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Certi&cation
Program FAQs
AACE Member vs. Non-Member

Do I have to be a member to take a

certi9cation exam?
No. You are not required to be an AACE member
to sit for an AACE certi9cation exam. However,
there are many bene9ts to AACE membership
such as discounted certi9cation exam fees,
discounted recerti9cation fees, discounted
study materials, free Recommended Practices
downloads, free TCM Framework download, and
much more.

Cost & Payment

Do I pay before or after my application is

accepted?
Payment is due before you can submit your
application.

If I change my mind, can I get a refund?

No refunds are permitted.

I paid for my resit. What do I do next?

Once your payment has been processed, you
will receive another clearance email with
instructions to schedule your resit exam.

It is past my six-month registration

period. Can I resit?
Once you are past your registration expiration,
you may take the exam again, but you are no
longer eligible for the reduced fee. You will be
required to begin a new registration and pay full
exam fees.

Will I receive a refund for a cancelled

exam?
AACE has a strict no-refund policy. There are no
refunds given.

Eligibility & Application

If I cannot contact my former employer

for employment veri9cation, what can I
do?
Most employers do a preliminary background
check prior to hire. In most cases, we will
accept their veri9cation of your past work
history.

My diploma is not in English. Will you

accept my typed translation?
No. We will only accept a translation made by
an oPcial translation service.

How long do I have to wait to be cleared

after I submit my application?
AACE has up to 45 days to review your
application upon submission. However, for CCT,
CEP, CST, EVP, and PSP, review usually takes a
few business days and you should receive
clearance.

Resources & Preparation

Are there any courses to prepare me to

take an exam?
There are several options for educational
courses, which are developed and managed by
our Education Board. Interested candidates
should contact the Education Department
at [email protected] for the current courses
offered and all pertinent details.

Are preparatory courses required to take

an exam?
No. Preparatory courses are not required to take
an AACE certi9cation examination.

Do I have to buy all the recommended

resource material to take an exam?
You are not required to purchase any
recommended resource. However, many
candidates 9nd the study guides and other
recommended resources helpful in their
certi9cation endeavors. Some resources are
complimentary. For the latest
recommendations, always check the website
9rst.

What study materials does AACE provide

to prepare for a certi9cation exam?
AACE does not generally provide any study
materials to prepare for a certi9cation
examination. However, there are several
complimentary downloadable documents
accessible to you: CCT Primer, CST Primer,
CFCC Study Guide. AACE members also receive
the bene9t of complimentary downloads of
Recommended Practices and Total Cost
Management (TCM) Framework.

How long does it take to prepare for an

exam?
This is something that AACE cannot determine
because it differs for each candidate, and
largely depends on your experience level. We do
encourage you to complete your study prior to
registering for the exam so that you can take
full advantage of your six-month registration
period.

Examination & Testing

Where can I take an exam?

AACE certi9cation exams are only delivered at
Kryterion designated testing centers (over 800
worldwide). You may preview the
cities/states/countries by clicking here.

Who do I contact if I have issues

scheduling an exam?
Kryterion candidate services is available 24/7
(except otherwise noted) and can be reached
directly by:

Live Chat:
https://kryterion.force.com/support/s/contactsup
language=en_US

OLP Test Taker Support:

https://www.kryteriononline.com/test-
taker/online-proctoring-support

1-877-313-2008 (U.S.) or +001-602-659-4679

(International)
Monday - Friday 7AM - 4PM (PST)

Can I arrange for an exam at my

company?
No. Exams are only conducted at select testing
centers that deliver AACE exams.

I am in an isolated area and there are no

testing centers within 3-5 hours. Can I still
take an exam?
If you wish to take one of our exams but cannot
9nd a testing location within a reasonable
distance, please contact the Certi9cation
Department at [email protected].

How long do I have to take an exam?

Once you receive your clearance email, you have
six months in which to take your exam up to
three times – two of those attempts would be at
a reduced fee. We recommend scheduling your
exam soon after receiving clearance, so you can
take advantage of your entire six-month
registration period, if necessary.

How many questions are on an exam?

The CCT & CST exams have 100 simple
multiple-choice questions.
The CCP exam has 120 simple and complex
multiple-choice questions.
The CEP, DRMP, EVP & PSP exams have 120
simple and complex multiple-choice questions,
including one written memo question.
The CFCC exam has 100 simple and complex
multiple-choice questions and 4 written essays.

