Blog / EPPP Changes 2027: The New Integrated Exam, Explained
EPPP Changes 2027: The New Integrated Exam, Explained
Starting Fall 2027, the EPPP becomes one integrated exam. It replaces the separate Part 1 (Knowledge) and Part 2 (Skills) with a single-day, computer-based test covering six competency domains, scored pass/fail. First-time candidates must take it from Fall 2027. The old exam stays available to repeaters until March 31, 2028, and the new fee is $650 starting April 1, 2028.
That is the whole story in one paragraph. The rest of this post unpacks each piece, with every claim traced to ASPPB's own announcements and its published content specifications. I passed the current EPPP with a 588 after starting from a 19% diagnostic, so I have strong opinions about prep. But this post keeps opinion clearly separated from fact, because you are about to make real scheduling and money decisions based on this information.
This is the hub post of my series on the 2027 changes. The deep dives:
- The new EPPP format: six domains, new question types, pass/fail
- How much the new EPPP costs
- The new eligibility recommendations
- Should you take the EPPP now or wait?
What is changing on the EPPP in 2027?
Five things are confirmed by ASPPB:
- One exam instead of two. The planned two-exam model (Part 1 Knowledge plus Part 2 Skills) is being replaced by a single integrated exam that tests knowledge and skills together. ASPPB's Board of Directors approved the blueprint in December 2025.
- Six domains instead of eight. The integrated exam is built on a new blueprint with six competency domains, each with a published weight. The blueprint came out of a 2025 Job Task Analysis with input from almost 3,000 licensed psychologists in the United States and Canada.
- New question types. Alongside standard multiple-choice, the exam adds extended multiple-choice, scenario-based question sets, and questions with audio and video.
- Pass/fail scoring. The integrated exam reports pass/fail based on total score, not the familiar 200 to 800 scale with a 500 cut.
- A new fee. Effective April 1, 2028, the exam fee is $650, with CPI-informed increases considered every two years starting April 1, 2030.
The full timeline, every date that matters
This is ASPPB's published rollout schedule.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Winter 2026 | Blueprint shared in English and French. Current exams continue as normal. |
| Spring and Summer 2026 | Exam item development. Board approves the integrated EPPP cost. |
| Fall 2026 | Sample exam published, based on the new blueprint. ASPPB calls for beta test volunteers. |
| March to April 2027 | Beta test delivered. Costs $100. |
| Late June 2027 | Beta scores released. Standard setting establishes the passing cut. |
| Fall 2027 | Integrated EPPP goes live. First-time candidates must take it. |
| Until March 31, 2028 | Part 1 and Part 2 remain available, but only to repeaters. |
| April 1, 2028 | Integrated EPPP becomes the only version. Fee is $650. |
The two dates that decide the most for the most people: Fall 2027 (first-timers switch, no choice) and March 31, 2028 (last day a repeater can retake the old format). If either applies to you, the now-or-wait post walks through the decision in detail.
The current exam vs the integrated exam
| Current EPPP | Integrated EPPP (Fall 2027) | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Part 1 (Knowledge); Part 2 paused since Oct 2024 | One combined exam |
| Domains | 8 knowledge domains | 6 competency domains |
| Question types | Standard multiple-choice | Standard MC, extended MC, scenario sets, audio and video |
| Scoring | Scaled 200 to 800, cut at 500 in most states | Pass/fail on total score |
| Fee | $600 plus $91.88 Pearson VUE site fee | $650 from April 1, 2028 (see the cost post) |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE centers | Pearson centers, single day |
The six new domains and their weights
These come straight from ASPPB's 2026 content specifications document:
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1. Scientific Orientation to Practice | 15% |
| 2. Assessment | 20% |
| 3. Intervention | 20% |
| 4. Consultation and Supervision | 10% |
| 5. Interpersonal Relationships | 15% |
| 6. Ethical and Professional Practice | 20% |
The headline: the classic content areas (bio bases, cognitive-affective, social, lifespan) do not disappear, but they get folded into the Scientific Orientation domain as sub-competencies, while Consultation and Supervision plus Interpersonal Relationships arrive as heavily weighted domains that the current exam barely touches. I break down what moved where, with the sub-competency detail, in the format and domains post.
