IFPC Program Pause

Attention IFPC Candidates and Certificants:

Effective Sunday, August 31, 2025, the Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC) program will be paused. During this pause, candidates and certificants will be unable to:

1) access their IFPC application in the candidate management system,

2) schedule an appointment to take the IFPC, and

3) submit supporting documentation to renew their credential.

More information will follow regarding the program pause as it becomes available. We appreciate your attention to this matter. Thank you.

 

Register and Schedule

 

Individuals interested in taking the Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC) exam must follow these steps:

1.     Visit https://ifpc-gsx.learningbuilder.com/ to register as a candidate.

  • Register using an email address you can access regardless of any changes in your location. 
  • Complete the demographics portion of registration. 
  • Confirm Department of Defense Civilian or Military status by inputting DoD email address following completion of demographics. 
  • If you are a contractor, enter your company’s CAGE code (found online using a CAGE code finder) and your company supervisor’s name and email.
  • Confirm you are a U.S. citizen.
  • The last step includes attestation that your information is accurate and complete. If you have not seen this page, you have not completed your registration.

2.     Schedule your exam.

The IFPC is offered at all Pearson VUE Testing Centers worldwide! With locations throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Pearson VUE centers will meet the testing needs of most members of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise (DIE). Test Centers are located on over 100 U.S. military bases and in numerous cities in multiple countries. To find a location near you, please use the "Find a Test Center" or "Find an On-Base Test Center" functions provided on the Pearson VUE IFPC information page. (Note that to search for military bases outside the continental United States, you will still use the United States as the base country given that all bases use U.S. zip codes.)

  • When you complete your registration via LearningBuilder, you will see a link in the upper right corner of your profile prompting you to click and go to Pearson VUE to schedule your exam. Once you click and go to the Pearson VUE website, you can schedule a date, time and testing center location of your choice to take your exam.
  • You can see the current listing of IFPC testing locations by clicking on the "Find a test center" or "Find an on-base test center" in the right column of the Pearson VUE IFPC information page.
  • If there is not a testing site near you, please contact the IFPC Program Management Office for other options. The IFPC PMO will continue to offer the IFPC exam at select locations that may not be part of the current Pearson VUE test center network. Pearson VUE is also adding new locations on a regular basis, so we may be able to set up a site near you.
  • NO SHOW POLICY: The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (USD(I&S)) currently covers the cost to participate in the IFPC exam. However, if a candidate does not cancel or reschedule a confirmed exam at least 48 hours before the scheduled time or does not show for their scheduled exam, an exam fee is still charged as if the candidate had attended. Therefore, please make all efforts to make your scheduled exam date, or reschedule in time to meet the Pearson VUE deadline. If an individual is a no-show for two exam iterations, they will not be allowed to participate in the IFPC Program, unless they submit a waiver request with an explanation as to why they were unable to make their scheduled sessions. 

Testing, Appeals and Waivers

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

 

The IFPC exam is offered online and takes a total of 110 minutes, with 20 minutes for administrative steps and 90 minutes to complete the 90 multiple choice questions.  The IFPC exam is administered at approved testing sites in a quiet, secure, proctored environment. 

Candidates will receive instructions from their testing site regarding forms of ID required to check in, recommended check in time, and what items are allowed in the testing center.

Immediately following completion of the IFPC exam, candidates will receive an online score report which includes a single overall score, a pass/did not pass result, and a summary of performance in each of the eight (8) topic areas covered in the exam. The results will also be sent to the candidate via email. Those who take the IFPC exam via the paper-and-pencil option will receive their results via email within 10 working days of completing the exam. 

The online score report and email containing the score report do not constitute a certification conferral. Communication regarding IFPC conferral will occur separately.  

Exam Security and Confidentiality 

To ensure the integrity of the IFPC Program, all questions and answers developed to create the exam are “For Official Use Only” and are not authorized for public release in any fashion.

