IPMA Level D

It is the lowest of IPMA's four certification levels and is explicitly aimed at people entering the profession rather than experienced managers. IPMA's own comparison puts Level C® at three to five years of working experience, with Levels B® and A® reserved for very experienced professionals running complex initiatives. If you are starting out, Level D® is your entry point.

Competence-based. IPMA states that worldwide it provides "the only certification programme based on competences", in contrast to methodology-based schemes. In practice that means you are assessed on the competences described in the ICB rather than on your recall of a single methodology's processes, templates or terminology. Expect questions that test judgement in realistic situations.

It is based on IPMA's global competence standard, the Individual Competence Baseline (ICB), which describes the competences project, programme and portfolio managers should possess. IPMA announced that all certifications would be based on ICB version 4 worldwide by the end of 2019, so study from ICB4 and confirm with your local body which version applies to your intake.

IPMA's global certification pages do not publish these figures. Because assessment is delivered nationally, the exam format, duration, item count and pass mark are set by your local Member Association and Certifying Body. Ask them directly before you book, and treat any figure you see elsewhere as unverified unless your own association confirms it.

Through the IPMA Member Association and Certifying Body in your own country, in your own language, at your own competence level. IPMA directs candidates to find their local association and be redirected to the national certifying body, which handles registration, scheduling, fees and any local pre-requisites or training requirements.

No. IPMA states that a certificate needs to be updated on a regular basis and that after a specific period it is withdrawn unless the holder undergoes re-certification, proving the required competences are still maintained at the right level. IPMA's global pages do not state the interval, so confirm the re-certification window with your national association when you certify.

Start with ICB4 itself: read the competence elements in order, then rate yourself honestly against each one and note the gaps. Build short written examples from your own project experience for the gaps, because competence-based assessment rewards evidence over definitions. Only then look at local exam logistics and any preparation your certifying body recommends.

Two recur: memorising one methodology's vocabulary and expecting the exam to match it, and answering from theory with no concrete example to back the claim. Competence-based assessment rewards describing what you actually did, why, and what you would change. Candidates who leave self-assessment until the last week also tend to discover gaps they cannot close in time.

IPMA's global certification pages state neither fees nor retake rules, because both are handled by national Member Associations and their Certifying Bodies. Contact your local association for the current fee, the retake policy and any waiting period. Do not rely on figures circulating online, as national arrangements differ and change.