ICDL Word Processing

It is generally computer-based and performance-based: you complete practical tasks in a live word-processing application, and some test versions add multiple-choice questions. You are assessed on the result in the document, so save carefully and follow instructions precisely. Check with your accredited test centre for the exact format used where you sit the exam.

Question counts and time limits are set by the certification body and can change, so they are not stated here. The official body publishes the current test duration and task structure on its website, and your test centre can confirm what applies to your booking.

Most candidates find it manageable if they already use a word processor regularly. The difficulty lies in precision rather than theory: exact formatting values, correct use of styles, and completing a mail merge end to end. Candidates with little hands-on practice usually need several weeks of structured exercises.

Retake rules, waiting periods and any additional fees are set by the certification body and your test centre, so confirm them before booking. In practice, most candidates who fail lose marks on a few specific skills rather than everything, so review your result slip and re-practise those areas before re-sitting.

Start with using the application and document creation, since everything else depends on creating, saving and navigating files. Then spend the most time on formatting, which carries the largest share of the syllabus. Add objects and mail merge once formatting is comfortable, and finish with prepare outputs and manage documents.

Applying direct formatting instead of styles, misusing section breaks so headers or page orientation change everywhere, forgetting to update fields before printing, and leaving a mail merge with broken data links. Candidates also lose marks by not checking print and export settings, and by saving in the wrong file format.

No. The exam tests what you can produce, not where a command sits. Because interface layouts differ between versions and applications, learn what each feature does and how to find it, rather than memorising a fixed sequence of clicks. Practise in the same application version you will use on test day.

Do timed, full-length practice tasks on a computer rather than reading notes. Build one complete document that uses styles, a table, an image, a header and footer and a section break, then run a mail merge from a spreadsheet. Re-check the syllabus checklist and note any skill you have not yet performed unaided.

Validity and any renewal requirements are determined by the certification body, so check its website or ask your test centre. Do not rely on second-hand claims about expiry dates, as policies vary by country and programme version.

Fees and the passing score are set by the certification body and by individual test centres, and they change over time, so they are not quoted here. The official body publishes the current pass mark, and your centre will confirm the fee and what is included when you book.