Policies & Processes:
Can I take an exam without taking the course?
The only way to access an exam is by taking the associated course. You can find courses that work for you on our Training Calendar.
Please note that attending the class does not guarantee you will pass the exam. To be eligible for the exam, you must attend the course in its entirety.
How do I access my course exam?
To access your learning plan and exam:
Login to Studio. If you do not remember your password, click the "Forgot Password" link to receive a reset email.
Select Learn > My Learning from the tabs above.
Select "In Progress"
Select the class that you are looking for. You may have multiple In Progress.
The Exam is located at the bottom of the Learning Plan. Once your instructor has confirmed your attendance, you will be able to launch the exam.
How do I access the practice test?
To access your practice test and Learning Plan, complete these steps:
Log-in to Studio
Click Learn > My Learning in the top navigation menu
Go to the In Progress sub-tab
Select the Learning Plan tile for your course
Click on the blue launch buttons to guide you through the Learning Plan
Locate the Practice Test section and below you will find the practice test. Once your instructor has confirmed your attendance, you will be able to launch the practice test.
You can take the practice test as many times as you need to feel prepared for the actual exam.
Please note that the practice test, while designed to be predictive of success on the exam, does not guarantee you will pass the final exam.
Can I take the exam in a different language than the one I took the course in?
No. To take the exam in another language, you must complete the course in that same language. Eligibility for the exam is based on the language in which the course was completed.
When does my exam expire?
Your first exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee, if the exam is taken within 30 days after your instructor has confirmed your attendance. The 30-day exam window expires at 11:59 pm in the time zone listed on your account. However, there is an Extension Policy if it is needed. If you are not within the window for the Extension Policy, then a Retake will need to be purchased to complete the exam.
To view your time zone, follow these steps:
Log in to Studio
Click your name in the upper-right corner
Click on Settings from the drop-down at your name in the upper right
Click on Preferences
Go to the Edit button at the bottom of the Preferences Section and you can adjust the locale and time zone.
Click Save and Close
IMPORTANT: Please be sure to allow yourself enough time to complete the exam before it expires. If you have just started or are in the middle of the exam when it expires, your exam results will not be saved, and additional time will not be provided.
How long do I have to complete the exam? Does it need to be done in one sitting?
Once you start your exam, a timer* will begin and will continue until you complete the exam. If you do not complete the exam in the allotted time, the exam will end and be scored with the existing answers. Exiting the exam does not pause the timer.
*SAFe exams are either 90 minutes or 120 minutes. Check the specific exam page on scaledagile.com for details.
Can I get extra time to take the exam?
Scaled Agile is committed to providing reasonable, fair, and appropriate access to testing for all individuals. It is our policy to offer reasonable testing accommodations for individuals with disabilities based on these established standards:
In the United States, we follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recommendations.
In other countries, we comply with local law.
A request for special testing accommodations may be submitted to Scaled Agile using the SAI Testing Accommodations Request form. A decision to grant an accommodation and specific accommodation details will be made on a case-by-case basis. All information will remain private based on Scaled Agile’s privacy policy.
Can I get an exam extension?
In most cases, yes! We have our full policy and instructions here.
How do I prepare for the certification exam?
There are several ways you can prepare yourself before taking the exam:
Attend the course - Required
Review the SAFe Framework website and the many available articles
Review all course materials, the learner workbook obtained from the course, course exercises and activities, and your notes
Review the specific exam details for each course by accessing the Study Guide found in your Learning Plan
Take the practice test, which is designed using the same number of questions, level of difficulty, timebox, and domain areas as the exam
Expand your knowledge past the classroom and materials through discussions with peers and other SAFe professionals
What materials can I use during the exam?
Exams are closed-book and must be taken independently without assistance from another person and without written notes, published materials, testing aids, or any other material during the exam. Candidates, instructors, or others cannot give, seek, or receive unauthorized assistance during an exam.
No outside resources or materials of any kind are allowed during the exam. This includes not using a copy of the Framework (Big Picture). This policy changed in 2017 when Scaled Agile adopted "no outside assistance," and it is part of the Candidate Agreement* that all candidates must agree to before launching the exam.
*https://www.scaledagile.com/certification/candidate-agreement/ - see section 3. "Compliance with Exam Requirements and Prohibitions"
Concepts:
What are the misconceptions I might have about exams?
We have a short video discussing this with one of our own SPCTs. Click this link for further information about taking the exam and the certification process:
Misconceptions about Testing and the Certification Process at Scaled Agile? (1:12)
Why are exams timed?
All of Scaled Agile's exams have moved all exams to a timed format. It is vital for Scaled Agile, to maintain the competitive edge of our certifications. Timed exams are the industry standard.
We have set our exam times based on statistics from testing industry standards. The industry standard for the style and format of our questions is 90 seconds. We allow an additional 30 seconds to accommodate non-native English speakers, which brings our timed exams to two minutes per question.
Please note that you must take the exam in one sitting. Timed exams cannot be paused. Once you begin the exam, the timer will continue to count down regardless of whether you exit the exam or not. Please be sure to have the entire exam time window set aside with no distractions before you start the exam.
How are the exam questions created?
Exams are created by collaborating content subject matter experts and exam development experts using industry best practices.
We are ALWAYS looking for volunteers to help us build our exams. If you are interested in getting involved with exam development, please visit https://support.scaledagile.com/s/article/Exam-Developer-Badge-Frequently-Asked-Questions?language=en_US
How is the time on the exam determined?
Scaled Agile, Inc. uses Testing Industry Standards to determine the length of each exam.
When an exam is developed, there are several key variables that will impact the exam duration:
The number and type of questions (multiple choice, true/false, scenario)
Difficulty of subject matter
Grammar and localization considerations
Domain area
Audience
We have a more complete breakdown here: https://support.scaledagile.com/en/articles/9764038-how-is-the-time-on-an-exam-determined
How are exam pass rates determined?
For an exam to meet rigorous testing industry standards, a passing score (cut score) cannot be arbitrarily selected. Scores must be based on a method that supports the overall testing goals of validity, reliability, and fairness. Ultimately, it must differentiate those who met the standards from those who did not.
There are a variety of ways to establish a passing score using standard-setting principles including beta, bookmarking, and Angoff. When setting the initial cut score, Scaled Agile, Inc. applies a modified-Angoff item-centric approach and then monitors exam performance to ensure reliability and validity in the established score.
We have more information on this here: https://support.scaledagile.com/en/articles/9767731-how-are-exam-pass-rates-determined