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• How a Computer-based Exam Compares to a Traditional Paper/Pencil Exam
• When, Where and How Computer-based Exams are Offered
• Registering, Paying and Scheduling for a Computer-based Exam
• Computer-based Exam Candidates Who Have Special Needs
• No-show, Late Arrival, Refund and Transfer Policies for Computer-based Exams
• Taking a Computer-based Exam
• Availability of Exam Scores
• After Taking a Computer-based Exam

What are the differences between the paper/pencil exam format and the computer-based exam format?

Paper/pencil Exam Format Computer-based Exam Format Registration Fee CSCS NSCA-CPT Registration Procedure Online Fax (paper form) Mail (paper form) Online only Transfer Policies $100 (USD) to transfer an exam date and/or location $100 (USD) to transfer from one certification exam to the other certification exam for the same date and location $125 (USD) to transfer from one certification exam to the other certification exam AND transfer exam date and/or location Must complete the transfer form at least SEVEN business days before the exam date No limit on number of transfers CANNOT transfer from a paper/pencil exam to a computer-based exam Only ONE transfer is allowed $100 (USD) to transfer an exam date and/or location Transfer must be to a date within the original 120-day window Must request a transfer at least SEVEN business days before the exam date Transferring from one certification exam to the other certification exam is NOT permitted CANNOT transfer from a computer-based exam to a paper/pencil based exam Cancellation Policies Refund request must be received in writing 50% refund if cancelled SEVEN business days before the exam No cancellation refund Scheduling Must schedule at least eight weeks before the exam date Can schedule anytime after the payment is made but within the 120-day window Must take the exam within the 120-day window Can schedule an exam appointment up to TWO business days before the exam date (depending on availability; call before 3:00 p.m. Central time) Retake Policies No limit on the number of retakes (a retake exam fee is required for each retake) Can retake at the retake fee, but must wait at least 90 days before retaking the exam No limit on the number of retakes (a retake exam fee is required for each retake) Score Reports Will receive scores (by mail) six to eight weeks after taking the exam Will receive a score report immediately only if the required documentation has been received by the NSCA Certification Commission Exam Locations Held at predetermined sites (typically a university/college setting) Click here for a list of CSCS paper/pencil exam dates and sites Click here for a list of NSCA-CPT paper/pencil exam dates and sites Held at AMP Assessment Centers (primarily H&R Block locations) Over 150 locations in the U.S. Click here for a list of CSCS computer-based testing exam sites click here for a list of NSCA-CPT computer-based testing exam sites Exam Dates Mostly on Saturdays Monday through Friday Some Saturdays (depending on the location of the exam) Start Times CSCS: Scientific Foundations section - begins at 9:00 a.m. Practical/Applied section - begins at 12:30 p.m. NSCA-CPT: Begins at 9:00 a.m. CSCS: Two time slots - 9:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. NOTE: Both exam sections are taken during the same time slot NSCA-CPT: Two time slots - 9:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Time to Complete the Exams CSCS: Scientific Foundations section - 1.5 hours (1.5-hour break between testing sections) Practical/Applied section - 2.5 hours NSCA-CPT: 3.0 hours CSCS: Scientific Foundations section - 1.5 hours (10 minute break between testing sections) Practical/Applied section - 2.5 hours NSCA-CPT: 3.0 hours Exam Format 4-option (A, B, C, D) multiple-choice questions 4-option (A, B, C, D) multiple-choice questions

When and where are the computer-based exams administered?

Computer-based exams are administered on a daily basis (Monday-Friday)* at over 150 AMP Assessment Centers across the country. There is a minimum of one computer site per state. Click here for a list of CSCS computer-based exam sites. Click here for a list of NSCA-CPT computer-based exam sites. (*Saturday testing is available at select sites and dates.)

Can I take a computer-based exam at home?

No. Computer-based exams are only held at specific AMP Assessment Centers (often they are secure and quiet testing rooms within an H&R Block location). Although the computer-based exam uses a computer interface to show the exam questions, it is NOT available online via the World Wide Web or as a purchased software (either downloaded or on a CD).

I don't want to take a computer-based exam. How can I take the CSCS or NSCA-CPT exam without using a computer?

