Can I claim AKT revision costs from my study budget?

Short answer. This is two separate pots of money, and mixing them up is the most common confusion we saw. Your exam fee (currently £481, rising to £494 from January 2027) is covered by a separate 2026 government reimbursement for resident doctors in England's first two attempts at mandatory postgraduate exams. Your study/educational budget, used for revision courses, books and question banks, is a different, locally administered allowance, and whether it covers a specific resource is decided by your deanery, not RCGP or central government.

Last checked 15 Oct 2026. By The Medexia Team, who make AKT Navigator. We have a stake in this market.

The exam fee reimbursement, exactly

The 2026 resident doctors pay deal includes reimbursement of mandatory postgraduate exam fees, including the AKT, for the first two sittings of an exam taken after 1 April 2026, regardless of how many times you sat it before then, for resident doctors in England (gov.uk implementation update; Academy of Medical Royal Colleges eligibility statement and exams-in-scope list, which includes the RCGP AKT; checked 15 Oct 2026). As of that update's own 14 September 2026 guidance note, the scheme's eligibility criteria have been published by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, but separate guidance for how doctors submit claims through their employer, and how employers claim from DHSC, was still being finalised. This means eligibility is defined; the operational claims mechanics may not yet be fully in place everywhere (gov.uk implementation update, checked 15 Oct 2026). You still pay the AKT fee up front when booking through RCGP, then claim back through your employer/training body once that process is confirmed locally.

This reimbursement is for the exam fee only. It is not a budget for revision resources, courses or question banks.

Your study/educational budget is different

Deaneries and training programmes separately administer a study leave/educational budget that trainees can use for approved courses and resources, subject to local rules and receipts. Whether an AKT revision course, question bank, or audio subscription is claimable depends on your own training programme's policy, not a national standard. One NHS England deanery FAQ answers exactly this for GP trainees in its area (HEE/NHS England study budget FAQ, checked 15 Oct 2026; the portal states it serves trainees in the NHS England London and KSS regions). Always check with your own deanery before assuming a purchase is reimbursable.

Do not assume an AKT Navigator purchase is reimbursable under either scheme. We cannot issue a confirmation on your deanery's behalf. For a receipt or invoice, email support@medexia-akt.com.

Is there a discount for LTFT trainees?

We have not found a published AKT exam-fee or study-budget concession specifically for trainees working less than full time (LTFT). LTFT trainees should check with their deanery whether study budget allowances are pro-rated or full regardless of working pattern. This is outside Medexia's control. NHS England's national study leave guidance states that LTFT trainees "have equitable access to study leave funding" (NHS England study leave guidance, checked 15 Oct 2026).

Where AKT Navigator fits

AKT Navigator (by Medexia). Free questions, mocks and explanations, always. An optional Full Audio Pass costs £79 for 4 months (90+ hours); your first 2 hours of audio are free. We do not administer exam-fee reimbursement or study budgets. Those are RCGP, DHSC and deanery processes. Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Royal College of General Practitioners.

The Medexia Team