cancellation policy before you rely on getting money back. Booking moved to MyRCGP at the end of 2025, so FourteenFish reservations have gone, and the Pearson VUE test-centre booking is a separate step that opens about six weeks before the exam. Four sittings a year. Confirm the current fee on the RCGP exam fees page before you budget.
Pass marks at recent sittings
There is no fixed pass mark. The RCGP sets it for each paper, so it moves a little every time: across the last four sittings it ran from 107 to 112 out of 160.
| Sitting | Pass mark | All candidates passing | UK graduates, first attempt |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 (AKT 60) | 112/160 (70%) | 73.2% | 86.2% |
| April 2026 (AKT 59) | 107/160 (66.9%) | 80.2% | 88.7% |
| January 2026 (AKT 58) | 108/160 (67.5%) | 76.5% | 89.2% |
| October 2025 (AKT 57) | 109/160 (68.1%) | 70.6% | 88.8% |
Aim for 75% or more in timed practice to give yourself a margin. What score do you need to pass the AKT? explains how the standard is set. Figures from the RCGP’s AKT feedback reports.
How to prepare
Bank the tough 20% early. Statistics and admin/organisation are the most predictable marks on the paper — our free Ultimate Stats Guide covers every statistics concept the AKT tests.
Practise at exam pace. One minute per question. Our AKT Mock Exam Simulator runs the real 160-question, 2h40 format under timed conditions, with flag-for-review and a Pearson-style review screen — and a 25% extra-time mode if you have an approved adjustment.
Read every explanation. Marks come from the reasoning, not the recall. Every Core Revision question teaches through the Core Lens: the safety cue, the guideline point, and the exam trap.
Track your weak spots, not your hours. Core Compass shows readiness by RCGP domain so your last month goes into your weakest areas.
Free guides for every stage
- How should I revise for the AKT?
- How to revise the AKT in 12 weeks
- How many AKT questions a day should I be doing?
- When should I sit the AKT?
- How difficult is the AKT, really?
- AKT statistics questions: what actually comes up
- The statistics questions trainees miss
- The Ethics, Law & Safeguarding Guide
- Is an AKT revision course worth it?
- I failed the AKT — what now?
Try it before you pay
Start with the free 20-question AKT taster: sixteen clinical, two evidence and two admin questions, with the reasoning after each and a marked report. The first five need no account. The Stats Guide, all the Core Tools decoders and sample questions are free with no sign-up. When you are ready, packages start at £39.99 — one-off payments with no auto-renewal and no failure tax: if you sit while your access is active and don’t pass, we extend it free until your next sitting.
Last reviewed: 14 October 2026 · Core Revision Ltd is independent and not affiliated with the RCGP or Pearson VUE.