In addition to computer-based exams, the NSCA Certification offers traditional paper/pencil exams throughout the year. Click here for a list of CSCS paper/pencil exam dates and sites. Click here for a list of NSCA-CPT paper/pencil exam dates and sites.

What is the process to register for a computer-based exam?

Candidates can only register and pay for a computer-based exam online. Once registered, a confirmation notice is immediately sent via e-mail to the candidate. At that point, he/she is authorized to schedule an exam appointment at an AMP Assessment Center.

When is the registration deadline for a computer-based exam?

Candidates who meet the exam requirements must complete the online registration process. Candidates may register at any time for a computer-based exam, and then upon receiving notification that their registration was approved, the candidate then schedules an exam appointment (actual day and time to take the computer-based exam). All exam appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. NOTE: The candidate MUST schedule an exam appointment at least TWO business days before he/she wants to take the exam. Refer to the schedule below: If you call to schedule an exam appointment by 3:00 p.m. (Central time) on ... Depending on availability, the exam may be scheduled as early as ... Monday Wednesday Tuesday Thursday Wednesday Friday Thursday Monday (Saturday, if available) Friday Tuesday Saturday Wednesday NOTE: After registering for the computer-based exam, the candidate has ONLY 120 days to schedule and take the examination. IF the candidate's 120-day window expires, he/she must reregister and pay the full exam fee to obtain a NEW 120-day window to schedule a new appointment and take the computer-based exam.

What are the fees for a computer-based exam?

Click here to to view the current CSCS exam registration fees. Click here to to view the current NSCA-CPT exam registration fees.

What is the process to schedule an exam appointment?

The confirmation e-mail that a candidate receives after registering for an exam includes a link to the "Examination and Test Center Information" Web site, a toll-free telephone number and directions about how to schedule an exam appointment. Appointments may be scheduled a minimum of TWO business days before the date that he/she wants to take the exam. NOTE: Exams will NOT be offered on U.S. federal holidays. NOTE: Candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST submit appropriate medical documentation with the Request for Special Accommodations Form to the NSCA Certification BEFORE scheduling to take the exam. Also, candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST call the scheduling service at 888-519-9901 (toll-free) during the following days and times: Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central time) Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) NOTE: It may take up to 45 days to arrange special testing arrangements.

Does the authorization to schedule an exam appointment expire?

Yes. Authorization to schedule an exam appointment expires after the exam is taken or 120 days after authorization is granted, whichever occurs first. Additionally, if the 120-day window expires, the candidate must reregister and pay the full exam fee to obtain a NEW 120-day window to schedule a new appointment to take an exam.

Can I schedule an exam appointment online?

Yes. If the candidate received a confirmation e-mail to take an exam, he/she may schedule an exam appointment online. The appropriate links to schedule an exam will be found in the confirmation e-mail. NOTE: Candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST submit appropriate medical documentation with the Request for Special Accommodations Form to the NSCA Certification BEFORE scheduling to take the exam. Also, candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST call the scheduling service at 888-519-9901 (toll-free) during the following days and times: Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central time) Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) NOTE: It may take up to 45 days to arrange special testing arrangements.

Can I schedule an exam appointment over the phone?

Yes. If the candidate received a confirmation e-mail to take an exam, he/she may schedule an exam appointment by calling the scheduling service at 888-519-9901 (toll-free) during the following days and times: Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central time) Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) NOTE: Candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST schedule an exam appointment over the phone.

Can I call to schedule an exam appointment the day before I wish to test?

No. A candidate must call TWO business days in advance to schedule an exam appointment on a first-come, first-served basis (refer to the schedule below): If you call to schedule an exam appointment by 3:00 p.m. (Central time) on ... Depending on availability, the exam may be scheduled as early as ... Monday Wednesday Tuesday Thursday Wednesday Friday Thursday Monday (Saturday, if available) Friday Tuesday Saturday Wednesday NOTE: Candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST submit appropriate medical documentation with the Request for Special Accommodations Form to the NSCA Certification BEFORE scheduling to take the exam. Also, candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST call the scheduling service at 888-519-9901 (toll-free) during the following days and times: Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central time) Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) NOTE: It may take up to 45 days to arrange special testing arrangements.

