It is a Level 3 test that features electrical design-based questions and science and principles, it covers 15 areas of knowledge and understanding. It is an on-screen test with multiple-choice and scenario-based questions. It comprises of 50 questions over the course of 100 minutes.
As it is an open-book exam, you will need to reference the current versions of the IET On-Site Guide and BS 7671.
See the EWA Entry Test page and Test Coverage information for more information, and the City & Guilds/EAL websites.
From 16 April 2026 to 15 October 2026, learners will take online tests that are neutral and can be taken with Amendment 3 or 4 versions.
From 16 October 2026, exam versions will be aligned with Amendment 4.
Because of robust governance and checks around the test and who is undertaking it, it is only available over strict and monitored timescales. There will be a number of scheduled windows each year for you to select.
If you need to re-sit the test, this must be done within the same window as your original test, so we recommend booking your test as early as possible within the assessment window, in case you need to re-sit within that same period.
Your chosen training provider will be able to advise on which dates they are running the test.
No – the test must be taken in-person under exam conditions at an approved centre.
TESP will review the background information provided by the candidate and provider, with a focus on the length and breadth of experience. To uphold the integrity of the EWA process and ethos, it is not suitable for individuals with insufficient work experience.
No, the test is pitched at Level 3 and provides a broad assessment of knowledge across the range of areas required for EWA entry. Various checks are carried out and only selected centres are able to offer the test. Background experience and information on each candidate is verified and then approved on an individual basis by TESP, and there are controls on when the test is available, with additional EQA checks carried out by the awarding organisations. Registrations onto EWA using the test result as evidence will be checked by the awarding organisations against the list of approved learners. This will be checked again at AM2E gateway.
Absolutely not. The test for the chosen route is robust and designed to test acquired knowledge for those who meet the entry requirement. It is not a training course and holds no value as a qualification apart from allowing entry onto the EWA. If you feel that you need training in any of the areas covered, you should not apply for this assessment and should follow one of the other entry routes.
If you fail your first attempt you will get two re-sit opportunities. Should you fail the second re-sit attempt, you will not be able to re-register for another EWA test for 12 months.
If you need to re-sit the test, this must be done within the same window as your original test, so we recommend booking your initial test as early as possible within the assessment window, in case you need to re-sit within that same period.
No. If you fail the C&G test you cannot try the EAL test (or vice versa). Regardless of which test you sat, you will not be able to re-register for another EWA test for 12 months. TESP will keep candidate approved details on record to ensure this does not happen and these are checked again by NET at AM2E gateway.
The test for the chosen route is designed to allow candidates to demonstrate electrical knowledge that they have acquired through experience, across the range of areas required for EWA entry. If a candidate fails after three attempts, it is likely that they do not have the required knowledge and are better directed to take one of the recommended Level 2 qualifications. The test is not a shortcut or an easy option.
