P.Eng CBA Rejected? See What Each Comment Needs
Send your assessor comments. A licensed P.Eng shows you what each one needs, free for 15 minutes.
40+ CBAs reviewed since June 2025. No rejection reported back to us.Rejected CBA Review
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What should I do if my P.Eng CBA is returned or rejected?
If your P.Eng CBA comes back, read the assessor comments before you change a word, and list each flagged competency with what its comment says is missing. Check your decision letter for the deadline to ask for a reassessment, reconsideration or hearing. Then revise the flagged competencies in your own words and have them checked before you resubmit.
Last reviewed by Reza Kashi, P.Eng
Send your comments for the free 15-minute review
Start with your situation. The assessor comments alone are enough; you do not need your full CBA yet. If you have a deadline, include it.
Start with your situation
We use this to understand your situation and follow up.
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What the review looks like
Your sentence, the reviewer's comment on it, and the change you make. You stay the author.
Action
I visited the site during the outage. I witnessed the shaftline corrections done by the crew1, aligning the units according to CEATI standards. We calculated the resultant values and confirmed each unit was within tolerance.
Licensed P.Eng reviewer
“Witnessed” reads as watching. What did you plan, calculate or decide yourself?
We comment. You write the change.
If your association returns a competency we reviewed, send us the assessor's comments and we'll review your revision of that competency free.
Nobody can promise approval. Your regulator decides. You stay the author: we show you what to change, and you write it.
- Free: a 15-minute review of your assessor comments, with the next step that fits
- If you go ahead: a licensed P.Eng reads each returned competency line by line and gives you a revision plan
- 1 to 10 competencies
- $297
- 11 to 22 competencies
- $597
- 23 to 34 competencies
- $797
CAD, one time, before tax
40+ CBAs reviewed since June 2025. No rejection reported back to us.Reviews are led by Reza Kashi, P.Eng, CertNova's co-founder.
See pricesWhat a returned or rejected CBA means at your association
Each association names its outcome differently, and your decision letter is the document that governs. In every case the assessor's rating of your written examples decides the result. Validator ratings are an input.
PEO (Ontario)
PEO has two outcomes: a licence, or a Registrar's Notice of Proposal to refuse, which comes with written reasons. You can then require a hearing by the Registration Committee.
Ask for the hearing in writing within 30 days after the notice is served.
Source: Professional Engineers Act, s.19 · Our guide to a PEO Notice of Proposal
APEGA (Alberta)
The Board of Examiners approves, defers or refuses an application. A reassessment is for information that should have been in your application and was not.
Request a reassessment within 90 days of the decision letter ($225 plus GST).
Source: APEGA: Reassessment
APEGS (Saskatchewan)
An assessor can mark a competency as needing more information. That competency reopens for you to fix and resubmit, and it is validated again.
You can ask once, ever, for a different assessor on specific competencies, and that result is final.
EGBC (British Columbia)
Assessors can ask for more information, and the outcome can reassign competencies to you for revision. Other outcomes include an interview, exams or more experience.
Within 30 days of a decision, ask for a reconsideration ($300) or a Review on the Record ($500).
Source: EGBC Policy 2.D, Reconsideration
EGM (Manitoba)
An assessor can mark a competency as needing more information, which leads to revisions. The Registration Committee makes the final decision.
Appeal a refusal in writing within 30 days of receiving the notice.
Source: EGM: Appeals
One competency can be enough
One low competency can be enough to send a file back. The Canadian environment competencies (1.1, 1.6, 1.9, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1 and 6.2; PEO's list leaves out 2.1 and 2.2) must each meet their own minimum, whatever their category's average.
Checked against each association's published pages and guides in September and October 2026. If your letter says something different, follow your letter.
What assessor comments usually point to
Why P.Eng CBAs get rejected or returned with comments
Our free rejected CBA sample carries seven real assessor comments, anonymised. Four patterns repeat in them. Each one asks for evidence you can add in writing, which is why a returned CBA often says more about how an example was written than about your experience.
Your own role is not clear
“It appears [the applicant] only witnessed the Shaftline correction process and verified the resultant values.” Competency 1.1
The assessor could see the project but not a decision or action that was yours.
What to change: Say what you decided, calculated or changed, in the first person.
