Enrolling in the exams
Visit the RACGP website to enrol in exams and find details of exam dates, enrolment dates, venues and fees.
Exam enrolment fees are payable by credit card or PayPal, and payment is processed immediately when you enrol. Once you’ve successfully enrolled, you’ll receive a confirmation email from the RACGP with detailed information about your enrolment.
If your credit card isn’t charged and/or you don’t receive the confirmation email, don't assume you are enrolled. Contact examinations@racgp.org.au immediately to confirm the status of your enrolment. Requests for late enrolment won't be accepted outside the enrolment period.
Only candidates with a valid enrolment will be permitted to sit an exam.
Exam eligibility
You’re eligible to sit the Fellowship exams when the RACGP determines that you meet all exam eligibility requirements for your RACGP-approved program.
Refer to the Fellowship Exams Policy, Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy, General Practice Experience Pathway – Exam Eligibility Policy, Practice Experience Pathway Specialist – Fellowship Exams Policy.
Candidates will be withdrawn from the exam if they no longer meet the exam eligibility requirements.
Exam prerequisites
The AKT and KFP can be done in any order. You must hold a pass in the AKT and the KFP before you can sit the CCE.
You may enrol in all three exams within the one semester. If you're waiting on results from the AKT and/or KFP, you may enrol in the CCE while you’re waiting for those results. However, if you’re unsuccessful in the AKT and/or KFP, you’ll be automatically withdrawn from the CCE and refunded the full CCE enrolment fee.
Sitting exams while on approved leave
If you’re on a period of leave, you’re not eligible to sit Fellowship exams as participating in an education and training program is the best way to prepare for exams. However, if you’re on parental leave, you can submit a request to sit Fellowship exams through your training coordinator/medical educator.
Refer to the Fellowship Exams Policy, Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy, General Practice Experience Pathway – Exam Eligibility Policy, Practice Experience Pathway Specialist – Fellowship Exams Policy.
Exam candidacy
Candidacy is the overall time period that you have to sit and pass all Fellowship exams (AKT, KFP, CCE). It spans six consecutive exam semesters, over three calendar years. Candidacy commences when you enrol and sit your first exam after 2019.1. Once your candidacy starts, each exam semester counts towards your candidacy. If you don’t sit an exam in a particular exam semester, your candidacy won’t be extended, unless you’re granted a suspension of candidacy.
An example of how the candidacy period works.
If your first Fellowship exam attempt is the 2026.2 AKT, your candidacy commences in the 2026.2 exam semester and expires at the end of the 2029.1 exam semester.
If you don’t sit any Fellowship exams in a semester after your candidacy starts (and you don’t have an approved suspension) the semester counts and your candidacy still expires at the end of 2029.1.
If a suspension is applied for a semester when you haven’t attempted a Fellowship exam, your candidacy end date will extend by one semester. Your candidacy would then expire at the end of 2029.2.
Applying for a suspension of candidacy
A suspension of candidacy is an exam semester in which you’re not required or permitted to attempt Fellowship exams. The exams you pass during your candidacy are valid for the duration of your candidacy, including periods of suspension. This means a suspension will automatically extend the validity of any exam results achieved during your candidacy, but not those completed before 2019.1.
There are two types of suspensions, standard and non-standard.
Standard suspension
You’re eligible for one standard suspension during your candidacy. This suspension may be undertaken at any time during your candidacy. You may use your standard suspension for any reason.
You can apply for a standard suspension through the My candidacy portal. You don’t need to submit supporting documentation. If you need to apply for a standard suspension retrospectively, send an email to examinations@racgp.org.au.
Non-standard suspension
For non-standard suspensions of candidacy, refer to the Fellowship Exams Policy, Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy, or PEP Specialist – Fellowship Exams Policy. Email examinations@racgp.org.au with details of your circumstances and supporting documentation. Additional evidence may be requested. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Financial hardship
If you’re experiencing financial hardship, you may request an alternative payment arrangement by submitting an application for special consideration for financial hardship to examinations@racgp.org.au.
Venue allocation for AKT and KFP
The AKT and KFP are delivered at designated venues across Australia.
When you enrol in the AKT or KFP you’ll be asked to nominate your preferred venue. If your preference changes after enrolling, email examinations@racgp.org.au as soon as possible.
Complete your enrolment as soon as possible after enrolment opens, as venue capacity is strictly limited. If your preferred exam venue is oversubscribed, you’ll be allocated to the next closest venue.
For the AKT and KFP, you’ll receive confirmation of your venue location approximately six weeks before the date of the exam in which you’re enrolled. It’s important not to make any travel arrangements until your exam venue has been confirmed.
Plan your travel carefully to and from the exam venue and consider the impact of fatigue and stress. Where appropriate, you may want to consider overnight accommodation close to your allocated venue.