Environmental Professional In-Training (EPI) Handbook

The Environmental Professional In-Training (EPI) program is an optional first step toward obtaining QEP status for environmental students and professionals just beginning their careers. Holding the EPI designation allows students who anticipate entering the environmental field, or for environmental professionals who have graduated and entered the field within the last five years, to demonstrate personal knowledge of general environmental science.

BGC will only grant the Environmental Professional In-Training to practitioners who achieve the requirements for education and experience, agree to abide by BGC’s Code of Ethics, and through examination, demonstrate general environmental science knowledge by passing the General Environmental Science (GES) Exam.

In the BGC certification framework, the EPI is a “certification” or “designation,” not a full credential, because it is a stepping stone toward achieving the QEP credential.  Practitioners may only hold the EPI designation for 7 years, after that, they must sit for the QEP exam and give up the EPI designation.  EPIs are required to adhere to the professional, enforceable BGC Code of Ethics; however, BGC has no requirement for certification maintenance while a practitioner holds the EPI, because, the expectation is that the EPI is learning through work experience, mentoring, coursework, and other professional actives in order to grow as an environmental professional in preparation for taking the QEP exam.

EPI certification demonstrates a commitment to excellence in applied environmental science, adherence to a strict code of ethics, and the dedication to make contributions to the environmental profession and community. This lets you advance your career as a new environmental professional. The EPI program also provides opportunities for networking. Our online roster of QEPs and EPIs increases the visibility of this elite group among their peers and professional contacts; BGC also provides access to a professional badging service, LinkedIn groups, an EPI mentoring program, and a free Career Center for posting resumes.

Obligations of EPI Designation Holders

After you pass the exam and are issued your credential, you are required to meet several obligations, not limited to:

• paying your fees on or before the due date,
• continually updating your knowledge and skills, and
• documenting work experiences for the QEP application Process, and
• upholding the BGC Code of Ethics.

Please be aware that if the requirements for certification change, you will be required to meet them in order to obtain your QEP credential.

Application Steps

There are two steps to the application process for becoming certified as an EPI. Please familiarize yourself thoroughly with the requirements before you begin your application. Please also note that you must meet all current eligibility requirements.

Step 1:      Submission of General Application Documents:

• Apply online through the BGC website where you will tell BGC about yourself and confirm your agreement to abide by the BGC Code of Ethics.
• Forward the link to the BGC Professional Reference Questionnaire to at least 3 environmental professionals (supervisors, co-workers, clients etc.) who are familiar with your environmental work/studies and ask them to complete and submit the forms. It is an applicant’s responsibility to ensure that at least 3 completed references get submitted.
• Ask your university/universities to send official transcripts to BGC.
  • They must show all degree courses with conferral dates.
  • They must be sent directly to BGC via surface mail or email to applications@GoBGC.org.
  • Official transcripts in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal are acceptable. Except for submitting such an envelope, BGC can NOT accept transcripts uploaded, mailed, or emailed directly from the applicant.

EPI Reapplicants

An application is considered to be active for two years after it is initially submitted. After the second year, your application expires. To reactivate an expired application and sit for the exam, you must complete the following steps:

• Submit a Certifications Reapplication Form
• Have at least one updated EPI Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ) completed and submitted to BGC by an environmental professional who can provide information on your recent environmental experience. This form can be no more than 12 months old (see the Professional References section)
• Update your work experience information
• Meet all current application requirements
• Pay the $150 reapplication fee (non-refundable)

Don’t Lose your Application! If your application file is inactive for more than three years without your being approved to sit for the exam, it will be automatically purged, and you will have to follow the procedure as a new applicant if you wish to apply again. Please notify us in writing before three years of inactivity to keep your file open and contact information up to date.

Requirements to Be Eligible for the EPI

 

Academic Requirements

Your current career stage determines whether you qualify to apply for the EPI designation or the full QEP credential. Your career stage also determines the academic requirements that you must meet to qualify to sit for an exam.

