Request Exam Accommodations for a PEBC Exam
PEBC is committed to providing equitable access to examinations for candidates with disabilities, medical conditions, and other accommodation needs.
You may request exam accommodations if a disability, medical condition, pregnancy-related or breastfeeding-related need, religious requirement, or another personal circumstance protected under human rights laws affects your ability to take a PEBC exam under standard testing conditions.
Exam accommodations are adjustments to the exam experience that address documented functional limitations and reduce barriers. They may change how or where you take the exam, but do not change what the exam assesses or the standards you must meet for safe pharmacy practice.
Exam accommodations do not include travel, lodging, or hotel arrangements.
If you have questions, contact PEBC’s Exam Accommodation team at: eac@pebc.ca.
Before You Apply for Exam Accommodations
Before submitting a request, keep the following information in mind:
- Exam accommodations are granted based on your individual needs, the functional limitations you are experiencing, and the documentation provided to verify and support those limitations.
- PEBC does not require a diagnosis. Instead, you must provide objective evidence showing how the functional limitations resulting from your condition affect your ability to take an exam under standard conditions.
- A new Request for Exam Accommodations Form must be submitted each time you apply for a PEBC examination.
- You may be asked to provide updated documentation, even if you previously received accommodations from PEBC or another organization.
- Accommodations approved by a school, university, or employer do not automatically qualify a candidate for the same accommodations on a PEBC examination. PEBC assesses each request individually, taking into account the candidate’s documented functional limitations and the requirements of the exam.
- Apply early. Exam accommodations require time to review and arrange. PEBC must receive your completed request, all evidence and supporting documentation by the examination application deadline listed on PEBC’s Examination Dates and Fees page, which is typically about three months before the exam date.
Applying for Exam Accommodations
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Step 1: Complete the Required Forms
You must complete and sign the:
If your request relates to a disability, medical condition, pregnancy-related or breastfeeding-related need, your treating health professional must complete and sign the:
Both forms should be completed electronically whenever possible.
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Step 2: Gather Objective Evidence and Supporting Documentation
While self-reported information can help us understand your needs, accommodation requests must be supported by objective evidence, as indicated in the chart below. Objective evidence includes formal assessments, psychoeducational testing, standardized testing, clinical examinations or other validated measures of your functional limitations.
Provide documentation that verifies and explains:
- the nature of your functional limitations; and
- how those limitations affect your ability to take exams under standard conditions
Objective Evidence Documentation
Additional Supporting Documentation
For Accommodations Related To: Required Documentation Learning Disabilities Request for Exam Accommodations Form (current) + Health Professional Assessment and Recommendations Form (current)
+ Objective Evidence such as a Complete Psychoeducational or Neuropsychological Assessment Report (conducted at 18 years of age or older)
- The report should include evidence of performance under timed conditions and/or results from standardized assessments of cognitive and academic skills
- If assessment was completed before 18 years of age, submit updated documentation or a reassessment to demonstrate current functional limitations and their impact.
ADHD and other Neuro-diverse Conditions
Generalized Anxiety Disorder and other Mental Health Conditions
Request for Exam Accommodations Form (current)
+ Health Professional Assessment and Recommendations Form (current)
+ Objective Evidence such as a Clinical Assessment or Evaluation Report (completed by a psychologist or psychiatrist and no more than 3 years old) or Complete Psychoeducational Assessment Report (conducted at 18 years of age or older)
- The report should include evidence of performance under timed conditions and/or results from standardized assessments of cognitive and academic skills
Note: Test anxiety by itself is generally not sufficient for exam accommodations. Most candidates experience some degree of anxiety before an exam.
Physical or Sensory Impairments (mobility, vision, hearing) Neurological Impairments
Other Medical Conditions
Request for Exam Accommodations Form (current) + Health Professional Assessment and Recommendations Form (current)
+ Objective Evidence, such as Laboratory or Diagnostic test results (no expiry; current or historical results are acceptable)
Pregnancy/ Breastfeeding Request for Exam Accommodations Form (current)
+ Health Professional Assessment and Recommendations Form (current).
Religious Practice Request for Exam Accommodations Form (current)
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Letter from religious guide or leader describing your participation in that religion, the length of your participation and specific religious beliefs that require accommodation.
Additional Supporting Documentation
In addition to your Request for Exam Accommodations Form and Health Professional Assessment and Recommendations Form, PEBC may consider other relevant supporting documentation on a case-by-case basis.
While this information is generally given less weight than objective clinical or psychoeducational evidence, it can provide context about how your functional limitations affect you in educational, workplace, examination, or other settings.
Examples of supporting documentation include:
Documentation from your post-secondary institution confirming a history of accommodations, along with your most recent accommodation letter (letters for every course or exam are not required).
