Skillstrain/CIW exams

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Can someone who has got the length of taking the CIW exams tell me how Skillstrain do this? I notice on the sites where you book the exam yourself that you can pay by voucher. Since you've already paid for the exams via Skillstrain, do they give you a voucher to book the exams yourself?

The reason I ask is that I was wrongly advised by the sales guy that I could take each exam at the end of completing each section. I've since discovered that this is untrue, but they have agreed I can take the Foundations exam when I finish that section, and then all the others when I finish the whole course. I'm about to submit my final TMA for the Foundations part of the course, and want to book the exam (allowing for some revision time). Obviously, I can't click the "Examination Details" link on the website until I finish the whole course, so I wondered if someone here could tell me how they operate. I will ring them up to arrange it all, but I wanted to have a little pre-knowledge of what to expect.

 

Skillstrain say they will refund resits till you pass. I hope I don't need to hold them to that, though . Thanks for the input re paying for exams. I wasn't sure if it was a pay and refund, or if they provided us with a voucher. Didn't want to pay upfront and then get handed a voucher. I don't see how they can stop you from sitting the exams as and when you see fit, then, but I'll probably do it their way after the Foundations exam, anyway.

 

i think you may need to read your skillstrain info again.i'm sure they don't refund CIW exam resits till you pass they only say they will let you retake their course till you pass,2 completely different things.

 

I must agree with the pp (previous post)

The last two exams that I have sat for CIW, I paid online with my bank card - prosoft sent me confirmation that I was booked in and paid my fee, and then SkillsTrain sent me a cheque. No vouchers, but I had to pay up front. I think that if you fail they only pay the first time, not for re-takes.

 

Of course, you're right about re-takes Fatwaz. I knew that really when I stopped to think about it. It's the course they let you re-take, not the exams. Well, back from 2 weeks holiday and ready to get stuck in again. Thanks for the confirmation about paying upfront dee.

 

Interesting about cheques v. vouchers: they keep trying to make me accept the exam refund as a credit against the finance agreement I have for the course. I've had to create a real fuss in the past before they would agree to refund by cheque. Did you all pay the full amount up front?

They said they would do it for me 'as a special case'

My last request was at the beginning of June and I'm still waiting.

Now I know what to say to them next time I phone

 

I paid upfront, so they'll have no choice but to refund by cheque. If your finance agreement is with a different company (although organised by ST) which paid upfront to Skillstrain, how can they justify that? Surely, they've been paid already and your agreement is with the finance company?