Individuals with less than five years of professional environmental work experience are only eligible for the EPI. College or university seniors working toward a bachelor’s degree in physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, engineering, or mathematics are also eligible for the EPI as are graduates who already have one of these degrees.

Individuals who have 5 or more years of professional work experience cannot receive the EPI designation.

Degrees must be conferred by a a college or university that is acceptable to the Board, see the “Documents Needed” section of the EPI Handbook, for more detail on acceptable degrees.

Eligibility	Professional Level Environmental Work	Minimum Education Required
EPI	Less than five years	College or University Senior: Enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program in physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, engineering, or mathematics
		Early-career professional: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, engineering, or mathematics
QEP	Eight years	Bachelor’s degree in any discipline
	Five years	Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, engineering, or mathematics

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Experience Requirements

Early career professionals with less than 5 years of professional environmental work experience and students are only eligible to apply for the EPI designation, which does not require documentation of professional work experience to sit for the General Environmental Science Exam.

Professional References

Individuals wishing to apply for an EPI designation must provide three references from environmental professional.  Applicants for the EPI must minimally have references submitted from three environmental professionals who are familiar with your academic abilities and achievements such as professors from your degree program. Applicants for the EPI who also have actual environmental work experience are encouraged to obtain references from supervisors or others who are familiar with your environmental work.

Each reference must be provided on the Board’s QEP Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ), have a hand-written signature (not a typed or script font) or a digital signature, and be prepared only by the person giving the reference. This form can be found on the BGC website in the QEP Documents & Forms section.

 

Avoid Investigations about the Validity of Your References and Documents: When references from different people have identical wording, they will be investigated to determine who actually prepared the reference. This can cause delays that may cause you to be prevented from taking the exam or being blocked permanently if you are found to have prepared the content of the reference. Sometimes, your supervisors and colleagues who are providing your references may need a memory jog about the work that you have done for them. Provide it verbally, not in writing or from a written job description, so that they are not tempted to cut and paste. Make sure that what you tell them is unique to the job that you did to avoid giving exactly the same information to other references and employers.

Ethics Requirement

Regardless of any other professional affiliation, the BGC Code of Ethics applies to each individual seeking certification (candidates) and each individual certified by BGC credentialing programs or holding a BGC designation (certificants). The Code serves as the minimum ethical standards for your professional behavior and is designed to provide both appropriate ethical practice guidelines and enforceable standards of conduct. The Code also serves as a professional resource for EHS professionals, as well as for those served by BGC candidates and certificants. Consequently, you are required to adhere to the BGC Code of Ethics and to be governed by the BGC Ethics Case Procedures.

Required Documentation for EPI Applicants

Official transcripts must be submitted for each degree. An official transcript is one sent directly to BGC by your college or university through mail or as secure e-transcripts. Alternatively, you may submit official transcripts if they are in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal. When a degree includes credits that were transferred from another college or university, official transcripts for those course credits must be sent if requested.

U.S. and Canadian Degrees

Official transcripts must be submitted for each degree. An official transcript is one sent directly to BGC by your college or university through mail or as secure e-transcripts. Alternatively, you may submit official transcripts if they are in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal. When a degree includes credits that were transferred from another college or university, official transcripts for those course credits must be sent upon if requested.

The Board will consider a U.S. college or university to be acceptable when it holds institutional accreditation from one of the six U.S. Regional Accrediting Bodies or the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the U.S. Department of Education. Your degree must be awarded during the time that the institutional accreditation is in effect.

A Canadian college or university will be considered acceptable if it is recognized under applicable provincial standards, depending on where the school is located. In addition, it may hold specialized program accreditation as noted by membership in Universities Canada (formerly the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada).

International Degrees

A degree from a college or university that is located outside the United States or Canada will be considered for acceptability based on the institution’s accreditation status in the education system that has jurisdiction. Applicants with international degrees will be required to submit their transcript(s) for a credential evaluation unless the academic program is authorized by BGC or through a BGC-recognized accreditation agency to issue BGC verification statements. (BGC verification statements streamline and shorten the review for applicants. Please contact your program director to find out if your college or University has a relevant BGC verification statements.)

