Access arrangements

Access arrangements are changes made to exam conditions. These may be necessary in circumstances where candidates:

• are experiencing long or short-term conditions or
• are regarded as disabled in terms of the Equality Act 2010

For further information, candidates must also read the access arrangements policy (PDF, 240 KB).

Access arrangements: key information

You can make an application for a wide range of reasons. These may include but are not limited to:

• specific learning difficulties (for example dyslexia and dyspraxia)
• mental health conditions (for example depression, anxiety, panic attacks and phobias)
• mobility difficulties (for example wheelchair users)
• sensory impairments (for example deafness and hearing and visual impairments)
• autistic spectrum conditions
• long-term health issues (for example diabetes and arthritis)
• progressive conditions (for example motor neurone disease and muscular dystrophy)
• impairments with fluctuations or recurring effects (for example epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, myalgic encephalitis and chronic fatigue syndrome)

Inclusion arrangements: key information

With the changes to our April exams, you might need to apply for approval for things you have not needed to inform us about in the past.

Please see the comfort aid list to help you understand how this might apply to you. If you need us to make inclusion arrangements for you, please apply for access arrangements to ensure we are supporting your needs.

Inclusion arrangements include, but are not limited to:  

• declaring a full or partial face covering which could impact exam identification processes
• declaring a visual appearance/identification discrepancy   
• exam re-scheduling when a candidate is unable to sit the exam at the scheduled date and/or time due to a religious observance 

Find out more in: 

• comfort aid list (PDF, 150 KB)
• guidelines for scribe and reader (PDF, 120 KB)

How to apply

To apply:

• complete the application form (DOCX, 50 KB)
• submit the application form and supporting evidence to exams@actuaries.org.uk 

For more information, please refer to the access arrangements policy (PDF, 240 KB).

Collecting evidence

To help you collect evidence to support your application, you can use the medical information form for access arrangements (DOCX, 50 KB)

If you’re unsure what evidence to provide, then please contact exams@actuaries.org.uk 

If you are waiting for evidence, then inform us of the date you will provide the evidence by, when submitting your application.

Application deadline

You must submit your application by the exam entry closing date if you require the access or inclusion arrangements for the forthcoming exam session.

This is to allow enough time for us to review your application and put in place any approved arrangements.

Where applications are made late, it may not be possible for an arrangement to be granted because there may not be sufficient time to review the application and put the arrangements in place. If this is the case, it may be necessary for you to postpone your exam to a future examination session in accordance with the IFoA Cancellation Policy.

What happens after you apply

Once you apply:

• you will receive an email from exams@actuaries.org.uk to confirm we have received your application
• your application and supporting evidence will be reviewed by the Assessment Delivery Team
• you will receive confirmation that we have put the arrangements in place for the exams you have booked (if we approve these arrangements and can put them in place)

You must ensure you have received this confirmation from exams@actuaries.org.uk before sitting your exams.