APM Project Fundamentals Qualification
For those that are new to projects
The Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) – (SCQF Level 6), developed by APM, the chartered body for the project profession, offers a fundamental awareness of project management terminology. It is for those wishing to gain a broad understanding of the principles of the profession.
No prior knowledge or experience is required for this qualification, which will offer the individual the knowledge to make a positive contribution to any project – start learning today for £120+VAT (£144 including VAT). Alternatively, everything you need to gain this project management accreditation is in our distance learning and examination package for £315+VAT (£378 including VAT) with a 95% pass rate.
The APM have provided a handbook to summarise recent changes that may have been made to the syllabus, candidate guidance, and assessment specification. It is recommended that you read and familiarise yourself with the APM PFQ handbook and the revised APM Competence Framework before attempting the examination. You can also check our Frequently Asked Questions section below.
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Course overview
The APM Project Fundamentals Qualification and Examination (APM PFQ) is a qualification from the Association for Project Management (APM). It is designed for new project managers, team members or people who are interested in starting out in project management. We have provided this course using eLearning for over 10 years, and have successfully accredited thousands of project managers – and have a 95% pass rate.
It will introduce you to the fundamental principles, skills, methods, tools and behaviours of project management. It is a highly practical approach that can be applied to projects of any size. The primary purpose of the course is to help you to pass the APM exam.
During the course you will learn how to:
- Define the roles of the project manager
- Capture and manage stakeholder expectations
- Prepare a business case justifying the project
- Prepare a project plan including a budget and schedule
- Manage the risks to your project
- Control changes during the project
- Report progress
- Build and develop a project team
- Exam preparation for the APM exam.
We recommend that when you have completed at least 15 hours of distance learning you can consider booking your APM examination.
However, different people have different learning styles and speeds, so we will not push you to take the APM examination on any given date – or impose cut-off dates on the distance learning (please refer to item 1.11 of our Terms & Conditions). We have found this to increase delegate stress levels and negatively affect pass rates, which is why we have a 95% pass rate.
The APM fundamentals exam is a one hour online examination, and all of the information required to pass the APM exam is provided in our online learning. We have a 95% pass rate – and only 36 correct answers of the 60 questions presented are required to pass.
It is advisable that you complete the examination on a computer system that is deemed suitable for public Internet access, adheres to your IT departments policies, and is not liable to disclose / damage / destroy any secure or private information relating to you, your organisation, clients or customers.
Our APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) is fully accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM). This accreditation ensures that our course aligns with the APM Body of Knowledge 7th Edition, providing comprehensive and engaging content to help participants gain essential project management skills. Our distance learning programme offers flexibility and accessibility, allowing learners to study at their own pace and achieve certification with a high success rate.
For the examination you will need:
a computer/laptop (with webcam and microphone),
smartphone or tablet with camera,
ID verification documents (either a passport or driving licence)
strong internet connection. Prior to taking the examination, you will need to check that your internet and PING speed meet the recommended minimum requirements.
Pricing and options
We accept all major credit and debit cards (except American Express), or please select the option Invoice company under the credit card options at the checkout to generate an invoice to be paid later by your company. All payments are processed securely by Barclaycard with encryption, and we do not keep records of your card details in line with our commitment to our Cyber Essentials accreditation.
Please be aware that the APM are increasing fees from 1st April 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
The APM PFQ is an introductory qualification from the APM that covers the basic principles of project management. It is suitable for anyone looking to gain a broad understanding of the profession, regardless of prior knowledge or experience.
The APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) is designed for individuals who want to demonstrate a fundamental awareness of project management. It is designed for new project managers, team members or people who are interested in starting out in project management. It will introduce you to the fundamental principles, skills, methods, tools and behaviours of project management. It is a highly practical approach that can be applied to projects of any size.
We aim to be the most cost-effective method of gaining the accreditation – with a majority of our costs being the official APM examination.
We accept all major credit and debit cards using Mastercard, Visa, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Maestro – unfortunately we do not accept American Express at present.