A member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. or a member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators must be used to prepare a credential evaluation report. You must request that the report be forwarded directly to BGC through the applications@gobgc.org portal. Below is a list of different services that our applicants have successfully used for transcript evaluations. BGC does not specifically endorse or recommend one service over another.

• Spantran
• World Education Services
• International Education Evaluations (IEE)
• Academic Evaluation Services
• Foundation for International Services

Professional References

Individuals applying for an EPI designation must provide three references from environmental professionals. Who acceptable references are depends on whether you are a new graduate or have actual work experience. Student and recent graduates must minimally have references submitted from environmental professionals, typically professors or environmental course instructors, who are familiar with their academic abilities and achievements. Applicants for the EPI who also have actual environmental work experience are encouraged to obtain at least one reference from supervisors, clients or others who can attest to your work experience.

Submitting References

References are required to document, from first hand experience, your abilities, achievements, and the nature of your environmental practice using an EPI Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ).  A PRQ must comply with the requirements of this section. Each PRQ will remain confidential between the author and BGC.

• You must communicate directly with your references to request that they submit the completed EPI PRQ form that you will send them the link to. BGC does not initiate communication with references for you, nor does it reach out to references you have listed who have not submitted their forms.
• Each reference must be provided on the Board’s EPI Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ), have a hand-written signature (not a typed or script font) or a digital signature, and be prepared only by the person giving the reference. This form can be found on the BGC website in the EPI library section.
  • It is unacceptable for you to provide the response on the form and then have it signed by your reference. We may use the contact information provided to verify the authenticity of the reference and confirm who prepared the text.
  • Each PRQ must be submitted on the BGC website by the person writing the reference.

  It is your responsibility to communicate with your reference(s) as frequently as needed to ensure that the PRQ is submitted in a timely manner. You will not be approved to sit for the exam until at least 3 PRQ forms have been received and accepted as valid by BGC.

Unqualified and Suspicious Documentation

Professional Reference Questionnaires (PRQs) that appear to have been prepared by any of the following individuals may result in your application being rejected or delayed:

• Your spouse or other relatives
• A person whom you supervise
• Yourself, preparing your own PRQ (even when it is for someone else to sign)

 

EPI Application Dates and Fees

 

Application/Reapplication Deadlines

Student applicants approved to be admitted into the EPI exam process will take the General Environmental Science written exam. This exam can be taken no sooner than the last semester/quarter of their senior year. All others may schedule their exams within their two-year exam eligibility period. Examinations are held at Pearson Vue testing centers. If you fail an exam, you must wait 120 days before you will be allowed to retake it.

EPI Fees

The application, examination, and credential maintenance fees are listed in the table below. You are required to pay fees on or before the due dates. The application fee must be paid prior to the review of application materials. Fees are subject to change, so please check the BGC website to obtain the most current fee schedule.

Fee	Amount	Description
Application/Reapplication Fee		Covers the costs to have your documents reviewed and to maintain your file. Student examinees can submit an application to take the general EPI exam no sooner than the last semester/final quarter of their junior year. Proof of current enrollment is required to pay the student fee. Your application/reapplication fee is valid for two years. You must pay a reapplication fee and submit updated documents every two years to keep your file active until you pass the exam
Non-Students	$75
Students	$50
Examination (Scheduling) Fee	$250	The payment to schedule an exam and reserve a seat at the testing center.
Annual (Maintenance) Fee	$75	The yearly fee to maintain your EPI designation after it is awarded. The annual maintenance fee is due by the beginning of each calendar year. Your first annual fee will be prorated depending on the month in which you pass the exam.

 

Application or reapplication fees are neither refundable nor transferrable. Your examination fee is not refundable either, but if you cancel your examination with the testing center at least 48 hours in advance of the exam time, the fee will be carried over to when you schedule your re-examination as long as the additional test date is within the 2 year application window. If your cancellation is made less than 48 hours in advance, your fee is forfeited.

