Business Analysis Entry Certification Requirements

Updated on 8 October 2026. What’s new: the ECBA now follows IIBA's nine-domain blueprint with 50 questions in 75 minutes, and needs no work experience, degree or application.

Most ECBA advice online was written for an older exam, so the first step to passing on your first try is to study the current one. IIBA now tests nine domains, drawn from The Business Analysis Standard and the BABOK Guide, in 50 situation-based and standard multiple-choice questions over 75 minutes. The fee is $395, and no work experience is asked for.

That opening matters because the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis is the IIBA credential people most often try to pass with a borrowed study plan. A friend's notes, a forum thread from a few years back or a summary of BABOK chapters can all feel reassuring and still point at the wrong material. This guide is built on IIBA's own documents, namely the exam blueprint (version 1.1), the ECBA Handbook dated May 2026 and the sample questions, all read in October 2026. It explains what is on the paper, how the marks are spread, how to practise, what exam day involves and which pieces of old advice to drop.