I am starting school this semester to pursue an interior design degree. Can you tell me what courses will be accepted toward my eligibility?
NCIDQ does not pre-approve courses on candidate transcripts. We are looking for well-rounded interior design-related curriculum.

How do I know if I am eligible to take the exam?
NCIDQ requires a combination of formal interior design education and experience. Look at our eligibility routes graphic and see where you fit in based on your degree. Then follow the arrow to the right on the graphic to see how much interior design experience you need to complete before you can qualify.

Without a formal education in interior design (or degree from an accredited architecture program), you cannot qualify.

I have been practicing interior design for many years, and I don’t have a formal interior design education. Can I take the exam based on my experience?
No. In order to meet the mandate of our member boards and to ensure the public protection, everyone who takes the exam must qualify under one of our established paths of education and experience.

How much does the exam cost? Do I have to take all the sections at once?
Click here to see the current exam fees. When you register, you may choose to take one, two or all three sections. You may also choose not to take any sections, which is called “deferring.” You should always choose to take a section or defer so that you stay in our active queue of candidates and continue to receive information on upcoming exams.

When and where is the exam given?
The exam is given every spring and fall. The two multiple-choice exams are given on a Friday and the practicum exam is given on a Saturday. Click here to see the current schedule.

The exam is given in more than 60 locations in the United States and Canada. Click here to see the locations for upcoming administrations.

When will the examination be given on computer? We’re all taught CAD in schools.
One of the reasons NCIDQ has not made this shift is cost. If we were to make this change in our delivery format, there would be significant expenses, and we would have to pass on those costs to our candidates. We feel that our candidate population is not large enough to absorb this kind of increase right now.

NCIDQ has started studying the feasibility of moving the multiple-choice sections of the examination to a computer-delivered format in such a way to minimize the additional cost to the candidate while maximizing convenience.

The practicum exam is still hand-drafted. We recognize that many candidates use computer drawing packages in school, but we also recognize that there are many programs being used. We do not want to choose a program that may be unfamiliar to someone and thereby disadvantage him or her in the testing environment. Interior designers will always need to have the ability to sketch a drawing, and that is what the practicum exam is—a sketch. It is not a test of your drafting ability.

How do I find a mentor?
Professional associations are a good place to start. You want to begin building your network of professional contacts, and you can meet other interior designers and chapter meetings and industry events. You only meet with your mentor a few times a year, and you can even meet on the phone or via e-mail if required.

Can my IDEP mentor be someone in my firm?
Ideally, your mentor should be an interior designer outside of your firm. If there is no one outside of your firm, it is best if you have a non-supervisory relationship with your mentor. You want to be able to have frank and honest discussions, and sometimes, participants are reluctant to have these conversations with someone in their firm.

I forgot my password and went under MyNCIDQ to retrieve it, but got an error message after entering my last name and email address.
It may be because you have an old e-mail address in your record and you are entering a more current e-mail address when you log in, so we cannot match up your record. Or you may have a work e-mail address in your record and have entered a personal e-mail when you tried to log in. If you need assistance accessing your record, please call our Customer Service team at 202-721-0220 during normal business hours.

I am a Certificate holder but I am not receiving the QLetter newsletter for Certificate holders. Why is this?  
NCIDQ no longer mails printed newsletters. Our newsletters are sent via e-mail to the address in your MyNCIDQ account. There are several reasons why you may not receive these e-mails.

• Your Certificate may be inactive. Your Certificate never expires, and keeping your credential active is optional. Active Certificate holders receive additional benefits, such as the newsletter. If your Certificate is inactive and you wish to activate it, click here to access your account to return to active status.
• If you are an active Certificate holder, check your contact information in your MyNCIDQ account. Be sure that the correct e-mail address appears in your profile.
• Your e-mail system may have rejected the newsletter as spam. Add ncidq.org to your safe senders list.

If you still experience problems, call our Customer Service team during normal business hours at 202-721-0220.