Overview of the GES Exam

To establish the topics covered by the GES Exam, BGC conducted a Job Task Analysis (JTA) study, also known as the Role Delineation Study (RDS), the results of which were described in documentation and reports consistent with ISO/ANSI/NCCA, and CESB accreditation standards. JTA Panel members identified the domains, tasks, knowledge, and skills essential to performing the work of an early career environmental practitioner. The JTA results were then distilled into the 4 Broad topics and 16 sub-topics covered that comprise the GES exam Blueprint.

Once the Blueprint was completed and approved by the BGC Board, a panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with expertise on the Blueprint topics was convened to draft and review multiple choice exam questions. These SMEs represented a variety of practice settings, geographic regions, educational levels, gender, ethnicity, and years of experience. This effort was led by former BGC board members with exam expertise who worked under BGC Staff direction, but who also coordinated with the appointed BGC Board liaison to ensure the BGC board was kept informed as the exam updates were done.

In order to ensure that newly credentialed practitioners protect the public through their work, BGC conducts a JTA every five to seven years so that eligibility, domains, tasks, knowledge, skills, examination, recertification, and ethical requirements reflect current, real-world practice.

Examination Format

The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions, which you may go back and review at any time during the exam. Exams are given at Pearson Vue centers as well as at other approved, secure exam centers. The exam is taken via a computer and there is a short tutorial prior to the examination followed by a short survey following the exam. Instructions for the exam also explain how you can submit comments about the content of specific questions during the exam. BGC staff will review your comments; however, for exam security reasons, staff will not be able to discuss your comments with you.

Examination Scoring

You must receive a passing score on the General Environmental Science (GES) examination in order to receive the EPI designation.

• All questions have the same point value.
• There is no penalty for incorrect answers (such as “number correct minus a percentage of the number of incorrect answers”).
• A passing score is not required in each of the individual subareas.

Examinees may request a review of their exam score by submitting the Review of the Exam Score Form, which will be forwarded to our testing vendor to conduct a score verification. The examinee should be aware that, given the quality control procedures that are in place, it is highly unlikely that the score will change.

Notification of Examination Results

Once the exam has been completed on-line, a preliminary score is sent to the computer where the exam was taken. This preliminary score is not final or official. Examinees will receive their official results in writing approximately four to six weeks after completing a part of the examination. If you fail the exam, we will inform you of your overall score. All examinees will also receive a performance report indicating their scores in each of the 4 major topical areas.

Confidentiality

As noted in the BGC Privacy Policy, examination reports, scores, and failures are not released outside of BGC without your authorization. Studies and reports concerning the efficacy of the exams themselves will contain no information identifiable with any candidate unless authorized by the candidate. The names of those who pass the examination will be listed on the BGC website and entered in the web rosters.

Re-Examination

If you are not successful in your examination attempt, you must wait 120 days from the date you took the exam before you may retake the examination.

Preparing for the EPI Exam

BGC General Environmental Science examination questions are derived from many sources and reflect the underlying purposes and principles of environmental science and entry-level environmental practice tasks.  The questions and Job Task Analysis were derived from, developed by, and then independently reviewed by other environmental Subject Matter Experts and professors/instructors from accredited environmental degree programs.

In preparing for the written exam, candidates should carefully review the GES Exam Blueprint.  Once the blueprint is reviewed, candidates are encouraged to study textbooks and other available reference material, which t align with the different sections of the GES Exam Blueprint.

The exam does include some calculations that the emerging environmental professional should be able to solve.  Candidates are not expected to have conversion factors or common environmental equations memorized; a sheet with common constants, conversion factors, and equations will be available during the online-based exam. This sheet, available here, can be reviewed and used as part of a candidate’s exam preparation process.

None of the questions on the exam are based on any country’s laws or regulations.  Some questions are drawn from international environmental standards, such as ASTM and ISO. In contrast, others are drawn from commonly accepted “good” environmental practices which are accepted around the globe, such as pre-purchase environmental due diligence (sometimes referred to as the “innocent purchaser” defense).

