gassed budgie, are you UK based?
If so,
take a look at these notes (Scroll down a page). Actually, even if not UK based there may be some useful info there.
Also, it's worth searching the Private Flying forum - lots of good advice, and 'SoCal App" who hangs out there seems well up to date with the current scene.
It's essentially as Lasiorhinus describes, however although the advised time is 90 days experience suggests it can be achieved in as little as a small number of weeks sometimes. (13 calendar days for me until the letter from the FAA arrived on my doorstep in the UK).