» Access Arrangements

Access arrangements – medical or health conditions guidance

This guidance is intended for all applicants except those applying for access arrangements for a specific learning difficulty (SpLD).

We recognise that examination conditions can be challenging for some students. Access arrangements may be available if you have a short‑term or long‑term impairment, disability, or health condition.

What access arrangements are available?

We will do everything reasonably possible to meet your needs. Common arrangements include:

rest breaks;
additional working time; and
the use of a scribe (writer) or a reader.

Some arrangements cannot be granted for short‑term conditions. Where additional time or rest breaks are approved for short‑term conditions, this will be capped at a maximum of 17%.

Please let us know if your condition means you need to use specialist equipment (either your own or provided by your employer), or if your condition restricts your ability to travel.

How do I apply for access arrangements?

Please send us:

an email explaining why you are applying for access arrangements;
the Application for access arrangements: supporting evidence form, completed by the appropriate medical professional; and
any additional supporting evidence that may help us understand your circumstances.

Providing clear and detailed information will help us consider your application more effectively.

What information do I need to include?

Supporting evidence must be completed by a registered medical practitioner who has treated you. This will normally be your GP or the specialist clinician responsible for your care.

We will only accept diagnoses and recommendations provided by qualified medical practitioners. Evidence provided by nurses (with the exception of a specialist diabetes nurse), complementary or alternative health practitioners, or occupational health advisers will not be accepted as a diagnosis and cannot be relied upon in isolation. Such evidence may only be considered where it is submitted alongside a formal diagnosis provided by a registered medical practitioner.

Additional guidance for specific circumstances:

Pregnancy: you must provide a letter from your GP or midwife, or a valid MAT B1 certificate

Breastfeeding: you must provide a copy of your child’s birth certificate

Diabetes: A letter from your GP or diabetes nurse

Your evidence must:

be current;
clearly describe the difficulties you are likely to face in an exam environment; and
explain what arrangements are required and why.

Your supporting evidence must be current and must clearly and fully describe the specific difficulties you are likely to experience in an exam, together with the precise arrangements required to mitigate those difficulties.

Vague or general statements, such as “extra time will be required”, are not acceptable. The evidence must state both the exact amount of time requested and a clear justification for why it is necessary. For example:“Five minutes of additional time per exam hour is required to allow supervised stretching breaks.”

Applications that do not sufficiently evidence both the individual circumstances and the resulting recommendations will not be accepted.

Access arrangements – SpLD guidance

This guidance applies to students applying for access arrangements due to a specific learning difficulty (SpLD).

Who can apply for access arrangements for an SpLD?

You may apply if you have been formally diagnosed with an SpLD by an appropriately qualified assessor and you hold a diagnostic report that meets the requirements below.

What access arrangements are available?

We will do everything reasonably possible to support your needs. Common arrangements include:

rest breaks; and
additional working time.

How do I apply for access arrangements for an SpLD?

Please provide:

an email explaining why you are applying;
a formal SpLD diagnostic report that meets the requirements below;
any previous diagnostic reports or relevant evidence from other organisations; and
any additional supporting information that may assist our review.

Report requirements

To be accepted, the diagnostic report must:

be a full adult (post‑16) diagnostic assessment (top‑up or update reports will not be accepted);
be less than five years old at the date of submission;
provide a clear diagnosis of an SpLD (reports suggesting a “possible” diagnosis will not be accepted);
comply with the SASC / SpLD Working Group Guidelines for the Assessment of SpLDs in Higher Education;
include a statement confirming compliance with those guidelines;
include an appendix showing individual test scores; and
be of sufficient quality to support confidence in the recommendations made.

The report must be signed by one of the following:

a HCPC‑registered psychologist with a current practising certificate;
a specialist teacher of adults with dyslexia holding a current practising certificate; or
a chartered educational psychologist.

If multiple reports are submitted, they must not all be from the same assessor. Reports that do not meet all of the above requirements will not be accepted.

When do I need to apply?

You are strongly advised to apply as early as possible, ideally when you register as a student or as soon as you become aware that you may need access arrangements.

For each exam session, the access arrangements deadline is the same as the exam booking deadline.

If you apply late, there is a risk that your approved arrangements cannot be accommodated at your chosen centre.

Applications received after the deadline will not normally be processed unless your condition:

arose after the deadline, or
was first diagnosed after the deadline.

If this applies to you, contact us immediately. We may need to discuss whether you should defer your exam or sit it with limited arrangements. Late applications are considered on a case‑by‑case basis and cannot be guaranteed.

Who should I write to?

Please send your application or any queries to: aa@icaew.com

How long will my application or enquiry take to process?

We aim to review enquiries and applications within 10 working days, although some cases may take longer.

We will let you know whether:

your application has been approved; or
further information is needed.

If additional information is required, we will explain exactly what you need to provide. Once all required information has been received, your application will be processed within our published timescales.

Some arrangements take longer to organise, including the use of a reader or exams in alternative formats. If we cannot meet your needs in your chosen exam session, we will advise you of the next available session.

How will the application be reviewed?

Each application is considered independently against the criteria set out in this guidance.

The arrangements awarded may differ from:

those recommended by your medical practitioner; or
arrangements provided by other organisations.

This decision is entirely at our discretion. Temporary arrangements must be reapplied for once they expire.

Are access arrangements available at all exam venues?

Most access arrangements can be accommodated at your chosen exam venue. To maximise the likelihood that your requirements can be met at your preferred location, you are strongly advised to apply for access arrangements as early as possible.

If your access arrangements are approved after you have already booked an exam and the selected venue is unable to accommodate them, your exam booking may be transferred to an alternative centre.

This guidance addresses the majority of access arrangement requests. Where your requirements are more complex, arrangements will be considered separately and discussed with you directly in order to determine what can reasonably be provided.

Students will normally sit their exams with other candidates at their chosen venue, regardless of whether access arrangements have been approved.

Students who are awarded sole occupancy will normally be provided with a separate examination room. In certain circumstances, two invigilators may be present.

Where a student’s requirements are particularly complex, arrangements will be considered on an individual basis and discussed directly with the student.