Non-Executive Director Readiness Certification

The Non-Executive Director Readiness Certification is a free advanced-level, 25-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests non-executive director (NED) readiness — the role of the board and the difference between executive and non-executive directors, fiduciary duties and the UK Companies Act section 172 duties, corporate governance codes, independence, board committees for audit, remuneration and nomination, reading financial statements and audit oversight, risk management and internal control, strategy and constructive challenge, CEO succession, board dynamics and chairing, stakeholder and ESG oversight, conflicts of interest, D&O insurance and liability, board evaluation, and building a portfolio NED career — written to the UK Corporate Governance Code, OECD Principles, IoD and NACD guidance for 2026 and 2027. Score 70% or more on its 25 questions to earn a verifiable Non-Executive Director Readiness certificate (SOA-NEDR). Every question is based on published standards and research — including UK Corporate Governance Code (Financial Reporting Council), Director development and governance guidance (Institute of Directors (UK)), IFRS Accounting Standards (IFRS Foundation) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Science of Apps offers a free Non-Executive Director Readiness Certification, written for 2026 and 2027. It tests the board and the role, duties and legal responsibilities, committees, finance and risk, board effectiveness and career and board contexts with 25 original scenario questions in all, each naming its published source; you get an instant score and a verifiable certificate with a credential ID you can add to LinkedIn.

Read the five skill areas on this page, then take the 25-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Non-Executive Director Readiness certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: UK Corporate Governance Code (Financial Reporting Council); Director development and governance guidance (Institute of Directors (UK)); IFRS Accounting Standards (IFRS Foundation); G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (OECD); Board governance resources (National Association of Corporate Directors); IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures (International Sustainability Standards Board). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Five skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: The Board and the Role (Board purpose, Executive vs non-executive and Independence); Duties and Legal Responsibilities (Fiduciary duties, Section 172 and Conflicts and liability); Committees, Finance and Risk (Audit committee, Remuneration and nomination and Risk and control); Board Effectiveness and Career (Strategy and challenge, Board dynamics and evaluation and NED career); Board Contexts (Listed companies, Private equity and startups and Charities and public bodies). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Aspiring or new non-executive director, Senior executive preparing for board roles, Charity or public-body trustee, Company secretary or governance professional and Investor representative on boards. It suits students at leading universities, career switchers and experienced professionals who want quick, verifiable proof of Non-Executive Director Readiness knowledge in 2026 and 2027.

MBAs and engineers aiming at PM, founder and C-suite roles want the next layer above the product basics we already cover. Passing earns a founder-signed Science of Apps certificate with a credential ID and QR code that recruiters can verify.

A NED provides independent oversight, constructive challenge and strategic guidance to the executive team, sits on board committees, and helps hold management to account on behalf of shareholders and stakeholders.

Directors must act in the way most likely to promote the company's success for its members, having regard to long-term consequences, employees, suppliers and customers, community and environment, reputation and fairness.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

25 questions — 5 from each of 5 skill areas — with a 25-minute limit. You need 70% (18 of 25) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Advanced: assumes years in the role or deep specialist knowledge. It has 25 scenario questions — 5 from each of 5 skill areas — and a 25-minute limit. You need 70% (18 of 25) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.