The Astutis Guide: The NEBOSH Examination Process

Exams have never really been my strong suit. There is something about knowing that I must express a wealth of retained knowledge on a particular day at a specific time. I often find myself overthinking everything. Usually, the little details are the ones to cause anxiety, like when does it start? Or how and when can I log-in to the exam portal? This can start weeks, even months, before any exam date. I have the chance to talk to learners daily, and - unsurprisingly - I am not the only one with those nagging, exam-ridden doubts. 

In this blog, we hope to minimise any of those nagging doubts concerning your NEBOSH exams. It will look to cover the most critical aspects of NEBOSH Exams. It will not cover the exam itself but everything around it, including exam portal logins, closing interviews, course/exam extensions and what happens post-exams. 

If you are currently sitting a NEBOSH exam with us and want support, contact us at neboshassessment@astutis.com.

Exam Portal Login Details

One of the most commonly asked questions we receive from our learners concerns when they will receive their log-in details. 

All learners sitting NEBOSH exams will receive their log-in details five days before their scheduled exam. The details will be shared via email. Learners must remember that the login details are sent to the email provided by the learner to NEBOSH. Therefore, learners must check their contact details with NEBOSH and update them where necessary. 

If learners are re-sitting their exam or have already sat a NEBOSH Open Book Exam (OBE) with us, they will not be provided with new login details. Learners who are re-sitting or already have sat an OBE must use their original log-ins. 

Learners will be given a temporary password from NEBOSH. When logging in for the very first time, they will need to create a permanent password. Learners must use their NEBOSH student number as their username when logging in. 

Closing Interviews

Arguably, the aspect which has the most misconceptions is the closing interview. Simply put, the closing interview is an exercise to demonstrate you were the individual who completed your exam. Essentially, it's a mechanism to ensure there has been no malpractice. 

The closing interview will consist of a line of questioning that relates to the specific exam topic. As long as the person who attends the interview and the person who sits the exam is the same, there should not be any problems whatsoever. To clarify, the closing interview does not contribute to a learner's final mark. 

Learners must sit a closing interview after their exam, or they will be voided. Learners will be sent a link to book their closing interviews five days before their scheduled exam date. Learners then have two weeks to complete their interview; if they do not sit their interview within those two weeks, they are voided. 

A closing interview typically usually lasts between ten and fifteen minutes. For NEBOSH Diploma learners, closing interviews can last up to an hour. 

Learners can only fail their closing interview if they do not attend, or malpractice is found to have taken place. Learners must pass their closing interview to pass the course.

Exam/Course Extensions

For an exam extension to be granted, credible evidence must be presented. Exam extensions are only provided if learners can prove there is a medical issue, illness in the family, bereavement, or a traumatic event. For instance, if learners claim to be ill, they need a doctor's note to prove they need an extension. From there, we can facilitate the request, but NEBOSH has the final say. 

For the NEBOSH General Certificate, learners can receive an exam extension (their exam starts at 11am BST) lasting three hours. NEBOSH Diploma learners (whose exam begins at 12pm BST) can get an extension of up to ten days. 

Course extensions are available, and we advise learners who think they might want one or want more information to contact us at learningadvisor@astutis.com. 

After Exams

As with every NEBOSH course, learners must wait fifty working days to get their results. With the NEBOSH Diploma, learners must wait fifty working days after submitting their exam. 

If a learner fails their exam, they can choose to re-sit. 

NEBOSH course exams operate in cycles. With the NEBOSH General Certificate exams run every month, whilst the NEBOSH Diploma unit exams run twice a year. Therefore, we always advise learners to time their re-sit preparation based on when their re-sit will occur. 

If you are interested in a NEBOSH exam re-sit, contact us at exams@astutis.com. 

We have specific blogs that investigate the assessment processes of certain NEBOSH courses:

• How to pass the NEBOSH Diploma
• How to pass the NEBOSH General Certificate 

 If you want more information concerning the NEBOSH examination process, click the button below to visit our exam Hub.