The phrase many people still use is "pre-registration exam", but the current official name is the Common Registration Assessment (CRA). If you are checking whether you can sit it, use the current General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) pages and current sitting documents rather than older summaries.
The short answer
The GPhC publishes eligibility information for each sitting of the registration assessment. More broadly, the assessment sits within the route to registration as a pharmacist in the United Kingdom (UK), not as a standalone exam anyone can book independently.
That means eligibility is tied to the current registration and training requirements, not just to having finished some revision.
Where foundation training fits in
The GPhC states that trainee pharmacists spend 52 weeks in supervised training at an approved training site and must demonstrate that they meet the learning outcomes. The registration assessment then forms part of the route to registration alongside the other specified criteria.
So when people ask who can sit the exam, the safe answer is not simply "final-year trainees" or "anyone who has finished university". Eligibility depends on meeting the current conditions set out by the GPhC for the relevant sitting.
Why sitting-specific guidance matters
The GPhC publishes separate information for each assessment period, including key dates, important documents and eligibility details. For example, the sitting page for 2026 includes application windows, the assessment date, results day and links to the current framework, regulations and ready-to-apply guidance.
That is the level of detail candidates should rely on. Older articles often generalise too much or blend past and current rules.
When can you sit it?
The GPhC says there are usually two sittings per year, in the summer and the autumn. Exact dates and deadlines are published on the sitting page for the relevant year. Candidates should check these live dates directly because application windows and other requirements are time-sensitive.
A safer way to think about eligibility
If you are trying to work out whether you can sit the assessment, ask two questions:
- Do I meet the current training and registration conditions for the relevant sitting?
- Have I checked the current GPhC sitting page and supporting documents rather than relying on old summaries?
That approach is much safer than relying on forum advice or recycled blog posts.
What not to assume
Do not assume that older "pre-reg exam" articles are current just because the general topic sounds familiar. The route, terminology and documents candidates are expected to use have moved on, and sitting-specific information matters.
The simplest rule is this: if you want to know whether you can sit the exam and when, start with the current registration assessment pages and work from there.
Quick FAQs
- How should I use Registration Assessment Eligibility: Who Can Sit It and When? in my revision plan? Treat it as one focused study block. Pull out the method, practise it under time pressure, and review your mistakes before moving on.
- Is reading this once enough? No. Most improvement comes from retrieval practice, timed repetition, and using the content to fix specific weak areas rather than reading it passively.
- What should I do if official exam arrangements change? Use the current official sitting documents for any details that can change between sittings, especially dates, permitted items, and administrative rules.