Discover the cost of PRINCE2 6th Edition exams – 2020

If you want to progress in your career, adding project management training to your CV can help. PRINCE2 6th Edition is one of the world’s most well-known project management qualifications. With PRINCE2 training under your belt, you will be able to take on simple projects as the lead project manager or join a larger team on more complex projects.

If you’re thinking about moving your career towards project management, and specifically towards PRINCE2 training, read on. We’ll share the cost of PRINCE2 6th Edition training and exams, how it can benefit your career and some key information you need to know before you start your training.

What is the PRINCE2 6th Edition Foundation Certificate?

If you want to get started with project management, PRINCE2 Foundation 6th Edition Certificate is a great place to start. This is a highly prized qualification which can help to enhance your CV and make you more attractive to potential employers.

Once you have gained your PRINCE2 Foundation certificate, you will then be able to go on to take the PRINCE2 Practitioner course. Some people will even choose to study for the two exams alongside each other in order to accelerate their learning. 

Before we get into the details of the exam, including how much it costs and who can take the course, we will first look at the history of this prestigious qualification.

Who is behind this certification?

The PRINCE2 6th Edition Certification programme was created by a company called Axelos. Axelos was founded in 1975 in the United Kingdom. It was a joint venture between Capita PLC and the Cabinet Office of the Government of the United Kingdom. These two organisations recognised the need to have an unbiased and progressive method for project management which could be applied to any field.

Axelos was formed to help develop a system for project management that could be taught to professionals in any field. Rather than develop it as a joint venture, Axelos was formed to make sure the organisation was independent and not influenced by either founding company.

While Axelos is the parent company behind PRINCE2 6th Edition training and development, there are many different organisations offering PRINCE2 training. Now that we understand the history of the certification and how it came to exist, we can now look at the cost and benefits.

Discover your PRINCE2 6th Edition certification with Training ByteSize

PRINCE2® Foundation 6th Edition Course. For £249+vat our online learning package includes 3 months access to our exceptional online learning environment and the official accredited exam.

PRINCE2® Practitioner 6th Edition Course. This Practitioner online learning package is priced at £399+vat and includes 3 months access to our excellent online learning environment, the handbook (worth £85) and official accredited exam.

PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner 6th Edition Course. For £599+vat you can access both learning packages, take both the exams and we’ll send you the handbook, plus you’ll get a £49 discount!

Discover the quality of our online learning with these free course demos of the Foundation and Practitioner. 

How much do the different components of the PRINCE2 6th Edition exam cost?

There are many different ways you can learn the materials for the PRINCE2 6th Edition exam. This means that the cost of the certification can vary. When training for the PRINCE2 Foundation exam, you will need to pay for the exam, training and then optional membership costs. There are other optional costs which you may also wish to take on, including extra study guides or practice exam papers

If you are looking to save money, then the self-study route can help. The alternative would be classroom training or one-on-one training. These will all have additional costs. However, you have to think about the benefits that come with classroom-based learning.

When in a classroom, you will have access to a teacher to help clarify any misunderstandings you may have. But you will also have your peers to lean on for support. Learning with others can help to strengthen your understanding of the subject matter. It can also help to speed up the process. Those who take the self-study option may find that it takes them longer to get certified. In this respect, you should also consider your time in the cost calculations.

What are the components of PRINCE2 6th Edition exam cost?

When we discuss the PRINCE2 6th Edition exam cost, the components involved are the exam cost, training cost, and the membership renewal cost. Among the components in PRINCE2 exam cost, which are non-negotiable and which are flexible in terms of cost? Everyone wants to save money where possible, but we also want to avoid compromising on quality and content.

How much does the PRINCE2 Foundation exam cost?

Before you can call yourself a PRINCE2 6th Edition certified project manager, you must first pass the exam. While you are able to study the course materials for free, you won’t be certified until you take the exam, no matter how in-depth your knowledge might be.

In order to take the exam, you don’t have to work with Axelos. Instead, you would go to one of the Accredited Training Organisations (ATOs) who are chosen by Axelos to manage the exam.

This is why PRINCE2 training and exams can vary depending on who you approach. With so many ATOs available, this makes the pricing very competitive.

At Training Bytesize, we offer different methods of training and taking the exam.

If you choose the classroom-based learning, the cost is £599+VAT all inclusive. This includes all of the classes and your final exam. If you choose to learn by distance learning, the cost for 6 months access to the course materials plus the exam would be £298+VAT. 

This is well within the average range for PRINCE2 training. Depending on where in the world you take your exam and which course provider you choose, you can expect to pay the following:

UK	Australia	India	Europe
From £249 for online learning online including the accredited exam	From $749 AUD for online learning including the accredited exam	From ₹ 25000	From €450

How to choose your learning provider

When you are choosing your course provider, it’s important not to only look at price. The price of the course is only one part of the equation that you need to consider. There may be hidden fees that you are not aware of. Or you may be charged extra for essential course materials. These are all things that you should confirm before choosing your PRINCE2 Foundation course provider. Some typical hidden costs include:

Tax and duties

Look out for hidden taxes and costs that are not clearly stated upfront. These can quickly add to the final cost of the course and make it seem less competitive than initial impressions.

