CBAP Registration: How to Fill CBAP Application?

Upskilling is essential for sustainability and continual progress in any endeavour, and a CBAP designation is no different. Working professionals getting the right training and certifications are likely to grow significantly quicker than their non-credential peers. Therefore, getting a certification like a certified business analysis professional (CBAP) is a yes-yes for individuals looking forward to advancing their careers and unlocking limitless opportunities.

This article guides folks who plan to take the CBAP exam but have put it off because of the application process. The IIBA improved its application submission process, but the requirements remain stringent. We outline the steps in the application process to assist candidates in managing their application and focusing on studying to pass the certified business analysis professional exam. 

Your application must be pre-approved to take the CBAP exam. Before applying, the professional development hours must also be completed. This latter requirement has prevented many otherwise qualified applicants from sitting for the exam. Make sure you have a certificate or other written proof of your education hours. We have attached CBAP application templates as well.

Also, check out how to become Certified as Business Analyst Professional blog post for more information. 

CBAP - Overview

CBAP Certification or Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) is one of the most demanding business analyst certifications. This program is designed for professionals with at least 7,500 hours of Business Analysis Work experience in the last ten years. As a result, in this blog, we will learn how to apply for the certification and the registration process as a whole. For example, it is widely regarded as the gold standard in Business Analysis Certifications. It also aids in the development of your credentials as a business analyst practitioner. 

Before taking the exam, knowing the certified business analysis professional requirements is important. This certification requires in-depth knowledge and years of experience in business analysis practice, activities, and principles. It also assesses your ability to apply your knowledge and skills in real-world situations. Taking professional certification as a business analyst is a great way to get certified. Enroll in the certified business analysis professional course to prepare from scratch and crack the exam on the first attempt.

What is the CBAP Application Process? 

The key steps for filling the CBAP Application process are as follows: 

Create IIBA Account 

Visit the IIBA Website and log in with your credentials or create a new account. If this is your first login, you will need to activate your account using your email address for CBAP registration. 

Choose Certification 

At the top of the page, select Certification. Then, navigate to My Certification by clicking on the drop-down menu. After that, you will land on the Certification Summary Page. Check the CBAP certification option to continue. 

Pay CBAP Exam Application Fees 

1. The application fee for the CCBA® and CBAP® is non-refundable and non-transferable. Read the payment terms in detail to ensure that you meet the requirements for either CCBA® or CBAP®. 

Note: Your entry cannot be changed after 7 days; therefore, we recommend that you make any changes to an entry before the 7th day or complete the entry just before submitting your application. 

2. Select your desired certification and get started. 

3. To pay the Application Fee, click Add to Order and Checkout. 

NOTE: For coupon codes, you must first enter the address and then enter the coupon code. 

4. Select a Payment Method. Complete all fields and click Process Payment. 

5. Upon successful payment, you will get a receipt. Check the status of your payment with the help of the “View Receipt” option. 

1. If you want to become a member of the IIBA, select IIBA Membership. 
2. To complete your objectives, select Access My Certifications. 

6. Complete each of the objectives by clicking Get Started. The Certification Handbook contains the policies and requirements for each of the CBAP® certification requirements. 

7. Select Get Started to complete the goal of Professional Development. 

Submit Professional Development Record 

You will be directed to the BA Development Log, where you can enter your hours under the Professional Development category. CBAP® certification requires a minimum of 35 hours of professional development in the last four years. 

The content must adhere to the BABOK® Guide v3.0, be formal in structure, and not simply be a topic presentation. 

The following criteria must be met by the content: 

Facilitate yourself in the same way as you facilitate in any formal course. 

• Set a measurable set of objectives.
• Interact with the study material. 
• Practice what you learn. 

By default, all the courses in the Endorsed Education Provider (EEPTM) program are eligible for professional development credits. It is because these courses have already been verified by IIBA® to ensure they meet the above criteria. 

1. Click on the “Select New to begin” option to log your hours under Professional Development. 

2. Keep track of your Professional Development hours using any of the following record types: 

• Classroom Course 
• Chapter Study Group 
• Online Course

3. Fill out the form and save it. 

Choose the Knowledge Area (KA) option from the “Available” field and select the “Chosen” field. 

 Select all the relevant activities.

• Business Analysis Planning & Monitoring – KA1
• Elicitation and Collaboration – KA2 
• Requirements Life Cycle Management– KA3
• Strategy Analysis – KA4
• Requirements Analysis & Design Definition - KA5
• Solution Evaluation – KA6 

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Submit Work History 

To complete your Work History goal use the following steps: 

1. For Work History, select New. 

CBAP applicants must have completed a minimum of 7,500 hours of business analysis work in the previous ten years. 

2. Complete the Information and Save. 

Select the Knowledge Area(KAs) appropriate to your certification for example

• Business Analysis Planning & Monitoring – KA1
• Elicitation and Collaboration – KA2
• Requirements Life Cycle Management– KA3
• Strategy Analysis – KA4
• Requirements Analysis & Design Definition - KA5
• Solution Evaluation – KA6. 

 Completed Work Hours will include the following: 

• Work History
• WH Knowledge Area. 

The hours will be recorded in your BA Development Log. 

Upon successful completion of the number of hours, a checkmark appears next to the Met status, stating the status marked as Complete. 

Submit Referrals 

The next step is to submit your references. 

A CBAP® recipient, a career manager, or a client (internal or external) can serve as references. At least you must know one of your two references for at least six months. 

Complete the form and click Submit. 

Submit Application 

This step involves accepting the necessary attestations.

Accept the Attestations

• Read the documents
• Accept the Terms and Conditions 
• Determine whether or not you want your name to appear on the Certification Registry. 

After submitting your application, you will be marked as "Approved" or "Approved Pending Audit." 

