Ask your employer to fund your certification exam and your preparation.
Employers fund credentials routinely. The request often goes unmade because people are unsure how to frame it.
The letter is written to be edited. Replace everything in brackets with your own information, then copy the letter below into your email. The information above is for you, not your manager.
Check your organization’s policy first. Many employers already have tuition reimbursement or professional development funds. If a policy exists, name it in your letter.
Find out who approves it. Sometimes your manager, sometimes HR or finance. Sending it to the right person the first time saves weeks.
Know your exam fee. It depends on your credential, your membership status, and when you apply.
| SHRM exam and status | Early bird | Standard | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHRM-CP, SHRM member | $420 | $495 | $75 |
| SHRM-CP, nonmember | $520 | $595 | $75 |
| SHRM-SCP, SHRM member | $520 | $595 | $75 |
| SHRM-SCP, nonmember | $620 | $695 | $75 |
Published rates as of August 2026. Early bird rates include a $50 application fee. Standard rates include a $125 application fee. Member pricing requires SHRM membership at the time of application. SHRM is offering an additional 25% off SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP with code SUMMER26 at checkout, which stacks on early bird pricing. Verify current fees and promotion terms at shrm.org.
| HRCI exam | Application | Exam | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHR | $100 | $395 | $495 |
| PHRca | $100 | $395 | $495 |
| PHRi | $100 | $395 | $495 |
| SPHR | $100 | $495 | $595 |
| SPHRi | $100 | $495 | $595 |
Published rates as of August 2026. HRCI charges a flat $100 application fee plus the exam fee. There is no early bird tier and no membership discount. HRCI tests year round rather than in windows. The aPHR and aPHRi are $400 total. Verify current fees at hrci.org.
Name a number. Managers approve amounts, not intentions.
Make the case in the organization’s terms, not your own career terms.
Give a date. A request tied to a deadline gets scheduled.
Send this as an email. Replace everything in brackets. Copy the letter below into your email. The information above is for you, not your manager.
Subject: Professional development request, HR certification
Dear [Manager name],
I am requesting approval for the organization to fund my HR certification. This covers two costs: the certification exam itself, and a structured preparation program.
I am pursuing the [SHRM-CP / SHRM-SCP / PHR / SPHR / PHRi / SPHRi] credential and plan to sit for the exam in [month, year].
The costs are:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| [Credential] certification exam fee, paid to [SHRM / HRCI] | $[amount] |
| HR Certification Prep in the Age of AI | $697 |
| Total requested | $[amount] |
The exam fee is set by [SHRM / HRCI], is paid directly to them, and is nonrefundable once the application is approved. The preparation program is HR Certification Prep in the Age of AI, priced at $697 as a one time payment with 18 months of access.
The program includes:
• On demand preparation modules covering all exam domains
• Exam-style practice questions with guided answer analysis
• Written study guides and workbooks for each domain
• Structured frameworks for HR decision making
• Live group coaching, office hours, and an individual exam strategy session
• A professional learning community
[If your organization has a tuition reimbursement, certification, or professional development policy, name it here. Example: I understand this may fall under our professional development reimbursement policy, and I am happy to follow whatever process applies.]
This credential is the recognized standard for our profession. Preparing for it means working through employment law, compensation, workforce planning, employee relations, and organizational strategy against the current body of knowledge.
The benefit to [department or organization]:
• More consistent and defensible HR decisions, which matters when decisions are reviewed after the fact
• Earlier identification of legal, ethical, and employee relations risk
• Better supported recommendations to leadership on workforce issues
• Less reliance on outside counsel for routine questions
[Add one sentence about a current project or responsibility where this would apply.]
I am requesting [full payment / reimbursement / partial reimbursement] through [the professional development, certification, tuition reimbursement, or departmental training budget].
On timing: [SHRM: applications close on (date) for the (month) testing window, and applying before (date) is $75 lower. / HRCI: I intend to apply in (month), and my eligibility period would run 180 days from approval.] A decision by [date] would let me apply on schedule.
I am glad to provide the full program description, learning objectives, an invoice, or anything else you need to evaluate this request.
Thank you for considering it.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your title]
[Department]
[Email address]