Exam fees

Always check if your exam is included in the cost of the course. Don’t assume that it is included as you could end up paying more than you need. 

Look at the quality of the training provider

When investing in PRINCE2 training, it is also important to look at the quality of the training provider to ensure you get the most from your investment. The short film below tells you exactly what you can expect from Training ByteSize.

Save money with an online course

If you are short on time and want to be able to study for the exam at your own pace, distance learning can be a great option. Since you won’t have any classroom time, it will also be significantly cheaper.

At Training Bytesize, we also offer online exams, which means you don’t have to travel to a specific location to take your exam. All you need is a computer with a fast internet connection, a webcam, microphone and speakers. 

With online learning, you will often pay to access the online learning materials for a specific amount of time. At Training Bytesize, we offer 3 months access to the learning materials plus the official accredited exam for £249+VAT. This gives you plenty of time to decide if you are ready to take the exam. Otherwise, you can extend your access to the materials to 6, 9 or 12 months. 

Additional costs

In addition to the learning materials and exams, you may also encounter some additional fees on the road to PRINCE2 qualification. These include sample exam papers, study guides and PRINCE2 membership. Below, we will outline if these are necessary and how much they will cost

Sample exam papers

There are free practice tests available online, but some of these will now be outdated and not very accurate. Some training providers will include a core selection of past exam papers that will help you to prepare for the exam. If you choose to buy additional papers, you can expect to pay around £20 for 300 practice questions with answers.

PRINCE2 6th Edition Membership

Once you have qualified for your PRINCE2 Foundation certification, you may want to make the most of your status by becoming a member of Axelos. This costs £50+VAT per year and allows you to make use of things like digital badges for your website and exclusive project management white papers. You will need to renew this every year to maintain access to the member benefits.

Study guides

In addition to your course materials, you may wish to strengthen your understanding of the subject matter with additional study guides. If you want to save money on these, you could opt for a Kindle or eBook reader version of the guides. However, these can be more difficult to annotate. You could also look for second hand study guides to help keep costs down. Study guides will often have additional information to help you prepare for the exam such as flashcards and cheat sheets.

PRINCE2 Foundation Exam Components	Cost
PRINCE2 Foundation training	£249
PRINCE2 Foundation exam cost (UK)	£199
PRINCE2 Foundation Sample Papers	From £20
Axelos Membership	£50+VAT
PRINCE2 Study Guide	From £20

Now that we have a better idea about the different costs associated with taking the PRINCE2 6th Edition exam, we can now consider if this is the right choice. There are many things to consider when choosing project management training. In the rest of this guide, we will look at what the PRINCE2 Foundation certification can do for your career. We will also look at the requirements and who is best placed to take this kind of course.

Benefits of the PRINCE2 Foundation Course

• PRINCE2 6th Edition is a globally recognised qualification. This means that you can work anywhere in the world and the same principles will still apply. You can also be sure that moving to a different country won’t hamper your job prospects.
• With PRINCE2 training, you can apply for more senior positions in project management. If you dream of being a project manager, project administrator, project director or product manager, this is a great place to start your career.
• When considering the cost of the PRINCE2 exam, you should also think about the potential benefits. A project manager can command anything from £25,000 per year up to £70,000 per year for the most senior roles. The PRINCE2 Foundation certification will allow you to get a foot on the ladder and begin your climb to the top.
• Some of the biggest companies in the world are looking for project managers and people with project management training. These include HSBC, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the NHS.
• With PRINCE2 training under your belt, you will be highly skilled at handling project delivery for your organisation. This can make you an invaluable member of your team and help you to negotiate a higher salary without ever needing to apply for a new role.
• A core part of PRINCE2 training is risk management. Having knowledge of risk management can make you an asset to your organisation.
• A survey conducted by Axelos found that people with PRINCE2 Foundation certification were better equipped to deal with changing business demands. This can be very helpful in the fast-changing world of business.

Now that we understand the cost and benefits of the PRINCE2 Foundation training, let us now look at the course structure and the exam.

PRINCE2 Foundation 6th Edition Certification

The PRINCE2 Foundation course was last updated in 2017. The changes were introduced based on feedback from PRINCE2 course practitioners. The exam was also updated to reflect the feedback.

Understanding the PRINCE2 Foundation Exam

• You will have one hour to complete the exam
• You will need to answer 60 questions in this time
• The pass rate is 55%. This means you must answer 33 of the 60 questions correctly.
• The questions can be about any section of the course materials.
• You should expect varied questions that test your comprehension of PRINCE2 Foundation.
• Some of the questions will be multiple choice, so you have to choose the correct answer from a selection of answers.
• Some of the questions will ask you to fill in a missing word.
• Some of the questions will ask you to choose the 2 correct statements from a selection of 4 statements.
• There is no negative marking. Your correct answers will gain you points but the incorrect answers will not deduct marks.