A code or standard is named, not shown
“Further detail to specific clauses and to what work [the applicant] did is required to meet the competency requirements.” Competency 1.1
Naming a code is not evidence on its own. The assessor needs the requirement and the step you took because of it.
What to change: Give the clause or requirement, then what you did to meet it.
The example does not fit the competency
“is not a code of ethics issue, it is rather a contractual/job obligation.” Competency 5.1
“UL and CE standards are not regulatory bodies.” Competency 6.3
A sound example filed under the wrong competency still scores low.
What to change: Match the example to what the indicator asks, or replace it with one that does.
The detail the competency asks for is missing
“needs to detail the key points they summarized from the documents they reviewed.” Competency 2.3
“The feedback mentioned (time management) is not engineering specific.” Competency 3.5
Some competencies ask for one specific kind of evidence, such as technical feedback or what a document said.
What to change: Add the exact item the comment names.
Read the comments in our free rejected CBA sample.
What a licensed P.Eng's line-by-line read catches
In Rejection Support each returned competency is read against its assessor comment, sentence by sentence. The read looks for:
- Each assessor comment matched to the sentence it is about, so you know what to rewrite and what to leave alone.
- Every "we" that hides a decision you made yourself.
- Codes and standards named without the clause, or without what you did to meet them.
- Examples under the wrong competency, with a call on whether to revise or replace them.
- Dates, roles and validators that do not support the responsibility you describe. Your CV is read alongside your examples.
You write every change. Your association expects the CBA to be your own account of your own work, so the reviewer marks and explains, and the rewriting stays with you.
Reviews are led by Reza Kashi, P.Eng, CertNova's co-founder.
CBA Rejection Support: what you get and what it costs
Not sure which one fits? Start with the free 15-minute review.
- 1
Send your assessor comments
Use the form on this page. The comments alone are enough for the free 15-minute review, which tells you what each comment is asking for and which next step fits.
- 2
A licensed P.Eng reads the returned competencies
In Rejection Support each competency in your band is read line by line against its comment. You get each comment mapped to a fix and a revision plan in priority order.
- 3
You revise, then resubmit
You write every change. If your association returns a competency we reviewed, send us the assessor's comments and we'll review your revision of that competency free.
Free 15-minute review
$0 No card needed
Best for: Finding out what your comments are asking for, and which next step fits.
- A quick review of your comments and your situation
- Direction on whether you need Rejection Support, a Draft Review or consulting
CBA Rejection Support
From $297 CAD, one time, before tax
Best for: Applicants whose association returned, rejected or scored competencies low.
- A line-by-line read of each returned competency by a licensed P.Eng
- Each assessor comment mapped to a fix
- A revision plan in priority order
- A complimentary 30-minute session with the P.Eng, booked after payment
- A reply within 1 business day of receiving your files
CBA Writing Consulting
$147 CAD per hour, before tax
Best for: Rebuilding several competencies with a P.Eng license holder beside you.
- A 1-hour video session
- Example selection across competencies
- A follow-up email summary
CBA Rejection Support: $297 for 1 to 10 competencies · $597 for 11 to 22 competencies · $797 for 23 to 34 competencies. Prices in CAD, before tax.
If a competency comes back
If your association returns a competency we reviewed, send us the assessor's comments and we'll review your revision of that competency free.
Our review record to date
Since June 2025, more than 40 P.Eng applicants have had their CBA read line by line by CertNova. None of those who told us their result reported a rejection. We don't turn that into a rate, because not everyone tells us. Nobody can promise approval; your regulator decides.
Who reads your CBA
Reviews are led by Reza Kashi, P.Eng, CertNova's co-founder.
Count back from your deadline
Your decision letter, or the date you set yourself, is the fixed point. Work back from it with your own numbers.
- 1
Write down your date
Published windows include 30 days at PEO to require a hearing, 90 days at APEGA to request a reassessment, and 30 days at EGBC and EGM to ask for a reconsideration or an appeal. If you set your own resubmission date, use that.
- 2
Take off your validators' time
Where a revised competency is validated again, as it is at APEGS, ask your validators now how long they need. Their time comes off the window first.
- 3
Take off your own writing time
You make every change yourself. Decide how many evenings you need, then keep a buffer before the date for a final read.
- 4
Start the review with what is left
Once you book Rejection Support, we reply within 1 business day of receiving your files. The free 15-minute review can happen before that.
