Which Calculators Are Allowed in the Oriel Numeracy Test

You are not allowed to bring any calculator you like, and turning up with the wrong one is an avoidable way to start the day badly. Here is the approved list.

Approved models

• Aurora DT210
• Aurora HC133
• Casio HS-8VA
• Casio MX 8B-WE / MX 8B
• Casio MX-8S-WE, also known as MX-8S
• Casio SL-300SV
• Catiga CD-8185

Two of those are no longer sold

The Casio MX 8B-WE / MX 8B and the Casio MX-8S-WE / MX-8S have been discontinued. They remain approved if you already own one — but do not go hunting for them. Buy something from the list that is still in production.

Where this list comes from

It is taken from the GPhC's Common Registration Assessment specification and permitted items for sittings in 2026, §4.4.

That may look like the wrong source for an Oriel article, so it is worth explaining. The Oriel applicant handbook states that every model it permits is also approved for the GPhC registration assessment — which makes the GPhC list the stricter, more complete one. The handbook's own table is published as an image, so rather than transcribe it approximately, we use the document it defers to.

The practical upshot: anything on this list is safe. If you own a model that is not on it, replace it.

Practical advice

Buy it now and practise on it. A basic calculator you have never used is a small, stupid source of error under time pressure. The approved models are inexpensive.

Do not rely on borrowing one. Test centres are not obliged to provide one.

Check the current cycle's permitted-items list before the day. Lists are reviewed each cycle. This article reflects the 2026 sittings; if you are reading it for a later cycle, confirm against the published document rather than trusting a blog — including this one.

While you are at it

The numeracy test is ten questions with a narrow, published scope, and it does not contribute to your rank — it is a tie-breaker only. Sort the calculator, practise the six in-scope areas to competence, and put the rest of your time into the SJT.

---

Source: GPhC Common Registration Assessment specification and permitted items for sittings in 2026, §4.4 Table 3.