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How to Prepare for the ISEP Foundation Certificate in Sustainability and Environmental Management Online Exam

July 2024


If you're considering taking the ISEP Foundation Certificate in Sustainability and Environmental Management, formerly known as the IEMA Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management, you'll probably be wondering what the exams are like. What do they cover? How hard are they? What are my chances of passing? These are all valid questions that our learners ask before they book their course.


What is the ISEP Foundation Certificate Exam?

Unlike more traditional exams, the ISEP Foundation Certificate exam is done online so you can decide to take it whenever you feel ready. The exam is in a multiple choice format with 30 questions, each with 4 possible answers, one of which is correct.

You’ll have 1-hour to complete the exam, which works out at around 2 minutes per question. Each question is worth 1 mark and you’ll need to correctly answer 21 questions (70%) to pass.


Is the ISEP Foundation Certificate Exam Hard?

The exam is open book which means that you can refer to books, course notes or even the internet to help you. Don’t be fooled by this though – with only an hour to complete the exam you can easily end up wasting a lot of time trying to look up answers. You still need to apply yourself and be familiar with the material to be in with a chance of passing.

You’ll get lots of support and exam tips throughout your course to help you prepare for your exam. You can also see some sample questions so you have an idea of what you'll be asked.


When and Where Do I Take the ISEP Foundation Certificate Exam?

The ISEP Foundation Certificate exam is extremely flexible because you can take it wherever you like - at work, at home, in a library - wherever you feel most comfortable. Once you’ve been registered by your course provider, you’ll receive an email from ISEP with details on how to access your exam and a completion deadline.

You’ll be given a 28-day window to complete it starting the 1st of the month after you’ve taken your course and ending on the 28th. 


When Do I Get My ISEP Foundation Certificate Results?

Straight away! As soon as you’ve completed the exam, you’ll be given your marks and be told whether you’ve passed or failed. Provided you’ve passed, you’ll receive your digital IEMA Foundation Certificate.

For more information about the ISEP Foundation Certificate exam, you can click the button below.


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  • "I had a great learning experience with Astutis while completing the ISEP Certificate in Sustainability and Environmental Management. The course was well structured, and the learning materials helped me develop my knowledge and understanding of environmental management. I would like to thank the Astutis team for their guidance and support throughout my learning journey. I am proud to have achieved a Distinction and would recommend Astutis to anyone looking to develop their professional knowledge and qualifications in sustainability and environmental management."

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