The Department of Education and Universities has opened the registration period for the free examinations leading to the vocational training qualifications of Technician and Higher Technician. This initiative is designed for individuals who meet the required access conditions but cannot follow the official training programmes through the standard in-person or virtual education pathways due to work, family or other personal circumstances.

The registration period will be open from March 13 to March 23, 2026. A key update in this call is that the application process must be completed exclusively through an online procedure, using the electronic application available within the Vocational Training section of the official administrative platform.

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Education opens registration for free exams to obtain vocational training, technician and higher technician qualifications

These examinations provide an alternative route for candidates to demonstrate their professional knowledge and competencies and obtain an official vocational qualification. In certain higher-level vocational training programmes regulated by the LOE, some modules are delivered in English. As a result, candidates enrolled in these modules will be required to complete the corresponding examinations in English.

Process timeline

The administrative schedule for the procedure is as follows:

• March 13–23, 2026: registration period.
• March 26, 2026: publication of provisional lists of registered candidates on the notice boards and websites of the examination centres.
• March 26–30, 2026: period for submitting claims regarding the provisional lists.
• April 17, 2026: publication of the final lists of registered candidates on the notice boards and websites of the centres.
• April 17–24, 2026: deadline for payment of the corresponding examination fees.
• Before April 20, 2026: publication of the examination schedule for each centre, the assessment criteria and the list of materials required to complete the tests.
• Before April 30: assignment of the project required for the evaluation of the Project module for students who have already passed the Work Placement Training module (FCT).
• May 4–29, 2026: examination period according to the timetable established by each centre.

Detailed information regarding registration requirements, the application process, module validation, examination fees, possible exemptions and the completion of the Work Placement Training module can be consulted in the dedicated section for free vocational training examinations within the vocational training information platform.