RQAP-GCP Examination

The GCP Quality Assurance Professional Registry Examination consists of 165 multiple-choice questions. See more about the exam format below.

SQA Active members receive a $175 discount and Outreach members receive a $475 discount on the RQAP exam fee (see below). The discount cannot be applied towards a late application fee. Not a member? Learn more about SQA Membership Types.

Under the GI Bill, U.S. military veterans may be reimbursed for RQAP examination fees. See Test Fees on the VA website for information on filing for reimbursement. To find the RQAP exams in the VA database, search under the LAC category "certification" for “registered quality assurance.”

Exam Schedule

There are two RQAP exam periods each year, in March/April and September/October.

Next RQAP Exam Period:
27 September – 23 October 2026

REGULAR Application Deadline: 10 August 2026 
LATE Application Deadline: 24 August 2026

Apply Online for the RQAP Exam

Please review the eligibility requirements below, including the example CV document, before completing the application form. If you are unable to complete the online application, a hard copy application, available at the end of the RQAP Candidate Handbook, is accepted via surface mail and email. 

NOTE: Payment must be submitted with your application by the application/postmark deadline. (See fee information below.)

Once your application is approved, you will be sent instructions for scheduling your exam appointment with the testing services provider. The appointment will be on a specific date during the exam period. Upon application approval, you will be able to choose between in-person or remote-proctored testing. For more details, please see the Remote Testing tab under "More About The Exam" below.

While you will not be able to schedule your exam until your application is approved, you can view test centers and find seat availability on the Pearson VUE SQA page. Please be sure to confirm that your preferred test site has available appointments during the exam period. If your preferred site has limited appointments, we recommend looking into your alternatives as well, in case those appointments are filled by the time you register.

Exam Fees (USD)

The exam fee includes a $75 processing fee; if candidates do not meet the eligibility requirements, the exam fee will be refunded minus the $75 processing fee.

SQA member: $450

Non-member: $625

Outreach members:  $150*
*Outreach countries are countries that are identified as low or middle income by the World Bank. You can check to see if your country qualifies as low, lower-middle or upper-middle income on the World Bank’s website. ***NEW for the September/October 2024 Examination Period: Outreach candidates will no longer use a separate application. Instead, please be sure to apply for a free Outreach membership at least 24 hours before applying for the exam. A one-time $15 application fee applies. Once your membership application is processed, the exam application fee will update automatically. ***

Late fee: $50
for an application submitted after the early registration deadline but before the late registration deadline

Special accommodation: $50
for a candidate requiring special accommodations for English not being their native language (disability accommodations provided at no charge)

Exam Format

The GCP Quality Assurance Professional Registry Examination consists of 165 multiple-choice questions, 15 of which are unscored but are being tested for validity for use in future exams. Candidates are allowed three and one-half (3.5) hours to complete the examination via Computer Based Testing (CBT). Individuals passing the examination will be credentialed as Registered Quality Assurance Professionals in Good Clinical Practice (RQAP-GCP).

Individuals with expertise in GCP quality assurance write the questions and review them for relevancy, consistency, accuracy, and appropriateness. SQA then prepares the examination, with advice and assistance from an independent professional testing services provider that is contracted to assist SQA with development, administration, scoring, and analysis of the examination, as well as reporting of scores directly to candidates who take an examination. (See Exam Contacts on this page.)