Complete the form and click Submit. 

Upon approval, you will get a one-year time to take and reschedule the exam. This one-year Application terms start the day your application is “Approved.” Based on your availability and preference, choose the time slot and book your appointment. 

Pay Exam Fee 

Once your application gets approved, the next step is to pay the exam fee. Following payment of the exam fee, you will receive an email from IIBA indicating your next steps.

Where Can You Get the CBAP Application Form?

You can get the CBAP Application form from the International Institute of Business Analysis website. The application is free but you need to meet the requirements to get the CBAP certification process. 

Requirements For Filling Up the CBAP Application Form

For business analysis you need to fulfill the following requirements: 

• Applicants must have at least 7,500 hours of business analysis work experience earned within the last 10 years. 
• Out of the total hours, a minimum of 900 hours completed must be in the 4 of the 6 core BABOK® Guide Knowledge Areas (total of at least 3,600 of the required 7,500 hours) 

For training in business analysis: 

• Applicant must complete 35 Professional Development Hours in the last 4 years 

Other requirements include: 

• Provide two references 
• Agree to Code of Conduct 
• Agree to Terms and Conditions 
• Pass the exam 

Check out the blog post on Is CBAP Worth It? for more information. 

7 Key Steps to Complete your CBAP Application

Once you have decided to take up the CBAP certification and selected the right certified business analyst course, the next step is filling up the application. In this section, we will walk you through the steps to complete your application. 

Step-1: Visit the Official Website 

To apply for the CBAP, go to CBAP official page. In the home page, you will get the link to apply for the CBAP registration. Also, you can refer to the handbook for reference.

Step-2: Check the CBAP Candidate Reference Section

Begin working on your online application. We recommend that you start with the CBAP Candidate Reference section. 

• You must include two references. (You can include colleagues, friends, peers, or clients who can vouch your BA skills and expertise). 
• They will be sent an email with a form that must be completed and returned to IIBA electronically. We recommend starting with this step because your application cannot be completed until your references return their forms. 

Step-3: Fill Up the Application Form 

Filling out the application form is straightforward. Add all the relevant details carefully. Any blunder in this step may become a potential problem in taking your CBAP exam or certification.

Once you register yourself, you will get a login page as shown:

Step-4: Add Your Working Experience 

The section on Work Experience is extensive. To begin, click "Add New Work Experience." 

Fill up the Professional Development section mentioning the years of experience in relevant you have actively worked in:

Submit your work history in this section:

1. Create an electronic record of your projects before you begin. You can copy and paste the records into the online application. If you are interrupted, your session may time out and you may lose what you entered (there is no intermediate save function).
2. You must have 7,500 hours of BA experience in the last ten years. 
3. You must have experience in four of the six core Knowledge Areas (KAs). 
4. You must list the projects on which you have worked as part of your BA activities.
5. Include the project contacts even if you are an ex-employee. The IIBA may reach out to your previous employers to verify your profile and credibility.
6. Select the BA tasks for each project from the list provided in the "BA Activities" section. Some tasks (such as "Identified project risks") are not BA-related and will be deducted from your total. To be safe, list at least 8,000 project hours, and 8,500 is even better. 
7. The Knowledge Areas section is a thorough examination of your involvement in each of the core KAs. Choose the four KAs that you performed the best, and make sure to list the percent for the two that you performed the least or not at all. 
8. If you have any referrals, mention them here: 

Step-5: Pay the Exam Fee 

Your application requires a $125 fee, which is non-refundable. There is also a $325 exam fee (for IIBA members and $450 for non-members). When you apply, the IIBA will collect the application fee online. Once your application has been accepted, you will be required to send a check for the exam. 

Step-6: Agree to the Terms

Before you step forward to the next step, there are some terms and conditions for professionals taking the exam. Read the terms carefully and click on “Agree”. If you do not agree to the IIBA Code of Conduct, you will not be allowed to step ahead.

Step-7: Review and Submit 

Upon agreeing with the terms and conditions of the CBAP exam, you will be directed to submit your application. Make sure you double-check the details and ensure that all the information is correct. If you find anything incorrect, fix it before you proceed to submit. Remember, if the details you have added are incorrect, you may face difficulties while taking the exam. Be careful!

Tips to Go Through While Filling Up CBAP Form 

Filling a CBAP application is simple. However, a single mistake may create a barrier to your certification, if done incorrectly. Here are a few tips shared by experts that you must follow when filling out your application form: 

1. Understand the Requirements 

Read every detail carefully and make sure you are eligible for the examination. It is pointless to start the application process only to find out you are not yet qualified.

2. Understand Typical Business Analysis Tasks 

Because most BAs work as part of a project team, it is easy to mix up project tasks and BA tasks. The IIBA clearly distinguishes between the Project Manager and Business Analyst roles, as well as the activities associated with each. Some tasks are appropriate, while others are not. Examine the CBAP Application Template for typical business analysis tasks to help you understand which activities count and which do not. 

3. Document More Hours than You Need 

At least 7,500 hours of BA work experience is required to sit for the CBAP certification. However, it is preferable to document more hours than required so that you do not fall under the threshold limit. 

4. Update your CV

Though CVs are not accepted, the information in your CV will be required to document your work experience accurately. Check that your application does not include any conflicting dates. 

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Conclusion

We hope this article has been useful to give you chills when you fill up the CBAP application form. Use the steps discussed in this guide to apply and take your CBAP certification effortlessly. Check out KnowledgeHut’s certified business analysis professional course and get yourself exam-ready. We have business analysts and industry experts to train you in qualifying for the certification on the first go. Also, consider visiting our website to know more about the CBAP course, the IIBA certified business analysis professional course, and other certification of business analysts certification exams.