Passing the PRINCE2 Foundation exam – Part 4

Welcome to the fourth article in our guide to passing the PRINCE2 Foundation exam. Whether you are studying one of our online PRINCE2 CBT courses or simply want to learn more about the PRINCE2 project management method and qualifications scheme, we hope you will find the information contained in the guide helpful.

This particular part of the guide focuses on the practical considerations associated with taking a PRINCE2 exam. The suggestions and advice presented here are based on our extensive experience of PRINCE2 training and exams. We know that it is important for you to feel confident that you have all the practicalities in hand, because then you can focus more easily on performing your best in the exam.

What to take to the exam

On the day of the exam, make sure that you don’t leave home without the following items.

• Photo ID (e.g. a passport or driving licence) – you must show the invigilator proof of your identity before the exam begins, otherwise you can’t take the exam
• Pencil(s) and eraser for answering the questions
• Pen for filling in the candidate details form

Before entering the exam room, eating a banana or another kind of food that releases its energy slowly may help to keep your concentration levels high during the exam. You may want to take a bottle of water with you to sip during the exam, because staying well hydrated can also help you to concentrate.

Important points to remember

• If English is not your first language or you have a condition (e.g. dyslexia) that you feel could prevent you from completing the PRINCE2 Foundation exam in the allotted time, you can inform your training company about it. In some circumstances, it is possible for a candidate to be granted extra time to complete the exam.
• If the environment in which you take your exam causes problems (e.g. the sun is shining in your eyes or a background noise is bothering you), or you feel unwell, you should inform the invigilator as soon as possible, and preferably before the exam begins.
• Before the exam begins, you will receive a unique candidate number in the format P2R/XXXXXX. You must write the number, instead of your name, on your exam papers.
• If you need to change an answer, you should rub out the wrong answer as thoroughly as you can, in order to avoid ambiguity when your answer sheet is marked.
• Any mobile phones, pagers, or other electronic devices must be switched off for the duration of the exam.
• If you fail the exam, you can re-take it at a later date, although you will need to pay the exam fee again.

Effective preparation for the exam

To help increase your chances of passing the exam, you could complete one of our accredited PRINCE2 CBT training courses. For example, our PRINCE2 Foundation eLearning plus exam bundle covers the whole Foundation syllabus and includes the exam.See the next article in the series: ‘Passing the PRINCE2 Foundation exam – Part 5’, which focuses on exam results.