An example, with numbers you would replace with your own: a 30-day window, validators who say they need 10 days and 8 days you want for writing leave 12 days for the review and a final check. Send your comments early in those 12 days.
What applicants who used our review service say
5.0 on Google · 25+ reviews“I used CertNova to review and refine my Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) for my P.Eng. application, and the experience has been very valuable. Their team provided clear, detailed feedback that helped me better align my competency examples with the EGM's expectations and significantly improved the structure and quality of my submissions. What stood out most was their strong understanding of the CBA framework and their ability to identify gaps in my examples that I would have otherwise missed. Their comments were practical, precise, and easy to apply, which saved me a considerable amount of time during revisions and reduced the stress of the resubmission process. The support was professional, responsive, and focused on helping me strengthen my application rather than just making superficial edits. I would highly recommend CertNova to anyone preparing or revising their CBA competencies for their P.Eng. application.”
“CertNova Inc was a lifesaver for my application. After signing up for their free review I received really helpful feedback and decided to sign up for further guidance. On top of that they squeezed the review of my application in last minute. They were extremely professional, knowledgeable, prompt with their communication and accommodating. I highly recommend them!”
“I used CertNova to refine my CBA application for my P.Eng., and the experience was excellent. Reza was outstanding: knowledgeable, clear, and incredibly thorough. His feedback strengthened my application significantly. I highly recommend CertNova, especially Reza, to anyone preparing their CBA or pursuing their P.Eng. license.”
Reviews are quoted word for word from our Google profile. Each one is labelled with the service the reviewer describes.
This service is for you if:
- Your P.Eng CBA was rejected, refused or returned with comments.
- Some competencies were scored low and you are not sure why.
- You received comments from PEO, APEGA, APEGS, EGBC, EGM or another association.
- You want to know what to change first before you resubmit.
- You want a licensed P.Eng to read your revision before it goes back.
- You will do the rewriting yourself.
This is not for applicants looking for shortcuts
CBA Rejection Support is not a ghostwriting service. We do not invent experience, copy examples or promise approval.
- Applicants who want someone to fabricate project experience
- Applicants who want a promise of approval
- Applicants who want to copy someone else's CBA
- Applicants who do not want to revise their own work
Not sure if this is the right support?
Choose your situation and we'll point you to the right next step.
I have not submitted yet
A licensed P.Eng reads your competencies before you send them.
See CBA Draft ReviewI received comments or a rejection
See the prices for CBA Rejection Support and book the band you need.
See pricesI am still writing my CBA
CBA Pro interviews you about your own projects and turns your answers into a draft of each competency.
Start CBA ProI need hands-on guidance
Book CBA Writing Consulting for 1-on-1 help, at $147 CAD an hour.
See consultingI also need to prepare for NPPE
Use NPPE Pro for exam-style NPPE preparation.
Start NPPE ProQuick answers
Does a rejected CBA mean I am not qualified?
Not by itself. Assessors rate what your written examples show, so a returned CBA often means an example did not make your own decisions, the requirement you met or the right competency clear. Read each comment as a request for specific evidence. Your decision letter says which outcome applies to you.
Can CertNova help with a rejected P.Eng CBA?
Yes. In CBA Rejection Support a licensed P.Eng reads each returned competency against its assessor comment and gives you a revision plan, and you write the changes. It starts with a free 15-minute review of your comments. Reviews are led by Reza Kashi, P.Eng, CertNova's co-founder.
Should I use CBA Pro after my CBA was rejected?
Only to start a competency fresh. CBA Pro interviews you about your own projects and turns your answers into new drafts; it does not fix or rewrite a draft you already have. If the comments mean a competency needs a new example, CBA Pro can interview you for that one. To understand the comments and rework what you already wrote, start with CBA Rejection Support, where a licensed P.Eng reads your competencies line by line.
How is CBA Rejection Support different from CBA Draft Review?
CBA Draft Review is for competencies you have not submitted yet. CBA Rejection Support is for competencies your association returned, and the read starts from the assessor comments. Both are priced by competency band: $297, $597 or $797 CAD, one time, before tax.
Your CBA must stay based on your own engineering experience. CertNova helps you understand assessor comments, find the gaps and plan the revision, and you write every change. We do not ghostwrite your experience, and nobody can promise approval; your regulator decides.
