CSCS Paper/Pencil Exam Cost	Featured Downloads CSCS Paper/Pencil Exam Candidate Handbook CSCS Computer-Based Exam Candidate Handbook CSCS Exam Preparation Suggestions CSCS Exam Information/ Registration
NSCA Member Early Registration Deadline Registration Cutoff Initial registration fee $260 $295 Retake fee for both sections $210 $245 Retake fee for one section* $165 $200 Nonmember   Initial registration fee $395 $430 Retake fee for both sections $345 $380 Retake fee for one section* $300 $335
	CSCS Computer-Based Exam Cost
NSCA Member Registration Fee Initial registration fee $310 Retake fee for both sections $260 Retake fee for one section* $215 Nonmember   Initial registration fee $445 Retake fee for both sections $395 Retake fee for one section* $350

*You must have already passed one section of the exam in order to register for just one section.

To earn the CSCS credential, candidates must pass a rigorous exam comprised of two sections: Scientific Foundations and Practical/Applied.

Scientific Foundations

The Scientific Foundations section, which is 1.5 hours in length, consists of 80 scored multiple-choice questions and 10 nonscored multiple-choice questions designed to assess a candidate's knowledge in the areas of exercise sciences (58 scored questions on anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanics, etc.) and nutrition (22 scored questions).

Scientific Foundations
Domain	Percent of Exam Section	Number of Questions
Exercise Science	72.5%	58
Nutrition	27.5%	22
Nonscored Questions*	-	10
Total	100%	90
Length of exam section		1.5 hours

*For more information on nonscored questions, please refer to the CSCS Exam Candidate Handbook.

Practical/Applied

The Practical/Applied section, which is 2.5 hours in length, 110 scored multiple-choice questions and 10 nonscored multiple-choice questions pertaining to program design, exercise techniques, testing and evaluation and organization/administration. Forty of these are in conjunction with a video, which mainly assesses competencies in exercise techniques, functional anatomy and testing procedures. This section contains 39 scored questions on program design, 39 scored questions on exercise techniques, 22 scored questions on testing and evaluation and 10 scored questions on organization/administration.

Practical/Applied
Section and Domain	Percent of Exam Section	Number of Questions
Exercise Technique	35.5%	39
Program Design	35.5%	39
Organization and Administration	9%	10
Testing and Evaluation	20%	22
Nonscored Questions*	-	10
Total	100%	120
Number of video questions (already included in the total)		40
Length of exam section		2.5 hours

*For more information on nonscored questions, please refer to the CSCS Exam Candidate Handbook.

Exercise Technique: correct flexibility, conditioning, plyometric and resistance training exercise techniques

Program Design: anaerobic and aerobic training programs based upon an athlete's sport, strength and conditioning levels and training goals

Organization and Administration: policies and procedures, staffing, layout and safety guidelines of a strength and conditioning facility

Testing and Evaluation: proper performance test selection, administration and evaluation of results based on the athlete's sport, strength and conditioning levels and training goals

Explanation of Nonscored Exam Questions

The CSCS exam contains nonscored questions that are being "pretested" or evaluated for future use. Including this type of question allows the CSCS Exam Development Committee to collect meaningful information about new questions that may appear as real scored questions on future exams.

Pretesting is accomplished by interspersing new ("untried") questions throughout the exam (10 nonscored questions appear in each section of the CSCS exam). Only this small number is included so that additional testing time will not be needed by exam candidates. These questions are not scored as part of a candidate's certification exam, and they do not affect an individual's pass/fail status. The nonscored questions are scattered throughout the exam so candidates will answer them with the same effort that they give to the actual scored questions.

To keep the CSCS exam reflective of current job-related duties, new questions must continuously be introduced and evaluated. Pretesting is an accepted testing practice that creates a statistically sound standardized exam and allows candidates to receive scores that are based only on previously used ("tried") questions. Nonscored pretest questions also appear on the computer-based exam format to provide the same testing experience to all candidates, regardless of which exam format a candidate chooses.

Please note: A strength training and conditioning professional must write effective and well-defined training programs for a wide variety of sports, including those that he/she did not actually participate in or play. The examination questions evaluate the person's knowledge in the areas of anaerobic and aerobic training programs based upon an athlete's sport, strength and conditioning levels and training goals as well as proper performance test selection, administration and evaluation of results based on the athlete's sport.