Do I need to take my clearance letter from

AACE to an exam with me?
No. You are not required to take your AACE
clearance letter to the testing center.

Do I need to know my AACE ID# to take an

exam?
If taking the CEP, CFCC, DRMP, EVP or PSP
exam, you will need to know your AACE ID#. You
will need to provide this number in your written
memo/essay response(s). It is best to have your
AACE ID# memorized as you are not permitted
to bring any outside material with you (except
for CFCC, which is an open book exam).

What is the difference between a

cancelling and rescheduling an exam?
Cancellations shall be deemed as any change
made at exactly 72 hours or less before the
originally scheduled exam and incurs a fee.
Rescheduling shall be deemed any change
made greater than exactly 72 hours before
the originally scheduled exam and does not
incur a fee.

What if I have to cancel a scheduled

exam?
You must contact AACE certi9cation staff at
[email protected] or +1-304-296-8444, ext.
1110. A fee may apply if there is less than a 72-
hour notice.

What if I have to reschedule a scheduled

exam?
If it is greater than 72 hours’ notice, you will log
in to your Kryterion test taker pro9le and
reschedule the exam to another date, time and
location (if desired), with no additional fees.
If it is less than 72 hours’ notice, you are
required to contact certi9cation staff at
[email protected] or +1-304-296-8444, ext.
1110. A fee will apply.

Am I allowed to take food and/or a drink

into an exam?
You will not be permitted to take anything into
the exam with you except a calculator (CCT,
CST, and CFCC will be allowed their open-book
items). The exam center will provide a location
for you to store your personal items until your
exam is complete.

What do I need to take with me on exam

day?
You will need to take two IDs, one of which must
be a government-issued photo ID.

There was a disruption that occurred

during my exam. Whom should I contact?
Please review AACE’s Disruption Policy for
speci9c details.

Results & Scores

When do I get my exam results?

CCT & CST exam results are given
immediately upon completion of the exam.

CCP exam results are given within a few

business days, as the technical paper
component must be included in the result.

CEP, CFCC, DRMP, EVP & PSP exam results

are not given immediately, as the written
portions of the exam (memo/essay) must be
graded and averaged with your multiple-
choice exam result. Memos and essays are
sent to be graded during monthly grading
cycles (on or around the 15th, depending on
what day it falls) and results are given
approximately 2-3 weeks following.

What score do I have to get on my exam

to pass?
You must receive 70% for your overall result to
pass. For CCP, you must also pass your
technical paper to pass the overall exam.

Will I get a numerical score for my exam?

It is the policy of the Certi9cation Board, in
accordance with our accreditation authority, to
release results on a Pass/Fail basis only;
therefore, no individual scores will be given.

Disputes & Appeals

How do I 9le a dispute regarding

certi9cation matters?
Any candidate or certi9cant with a dispute or
complaint related to testing centers,
examination results, policies and procedures,
staff or board members, may 9le a formal
dispute or complaint to report the issue. The
online form is found by clicking here.

Complainants will have the opportunity to

appeal any dispute or complaint decision.

Recerti9cation & Maintenance

Why do I have to recertify?

Recerti9cation is necessary to verify continuing
competence for maintaining AACE certi9cation
for an additional certi9cation term.

How do I recertify?
You must complete an application through your
AACE pro9le. You may choose to apply for
Recerti9cation by Activity or Recerti9cation by
Examination from the menu options before your
expiration date. There is no opportunity to apply
for recerti9cation in any other manner.

Do I have a grace period?

You have a 6-month grace period to recertify by
CEUs or by exam. If recerti9cation has not been
achieved by the end of your grace period, the
certi9cation is immediately decerti9ed and not
eligible for further extension.

What is a CEU?
CEU stands for Continuing Education Units. We
use CEUs for the recerti9cation process. Other
groups refer to this as Professional
Development Units (PDUs) or Professional
Development Hours (PDHs).

What constitutes one CEU?

One CEU equals ten contact hours of
participation in organized continuing education
classes and/or training or meeting. A contact
hour is equivalent to one 60-minute interaction
between an instructor/presenter and the
participant.
Example: You attend a two-day, 16-hour
professional development course. You will
receive .10 CEU per hour, for a total of 1.6
CEUs. The calculation is: x hours/10.