While no laws or regulations were used as the basis for any question, environmental entities in many countries and regions have science-based factual information in their publications and websites.  These are typically excellent sources of information on the topics in the BGC environmental exam blueprints. Some examples of their “Home” pages are:

• European and United States Space, Atmosphere, and other science-based national Agencies
• Environmental professional associations with an international membership, including, but not limited to:
• Air & Waste Management Association
• American Water Works Association
• Water Environment Federation
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• UN Environment Programme
• UN Environment Document Repository
• UN Environment Document Repository Home
• US Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov/)
• US State Environmental Agencies, including, but not limited to, Alaska and New York
• World Health Organization

 

Sample Questions

The following are provided to familiarize you with the nature and form of questions that may be found in the Board’s examinations. Their subject matter and level of difficulty do not necessarily reflect the content of BGC examinations.

General Environmental Science

1. The deposits of stream-borne sediments are called
   1. clays.
   2. alluvium.
   3. erosion.
   4. silt.

    

2. The driving force for diffusion of a contaminant is
   1. chemical species.
   2. chemical gradient.
   3. atomic number.
   4. atomic weight.

    

3. The second law of thermodynamics says that
   1. energy cannot be created or destroyed.
   2. heat flows from a hotter to a colder surface.
   3. for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction.
   4. systems tend to gravitate toward a condition of greater order.

    

Scheduling Your EPI Exam

The Board for Global EHS Credentialing’s certification examinations are delivered at PSI Test Centers located throughout the United States and internationally. A current listing of PSI Test Centers, including addresses and driving directions, may be viewed at http://schedule.psiexams.com. The examinations are administered by appointment only, Monday through Saturday.

Your eligibility to take the examination is valid for two years from the last day of the month when your application was approved and will expire after that time. If you fail to schedule an appointment for this examination within the two-year period, you will forfeit the application and all fees paid to take the examination. A complete application and examination fee are required to reapply for the examination.

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Scheduling Your Appointment

Online Scheduling

When you receive the email confirming your eligibility to sit for the examination, you may schedule an examination appointmentonline at any time at http://schedule.psiexams.com. Internet scheduling is available 24 hours-a-day.

Go to http://schedule.psiexams.com and select “Begin Scheduling” from the home page.

1. Select a category – choose “Other” from the pull-down menu.
2. Select a program – choose “Board for Global EHS Credentialing” from the pull-down menu.
3. Select an examination – choose the BGC QEP Part 1 examination listed on the pull-down menu.
4. Click the “Register for this Exam” option. Enter your Username and Password to log in if returning to this site.
5. First time users of PSI’s online scheduling must select “New User.”
6. Enter the information requested to create an account. When finished, select the “Continue” button to proceed.
7. If account creation is successful, a page requesting you to confirm/enter your contact information will appear. Enter the required information. When finished, select the “Next” button to proceed.
8. Select three security questions and provide answers which can be used to verify your identity when retrieving a username or password. Click the “Submit” button to proceed to the scheduling page.
9. Begin typing the zip code or city name of your preferred test area and select the name from the list displayed. Click “Search” to find the closest Test Centers. The closest Test Center may be in a neighboring state.
10. Select a test center location to see available dates (all available dates are shown in green). Select the date, then time you want. Submit your request by clicking on the “Schedule” button. You will be sent a confirmation email of the appointment scheduled.

 

Telephone Scheduling

Call PSI at 833-256-1420 to schedule an examination appointment. This toll-free number is answered from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.

If you contact PSI by 3:00 p.m. Central Time on:	Depending on availability, your examination may be scheduled beginning:
Monday	Wednesday
Tuesday	Thursday
Wednesday	Friday / Saturday
Thursday	Monday
Friday	Tuesday

Confirmation Number

Test Site Location

You may take your examination at PSI Testing Centers in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

Determine the best PSI location for taking your examination by performing the following steps:

1. Go to http://schedule.psiexams.com and select “Begin Scheduling” from the home page.
2. Select a category – choose “Other” from the pulldown menu.
3. Select an examination – choose the examination listed from the pulldown menu.
4. Select “Locate a Testing Center.”
5. From the map, select the state in which you wish to test. This will show you all available testing centers in that state.

