NEBOSH National General Certificate Explained: Units, Exam, Cost and Career Path

Health and safety is a defined management responsibility in almost every organisation. The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is one of the qualifications UK employers most often look for when they want a manager or supervisor to show recognised health and safety knowledge. This guide covers what changed for 2026, how the two units and the marking work, what it costs and where it can lead.

What is the NEBOSH National General Certificate?

NEBOSH (the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) is an awarding body for health and safety qualifications. Its National General Certificate covers the core knowledge needed to manage workplace risk: health and safety law and management systems, common hazards such as manual handling, work equipment and hazardous substances, and the practical skills to assess and control risk in a real workplace. NEBOSH describes it as a first step in a career in health and safety, and it is also used by managers and supervisors who carry health and safety duties as part of a wider role.

What changed for 2026

NEBOSH reviewed and updated the qualification for 2026. According to NEBOSH, teaching of the revised syllabus began on 2 February 2026 and the first assessments on it took place from 4 March 2026, with the final assessments under the 2018 specification in August 2026. Learners now take units coded GNC1 and GNC2, which replace the earlier NG1 and NG2. You may still see the older codes on older certificates and in provider listings.

NEBOSH says only minor changes were made to the syllabus and that "much of the current syllabus remains fit for purpose". The main changes are to how the practical unit is submitted and marked, and to results being issued for both units together. Source: NEBOSH, updates to the General Certificate.

Qualification structure: the two units

NEBOSH says the qualification is accredited and credit rated by SQA Accreditation at SCQF Level 6 with 11 credit points. The same sources (NEBOSH qualification page and GNC learner guide) describe the study commitment as a minimum of 66 taught hours plus approximately 40 hours of private study and background reading. NEBOSH also notes that it is possible for fast-track learners to complete the qualification in 10 working days, although not every provider offers that route.

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements. NEBOSH recommends English at a level equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.0 or higher, because so much of the assessment depends on written scenario analysis and clear communication of findings.

How the exam works and how it is marked

GNC1 is taken remotely. NEBOSH says learners have 24 hours to access, complete and submit a digital assessment paper. Each paper describes a workplace scenario with a series of questions. The format is open book, so you can use textbooks and the internet, but you must reference any external sources. The assessment includes a closing interview in which you are asked about your submission, which checks that the work is your own and that you can explain your reasoning.

GNC2 is submitted online, with a deadline of 10 working days after GNC1. NEBOSH says it is now marked on points rather than met or not met, with a pass mark of 60%.

NEBOSH publishes no pass rate for the General Certificate, so any pass rate you see quoted elsewhere is not an official figure.

How much does it cost?

There are two separate costs. The first is NEBOSH's own assessment registration fee: its learner fees list for 2026/27 shows £95 per unit for GNC1 and £95 per assignment for GNC2. The list does not say whether VAT applies, so check when you register. The second is the course fee, which NEBOSH does not set. Each Learning Partner sets its own fees, which vary with the mode of study and the support included, so compare more than one provider and check what the price covers.

Who it is for

The Certificate suits managers and supervisors who have health and safety responsibilities as part of a broader role, people starting a dedicated health and safety career, and employers who want to build in-house expertise rather than relying entirely on external consultants.

How it fits alongside workplace compliance training

The General Certificate is deliberately broad, covering general risk management rather than any single hazard in depth. Many holders then complete more focused training in the risk areas relevant to their sector, for example manual handling or fire safety, once the certificate has given them the wider framework those topics sit within.

Why the open-book, scenario-based format matters

NEBOSH's digital assessments are open book and scenario based, so they test how you apply health and safety knowledge to a realistic situation rather than how well you can recall legislation. The closing interview adds a further check: you have to be able to explain and defend the reasoning in your own submission, which is a different skill from choosing an answer on a multiple-choice paper.

Where it leads

NEBOSH offers further Award and Certificate-level qualifications and, for higher-level study, its Diplomas. The current diploma route is the NEBOSH Level 6 National Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals. The older National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety has been withdrawn.

NEBOSH also states that the General Certificate gives eligibility for Affiliate membership of IOSH (AIOSH), meets the academic requirement for Technical membership (Tech IOSH) with appropriate experience, and gives Associate membership of IIRSM (AIIRSM). For IOSH membership the assessments must have been taken in the UK, unless you registered with NEBOSH before 31 August 2022.

International version

NEBOSH also offers an International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (units GIC1 and GIC2), which it describes as covering the core skills you need wherever in the world you work. The National and International versions have a similar structure, so the choice generally comes down to which one NEBOSH and your employer recommend for your workplace. NEBOSH lists 63 taught hours for the International version, compared with 66 for the National one.

Frequently asked questions

Is the NEBOSH National General Certificate the same as IOSH Managing Safely?

No. They are different qualifications from different organisations. The NEBOSH National General Certificate is a formally assessed qualification at SCQF Level 6, with two units that you must both pass. IOSH Managing Safely is an IOSH course, so check IOSH's own course pages for its length, content and assessment before choosing between them.

Does the NEBOSH certificate expire?

NEBOSH's qualification page does not state a validity period. What it does set is a completion window: you have five years from your first successful unit to pass both. Health and safety law and good practice change over time, so many holders take refresher training or progress to further NEBOSH qualifications, but whether your employer asks for a refresh is a matter for them.

Can I study while working full-time?

Many Learning Partners offer part-time, evening and fast-track formats designed for people who work, but the options depend on the provider, so check what each one offers.

If your organisation is building internal health and safety capability, pairing NEBOSH-level study with topic-specific CPD courses covers both the management framework and the day-to-day compliance detail your teams need. Our health and safety basics for employers is a useful starting point.

This article is general information, not compliance advice. Always check the current NEBOSH specification and fees on the NEBOSH website and confirm details with an approved Learning Partner before you enrol.