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Qualification Scheme

The P3O Qualification Scheme is developed by the APM Group Ltd in partnership with the Cabinet Office and The Stationery Office (TSO).

The APM Group accredit a network of training organisations including their trainers and course materials, to be able to offer P3O courses and examinations.

PDF Download the P3O Syllabus (PDF).

There are two P3O qualifications, the Foundation and the Practitioner:

Foundation Qualification

  • Multiple choice
  • 50 questions per paper with 1 mark available per question
  • 30 marks required to pass - 60%
  • 40 minutes duration
  • Closed book.

The Foundation qualification focuses on the concepts, structures and duties of a P3O.

Practitioner Qualification

  • Objective testing
  • 7 questions per paper, 70 marks available in total
  • 35 marks required to pass - 50%
  • Two-and-a-quarter hours duration
  • Open-book (only the P3O Guide is allowed).

How to take the Exam

There are two routes towards obtain the P3O qualifications - you can sit the exams at the end of a training course, or study privately and then book the exam without a training course at one of APM Group's Open Centres. Find out more about Open Centre exams here.

For details of training courses, please contact an Accredited Training Organisation.

Route to Certification

Candidates must pass the Foundation Exam before the Practitioner Exam, either on the same day or separately. If a candidate has previously passed the Foundation Exam, they qualify to sit the Practitioner Exam without needing to re-sit the Foundation.

If a candidate sits the Foundation Exam only, and passes, they will receive a "Foundation Examination" certificate stating that they have passed. However, if a candidate sits both the Foundation and Practitioner Exam on the same day, and passes both, they will receive a "Practitioner Examination" certificate, but not a "Foundation Examination" one.