Are there dates when computer-based exams will NOT be given?

Yes. Exam appointments CANNOT be scheduled on the following days: New Year's Day Martin Luther King Day Presidents Day The Friday before Easter Memorial Day Independence Day (July 4) Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day The Friday after Thanksgiving Christmas Eve Day Christmas Day New Years Eve Day

I have a physical or mental impairment; can I make special testing arrangements?

Yes. The NSCA Certification Commission complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. Candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST submit appropriate medical documentation with the Request for Special Accommodations Form to the NSCA Certification BEFORE scheduling to take the exam. Also, candidates who have a physical or mental impairment and want to request special testing arrangements MUST call the scheduling service at 888-519-9901 (toll-free) during the following days and times: Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central time) Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central time) NOTE: It may take up to 45 days to arrange special testing arrangements.

What if I fail to appear or arrive late for a computer-based exam appointment?

Candidates who arrive at the AMP Assessment Center more than 15 minutes late for their appointment will NOT be allowed to take the exam. Further, candidates who fail to appear or are too late for an appointment will NOT be provided with an option to transfer to a future testing appointment and they will NOT receive a refund of their registration fee. Candidates who miss or are too late for an appointment will be required to submit another registration and fee to be authorized to schedule a new appointment to take an exam.

What are the policies regarding transferring and/or refunding exam fees for a computer-based exam?

Candidates who do NOT meet eligibility requirements will receive a refund of their registration fee. Candidates who do NOT schedule an exam appointment and take the exam within 120 days from the date their eligibility is confirmed (i.e., the date they received an email confirming that they are authorized to schedule an exam appointment) will forfeit their entire registration fee and must reregister and resubmit the appropriate registration fee. Candidates who want to cancel their exam appointment will forfeit their entire registration fee. Refunds are NOT granted on cancelled exam registrations. Candidates may transfer their exam appointment on ONE occasion (within the 120-day eligibility period) to another date (within the SAME 120-day eligibility period; it will NOT be extended) for a $100 (USD) fee by contacting the NSCA Certification at least SEVEN business days before to their scheduled exam appointment. A candidate CANNOT transfer his/her computer-based exam appointment a second time. Transferring from one certification exam to the other is NOT permitted (i.e., a candidate CANNOT transfer from the CSCS exam to the NSCA-CPT exam or vice versa).

How much time will I have to complete the exam?

Candidates will be allowed 1.5 hours to complete the Scientific Foundations section of the CSCS exam, 2.5 hours to complete the Practical/Applied section of the CSCS exam and 3 hours to complete the NSCA-CPT exam. The timer/clock will begin with question #1 of the exam. For the CSCS exam, a 10-minute break is allowed between the two testing sections.

What will be provided at the AMP Assessment Center?

Candidates will receive one blank piece of paper (at a time) and a pencil provided by the AMP Assessment Center proctor. Upon completion of the exam, the candidate will be required to return the paper and pencil to the proctor before he/she can receive a score report. Candidates are NOT allowed to use their own scratch paper at the AMP Assessment Center.

Will a calculator be provided at the AMP Assessment Center?

No. Calculators are NOT permitted during the exam.

Are the computer-based exam questions in a multiple-choice format?

Yes. The question format for a computer-based exam is the same as it appears on a pencil-paper exam (i.e., four-options: A, B, C or D). Sample CSCS exam questions can be found here. and sample NSCA-CPT exam questions can be found here.

Will I be given an opportunity to become familiar with the computer before beginning the exam?

Yes. Before starting the actual exam, candidates will be given the opportunity to practice taking an exam on the computer. The time used for this practice session (10 minutes) is NOT counted as part of the exam time and it does NOT affect the candidate's exam score. When the candidate is comfortable with the computer-testing process, he/she may quit the practice session and begin the timed exam.

Will I be allowed to change question responses, skip questions or review (check) my answers?

Yes. Candidates are allowed to skip questions and come back to them later. It is recommended that a candidate answer the questions in the order that they appear to avoid missing questions or forgetting to return to unanswered questions. For those questions that contain a video clip, the clip CANNOT be viewed a second time. Therefore, it is recommended that a candidate reads the question and all possible answers, watches the ENTIRE video clip and THEN selects a response.