A letter from a teacher or professor describing past difficulties completing tests within standard time limits.
Older report cards, transcripts, or testing records showing challenges with timed exams, or improvement in performance when extra time was provided.
Results from any past standardized tests completed without extra time.
Workplace evidence, such as a performance evaluation or a letter from a supervisor outlining functional challenges (e.g., difficulty completing tasks under time pressure) and any supports in place.
If you have not previously received exam accommodations, provide a brief explanation (e.g., stigma, lack of awareness, or managing adequately until the academic demands increased), along with a supporting letter from someone who is familiar with your functional challenges.
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Step 3: Submit Your Request
Send your completed Request for Exam Accommodations Form, objective evidence and supporting documentation to PEBC’s Exam Accommodation team.
If a Health Professional Assessment and Recommendations Form is required, your health professional should send that form and related documentation directly to PEBC.
Note:
- Documents may be submitted using the methods described on the forms.
- All required forms and documentation must be submitted to PEBC by the examination application deadline listed on PEBC’s Examination Dates and Fees.
- Incomplete applications received by the deadline may not be considered.
- Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit accommodation requests as early as possible.
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Step 4: Watch for Confirmation
Once PEBC’s Exam Accommodation team has received your completed request and all required supporting documentation, you will receive a confirmation email outlining the next steps in the process.
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Step 5: PEBC Reviews Your Request
After the examination application deadline, PEBC’s Exam Accommodation team reviews all accommodation requests individually.
During the review process:
- PEBC may request additional information from you.
- PEBC may request clarification from your health professional.
- PEBC may consult medical, legal, or other specialists when expert advice is required.
- All accommodation requests are handled confidentially.
You are responsible for responding promptly to requests for information and providing any additional documentation needed to support your request.
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Step 6: Receive a Decision
PEBC’s Exam Accommodation team will send you an Exam Accommodation Agreement Letter outlining whether accommodations have been approved and, if so, which accommodations will be provided.
If accommodations are offered:
- Review the decision carefully.
- Sign and return the agreement letter by the specified deadline.
PEBC must receive your signed agreement letter by the specified deadline before your accommodations can be finalized.
If you disagree with the accommodations offered, review the options available to you that are described in your agreement letter.
Any concerns regarding accommodation decisions should be addressed before the examination date.
Limitations of Exam Accommodations
Exam accommodations are intended to provide equitable access to the examination by addressing functional limitations related to a disability, medical or other health-related condition. Accommodations do not change the examination itself or the standards that candidates are required to meet.
PEBC does not modify:
- What is being tested
- How competence is evaluated (scoring methods or assessment standards)
- The structure or nature of the examination itself
- The rules and procedures that apply to all candidates
All candidates must demonstrate the same knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet examination requirements.
Changes to Exam Arrangements
Some accommodations may require changes to your examination arrangements. Depending on the accommodation approved, you may be required to:
- Write at a different test centre
- Write on a different date or at a different time
- Use remote proctoring technology
- Write in a separate room or testing environment
- Follow specific accommodation procedures communicated before the examination
Not every accommodation is available at every test centre. PEBC will work with approved candidates to identify suitable arrangements where necessary.
You are responsible for any travel costs associated with attending the location where your approved accommodations can be provided.
Emergency Accommodation Requests After the Exam Deadline
If you experience a new medical condition, injury, or other emergency situation after the examination application deadline has passed, you may submit an emergency accommodation request.
Please submit the following as soon as possible before your exam date:
- A completed Request for Exam Accommodations Form
- For medical issues: documentation confirming the condition and explaining the need for the requested medical, assistive, mobility, or other exam accommodation
- For non-medical issues: supporting documentation, where applicable
PEBC will review your request and, if approved, will make reasonable efforts to arrange the accommodation with the exam centre.
Accommodation requests received after the examination application deadline may be difficult or impossible to arrange on short notice. This is particularly true for accommodations such as: additional testing time, flexible breaks, a separate testing room, or other accommodations requiring advance coordination.
Feeling Unwell Before or During an Exam
To ensure you have the best opportunity to demonstrate your abilities, you are strongly encouraged to consider withdrawing from the exam if, before the exam, you are ill or experiencing exceptional personal circumstances, such as bereavement or a recent physical injury, that could affect your performance.
For more information, please review PEBC’s Withdrawal Policies.
If you attend an exam and then become ill, or experience other extraordinary personal circumstances that may prevent you from completing the exam, you must notify exam staff immediately. The Chief Administrator will provide you with a Waiver Form that explains your options and the implications of each. You will be asked to choose whether to:
- Continue writing the exam; or
- Withdraw from the exam (discontinue your attempt).
For more information, please review PEBC’s Process on Illness or Other Extraordinary Personal Circumstances.