5 Steps to CBAP® Re-Certification

So, you wanted to get your CBAP certification, right? It is a significant accomplishment, to be sure. As soon as you achieve it, though, you will face a new challenge: maintaining it! Every three years, you must earn 60 CDUs (Continuing Development Units) to keep your certification active. And, as you might expect, the IIBA has another challenging application for you to complete. Just when you thought the CBAP® application was behind you!

Here are some basic facts about re-certification:

• Your CBAP® status must be renewed every 3 years from the anniversary date of earning your initial CBAP®.

• You need 60 CDUs every three years to re-certify. There are limits to the numbers of CDUs per category, so you must have CDUs from at least two categories.

• IIBA will notify you by email approximately 3 months in advance of your anniversary, and will send a copy of the necessary handbook, application, and reporting form. In the future, the process will be online, but for now the email route is needed.

Here are the steps to follow for re-certification, along with a little advice:

1. Document your BA experience, professional activities and training, and any volunteer work. It will be easy if you were diligent about recording your CDUs as you earn them, which is what I suggest. I did this only for some of my activities, and spent many hours assembling the missing data to complete my application. I learned the hard way and have already created a spreadsheet and have begun tracking all my CDUs for my next cycle!

2. Get the CBAP® Re-Certification Handbook, CBAP® Recertification Application Form, and CBAP® CDU Reporting Form. (For now, these will be emailed as I mentioned). The handbook lists examples of and the maximum CDUs you can claim in a 3-year period for each of the following six categories:

As an example, I had 21 CDUs in category two, way more than 30 CDUs in category three, 16 in category four, and many more than 30 CDUs in category five. I submitted everything, even though I had enough in only two of the categories.

3. Complete the CBAP® CDU Reporting Form (most time-consuming). The IIBA will carefully review each item you submit, so be detailed and thorough. Make sure you assemble any corresponding documentation, such as class certificates to support your application. (Note: all Watermark Learning BA classes are EEP-(Endorsed Education Provider) approved, which makes life easier. Save the CDU forms we provide with every training class, or contact us to get the EEP number for any course.)

4. Complete and sign the Application Form. The form is self-explanatory so no advice needed here.

5. Mail the forms along with a check for $85.00 USD (IIBA-members) or $120.00 USD for non-members. I sent mine certified mail to make sure it was received. IIBA says your CBAP status will lapse if they don’t receive your re-certification forms post-marked by your anniversary date. The same is true if you forget to send in your fee.

Then you wait, for up to 90 days to hear whether IIBA has approved your application. We all hope this timeframe will be shortened as more people re-certify.

Foolproof Plan for Passing the CBAP

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Posted in Business Analysis, CBAP, IIBA and tagged with Business Analysis, cbap certification, CBAP exam, re-certification.