According to the NCIDQ, an appropriate education is one of the two core requirements to take and be successful on the NCIDQ Examination. It is required because the NCIDQ decided that education is indispensable for success in the industry. In general, education for the test goes beyond high school. Those who take the test must have an associate's, bachelor's or master's degree. Test takers must submit their college transcripts as proof they met the education requirements.
Work experience is the second core requirement of eligibility for the NCIDQ Examination. Your type of education determines the amount of work experience required. Teaching interior design does not count toward work experience. However, any other experience in the field, preferably under someone who has received their NCIDQ certificate, counts. Hours worked under NCIDQ certificate holders, licensed/registered interior designers or architects with interior design services count fully, whereas hours accumulated under other individuals are counted at different rates. As long as the number of hours required are completed, it does not matter whether you work part-time or full-time.
In routes 1 and 2, you must have a bachelor's or master's degree from a CIDA-accredited or non-accredited design program (or non-CIDA for route 2) and a minimum of 3,520 hours of qualified interior design experience. Route 3 requires any bachelor's degree with at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits in interior design. You also must have completed at least 3,520 hours of qualified interior design work in this route. In route 4, you must have a bachelor's or master's degree from an NAAB or CACB-accredited architectural program and least 5,280 hours of interior design work experience.
Routes 5 and 6 stem from an associate's degree in interior design. In route 5, you must have an associate's degree in interior design with a minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter credits in interior design. Also, you must have at least 5,280 hours of interior design work experience. In route 6, you must have an associate's degree in interior design with a minimum of 40 semester or 60 quarter credits in interior design. At least 7,040 hours of interior design work experience is also required.
According to the NCIDQ, you must fill out an application and pay a fee to take the test. There are several other requirements as well. You must submit a Candidate Authorization and Consent Form, a Work Experience Verification Form, a Direct Supervision Work Experience Verification Form and a Sponsored Work Experience Verification Form along with your application. Also, you should send three letters of recommendation and official transcripts to NCIDQ.