You can select Invoice Company to raise an invoice to be paid offline by your accounts team using BACS/SWIFT/IBAN. You can view your invoice(s) when logged on here https://citivirtual.co.uk/my-account/orders/
You can edit your billing address here – https://citivirtual.co.uk/my-account/edit-address/
Updated invoices can be viewed here – https://citivirtual.co.uk/my-account/orders/
Or get in touch at Operations@citi.co.uk with your order number and we can help.
We do not offer the facility to pay using instalments, but you can break down the cost by purchasing the distance learning first – and the examination when you have completed your studies.
We aim to give access to the course and examination for as long as you need it – but
recommend that you complete the accreditation within 12 months of purchase, for your own
development targets. This is subject to syllabus changes from the APM, and APM price
increases, which we reserve the right to pass on.
We provide access to an online learning portal with all of the learning content split up into sections for you to go through at your convenience. This includes case studies, tasks, mock examination, and other resources you might need to help you pass your exam. We recommend that you complete the accreditation within 12 months of purchase, for your own development targets.
The examination is completed online using the Surpass platform. The PFQ is a one–hour long
examination and consists of 60 compulsory multiple–choice questions, each with four possible
answers – one of which is correct. Each correct answer scores one mark, and there are no
deductions for incorrect answers.
You must answer 36 or more questions correctly to pass the examination.
You will provisionally be notified immediately if you are successful / unsuccessful, and it may take up to two weeks for the official result to be sent to you via email, if not received please contact operations@citi.co.uk and we will follow-up with the APM.
If successful, the APM will send a digital certificate five working days after completion. Please check your SPAM/JUNK folders. If not received after five working days, please contact operations@citi.co.uk and we will follow–up with the APM.
We do not offer “free resits” through inflated prices – 97% of people pass first time. Pass rates are high if you follow the study recommendations and complete the mock examination. We want you to pass first time to keep our pass rate high. If you are unfortunate and do not pass, please contact operations@citi.co.uk for the resit cost price, and to get a report of where extra study is needed.
When you have completed your studies, and successfully completed a mock examination, please contact exams@citi.co.uk with your order details to book an examination – allowing 7 days’ notice (or 12 if special dispensations are required).
We offer a “no questions asked” refunds policy, if requested within 14 days of purchase. This is subject to our fair-use policy, you can read our full Terms & Conditions here https://citivirtual.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/
The qualification covers knowledge areas from the APM Body of Knowledge 7th edition:
- Overview
- Project management and the operating environment
- Project life cycle
- Roles and responsibilities in projects
- Project management planning
- Project scope management
- Resource, scheduling and optimisation in a project
- Project risk and issue management
- Quality in the context of a project
- Communication in the context of a project
- Leadership and teamwork within a project
- Examination preparation
Candidates are expected to complete the examination without a break unless previously agreed upon via a request for a reasonable adjustment. A keycode will be provided at the start of the exam, which needs to be entered to begin the examination. Full rules and regulations can be found on the APM website here https://www.apm.org.uk/about-us/terms-and-conditions/
Please provide at least 8 days’ notice to reschedule your examination to operations@citi.co.uk. Fees apply for cancellation or non-attendance. If you withdraw from the examination up to five working days before the examination, a cancellation fee will apply. If you are unable to attend due to illness, you must inform CITI immediately and provide a medical certificate within five working days of the examination date.
It is recommended to commit 10-15 hours to complete the online learning before attempting a mock examination. Upon successful completion of a mock examination, candidates can book their official examination.
Accordion Content
You should have completed your systems test prior to examination day and be using the same computer / laptop used on the systems test, along with a smartphone, your identification, and a good internet connection. The live link to the examination will be sent to you 24 hours before the examination, and you can find out more about the process here https://www.apm.org.uk/qualifications-and-training/online-examinations-what-to-expect/
If you have another comment or question please get in touch with us via LiveChat or Operations@citi.co.uk
