How to Prepare for the AMPP Corrosion Technologist Exam
A study plan for the AMPP Corrosion Technologist exam: 100 questions in 180 minutes, closed-book, across CP, coatings, materials and internal corrosion.
By Asjad Imam23 Oct 20262 min read
The AMPP Corrosion Technologist exam is broad. Rather than one specialism, it asks you to work across cathodic protection, coatings, materials and internal corrosion, closed-book. This plan helps you cover the breadth without losing depth in the areas that carry the most marks.
Short answer: 100 questions in 180 minutes, closed-book, computer-based at Pearson VUE. About 1.8 minutes a question. Internal corrosion and chemical treatment is the largest area at about a quarter of the exam; cathodic protection, coatings and materials carry about a fifth each.
What the exam looks like
- 100 multiple-choice questions in 180 minutes.
- Closed-book, taken by computer at Pearson VUE (test code NACE-CTt-001).
- Nine domains, with particular weight on cathodic protection, coatings, metallurgy and internal corrosion.
Where the marks are
| Area | Share |
|---|---|
| Cathodic protection (with reference to SP0169) | About 20% |
| Protective coatings and surface preparation | About 20% |
| Metallurgy and material selection | About 20% |
| Internal corrosion control and chemical treatment | About 25% |
| Corrosion fundamentals and the remaining domains | About 15% |
An eight-week plan
Week 1: fundamentals
Electrochemistry and corrosion theory first. Everything else builds on them, and they tie the other areas together.
Weeks 2 and 3: internal corrosion and chemical treatment
The largest area. Cover internal corrosion mechanisms and monitoring, and how chemical treatment programmes work: what corrosion inhibitors and biocides do, and how you judge whether a programme is working.
Week 4: cathodic protection
CP principles and criteria, with reference to SP0169. The exam tests working knowledge across CP rather than the calculation depth of the CP1 to CP4 exams.
Week 5: coatings and surface preparation
Surface preparation standards, coating types and selection, and why coatings fail.
Week 6: metallurgy and material selection
How alloys and other materials behave in different corrosive environments, and how that drives the choice of material.
Week 7: the remaining domains
Fill the gaps across the nine domains, and go back over any area where practice questions show weakness.
Week 8: timed practice
Sit at least one full mock under exam conditions: 100 questions, 180 minutes, closed-book. Review every mistake, not just the score.
Habits that help
- Connect the areas. Many questions sit between two disciplines, such as CP and coatings working together.
- Practise closed-book from the start.
- Keep an error log, sorted by area, so your weakest area is obvious.
Before you start
Check which eligibility route you will use; see Corrosion Technician vs Corrosion Technologist. Exam details and practice questions are in our AMPP Corrosion Technologist certification guide.
