Alerts and Updates for NEBOSH International General Certificate

NEBOSH IGC at a glance

The 95 pounds per unit is the NEBOSH registration charge alone. NEBOSH states that each Learning Partner sets its own fees according to delivery mode and level of support, so the price a candidate in India or the Gulf pays for a classroom or online course is a separate figure quoted by the provider, with the NEBOSH fee either included or added.

Dates and windows

GIC1 papers are released at 11am UK time on the examination date. English-only sittings run monthly and all-language sittings quarterly, which is the constraint that matters most for candidates outside the UK who intend to sit in a language other than English.

What this means for your preparation

The costliest misunderstanding right now is treating the IGC as one exam. It is two assessments with two separate deadlines, and under the 2025 specification the practical is due only 10 working days after the open book examination. Candidates who plan for the examination date and leave the workplace risk assessment until afterwards discover they have a fortnight, not a term, to find a workplace, survey it and write it up.

Two units, two deadlines, ten working days apart

NEBOSH publishes GIC1 and GIC2 as paired dates. Sit GIC1 on 7 October 2026 and the practical is due on 21 October 2026; sit on 4 November and it is due on 18 November. The 2025 specification changed the practical to the same online submission route as unit one with a 10 working day deadline, so there is no longer a separate practical cycle to drift into. The implication for planning is blunt: the risk assessment site, the access permissions and the observation walk must all be arranged before you sit the examination, not after the paper is behind you.

The open book examination is not an easier examination

NEBOSH describes GIC1 as a scenario-based open book examination that includes a closing interview, in which an interviewer discusses the learner's answers to check familiarity and understanding, and verifies photographic identification. Two things follow. Having the material to hand does not help if the answers are copied rather than applied to the scenario, and the interview is a genuine check that the work is the candidate's own. The 2018 specification guide gives a 4 hour IG1 paper with a 45 per cent provisional pass mark and grades of Pass at 45 to 64, Credit at 65 to 74 and Distinction at 75 and above; confirm the current GIC1 figures with your Learning Partner.

GIC2 is now marked out of points at 60 per cent

The most substantive change in the 2025 specification is to unit two. NEBOSH has replaced pass or fail marking of the practical risk assessment with a points-based system, set the pass mark at 60 per cent and said a mark breakdown document is automatically issued to the learner. Results for both units are now released together, 60 working days after GIC1. Practically, that raises the bar on the written quality of the risk assessment and action plan, since partial credit now has to be earned across defined criteria rather than a holistic judgement, and it means a referred practical is no longer discovered ahead of the examination result.

The India and Gulf route: two fees and a language calendar

NEBOSH does not sell the IGC direct. Registration goes through a Learning Partner, and NEBOSH states that each Learning Partner sets its own fees based on delivery mode and level of support. The NEBOSH charge itself is fixed at 95 pounds per unit for GIC1 and 95 pounds per assignment for GIC2 from 1 April 2026, so a candidate in Mumbai, Chennai, Dubai or Doha should ask the provider explicitly whether the quoted course price includes those two registrations or adds them. The other planning point is language: GIC1 is offered in seven languages, but all-language sittings fall only quarterly, on 2 December 2026 and 3 March 2027, while English-only sittings run monthly.

Five years, no resit cap, but the clock starts early

NEBOSH gives learners five years to complete the qualification, measured from the date they passed their first successful unit, and there is no limit on resit attempts within that period. A refer result means the standard was not met and the reassessment is arranged through the Learning Partner at the next available date. Candidates may also resit GIC1 to improve their grade within 20 working days of completing the final unit, with the original mark retained if the resit scores lower. Since the qualification grade is determined by the GIC1 result alone, that improvement window is worth knowing about before it closes.

Common questions

Are IG1 and IG2 still available?

No. NEBOSH set the final assessment under the 2018 specification for 5 August 2026, an English-only sitting, with the registration deadline for that specification in February 2026. Teaching on the 2025 specification began on 2 February 2026 and first assessments ran from 4 March 2026. Anyone registering now is on GIC1 and GIC2. Study material and past questions written for IG1 and IG2 should be checked against the current specification before use.

When is the next NEBOSH IGC exam?

The next published GIC1 open book examination is Wednesday 7 October 2026, English only, with results due by 8 January 2027. It is followed by Wednesday 4 November 2026, English only, and Wednesday 2 December 2026 in all available languages. Each has a paired GIC2 practical submission deadline: 21 October, 18 November and 16 December 2026. Papers are released at 11am UK time on the examination date and sittings continue monthly through 2027.

How much does the NEBOSH IGC cost?

NEBOSH's own assessment registration fee, under Learner Fees List version 21 applicable from 1 April 2026, is 95 pounds per unit for GIC1 and 95 pounds per assignment for GIC2. That is not the total cost. NEBOSH states that each Learning Partner sets its own fees based on delivery mode and level of support, so the course fee charged by a training provider in India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia or Qatar is separate. A clerical check on a result costs 20 pounds and a remark 126 pounds.

What is the pass mark for the IGC?

For unit two under the 2025 specification, NEBOSH has confirmed a points-based marking system with a pass mark of 60 per cent and an automatically issued mark breakdown. For unit one, the 2018 specification learning partner guide gave a provisional IG1 pass mark of 45 per cent, with Pass at 45 to 64 marks, Credit at 65 to 74 and Distinction at 75 and above, and the qualification grade determined by unit one alone. Confirm the current GIC1 figures with your Learning Partner.

How long do I have to finish both units?

Five years, counted from the date you passed your first successful unit. NEBOSH requires a Pass in each unit for the qualification to be awarded, and places no limit on the number of resit attempts within that five-year window. Extensions beyond it are handled through the learning provider. A refer result means the standard was not met, and the reassessment is booked through the Learning Partner at the next available date.

Do I need qualifications or a particular level of English to enrol?

NEBOSH sets no formal entry requirements for the International General Certificate but recommends an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent so that learners can follow the course concepts. It gives a minimum of 63 taught hours plus around 40 hours of private study, with fast-track delivery possible in 10 working days. The qualification is aimed at managers, supervisors and anyone with health and safety management responsibilities, including those starting an occupational safety career.