How long is the course?

40 hours over 6 days including some home study. The final day is a mock exam and feedback.

How much is the course?

£1,950 plus VAT. This includes all exam fees.

How do I pay?

We invoice you (to pay within 30 days by cheque or BACS.)

Who chooses the exam date?

ISEB sets the dates. Our courses are timed to prepare the candidates in line with these dates.

Why is the exam date so important?

Our courses are timed to prepare delegates for the qualification. When you book a course you are committing to 7 days the last one of which is the exam day.

Where are the courses held?

London, Manchester and Edinburgh

Why take an examination?

It helps your job prospects. Many organisations are asking for these qualifications in job specs. It also brings confidence to DP/FOI practitioners.

I am an absolute beginner, Is this course suitable for me?

Whilst the course is designed to take you through the legislation from begining to end, if you are an absolute beginner who has never dealt with the DP or FOI legislation then please contact us to discuss your knowledge base and suitability to attend this course.

What happens if I miss part of a course?

Attendance is a compulsory requirement of ISEB for all exam candidates, so you must attend all 6 days. However, if you miss a day because of exceptional circumstances, we may be able to provide alternative training or you may have to defer your exam for 3 or 6 months to attend.

Where can I find full details of the examination and syllabus?

The examination is a closed book, three hour, written exam. BCS Exam Guidelines (Links open in new window.). Details of the syllabus can be found by clicking on the relevant tab at the top of the page.

Is the exam difficult and will I pass?

No. The pass mark is 50% so anyone who does the course work, passes the mock exam should pass.

How many delegates per course?

We need a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 16 on each course. If there are too few candidates we will cancel and move candidates forward to the next course. If there are too many we may ask candidates to move to the next course as well.

Are course tutors experienced?

Yes. All our tutors have worked in the sector for many years and have been delivering training for Act Now Training for many years. They hold the certificates in which they train. Some have teaching qualifications. All have attended a train the trainer course or an effective speaking course.

Who will see my exam mark?

You will fail, pass or gain a distinction. ISEB will pass these grades to us unless a candidate requests this not to happen. Marks are confidential to the candidate but we would hope that they will share them with us to allow us to assess our effectiveness.

What happens if I fail?

You can re-sit the examination but we advise any candidate who doesn't complete the course or who fails the mock exam to consider whether they need more time to prepare.

What is the method of teaching?

Face-to-face with a trainer. There are presentations, lectures, flipchart work, question-and-answer sessions, case studies, group work, quizzes followed by feedback. There is also homework.

Why have a mock exam?

If you haven't taken an exam for decades it is vital to put yourself through a mock exam to see whether you can a) write legibly and b) answer the questions under pressure. The feedback from the mock exam is crucial to preparation for the real thing.

What about those with educational special needs or disabilities?

We will make reasonable adjustments where necessary.

Can you accommodate my special dietary needs?

Yes, just let us know before you attend a course.

Am I disadvantaged if English is my second language?

The working language of our training is English because the law is written and interpreted in English. Talk to us in confidence and we can assess whether we consider you to be too disadvantaged to participate.

I want to do the ISEB certificates in both DP and FOI.

Take your time. Don't do both at the same time - leave 3 to six months between them. Do the Data Protection course first as it is considered more difficult and it has a major input into the Freedom of Information course with the exemption for personal data.

I want to ask a specific question not on in the FAQs

Contact us to send your query, and we will get back to you.