DPO certification programme

Frequently asked questions

What we can answer today. Where a decision has not been taken, it says so — rather than a date we invented and would not keep.

Selection

How does selection work?: In three stages. First we review your file: profile, motivation and aptitude for advisory work. Then a twenty-minute interview with a practical exercise — we put a case in front of you and watch how you take it. Then the decision, followed by enrolment and payment for those admitted.
How quickly do you reply?: Five working days after your application arrives. It is the promise printed on the form, and we measure it.
Do I have to be a lawyer?: No. We are recruiting sellers as much as lawyers: associates, auditors, accountants, security officers and IT professionals, independent consultants, and graduates with a commercial streak. The law is taught during the programme; the appetite to go and meet clients is much harder to teach.
Do I need to send a CV?: No, and that is deliberate. An optional LinkedIn link and a few lines about what you do are enough to decide whether we meet you. We do not collect a document we do not need at this stage — the same minimisation principle the programme will teach you to enforce elsewhere.
Can I apply twice?: One application is enough. The acknowledgement leaves as soon as the application is recorded; if it has not arrived after a few minutes, check your spam folder, then write to guillaume@cognitagrc.io rather than applying again — a second application does not move the first one forward, and we can resend the acknowledgement ourselves. If you are not selected, you may apply to a later session.

When does the next session start?: Dates are given to admitted candidates, session by session. The form asks which month would suit you: we take it into account when composing groups, without being able to guarantee it. Places are limited per session.
How long does it take?: Five weeks in a hybrid format, then ninety days of support after certification. The four modules are designed to be followed while working.
Where does the training take place?: In a hybrid format. The form asks for your preferred training city; we open where the number of candidates justifies it.

What does the programme cost?: One hundred thousand CFA francs in registration fees. That covers the five weeks, the examination and the certification, three months of access to a multi-client practice workspace, your entry in the public directory, the commercial proposal kit, prospecting tools and the ninety days of support.
When do I pay?: After admission, never before. Applying costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Are there scholarships?: Ten per cohort, reserved for candidates whose profile convinces us and whose means do not follow. The application form carries a “Scholarship request (optional)” field: one sentence there is enough. Leaving it blank penalises no application.

What is the certificate worth?: It is checkable. Every certified DPO appears in a public directory an employer or client can consult: final examination passed, syllabus available, date of issue. A title nobody can verify is worth nothing, and verifiability is precisely what we are selling.
Does certification guarantee a job or clients?: No, and we promise that nowhere. The programme guarantees training, a verifiable certification and professional tooling. What you make of it depends on your market and your work.

What do you do with what I put in the form?: It is used only to consider your application and to contact you. The lawful basis is your consent under article 9 of Law No. 2024/017; it is timestamped at the moment you tick the box.
How do I have my application deleted?: Reply to the acknowledgement, or write to us. Deletion is carried out without your having to justify it.