How long does it take to complete the NEBOSH General Certificate?

Most people thinking about taking a qualification want to know 2 things: how much will it cost me? how long will it take me? One of the many advantages of the NEBOSH General Certificate is its flexibility. Being able to take the course online or in a classroom means you can spend as much or as little time as you need to complete the course.

The NEBOSH General Certificate requires a total of 80-120 hours of study. This is broken down into ‘tuition hours’ and ‘self-study hours’. But how long it actually takes you to achieve your qualification will largely depend on your daily commitments, availability and chosen learning method. 

Tuition hours

Tuition hours are the time you spend on your core learning either through an online course or in a classroom. The NEBOSH General Certificate has a total of 68 tuition hours.

Online courses offer the most flexibility. You’ll have all the materials you need for your core learning hours, but when and how long you study for is up to you. 

Ideally you should factor in time to study every day, including weekends. If you can’t then it may take you longer to complete the course and feel confident to sit your exams. Most course providers will put a limit on how long you have access to your online course and support for so always check this before you start.

Online courses are available for the national and international version of the course. 

Classroom courses are taught across 10 days running between 9am – 5pm. They’re split across 2 weeks with a break in between.

As well as the time spent in the classroom, you’ll also be expected to complete homework and your own additional study in the break between your sessions, so make sure you factor in time for this.

Classroom courses are usually only available in the UK for the national version of the course. 

Self-study hours

As with any qualification, you’ll be expected to dedicate a certain amount of time to your own research. You’re recommended to spend approximately 40 hours on private study. This can be anything from reading journals and websites, to attending webinars, completing homework and watching videos.

Additional resources – like interactive activities, past exam questions and links to relevant research – are all included within your online course, so you’ll have everything you need to complete your self-study hours in one place.

If you’re studying in the classroom, you’ll be given printed course materials and workbooks, as well as recommendations on where to find additional information. 

Exams

There are 2 assessments for the NEBOSH General Certificate.

NG1/IG1 is an online open-book exam to assess what you know.

NG2/IG2 is a practical risk assessment to assess what you can do. It can be completed in your own time and submitted by email or post. You're recommended to spend around 3 hours on this assessment. 

If you're studying in a classroom, your exam will usually be scheduled for the week after your last session. If you're studying online, you'll need to let your course provider know when you're ready to sit your exam and they'll make all the arrangements for you. 

Access the latest Nebosh General Certificate Syllabus here.

How long is your certificate valid for?

There’s no expiration date on your NEBOSH General Certificate. Once you’ve passed it, that’s it!

Saying that, if you want to progress onto other NEBOSH qualifications, like the NEBOSH Diploma or specialist NEBOSH Certificates, you’ll need to do so within 5 years of passing your NEBOSH General Certificate.

Discover more about the NEBOSH General Certificate Course:

 

This blog post was updated in September 2019 to reflect the changes in the NEBOSH General Certificate syllabus.