How do I convert PDUs to CEUs?

10 hours = 1 CEU

How many CEUs can I claim for AACE's

Conference & Expo?
This is dependent upon the total hours of
technical sessions. Once the program is
9nalized the total CEUs are are listed on our
website and in your agenda. Typically, the
average range is 1.5 to 1.8 CEUs.

How often do I need to recertify?

Recerti9cation is every three years.

How many CEUs do I need to recertify by

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
You will be required to show that you’ve
accumulated a minimum of 12 CEUs for the
past three-year certi9cation period.

When do I submit my Recerti9cation by

CEUs Application?
You may submit your recerti9cation application
up to six-months prior to your expiration date.

When does my recerti9cation start?

Your recerti9cation begins at initial certi9cation;
the day you become certi9ed.

How long does it take for my

recerti9cation application to be
processed?
Please allow 2-3 weeks for review and
processing after receipt of your application.

Can I recertify by exam?

This option requires registration for a
certi9cation examination and payment. You
must pass the examination, which will renew
your certi9cation for three additional years.

When can I recertify by exam?

You can recertify by exam, up to six-months
prior to your expiration date.

How long do I have to take my

recerti9cation by exam?
You must have taken and passed your
recerti9cation examination before your 9nal
expiration date, unless other arrangements have
been made and approved by AACE certi9cation
staff.

How many attempts do I get to pass by

recerti9cation by exam?
You get one attempt to pass your recerti9cation
by exam. There are no resit opportunities.

I have multiple certi9cations. Do I have to

complete an application for each one?
Yes, you are required to submit an application
for each certi9cation you hold. However, in
order to not have to re-enter your information in
each application, complete one application in its
entirety, when you create your subsequent
applications, the details will copy to your
application and items that 9t into the
recerti9cation period will be applied.

CCP Technical Paper

How long do I have to turn in my technical

paper (for CCP exam)?
It is at your discretion. You can begin your CCP
application process at any time, but since the
technical paper is part of the eligibility
requirements, you are not able to submit the
application until the technical paper has been
uploaded.

How long does my paper have to be?

Your paper must be at least 2,500 words and
shouldn’t be more than 5,000.

When is the best time to register and

submit my technical paper?
Our grading cycles run on or around the 15th of
each month. If you register a week or so prior to
the 15th, your paper should be able to be
included in the following grading cycle.

May I use my thesis or dissertation for my

submission?
You may, but the paper must not be more than
5,000 words and must be formatted to 9t the
Technical Paper Template.

What should the topic of my paper be?

Your topic can be on anything as long as it
pertains to Cost Engineering/Total Cost
Management. If you still need help, members
can view hundreds of papers that have been
published or presented in AACE’s publications
or meetings in the Virtual Library.

Why does the CCP have a technical paper

requirement?
All professional-level and expertise-level
certi9cations have a written component of the
exam that tests the candidate’s ability to
communicate professional knowledge. The
CCP’s written component is in the form of the
technical paper.

How long is my paper valid?

Your technical paper must be current and
written within the last three years. If your paper
passed but you are retaking the exam, your
passed paper is valid for three years from the
date written.

I received my clearance email. Does this

mean I passed the technical paper?
No. Your clearance email only indicates that you
have been cleared to sit for your exam because
we have received the evaluations for your paper.
Clearance is not indicative of pass or fail. The
technical paper is considered part of your exam,
so you will receive the paper result when you
receive the result of the multiple-choice portion
of your exam.

To remain strong and responsive to the needs of certi9ed members

and other cost professionals, the public, and AACE International
Certi9cation Institute, our certi9cation programs solicit input from all
interested individuals and organizations as to the policies and
procedures used in administering the Association’s certi9cation
programs. Please address any comments you may have regarding
the administration of certi9cation programs to the Certi9cation
Board via e-mail to [email protected] or via U.S. mail at
Certi9cation Board, AACE International, 726 East Park Avenue #180,
Fairmont, WV 26554 USA

If our FAQs library does not

answer your question, contact
the Certi9cation Department at
[email protected] or
304-296-8444, ext. 1115 for assistance.

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