You asked for quick, simple tips — not long guides. These short, practical ideas come from other young people with epilepsy and expert exam workers. Topics cover things like memory problems, time management that works for you, and what to do if you have a seizure on exam day.
We spoke to an exams officer who supports young people with epilepsy daily to understand why certain triggers make exam season difficult.
Students with epilepsy often face triggers such as:
All of these can increase seizure risk.
Teachers and exam staff can support you better when they understand your epilepsy triggers.
We recognize the significant impact stress can have on their mental health and overall wellbeing. In collaboration with SHOUT, we are dedicated to providing the necessary support to help manage stress and improve mental health outcomes.
One of the most common concerns is: “What happens if I have a seizure during an exam?” We asked an exams officer and parent to explain exactly how schools manage this.
If a seizure leaves you unable to sit the exam:
If You Had a Seizure Earlier That Day
Even if you still sit the exam, schools can request special consideration for epilepsy.
Schools will:
A formal process where the exam board is told how your epilepsy affected your performance, and your grade is adjusted fairly.
Paige shares how dignity, understanding and quick, calm support during seizures helped her feel safe and included, and what every school needs to get right.
To clarify the most common misconceptions, we spoke to an exams officer and parent of a young person with epilepsy about how schools actually implement exam access arrangements for epilepsy.
Many students believe they must undergo assessments before they can have rest breaks for epilepsy - but in most cases, that’s not true.
Rest breaks are one of the most common and straightforward exam adjustments for epilepsy available. They help with:
Extra time is available when evidence shows fatigue or slower recovery affects your performance.
Schools will:
Extra time is only granted when it genuinely supports your needs - a core part of safe, fair epilepsy exam support.
Schools aim to reduce seizure triggers by offering:
These exam access arrangements reduce anxiety, noise, heat and distraction - all known triggers for some types of epilepsy.
School should feel safe and inclusive. Discover how belonging helps young people with epilepsy thrive and what teachers and parents can do to support it.
Revision advice often says “work harder”, but for young people with epilepsy, that can be unsafe. According to the exams officer we interviewed, effective revision must support your wellbeing.
Long sessions increase fatigue - a known epilepsy trigger. Short sessions with breaks work better.
Latenight cramming increases seizure risk. A rested brain performs better.
Worrying - especially about having a seizure - increases stress, which can increase seizure risk.
Talking to someone you trust can reduce anxiety and help you feel more in control.
Learn how epilepsy can affect learning and how understanding your learning style helps. Sally’s story shows how knowing your strengths builds confidence at school.
We spoke to an exams officer who is also a parent of a young person with epilepsy to understand exactly how exam adjustments for epilepsy work, what types of exam access arrangements exist, and how to make sure your school provides the correct epilepsy exam support.
If you have epilepsy, exams can be harder - stress, tiredness, heat and long exam days can all increase seizure risk. That’s why exam adjustments for epilepsy exist: to make exams fair, safe and manageable.
This guide walks you through the essential exam access arrangements for epilepsy, who to talk to, and when to start the process.
You may be able to receive several forms of epilepsy exam support, including:
These exam access arrangements are not “special treatment” - they ensure fairness for students with epilepsy.
You don’t apply for exam adjustments for epilepsy yourself. Your school does.
Speak to:
Starting these conversations early helps ensure your epilepsy exam support is in place well before exams.
Ideally: end of Year 9 or start of Year 10.
Why?
Schools can use:
The more accurate your information, the smoother your exam access arrangements process.
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Do you have a question about our work? Please click on the link to find out the best person to email or call.
