Prince2 Certification Eligibility

Introduction

The domain of project management is a highly sought-after job sector in today's world. There are various coveted certifications that aspiring project managers aim to get, the most popular of which is the PMP (Project Management Professional) and the PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) certifications. One key difference is that the PMP programme has three pre-requisites: academic qualification, experience in projects, and 35 hours of contact training. At the same time, the PRINCE2 certification eligibility criteria are more relaxed (details below). 

Although it was initially designed for IT professionals, nowadays, managers across all domains, including engineering, business and financial services, take up the PRINCE2 certification. The PRINCE2 certification eligibility criteria initially demanded that managers must be from the UK, but is now preferred across Europe and is popular in Asia and Australia as well. 

Candidates who satisfy the PRINCE2 certification eligibility and go on to get a certificate and several benefits, such as:

1. Improved project management skills
2. Global recognition across multiple industries
3. Lesser duration than other project management qualifications
4. Jobs with higher salaries

Overview of PRINCE2 Certification Eligibility

Different Levels

There are two levels you need to clear as per the PRINCE2 certification eligibility rules. The PRINCE2 Foundation teaches you everything about project management principles, terminologies, processes, and methods, and this is the first certification you get. The next stage is called the PRINCE2 practitioner, which focuses more on the application of these concepts in the industry.

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PRINCE2 Certification Eligibility

There are no mandatory PRINCE2 certification eligibility requirements to apply for the Foundation certification, although prior knowledge of project management is recommended. 

For the Practitioner level, however, the PRINCE2 certification eligibility rules need candidates to have completed one of the following programmes, whose proof they should submit. 

• PRINCE2 Foundation
• PMP Certification
• CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)
• IPMA (International Project Management Association) - Levels A, B, C, or D

Training

A strict training routine is not part of PRINCE2 certification eligibility, but it is advisable to undergo training for such an important exam. Self-study would still require you to purchase study material to get a good grasp of the concepts, exam format, and also try out practice. 

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If you opt for a full-fledged course, you get additional resources like project scenarios, professional development units (PDUs), and exam vouchers. The PRINCE2 manual will be useful for open-book exams too. 

The Exam

The PRINCE2 Foundation exam is not open-book, whereas, for the Practitioner exam, you are allowed to take the manual with you. The Foundation exam has 60 questions that you should answer in an hour, with 55% required to pass. The Practitioner exam has 68 questions for 150 minutes, with a 55% pass percentage. 

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Cost

The cost of the exam varies depending on the country and the training organisation. However, the total cost for the entire journey from meeting the PRINCE2 certification eligibility requirements to getting the certificate typically comes as a package from the tutoring institute, and this also includes the exam fee. 

Here are the approximate exam charges for PRINCE2 Foundation in different countries:

PRINCE2 Agile

This qualification is for managers working individually in Agile environments, so it is described separately. You will learn about scalability, and agile delivery approaches in addition to the basic concepts of project management. The Agile certification process consists of the Foundation and Practitioner levels, with different PRINCE2 certification eligibility requirements and exams for each. The certificates are valid for three years. 

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The Agile Foundation programme can be taken up by anyone without any pre-requisites. Still, the Agile Practitioner programme needs the same requirements as the PRINCE2 certification eligibility for its Practitioner level. 

Post-Exam 

Once you clear the exam, you don't have to engage in continuous professional development (CPD) as per PRINCE2 certification eligibility requirements. However, PRINCE2 certification eligibility mandates that you should subscribe to Prince2 certification or take up a re-exam to renew the certificate after every three years.