When scheduling your appointment, you should confirm the address of your test center and obtain directions. You may obtain directions to the PSI Testing Center at PSI’s website at https://schedule.psiexams.com/ or by calling customer service at 833-256-1420.

Confirming Your Appointment

It is your responsibility to verify that you have been scheduled for the date, time, and place you have requested.

You may confirm your appointment in two ways.

• Call (833) 2561420 and speak to the customer service representative.
• Confirm your appointment online at https://schedule.psiexams.com/.
• International candidates may confirm their appointment by emailing AMPIntlExamServices@goAMP.com.

You can confirm your appointment online even if you scheduled your appointment by telephone.

Special Arrangements for Candidates with Disabilities

PSI and the Board for Global EHS Credentialing comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and strive to ensure that no individual with a disability (as defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment) is deprived of the opportunity to take the examination solely by reason of that disability. PSI will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. Candidates requesting special accommodations must call PSI at 833-256-1420 to schedule their examination.

1. Wheelchair access is available at all established Test Centers. Candidates must advise PSI at the time of scheduling that wheelchair access is necessary.
2. Candidates with visual, sensory, physical, or learning disabilities that would prevent them from taking the examination under standard conditions may request special accommodations and arrangements.

Verification of the disability and a statement of the specific type of assistance needed MUST BE MADE IN WRITING TO the Board for Global EHS Credentialing at least 45 calendar days prior to your desired examination date by completing the Test Accommodation Request Form. BGC will review the submitted forms, consult with the vendor, and contact you regarding the decision for accommodations.

Missed Appointments/Forfeitures

You will forfeit the examination registration and all fees paid under the following circumstances:

• You wish to reschedule an examination but fail to contact PSI at least two business days prior to the scheduled testing session.
• You wish to reschedule a second time.
• You appear more than 15 minutes late for an examination.
• You fail to report for an examination appointment.

A completed application form and examination fee are required to reapply for examination.

Inclement Weather/Power Failure/Other Emergency

In the event of inclement weather or unforeseen emergencies on the day of an examination, PSI will determine whether circumstances warrant the cancellation, and subsequent rescheduling, of an examination. The examination will usually not be rescheduled if the Test Center personnel are able to open the Test Center.

You may visit www.psionline.com/openings prior to the examination to determine if PSI has been advised that any Test Centers are closed. Every attempt is made to administer the examination as scheduled; however, should an examination be canceled at a Test Center, all scheduled candidates will receive notification following the examination regarding rescheduling or reapplication procedures.

If power to a Test Center is temporarily interrupted during an administration, your examination will be restarted. The responses provided up to the point of interruption will be intact.

Cancellation and Rescheduling of Exams

You may reschedule your examination once, at no charge, online at http://schedule.psiexams.com or by calling PSI at 833-256-1420 at least two business days prior to your scheduled examination appointment. The following schedule applies:

If you contact PSI by 3:00 p.m. Central Time on:	Depending on availability, your examination may be scheduled beginning:
Monday	Wednesday
Tuesday	Thursday
Wednesday	Friday / Saturday
Thursday	Monday
Friday	Tuesday

Problems with PSI Scheduling and Testing

You should call the BGC office at (517) 853-5763 (between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, U.S. Eastern Time) if you encounter either of the following problems:

• You cannot schedule an exam because the PSI operator does not have a file with your name and identification number.
• You arrive at your scheduled examination appointment but are unable to test due to PSI technical or personnel difficulties.

What to Expect on EPI Exam Day

Plan to arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam time. If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the scheduled testing time, you will not be admitted. You may bring a non-programmable calculator to the examination. Calculators built into cellular/smartphones are not permitted in the Test Center. Calculators with text storage capability are not permitted in the Test Center. PSI will provide both onscreen and handheld calculators.

