What is APR – and why should I do it?

Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) is a qualification achieved by public relations professionals who have demonstrated broad knowledge, experience and professional and ethical judgement.

Earning the APR demonstrates your mastery of strategic communications practice and a commitment to lifelong learning and ethical standards. Attaining this valuable distinction is a personal and professional achievement that can lead you to the next level in your career both in Aotearoa and internationally.

Graduates of the APR programme are entitled to use the postnominal APR.

What does the APR programme involve?

The APR programme is designed to refresh and ‘test’ candidates’ understanding across the entire body of knowledge of PR/Communications practice. It is understood that some professionals work exclusively in a specific area; however, the APR coursework and seminars are designed to encourage people to develop an understanding of the entire PR and Communication Management framework.

The programme comprises:

‘Capabilities Framework’ workshop:
This 2 day workshop (Fri & Sat) will be held in Auckland and is an opportunity for candidates to meet and build a support network. Subject matter experts and senior PRINZ members present examples of the practical application of PR & Comms strategic disciplines in real world and authentic cases or campaigns. Costs for travel and accommodation for those from out of Auckland are the responsibility of the candidate but the workshop is covered in the APR fee.

Three written assignments: (two worth 10% and one worth 20% of your total APR score)
The aim of the assignments and coursework is to spread your effort over a five-month preparatory period before the exam. These also offer the opportunity to share your critical thinking and illustrate your experience in the industry. Each assignment also provides practice at presenting answers for the written and viva voce oral exams and provides feedback on how those answers are likely to be assessed. This will be of particular value to people who have not undertaken formal education for some time. 

Mentoring:
You will be allocated an experienced mentor who holds APR to support you through the programme. You can nominate a specific mentor that holds APR accreditation and is a current PRINZ member.  Mentors can be particularly helpful in assisting you with ideas and content for your assignments. They will also provide support, guidance and practice sessions for exam day.

Exam Day: Exam Day consists of 2 parts.

1. A written exam (worth 25% of your total APR score) comprising 5 essays chosen by you from 8 theoretical scenarios provided. Each scenario deals with a different strategic theory of PR & Comms and cover a range of circumstances from crisis comms to internal and community based communication plans for example.  The Ethics essay is compulsory for all candidates and then you may choose 4 others from the remaining 7 provided. You have 3 hours to complete all 5 essays.
2. Oral Viva Voce exam (worth 35% of your total APR score). This is highest portion of your final APR score.  3 senior APR accredited PRINZ members will interview you and discuss your experience to date, projects you have managed and are seeking pragmatic examples of how you have applied the foundational strategies of PR & Comms, including the PRINZ Code of Ethics, in your professional experience.  This interview will generally take 45-60 minutes on the afternoon of exam day.

Exam Day will be held in geographical centres where at least three candidates can come together. If there are not three candidates in one location, you will need to travel to the nearest host centre at your own cost.

An online exam workshop will be held prior to Exam Day where the chief examiner will talk about the exam, assignments, viva voce and answer any other questions you have. Mentors are invited and encouraged to attend this workshop.

Additional preparatory courses
It is now a requirement that all APR candidates have completed the 4 day ‘PR Strategy and Evaluation Course’ provided by PRINZ or have already completed it’s international equivalent (please reference the name of the international course in your application). This course covers the fundamentals of PR strategy, planning, research, measurement and evaluation, and is invaluable to your APR assignments and your ongoing PR & Comms career. This course can be undertaken in the same year as APR but some candidates might choose to enrol for PRSE in the year prior.  This could help to spread the costs and ensure ample opportunity for practical application of it’s foundations in the intervening period or identification of them in previous work.  There is a 30% discount for this course for candidates who undertake it in the same year as APR.

What is the time commitment involved in APR?

The amount of time you need to spend reading and studying depends on your professional and educational experience. In general, candidates should expect to allocate around 50-60 hours across the programme to study, write assignments and prepare for exams. This includes roughly 12 hours of workshops, up to 40 hours on assignments, and four hours of exams (excluding study time).

I’m thinking about applying for APR… do I have enough experience?

APR is designed to validate the breadth and depth of your capabilities. It is recommended that you have at least five-eight years’ experience working in public relations and communications management industry and have managed people and/or projects. As a guide, candidates should be working at or above a communication adviser (in-house) or account manager (consultancy) position.

You are required to submit an up-to-date copy of your CV and completed APR Application Form including contact details for two PRINZ member referees who ideally have APR. On the application form you will also need to briefly outline three projects you have managed or worked on.

This information will help the APR governance team to validate your readiness for APR and confirm you have the potential to successfully complete the APR programme. References will be checked by the governance team and in some instances an online interview with some of the governance team may be requested.

When is graduation?

Graduation takes place at the annual PRINZ Awards Gala Dinner of the following year. Travel to and/or accommodation at the event is at the candidate’s cost.

Do I need to travel to Auckland to do APR?

Yes but only for the Capabilities Framework workshop which is held over two days in Auckland. It is a requirement that all candidates attend this in person which is the one time the entire ‘class’ is together.

All assignment and Exam Day workshops are held online.  Locations for Exam Day depend on numbers. In most instances these are held in the major centres of Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. All travel expenses are the responsibility of the candidate.

I can’t make all the dates, does this matter?

Yes it does, the schedule is timed carefully in advance and cannot be altered. It may be better that you defer your enrolment by a year to be able to take part.

Does anyone fail APR?

Yes this can happen. There is a process to resit the viva voce exam and assistance will be provided to help a candidate work on the areas that need attention in order to pass.

How much does it cost?
The course fee for the 2026 APR programme is $2,995 excl. GST for existing members and $3,495 exc. GST for non members which includes 12 months PRINZ membership.

If you have any further questions regarding the APR programme, please email us.