Appeals Policy

The IFPC Appeals Policy governs the process for reviewing decisions made about registration, eligibility, the IFPC exam, and other registration/exam-related certification issues or challenges.  A candidate and/or certificant may appeal any of the following decisions to the IFPC PMO:

  • Exam results
  • Candidate registration/eligibility issues
  • Test-taking protocols (e.g., being denied reasonable accommodations)
  • Decisions related to alleged cheating, violations of rules of conduct or law, or inaccurate application information
  • Certification maintenance issues
  • Certification disciplinary matters
     

Matters not described within the above list of possible appeals are not within the purview of the IFPC Program and are not appealable to the IFPC PMO. The following are DoD Component decisions that are also not appealable to the IFPC PMO:

  • Certification waiver decisions
  • Employment policy
  • Eligibility criteria for identifying billets or individuals for the IFPC 
  • DoD Component affiliation

Appeals Process

Individuals have up to 15 business days from the date of receiving an appealable decision or after completing the exam, whichever occurs first, to submit an appeal. All appeals must be submitted in writing to the IFPC PMO using the Appeals Request Form. The form must be completed and sent to OSD.IFPC@mail.mil . Individuals submitting an appeal must provide their contact information (unclassified phone number and email address), specific grounds for appeal, and evidence in support of the appeal.

Waiver Policy

Waiver Processes and Procedures

The waiver policy governs the process for providing a temporary suspension of a policy or procedure. Waivers may be appropriate in cases when circumstances outside the control of the individual prevent the candidate/certificant from meeting specific certification requirements.  Waivers may be filed in cases such as: 

  • Request for Time Extension: Individuals who may have situations arise that would prohibit them from meeting the requirement for maintaining a current IFPC credential may ask for a waiver. This waiver will provide a time extension in order for the individual to complete the necessary requirement. Allowable reasons for a time extension wavier may include military deployment, medical hardship, or any other reason deemed legitimate by the CMPO.
  • Request to Participate: Individuals who are not part of the current eligible population but who believe their work includes DoD-supported intelligence missions may apply for a waiver to participate in the IFPC Program. Requests to participate are forwarded to the IFPC Governance Council (IFPC GC) for a vote. If the Council approves participation, the individual will be provided with information allowing them to register and schedule an exam. Depending on USD(I&S) policy, the home agency/office of the participating individual may be charged the cost of test administration. Contact the IFPC PMO for more information.


Waiver Request Submission, Decision, and Notification

A waiver may be filed when the candidate or certificant is faced with a certification requirement that cannot be met, due to reasons outside their control.  The two waiver request categories above are the only two that will be reviewed for a decision.  There are no other types of waivers.

All waiver requests must be submitted using the Waiver Request form and be sent to the CPMO at OSD.IFPC@mail.mil. The IFPC PMO is the sole authority for granting waivers.  All waiver decision will be made on a case-by-case basis.  Individuals requesting a waiver will be notified in writing by the IFPC PMO regarding the results of their waiver request. 

Please review the IFPC Candidate Handbook for more information on the above issues.

 

Retesting

For Initial Certification

Candidates may take the IFPC exam as many times as they wish until they pass. If a candidate does not pass the IFPC exam on their first attempt, they must wait three (3) months before a second attempt. If a candidate does not pass on the second attempt, they must wait six months before a third attempt. Any attempt at passing the IFPC after a second attempt incurs a six (6) month wait period.  For example, if a candidate first attempted the IFPC exam on January 1st and did not pass, they may schedule a second attempt on or after April 1st. If the same candidate did not pass on the second attempt (e.g., on April 1st), they must wait until October 1st or later to make a third attempt. If the candidate does not pass on the third attempt, they must wait another six (6) months to try again.

To schedule these subsequent attempts, the candidate does not re-register but must instead contact the IFPC PMO for potential dates.

For Recertification

Candidates may renew their IFPC by retaking the exam three (3) years following their initial conferral or by achieving and maintaining a higher-level certification. If they choose to retest, these individuals would follow the same retest schedule as those taking the exam for an initial certification. Namely, if a recertification candidate does not pass on their first recertification attempt, they must wait three (3) months to take it again. Each attempt at recertification after the second try incurs a six (6) month wait period.