Why are there nonscored questions on the exam?

The NSCA Certification's exams contain nonscored questions that are being "pretested" or evaluated for future use. Including this type of question allows the exam development committees 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 exams (10 nonscored questions are on the NSCA-CPT exam and 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 exams so candidates will answer them with the same effort that they gave to the actual scored questions. To keep the CSCS and NSCA-CPT exams reflective of current job-related duties, new questions must continuously be introduced and evaluated. Pretesting is an accepted testing practice that creates statistically sound standardized exams and allows candidates to receive immediate or "instant" scores that are based only on previously used ("tried") questions. Nonscored pretest questions also appear on the traditional "paper and pencil" exams to provide the same testing experience to all candidates, regardless of which exam format a candidate chooses. Despite that instant score reports are not available for paper and pencil candidates, the practice of including nonscored questions ensures candidates are treated equally so that test scores are comparable and not influenced by exam format.

Will there be staff available at the test center in case the computer malfunctions?

Yes. Although unlikely, computer malfunctions may occur. Each test center will be staffed with personnel to assist candidates in the event of a computer malfunction. Candidates will be asked to wait while the computer problem is resolved and the time spent waiting will NOT count toward the candidate's testing time limit. If it is NOT possible to resolve the problem in a reasonable timeframe, candidates will be rescheduled.

Will I receive my results immediately after taking a computer-based exam?

If a candidate is a college senior taking the CSCS exam but he/she has NOT yet graduated, he/she will receive a "Passed" or "Failed" notification at the AMP Assessment Center. The actual exam scores will NOT be released until the candidate sends an official transcript confirming that at least a bachelor's degree was earned. For college seniors who pass the CSCS exam, they do NOT become certified until they graduate and send a transcript to the NSCA Certification Commission. If a candidate has a "hold" (see the CSCS Candidate Handbook or NSCA-CPT Candidate Handbook regarding this situation) placed on his/her registration, he/she will NOT receive the results; instead he/she will receive a notice that indicates what documentation is needed and information on how to contact the NSCA Certification Commission. Scores will be sent out within 10 business days after the NSCA Certification Commission receives the needed documentation. If a candidate indicates that he/she is an NSCA member but his/her membership status cannot be verified will not receive his/her exam results until proof of membership is provided. If a candidate has met all of the eligibility requirements and paid all of the fees, he/she will receive a score report at the AMP Assessment Center.

For "holds," how long will the NSCA Certification Commission retain my score reports?

Score reports will be held for one calendar year from the date of the exam. If the hold has NOT been cleared in that time (i.e., the candidate had NOT provided the required documentation), the exam results become void. If a candidate wants to become certified after that point, he/she is required to submit a registration with the appropriate fee and retake the exam.

If I fail the exam or part of the exam, when can I retest?

Candidates who fail the exam (or one section of the CSCS exam) are eligible to retest after a 90-day waiting period. NOTE: Candidates can reregister to retake an exam (or a section of the CSCS exam) and also schedule for an exam appointment BEFORE the 90-day waiting period, as long as the date selected is beyond the 90-day window.

Is there a limit to the number of times I can take the CSCS or the NSCA-CPT exam?

There is no limit to the number of times a candidate can take an exam. However, no candidate can retake the exam within 90 days of a previous exam attempt.

Can I take a computer-based exam before my credential lapses in place of completing CEUs?

Yes. The computer-based exam may be used for recertification. When registering for the exam, the candidate must indicate that he/she is taking the exam for recertification. If the candidate is successful in passing the exam, the CEUs will automatically be recorded to the candidate's record in the CEU PORT. The candidate is still required to submit for recertification and pay appropriate recertification fees before the recertification deadline. If the candidate is unsuccessful, he/she will still be required to earn the proper amount of CEUs, submit for recertification and pay the recertification fee by no later than the recertification deadline. For more information, review the Recertification Policies and Procedures for 2006-2008 Reporting Period. Are the recertification requirements the same for those who take the paper/pencil exam as for those who take the computer-based exam? Yes. The recertification requirements remain the same regardless of the format of the exam. Candidates can find more information on the recertification requirements by reviewing the Recertification Policies and Procedures for 2006-2008 Reporting Period.

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