PCAP-31-03: Testing Policies

Registration and scheduling

Python Institute candidates can register and schedule by:

Visiting the OpenEDG Python Institute Candidate Website (Exam delivery channels: Pearson VUE Testing Centers / OnVUE Online Proctoring)
Calling the Pearson VUE Contact Center: Customer Service (Exam delivery channels: Pearson VUE Testing Centers / OnVUE Online Proctoring)
Contacting a Pearson VUE Authorized Test Center of your choice (Exam delivery channel: Pearson VUE Testing Centers)

All Python Institute exams should be scheduled at least one full business day (24 hours) in advance. Candidates may pay for exams by all major credit card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express), Debit Cards or Vouchers. Confirmation emails will be generated after scheduling, rescheduling or cancelling tests. Payment receipts will be generated. Receipt will be issued for refunds of credit/debit cards only.

Exam hours and availability

OnVUE is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round. (Note: there are brief outage windows for maintenance and updates.)

Admission Policy

To take the PCAP-31-03 exam, test candidates need to download and launch the OnVUE application:

Candidates will be asked to copy an access code and download and install the program.
Next, they will be required to check if the access code is the same as on the previous page, and then enter a phone number.
After that, the candidate will be transferred to the check-in processing page and asked to select one of two options: one is for candidates who are 18 years of age or older; and the other for candidates who are under 18 years of age.
When the candidate clicks “Get started”, they will be transferred to the identity verification website. They will be required to take a photo of themselves, a document which can confirm their identity (e.g., driving license), and their working space (the front, back, left, and right sides of the working space).
Once they are successfully verified and have accepted the exam rules, the candidate will be reminded to close all applications except for OnVUE, and to wait for their online proctor.

The check-in process lasts about 15 minutes, but in some cases it may take longer.

You will be required to present two forms of valid in date identification at reception, both must have your name and signature, and one must be a valid, government-issued picture ID. Expired IDs are not valid. Failure to provide the required ID will result in you being denied entry to the examination.

Primary ID can be:

State/Country ID card;
Government-issued driver’s license;
Passport;
Military ID;
Employee/school ID.

Secondary ID can be:

Any ID from the primary list as long as it has not been used as the primary ID;
Social Security card;
Credit/Debit Card;
Bank/ATM card;
Library card.

Reschedule policy

Candidates can reschedule their exam or cancel any time before the scheduled date and time. If the exam cannot be rescheduled before that time, or if the candidate does not show up for the exam, it will not be possible to get a refund for the exam.

If you wish to reschedule your exam, you must contact Pearson VUE at least 24 hours prior to your exam appointment. Appointments must be rescheduled within the authorized exam delivery period.

All registrations with accommodations must be rescheduled or canceled through the Call Center.

Cancellation policy

If you wish to cancel your exam, you must contact Pearson VUE at least 24 hours prior to your exam appointment. If you cancel an exam less than 24 hours in advance, you will forfeit your entire exam fee. Exam fees are also due for no-shows.

To contact Pearson VUE regarding cancellations, or any problems you experience during the registration or booking process, please call 0161-855-7483.

Accommodations with OnVUE

We will work with you to review and provide suitable accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Among the available accommodations are:

enlarged font/change in exam text/background color/contrast (via the operating system settings)
time extensions,
ability to wear headwear (for religious reasons)
items from the Comfort Aids list.

To submit a request for special exam conditions, please fill out and send the form available at https://pythoninstitute.org/accommodation-of-disabilities/. Each request for accommodations is reviewed individually.

No automatic time extension is given to candidates who reside in a country where the first language is not English, or candidates whose first language is other than English.

Technical Requirements

We strive to enable as many candidates as possible to test through online proctoring.

Please make sure that the computer being used for the exam meets the minimum requirements necessary to take the exam. The list of current requirements can be found here: https://home.pearsonvue.com/op/OnVUE-Technical-Requirements.aspx.

Retake policy

When a candidate fails an exam, he or she must wait 15 days before being allowed to re-sit that exam.

There is no limit to the number of retakes of a failed exam (paid option). No retakes of a passed exam of the same exam version are allowed.

Each candidate who meets one of the following requirements:

has paid the full exam price (USD 295), or
has completed the Python Essentials course available through the Cisco Networking Academy, or
has completed the Python Essentials – Part 2 (Intermediate) course available through the OpenEDG Learning And Testing Platform

is eligible for one free retake of the PCAP – Certified Associate in Python Programming exam. To request your retake voucher, fill out and submit the Retake Voucher Request Form.

Additional Information

For more information about OnVUE online proctoring system, please visit this site.
Please note that your appointment length may include time for non-scored sections such as a tutorial/check-in process. The appointment length does not necessarily reflect the total amount of time allotted for the actual exam.
If you arrive more than 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment time and are refused admission, the exam and delivery fees are not refundable.
After you finish your exam, a printed report (pass/fail and breakdown) will be provided to you at the test center. This document should be retained for your records, as replacements will not be provided under normal circumstances. After your exam, you can authenticate your score report. Good luck!

Last revised: September 17, 2020