When I first decided to take the NCIDQ exam, I was about two years out of school, living in San Francisco - one of the most expensive cities in the country - and working as a Junior Designer at Gensler. Needless to say, I was on a very tight budget, and every penny counted.
When I initially researched the total cost of the exam + study materials, it was definitely out of my budget. However, I was determined to take it, as I knew it would pay off substantially more than the cost of the exam in the long run- both in terms of knowledge I would gain from the test, and career advancement opportunities from being licensed.
In the end, I was able to take all three NCIDQ exams for free- including study materials. Here’s how I did it, and you can too.
1. Understand your costs
Let’s be honest, the NCIDQ exam cost is expensive. All in, it will cost you about $2,000 to take all three exams, and purchase the study materials you’ll need to pass the tests.
With such a substantial investment in your near future, it’s important to put together a budget to fully understand what it will cost.
Months before applying for the exams, I did just this, and put together a total budget for all three exams + study material. In doing so, I knew exactly how much it would cost. When I took the exam in 2016, my costs were slightly different, but for simplicity’s sake, here is an example budget of what it costs to take the NCIDQ in 2020:
Application fee (all three exams): $225
IDFX Exam Fee: $295
IDPX Exam Fee: $350
Practicum Exam Fee: $455
Study Material from PPI: $554
Total: $1,879
2. Ask for support from your company
Once I knew how much the exams would cost, I researched Gensler’s professional development policy for exam reimbursement, and put together a proposal for my manager asking for her support.
Fortunately, my manager and company were extremely supportive and approved to reimburse the cost of the exams once I passed. Since I gained approval a few months prior to applying for the test, I had ample time to save enough money for the application fee and first exam, because remember – I had to pay all costs up front and would only get reimbursed once I passed.
To further reduce my up-front costs, and increase my chances of passing my tests to ensure I got reimbursed, I decided to only take one exam at a time over the course of 1-1/2 years.
This meant that I only needed to pay the $225 exam fee + $295 IDFX exam fee up front, and the remaining $805 for the IDPX and Practicum amortized over the course of 1-1/2 years.
Yes, it felt like I was studying for an eternity, but I was able to focus on each exam and comfortably afford to take the tests without being overly-stressed over the cost of the exams.
3. Apply for the IIDA NCIDQ Tuition Reimbursement Fund
If your firm isn’t able to pay for your exams or can only pay for a portion of them, not to worry! If you are a member of IIDA, you can apply for their IIDA NCIDQ Tuition Reimbursement Fund to get the cost of your exams reimbursed, up to $1100.
Once you pass all of your exams, you simply need to fill out their short application form, and submit it. You will then be entered to a lottery, to win one of seven scholarships. If you’re not a member of IIDA, sign up! Most firms will pay for your membership, so talk to your manager and ask if you could get reimbursed for that, too.
As I previously mentioned, I took one exam at a time, and was able to get reimbursed for the IDFX and IDPX at Gensler. Prior to taking my final exam, the Practicum, I just started a new job and wasn’t yet eligible to get my exam reimbursed.
Fortunately, I was on the IIDA board for San Francisco, and applied, and ultimately received one of the NCIDQ scholarships for the practicum exam. The scholarship was for $455, and combined with the reimbursement I received from Gensler, it brought my total reimbursement to $1,325.
4. Check your office for NCIDQ study materials
Most design firms may already have a set of study guides, so check with your librarian or team to see if there is a set of books you could borrow. If not, talk with your librarian or manager, and ask if you could get a set for the office. This alone could save you nearly $600.
For my study materials, I checked Gensler’s library to see if they had a set of books I could borrow, since I knew they had all of the latest ARE & LEED study guides.
Unfortunately, they didn’t, so I asked our librarian if he would be able to buy a set. Thankfully, he knew how important the exam was, and wanted to support those who wanted to take the exam as much as he could, so he purchased an entire set from PPI (Thanks, Bill!).
If your firm is not able to get a set for the office, use code CCN15 to receive 15% off your total purchase. Every bit helps!
5. Study
This may sound trite, but in order to take the NCIDQ for free, you need to study. It’s as simple as that.
By studying effectively and efficiently, you will greatly increase the likelihood of passing the tests, and therefore, greatly increase the likelihood of getting reimbursed for the cost of the exams. It will also ensure that the time you invest in studying will be well worth it, because what the budget does not account for is the cost of your most valuable commodity – your time.
Losing up to $1,325, in addition to the time I spent studying was not an option for me, which is why it became a huge source of motivation for me to pass my tests the first time. Throughout my journey, I sacrificed many nights and weekends, and only wanted to do that once.
However - it’s important to note that if you are in the midst of taking your exams, and haven’t passed them on your first try, please don’t beat yourself up! I personally was 4 points away from failing the IDFX.
Keep going, and know you are making an incredible investment into yourself and your future career - which will pay off substantially more than the cost of any exam.
No one will ask you what your score was, or if you passed on the first time - they will be solely focused on the fact that you passed! It doesn’t matter how you get there once you do.
Key Takeaway
Yes, the NCIDQ exam cost is expensive, but, it doesn’t have to be. I was able to get IDFX, IDPX, and study materials paid for by Gensler, and the Practicum paid for by the IIDA NCIDQ Reimbursement Tuition Fund, which fully covered the entire cost of the NCIDQ. All it took was a few conversations asking for support of my professional development, an application to the IIDA foundation, and a commitment to putting in the many hours and hard work to pass. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.