What if I Fail my NEBOSH Certificate Exam(s)?

This blog was updated in August 2022 to reflect the changes introduced with the Open-Book examination.

Don't panic if you have failed one or more of your NEBOSH Certificate exams. There are a couple of options available on what next to do. This post will offer the practical steps to take which will help you get fully qualified and on the road to advance your career as smoothly and stress-free as possible.
 
Firstly, when you get the news that you have been unsuccessful in your NEBOSH exam, you have one of two choices to take:

1. Re-mark your exam(s)
2. Re-sit the exam(s)

Re-marking by NEBOSH – EAR: Enquiries About Results

This option is only appropriate for a tiny percentage of people, but if you feel that your mark is not what you expected based on how realistically you think the exam(s) went on the day.

For example, if you feel you were very near the pass mark for the Unit paper and you would like your exam paper marked again, you can appeal to NEBOSH and request a re-mark.

For an EAR re-mark, you will need to complete an Enquiries About Results NEBOSH (EAR) form within 20 working days of the result being issued. Contact your course provider for guidance on how to do this or enquire directly to NEBOSH. 

If, for any reason, you want your paper remarked, you will need to go directly to NEBOSH. 

The two TYPES of EAR - Enquiries About Results

Stage 1: A clerical check on examination results per unit. This measures each unit of the exam/assessment that has been marked, and that marks have been totalled correctly. 

Stage 2:  A re-mark by a different examiner, who is of a higher level than the original examiner. This type of enquiry does not include a clerical check.

If you wish to proceed with either option, you will need to complete the related forms (provided by NEBOSH) within 20 days of receiving your results. You will receive your new results within 40 days.

If you have failed your exam or assessment by 1-5 marks, this is a helpful step if you want to take it. However, there is no guarantee of improved marks, and there is always a risk of receiving a lower mark. 

If you want to re-sit your exam, it is important to remember it costs £230 (Excluding VAT.) per exam. It is also important to consider that all applicants must register for the exam five weeks before the exam date.

Late EAR submissions will not be accepted. However, if there are extenuating circumstances for the late submission, NEBOSH will decide if they will accept it.

NEBOSH examiners' reports are published twice a year by NEBOSH, following the March and September exams for the NEBOSH General Certificate. These reports are free for students to download and provide invaluable insight into what examiners were expecting from the paper and specific areas of under-performance.

Looking at these examiners' reports can be extremely helpful if you did not receive the result you were hoping for. In addition, they will shed some light on the expected standard of answers required.

You can pass your NEBOSH Certificate exam!
 
Be positive and prepare well for your retake exam. Practice past questions under exam conditions. Read the links to these helpful blog posts in this article. Good luck!

For more information on the NEBOSH General Certificate exams, visit the Astutis Exam Help Centre.