Eligibility: who ASPPB thinks should sit for it
Alongside the exam itself, ASPPB published an eligibility recommendation: candidates should have completed the coursework of a doctoral program acceptable to their licensing board, and all or most of their required supervised experience. The key word is recommendation. Your licensing board still decides who is eligible, exactly as it does today. If you were planning to test early in your training, the eligibility post covers what this could mean for you.
What stays the same
Amid the change, some things hold steady:
- Your state or provincial board still runs licensure. ASPPB writes the exam; your board approves candidates, sets requirements, and grants the license.
- Pearson VUE still delivers the exam at its testing centers.
- Knowledge still matters. The six domains lean harder on application, but psychopathology, research methods, assessment, and ethics content runs through all of them. Prep does not become optional; it becomes different.
- The current exam is unchanged until Fall 2027. If you test before then, everything in my current exam format guide and domain weights breakdown applies to you as written.
What ASPPB has not published yet
Honesty section. As of August 2026, these are not public:
- The number of questions on the integrated exam.
- The official exam length. ASPPB communications have described a single-day exam planned to run about five hours, but the final specification is not posted.
- Whether the $650 fee includes the Pearson VUE site fee, which is a separate $91.88 today. Confirm at registration.
- The passing standard. The cut score comes out of standard setting after the Spring 2027 beta, so it literally does not exist yet.
- First official pass rates. There will be no historical data on the new exam until the first cohorts go through it.
If a prep company tells you it knows any of these numbers today, it is guessing.
FAQ
Is the EPPP changing in 2027? Yes. In Fall 2027, ASPPB replaces the current EPPP with a single integrated exam covering six competency domains, using new question types including audio and video, and scored pass/fail. First-time candidates must take the new version from its release.
What happens to EPPP Part 2? It never became required. ASPPB paused the Part 2 mandate in October 2024, and the integrated exam now absorbs the skills content Part 2 was built for. The two-exam future is officially over. My EPPP vs EPPP-2 post has the full history.
When is the last chance to take the current EPPP? For first-time candidates, before the integrated exam launches in Fall 2027. For candidates who failed Part 1 before the launch, retakes of the old format run until March 31, 2028.
Will the new EPPP be harder? Nobody knows yet, including the prep companies. The format is new, the cut score has not been set, and there is no pass rate history. What is predictable from testing history: first cohorts on a new exam format tend to face a rougher adjustment period while prep materials catch up.
How much will the new EPPP cost? $650 effective April 1, 2028, per ASPPB. The beta test in Spring 2027 costs $100. Whether the Pearson site fee is separate has not been stated. Details in the cost post.
Should I rush to take the EPPP before it changes? If you are otherwise ready and eligible, testing under the current format is the lower-risk path: stable format, mature prep materials, known pass rates. But rushing in unprepared burns $700 and a failed attempt. Here is how to decide.
The bottom line
The 2027 integrated EPPP is real, approved, and scheduled. Six domains, new question types, pass/fail, $650, first-timers required from Fall 2027, repeaters cut off from the old format on March 31, 2028. Bookmark this post; I update this series as ASPPB publishes the missing pieces.
And if you are testing before the switch, your job has not changed: master the current eight domains with retrieval practice, not rereading. That is exactly what thePsychology.ai is built for, with diagnostic-driven practice questions that target your weakest domains first. Try it free for 7 days and know where you stand before you pick your exam date.
Sources
- ASPPB, EPPP eligibility, professional practice, and cost updates: https://asppb.net/news/eppp-eligibility-updates-professional-practice-cost/
- ASPPB, content specifications announcement (operational Fall 2027): https://asppb.net/news/asppb-announces-content-specifications-for-the-examination-for-professional-practice-in-psychology-eppp-operational-in-fall-of-2027/
- ASPPB, EPPP blueprint launch timelines (PDF): https://asppb.net/wp-content/uploads/EPPP-BLUEPRINT-LAUNCH-TIMELINES-1.pdf
- ASPPB, Content Specifications for the EPPP Operational in Fall of 2027 and Forward (full document with domain weights, as distributed to licensing boards): https://psychology.ca.gov/about_us/meetings/materials/20260213_hc_3.pdf