CertNova is not an engineering regulator. The final assessment decision belongs to your association.
CBA rejection FAQ
It means an assessor rated one or more competencies below the level your association requires, because the written example did not show enough evidence. Each association names the outcome differently: PEO issues a Notice of Proposal to refuse, APEGA can defer or refuse, and APEGS, EGBC and EGM assessors can ask for more information on a competency. Your decision letter names yours.
It depends on the association and the outcome, and your decision letter governs. Published windows include 30 days at PEO to require a hearing after a Notice of Proposal is served, 90 days at APEGA to request a reassessment, 30 days at EGBC to request a reconsideration and 30 days at EGM to appeal a refusal.
In the seven real assessor comments in our anonymised rejected CBA sample, four patterns repeat: the applicant's own role was unclear, a code or standard was named without the requirement, the example did not fit the competency, and a detail the competency asks for was missing. Each comment asks for evidence you can add in writing.
$297 CAD for 1 to 10 competencies, $597 for 11 to 22 and $797 for 23 to 34, one time, before tax. It includes a line-by-line read by a licensed P.Eng, each assessor comment mapped to a fix, a revision plan and a complimentary 30-minute session with the P.Eng. The first step, a 15-minute review of your comments, is free.
If your association returns a competency we reviewed, send us the assessor's comments and we'll review your revision of that competency free. Nobody can promise approval; your regulator decides.
No. CertNova is not an engineering regulator, and nobody can promise approval; your regulator decides. What we can do is help you understand the comments and make each returned competency show the evidence it asks for before you resubmit.
Not in this service. CBA Rejection Support does not fabricate, copy, or ghostwrite your CBA: a reviewer explains the comments and shows you what to change, and you revise your own work. If you want help with new competencies, CBA Pro interviews you about your projects and turns your answers into drafts, and you stay responsible for what you submit.
The assessor comments, or a summary of what your letter says, and the flagged competencies if you have them. The comments alone are enough to start, and you can upload or paste them in the form on this page.
Send them as they are. The free 15-minute review starts by explaining what each comment is asking for. In Rejection Support a licensed P.Eng then matches each comment to the sentences it is about and tells you what evidence is missing and what to fix first.
Assessors can only rate what the written example shows. Strong experience can still score low when the example describes the team's work, names a standard without the requirement, or sits under the wrong competency. The fix is in the writing: your own decisions, the specific requirement and the right indicator.
Yes. The review tells you whether each returned example should be revised, reframed or replaced with a different project that fits the competency better. You choose the replacement from your own experience.
NPPE Pro is for National Professional Practice Examination preparation, not CBA rejection support. However, many P.Eng applicants need both NPPE preparation and CBA support during their licensing journey. CertNova offers NPPE Pro for exam preparation, CBA Pro for preparing your competencies, and CBA Rejection Support for a CBA that came back with comments.
Yes. Internationally trained P.Eng applicants in Canada can use CertNova's CBA Rejection Support if their CBA was returned, rejected, or commented on by a Canadian engineering association.
Send your comments through the form on this page for the free 15-minute review. If you then book Rejection Support, we reply within 1 business day of receiving your files. Include your deadline so the plan fits it.
Read the assessor comments and list the competencies they flag. If you want a second pair of eyes, send the comments through the form on this page for a free 15-minute review, and we will tell you whether Rejection Support, a Draft Review, consulting or CBA Pro fits.
Summary: CBA Rejection Support
CertNova's CBA Rejection Support is for Canadian P.Eng applicants whose Competency-Based Assessment was returned, rejected or scored low by PEO, APEGA, APEGS, EGBC, EGM or another association. A licensed P.Eng reads each returned competency line by line against its assessor comment and gives a revision plan, and the applicant writes every change. It starts with a free 15-minute review of the comments. Prices are $297 CAD for 1 to 10 competencies, $597 for 11 to 22 and $797 for 23 to 34, one time, before tax. Reviews are led by Reza Kashi, P.Eng, CertNova's co-founder. CertNova is not a regulator. Nobody can promise approval; your regulator decides.
Last reviewed by Reza Kashi, P.Eng
Send your comments before you rewrite anything
The free 15-minute review tells you what each comment is asking for and which next step fits your deadline.
Nobody can promise approval. Your regulator decides. You stay the author: we show you what to change, and you write it.
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