What to Bring

The Test Center will provide materials for working out calculations. You must bring the following items:

• A copy of the confirmation that you received via email.
• To gain admission to the Test Center, you must present two forms of identification. The primary form must be government-issued, current, and include your name, signature, and photograph. Temporary ID is not accepted. You will also be required to sign a roster for verification of identity.
  • Examples of valid primary forms of identification are current: driver’s license with photograph, state identification card with photograph, passport, or military identification card with photograph.
  • The secondary form of identification must display your name and signature for signature verification (e.g., credit card with signature, social security card with signature, or employment/student ID card with signature).
  • If your name on your registration is different than it appears on your identification, you must bring proof of your name change (e.g., marriage license, divorce decree, or court order).

You must have proper identification to gain admission to the Test Center. Failure to provide appropriate identification at the time of the examination is considered a missed appointment.

Avoid Identification Headaches:  The name on your government-issued photo identification document must match the name that you used to register for the exam. If you have a name change, such as by marriage, please notify BGC (at applications@GoBGC.org) and PSI via the scheduling portal or by contacting customer service at (833) 256-1420. This information must be submitted no less than 48 hours before your exam. If you do not provide the required identification or fully participate in the identity validation process during check-in and breaks, you will not be permitted to test, and you will forfeit your testing fees.

Examination Restrictions

You are prohibited from bringing items into the examination room except for the items specified above. Banned items include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Pencils and pens will be provided during check-in.
• You will be provided with one piece of scratch paper at a time to use during the examination unless noted on the sign-in roster for a particular candidate. You must return the scratch paper to the proctor at the completion of testing, or you will not receive your score report.
• The use of reference materials is not allowed.
• No documents or notes of any kind may be removed from the Test Center.
• No questions concerning the content of the examination may be asked during the examination.
• Eating, drinking, or smoking is not permitted in the Test Center.
• You may take a break whenever you wish, but you will not be allowed additional time to make up for time lost during breaks.

Security

PSI administration and security standards are designed to ensure all candidates are provided the same opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. The Test Center is continuously monitored by audio and video surveillance equipment for security purposes.

The following security procedures apply during the examination:

• Examinations are proprietary. No cameras, notes, tape recorders, pagers, or cellular/smartphones are allowed in the testing room. Possession of a cellular/smartphone or other electronic devices is strictly prohibited and will result in dismissal from the examination.
• Only silent, non-programmable calculators without alphabetic keypads or printing capabilities are allowed in the testing room.
• No guests, visitors, or family members are allowed in the testing room or reception areas.

Personal Belongings

No personal items, valuables, or weapons should be brought to the Test Center. Only wallets and keys are permitted. Coats must be left outside the testing room. You will be provided a soft locker to store your wallet and/or keys with you in the testing room. You will not have access to these items until after the examination is completed. Please note the following items will not be allowed in the testing room except securely locked in the soft locker:

• Watches
• Hats
• Wallets
• Keys
• Cellphones
• Pagers
• Books and manuals
• Notes or reference materials
• PDAs or other electronic devices
• Food or drinks
• Jewelry
• Jackets

Once you have placed your personal items into the soft locker, you will be asked to pull out your pockets to ensure they are empty. If all personal items will not fit in the soft locker, you will not be able to test. The site will not store or be responsible for any personal belongings.

If any personal items are observed or heard (cellular/smartphones, alarms) in the testing room after the examination is started, you will be dismissed, and the administration will be forfeited.

Examination Process

After arriving at the Test Center and having your identification confirmed, you will be directed to a testing carrel. You will be instructed on-screen to enter your identification number. Your photograph, taken before beginning the examination, will remain on-screen throughout your examination session. This photograph will also print on your score report.

Practice Examination

Prior to attempting the examination, you will be given the opportunity to practice taking an examination on the computer. The time you use for this practice examination is NOT counted as part of your examination time or score. When you are comfortable with the computer testing process, you may quit the practice session and begin the timed examination.

