Frequently asked questions

A free online course and exam on proficiency testing (PT). If you pass the exam, you get the EqasOnline Certified Proficiency Testing Professional credential.

No. The six course modules, the exam, retakes and the credential are all free.

No. The credential is not an accreditation and not a certification of persons under ISO/IEC 17024. It is not connected to, or endorsed by, any accreditation body. It shows that you passed our exam on PT knowledge. It does not show that any laboratory is competent.

Anyone aged 18 or over. You do not need a degree or a laboratory job. You need one account and access to the email address on it.

No. We recommend the six modules because each one matches an exam domain, but you can sit the exam without them.

40 questions in 60 minutes. Question types are single choice, choose-2 multiple response and numeric entry. You pass with 28 out of 40 (70 %). This pass mark is provisional until we complete a standard-setting study.

No. Sign in and start whenever you are ready, as long as the retake rules allow it. The timer starts when you select Start and does not stop.

A handheld calculator, the exam screen's calculator if there is one, and blank paper for working. You may not use notes, course material, websites, AI tools or help from anyone.

No. Nobody watches you, and we do not use your camera or microphone or record your screen. We do record focus loss, copy and paste events, IP addresses and browser changes during the attempt. A person reviews any attempt our checks flag.

We save each answer as you go. Sign in again and carry on. The timer keeps running while you are away. If time runs out, we score the answers you saved, and the attempt counts.

Yes. Send an accommodation request from your account before you start. Tell us how much extra time you need and briefly why. You do not have to tell us a diagnosis. We reply within 10 working days.

Wait 24 hours after your first fail and 14 days after your second or any later fail. You can start at most 3 attempts in any 90 days, and only one attempt at a time.

No. You see pass or fail and a band for each of the six domains. We reuse questions, so we do not release them. Your domain bands show which modules to review.

Open an appeal from your account, or email us, within 30 days of your result. Someone who was not involved in the original decision reviews it, and we send you a written decision within 30 days of acknowledging your appeal.

2 years from its issue date. You can recertify by passing the exam again in the 90 days before it expires. Your expiry date then moves 2 years on from the old one.

Give them your credential ID. They can check it at academy.eqasonline.com/verify/<ID>. The page shows your name as printed, the dates and the status. It does not show your score. Your credential is also issued as an Open Badges 3.0 digital badge.

Send a name change request from your account. We reissue your credential under a new ID with the same dates. The old ID then shows the status Reissued, without your name.

Yes, for example for cheating, sharing exam questions, using a false name or misrepresenting the credential. We tell you what we found and give you 14 days to respond before we decide. You can appeal the decision. The verify page shows Revoked but not the reason.

You choose. Either the verify page keeps showing the ID, your name, the dates and the status, or the credential is marked Withdrawn. We delete the rest of your data, except what we must keep for an open case, a 12-month bar or the law.

We use one cookie, to keep you signed in. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies. We send marketing email only if you opt in separately, and you can opt out at any time.