What requirements are there for PRINCE2 Foundation level?

There are no entry requirements for the PRINCE2 Foundation level course and exam. As it is a foundation course, is it designed to offer an introduction to the topics. However, most of the people taking the course will have some experience of project management.

If you wake up one day and decide you want to become a project manager with no prior experience then the PRINCE2 Foundation course would be a good place to start. Once you are PRINCE2 6th Edition certified, you could then start to apply for jobs in your chosen field and build your work experience from there.

How to prepare for the PRINCE2 Foundation Certificate Exam

Once you decide you wish to take the exam, there are a few steps you will need to take first. At this stage, you will have decided that the cost is worth the vast benefits for your career. You will also have chosen your training provider and decided if you wish to learn in the classroom, online or a mixture of both.

Next, you will need to start learning the course materials. It’s important that you do not skip any sections in the course materials. This is because the exam could be based on anything you find in the PRINCE2 course handbook. Even if something doesn’t seem relevant to your particular industry, you will still need to understand it.

• Once you have covered all of the course materials, you will need to decide if you are ready to book your exam. While you want to be well-prepared, you should also make sure the materials are still fresh in your mind. This is why you shouldn’t wait too long between learning the course materials and sitting your exam.
• Prepare for the exam by reviewing your notes and looking at past papers as an example. This will not only help you to learn the format of the exam, it will also test your knowledge of the materials.
• Try sitting a timed exam so that you know what is expected of you. When you have to answer 60 questions in one hour, it’s important that you are quick and do not dwell on answers for too long or you could run out of time.
• When sitting the exam, don’t get too stressed out. Remember that you are well prepared and have nothing to worry about. If you are ready to be PRINCE2 certified, then this will be reflected in your exam result.

The steps to the PRINCE2 Foundation Certification Exam

Steps to PRINCE2 Foundation Certification exam

1.   Choose your training provider

2.   Attend the course or learn the course materials at home

3.   Study for the exam

4.   Study past exam papers and sit a practice exam

5.   Take the PRINCE2 Foundation exam

6.   Activate your Axelos membership

Why choose Training Bytesize?

Many people launch into their search for a training provider thinking only of the cost. At Training Bytesize, we believe you should also look at the quality of the instruction and the flexibility of the course.

We offer incredible value on both our classroom-based courses and our distance learning course. Having a choice between intensive classroom learning and self-motivated study allows people from all walks of life to benefit from our training. 

Whether you are currently working full time or part time, you can find a way to make PRINCE2 Foundation training work for you. It is also ideal for stay-at-home parents who are hoping to make their way back into the workforce with some new training on their CV.

Our online learning resources are ideal for those who like to get a deeper understanding of the subject matter. You will find the information directly applicable to your working environment and will be able to put the principles to work before you have even finished sitting your exam.

We are also proud to be transparent and upfront with our pricing. There are no hidden costs that crop up further down the line. Our classroom based courses are all-inclusive and include everything you need to get certified.

What can I expect to find on the syllabus?

Following the syllabus is not mandatory, but it will help to structure your learning in a way that makes it easier to study for the exam. It will also help to make it more applicable to your working environment.

For the foundation level exam, you should expect to encounter the following information. By the end of the course, you will be able to do the following:

• Describe the purpose and major content of all roles, the seven principles, the seven themes and the seven processes. This might seem difficult to understand at the start of the course, but by the end of the course, you will be very familiar with this structure.
• State the management products which relate to the seven processes.
• Explain the main purpose and key contents of the main management products.
• Understand the relationship between the processes, deliverables, roles and the management dimensions at play in a project.

In general, the syllabus should cover the following sectors and themes of project management:

Processes	Principles	Themes
Starting up a project	Business Justification	Business case
Initialisation of a project	Roles and responsibilities	Organisation
Direction of a Project	Learn from experience	Quality
Controlling a stage	Manage by exceptions	Risks
Management of product delivery	Manage by stages	Plan
Management of stage boundaries	Tailor to suit the environment	Change
Closure of a Project	Focus on product	Progress

In summary, PRINCE2 Foundation certification might come with its own costs, but the benefits will far outweigh this. PRINCE2 Foundation training will give you the opportunity to grow your career like never before. 

With the flexible learning options available, you can even reduce the overall cost of the course. You can also get creative with your use of study guides and past papers and make the most of free online offerings. 

If you do not wish to pay for classroom learning but want the assistance that comes with learning alongside your peers, you could ask a colleague to take the PRINCE2 Foundation course at the same time. Your employer may even be able to give you time out of your working day to dedicate towards studying the course materials.