Timed Examination

The EPI examination is 3 hours long. Before beginning the examination, instructions for taking it are provided on-screen. The computer monitors the time you spend on the examination. The examination will terminate if you exceed the time allowed. You may click on the Time box in the lower menu bar on the screen to monitor your time. A digital clock indicates the time remaining for you to complete the examination. The Time feature may be turned off during the examination.

Only one examination question is presented at a time. The question number appears in the lower right portion of the screen. Choices of answers to the examination question are identified as A, B, C, or D. You must indicate your choice by either typing in the letter in the response box in the lower-left portion of the computer screen or clicking on the option using the mouse. To change your answer, enter a different option by typing in the letter in the response box or by clicking on the option using the mouse. You may change your answer as many times as you wish during the examination time limit.

To move to the next question, click on the forward arrow (>) in the lower right portion of the screen. This action will move you forward through the examination question by question. If you wish to review any question or questions, click the backward arrow (<) or use the left arrow key to move backward through the examination.

An examination question may be left unanswered for return later in the examination session. Questions may also be bookmarked for later review by clicking in the blank square to the right of the Time button. Click on the double arrows (>>) to advance to the next unanswered or bookmarked question on the examination. To identify all unanswered and bookmarked questions, repeatedly click on the double arrows (>>). When the examination is completed, the number of examination questions answered is reported. If all questions have not been answered and there is time remaining, return to the examination and answer those questions.

Candidate Comments

During the examination, you may make comments for any question by clicking on the Comment button to the left of the Time button. This opens a dialogue box where comments may be entered. Comments will be reviewed, but individual responses will not be provided.

Following the Examination

After completing the examination, you are asked to answer a short evaluation of your examination experience. Then, you are instructed to report to the test center supervisor to receive a score report.

 

Failing to Report for an Examination If you fail to report for an examination, you will forfeit the registration and all fees paid to take the examination. A completed application form and examination fee are required to register for another examination.

Documents and Forms for EPI Applicants

 

Application

	EPI Application Form
	EPI Professional Reference Questionnaire (PRQ) Form
	EPI Eligibility Checklist

Exam Blueprints

The QEP examination has two parts.  Both exams are international in scope and contain no regulations specific to any country. The focus is on technical environmental science.  Each part takes up to three hours to complete and consists of approximately 100 multiple-choice questions.
	Part 1 QEP/EPI Exam Blueprint 2022	Part 1 is a multiple-choice General Environmental Science (GES) Exam, which is required for all approved EPI and QEP applicants.
	Part 2 Air Quality Blueprint 2022	Part 2 requires the QEP applicant to choose a specialty practice area exam from among the four options. EPIs do not take a specialty practice exam until they apply for full QEP status upon completing the minimum requirement of five years of professional environmental work experience.
	Part 2 Water Quality Blueprint 2022
	Part 2 Waste Management Blueprint 2022
	Part 2 Environment Science, Management, and Policy Blueprint 2022
The examination for the EPI and QEP certifications are being updated to combine four QEP specialty areas — water quality; air quality; waste management; and environmental science, management, and policy — into, a comprehensive examination process. The Examination Blueprint is being provided in preparation for the release of the new, comprehensive exam.
	New QEP/EPI Exam Blueprint for 2023
	New GES Exam Blueprint for 2023

Test Accommodations

	Test Accommodations Policy
	Test Accommodations Guidelines
	Test Accommodation Request Form

Other

	BGC Certifications Reapplication Form (except CIH)
	BGC Certifications Appeal Procedure
	Review of Exam Score Form
	BGC Privacy Policy

EPI Applicants Payments

 

Please use the buttons below to pay for your EPI Application and Exam:

Note – if you are using your company’s network, you may get an error due to security reasons. Please try again from your mobile or your home (or another) network. We do not take payment over the phone. Alternatively, you can mail a check to:

BGC
Attn: EPI Applications
6005 W St. Joe Hwy Ste 300
Lansing, MI USA 48917

EPI Fees

EPI Application Fee for Students	$50	Processing ... Pay Now
EPI Application Fee for Non-Students	$75	Processing ... Pay Now
EPI Examination Fee	$250	Processing ... Pay Now