Application/Fees

Now is the best time to obtain your CPTC credential!

Here is the process for becoming certified:

1. Download the application form, Code of Conduct, and candidate instructions.
2. Send the completed application form, Code of Conduct, and required fees (see below) to the STC Certification Commission office for processing and verification. You may email the forms to cert@stc.org. You can pay the application fee through PayPal (see button at right) or by mailing a check (to address provided below). When your application and fees are processed, you will receive a confirmation letter, a candidate ID number, and a login to our submission website.
3. Following the candidate instructions, prepare and upload the sections of your submission packet. The packet consists of samples, work artifacts, and commentaries.
4. Each section within your packet is evaluated against objective, established criteria by at least two trained evaluators, working under non-disclosure agreement. (If they do not agree on the assessment, a senior evaluator also participates.) Only your candidate ID number is known to the evaluators.
5. You are notified of the results of the evaluation within 60 days of receipt of your uploaded packet. If your packet meets or exceeds the minimum level of competency, you are awarded certification. If not, you receive feedback on areas in which the standard is not met, so that you can improve your grasp and presentation of those areas and resubmit at a later date.
6. Once awarded, your certification is valid for three years. To maintain it, continue your professional development by attending classes and participating in professional activities. There is a modest yearly maintenance fee, but no fee for recertification.

Fee Schedule

All fees are nonrefundable.

If you prefer to mail in payment and materials, they can be sent to:

9401 Lee Highway, Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22031

After reviewing the application form and instructions, if you have any questions about the certification process, contact the STC Certification Commission staff at cert@stc.org.

Prerequisites 

Certification is available to all practitioners who meet the eligibility requirements. STC membership is not required for eligibility.

To be eligible for certification, you must have a combination of either directly related or relevant education and full-time equivalent (FTE) experience in the field. The more you have of one, the less you need of the other:

• Degree in a directly related field (listed below) plus at least three years of FTE experience as a technical communicator, OR
• Degree in a relevant field (listed below) plus at least four years of FTE experience as a technical communicator, OR
• High school diploma (or the global equivalent) plus at least five years of FTE experience as a technical communicator

Note: Applicants must attest to their degree and experience. Statements made on your application are subject to verification.

What are the education requirements for the CPTC program?

At least a secondary-school diploma (or its global equivalent).

If you have fewer than 5 years of experience, however, and would like to seek certification, additional education might reduce the 5-year residency requirement. That’s because completing formal study in a degree program in technical communication or a related or relevant field can reduce the learning needed on the job—and reduce the time needed to become a competent technical communicator.

(It’s not that other degree programs are not valuable, but they do not formally prepare students for work in the field and, therefore, are not assumed to reduce the learning curve on the job.)

* This is a preliminary list. In the future, the STC Certification Commission will be developing additional qualifications for educational experience. At that time, the list of related and relevant degrees might change.

Does a master’s degree or PhD in technical communication count more than a bachelor’s degree?

No. Such programs do not provide additional preparation in the competencies assessed in the certification beyond what is covered in the bachelor’s degree programs.

I have a degree that’s not listed. Am I eligible to apply for certification?

Yes, if you have five years of full-time equivalent experience working as technical communicator.

Questions Specifically for Applicants from Canada

What colleges and universities in Canada offer directly related or relevant degrees?

The directly related degree programs in Canada (eligible with 3 years’ experience) are: