Frequently asked questions

NPSA is an independent credentialing initiative. It publishes one competency framework for prompt engineering (NPSA-STD-1) and certifies people against it at six levels. It is not a government body and is not affiliated with any AI vendor.

Prompt engineering is the practice of writing, testing and maintaining the instructions given to large language models so that they produce reliable, useful output. It combines clear writing, structured problem-solving and an understanding of how models behave.

Level 0 Prompt Engineering Foundations, Level 1 Certified Prompt Practitioner, Level 2 Advanced Prompt Engineer, Level 3 Senior Prompt Engineer, Level 4 Master Prompt Engineer and Level 5 Grand Master of Prompt Engineering.

Each level covers more complex work and more independent judgment: from writing clear single prompts (Levels 0–1), through structured techniques and repeatable workflows (2–3), to prompt-system design (4) and auditing, research-grade evaluation and examining others (5). Each level page lists its competency areas.

Level 0 is a free, unproctored online test; pass it and your Level 0 credential is issued automatically. Levels 1–5 require Level 0, an exam voucher and an online proctored examination. Proctored exams have not started yet — the first exam window is planned for Q1 2027 — so Levels 1–5 cannot be earned today.

Enter the credential number (for example NPSA-1-00001) on the Verify page, or scan the QR code on the certificate. Verification shows whether the credential is valid, revoked, expired or not found. No account is needed.

Yes. Each credential in your account has an “Add to LinkedIn” link that fills in the certification name, issuer, dates and verification URL, plus a 400px seal image sized for LinkedIn.

Yes. List the credential title, “National Prompting Standards Authority”, the credential number and the verification URL so that anyone can check its status.

Yes. Credentials are valid for three years from the examination or issue date. After that, verification shows the credential as expired. A renewal process has not yet been published.

Yes. NPSA may revoke a credential, for example if it was issued in error or obtained through misconduct. Revoked credentials remain in the registry and verification shows them as revoked; they are never silently deleted.

No. NPSA is independently operated. Its credentials are not government licenses and should not be represented as such.

No. NPSA credentials are not accredited by any third-party accreditation body. They describe proficiency within the NPSA framework only.

That the holder met the requirements of a given NPSA-STD-1 level on the date shown. The Level 0 test is unproctored and open-resource; Levels 1–5 are assessed by proctored examination. A credential reflects the framework’s definition of competence, not a guarantee of performance on any specific task.

No. NPSA makes no promise that a credential will lead to employment, promotion, higher pay or acceptance by any employer or institution.