The NCIDQ exam is about to get a new look. Not entirely new — this isn’t a wholesale makeover — but there will be significant updates to the test format. Every five years, the three-part exam is re-evaluated and updated to reflect changes in the interior design profession, and in 2026, those changes will take effect.

So, what does this mean for designers seeking NCIDQ certification? We spoke with Julianne Peters, IIDA, founder of Design Success Network, and the instructor leading IIDA’s NCIDQ Prep Course, for details on what designers should expect, how to best prepare, and the one NCIDQ exam question she keeps hearing.

What are you hearing from designers who are preparing to take the test? What’s your advice to those who are nervous about the changes?

The exams are offered in April and October each year. I have been getting a lot of questions about whether folks should wait to take the exams in 2026 or try to get them done this October.

So, my advice to test-takers has been: Know the kind of person that you are, how you study, how you test, and how you think. If you’re really good at multiple-choice exams, maybe try and get those two out of the way if you haven’t already.

As far as the Practicum exam, or PRAC, which will soon become the Implementation (IDIX) exam, the current format makes time management a little tricky. Right now, it includes three case studies, and once you finish one, you can’t go back, so you have to feel confident before your proceed, and make sure you’re getting through each case study with enough time to finish the rest.

With the new exam, the case studies are going away, and every question will be standalone, or a vignette with a few related questions, so I think time management for the IDIX exam will actually get a lot easier.

There’s also going to be some reshuffling of content across the three exams. From what I can tell, there will be a little less overlap. If you just want to take one at a time, what you need to study will be a bit clearer. The Fundamentals exam will cover programming and conceptual design. The Professional exam will cover construction administration and project management. And then the Implementation exam is just design development and construction documentation. The topics appear to be getting a little bit more siloed.

Among the designers you’ve spoken with, are they leaning toward taking the tests now or later? Do you have guidance for anyone on the fence?

I know some test-takers who are fresh out of design school, eligible to take the Fundamentals exam right now, and going for it, taking advantage of the multiple-choice format before it changes. Others are waiting until next year to take all three. It really is a mixed bag. One note: If you want to take the exams in October, you’ll have to pay for and schedule the exam by September 30.

The average amount of time people tend to study for the exams, whether they’re taking one, two, or three, is about four to six months. Personally, I took all three at once. I studied from June until October. But in the six years prior to that, I took several prep courses and absorbed everything I could about the NCIDQ.

If you are on the fence now, you only have about a month and a half to study for your test. I don’t think that’s enough time to be sufficiently prepared, especially if you’re working a full-time job and have other responsibilities. But if you have the disposable income to be able to just try and take the test — and I’ve met folks who have done that, even if they weren’t able to study for several months — go for it. It’s not uncommon to take the exams more than once; the pass rates hover around 50 to 65 percent.

That said, you can still start studying now and then take it in April. There are some folks who are taking the IIDA test prep series I teach right now, even though they’re not going to take the exams until 2026, because they want to familiarize themselves with the content. How CIDQ writes the questions isn’t going to change, it’s just that the question types will be there.

What’s great about the IIDA prep series is that it’s customizable; you can drop in wherever you are in your exam journey. If you’re taking just one exam, you can sign up for the one-day prep session that covers that test. And I’m available over email after you take the course. Everyone’s in a different place, and IIDA meets you where you’re at, so you can opt in for everything you need, but not pay for what you don’t need.

Anything else designers should know about test prep or the test in general?

For one, preparing for the NCIDQ exam can be lonely. Everyone is in a different stage of the journey, so it can be tough to connect with others who are studying the same thing, or at the same time. I’ve spoken with designers in England and Kenya who are also taking this exam because it’s gaining global traction. Our online prep sessions offer some connection and camaraderie, and the virtual component is great at bringing people together.

Recently, I had a Zoom call with a designer who just moved here from China. She has 20 years of experience in China but wasn’t sure if she should get work experience here before taking the exam. I told her the IIDA courses are a great way to get an idea of what the exam content is like and a good tool to assess if she feels ready or not. She can attend a class or two and then she will know if American work experience will help her feel more confident in studying for and taking the exams.

This is a situation I come across a lot — newly relocated international designers who understand the importance of the exam but aren’t sure where to start. Because the IIDA course I teach covers the toughest topics on each exam, and designers can ask questions during live instruction, it is the perfect option for folks to get a taste of what they need to know.


Learn more about IIDA’s NCIDQ Prep Course