7.2 Course Prerequisite, Attempts & Renewal
Key Takeaways
- The CSM test cannot be taken without first completing a 16-hour course delivered by a Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Trainer (CST).
- Two test attempts are included at no cost within 90 days of the welcome email; after two attempts or after 90 days, each attempt costs 25 USD.
- There is no need to request an extension after 90 days — the test remains available at the per-attempt fee.
- CSM certification runs on a two-year cycle and is renewed with 20 SEUs plus a 100 USD renewal fee at the foundational level.
- Scrum Alliance publishes no official CSM pass-rate percentage and no percentage weights for the test's content areas.
Quick Answer: You must complete a 16-hour course with a Certified Scrum Trainer before you can take the test — there is no self-study route. You get two attempts at no cost within 90 days of your welcome email; after that, 25 USD per attempt. Certification lasts two years and is renewed with 20 SEUs plus a 100 USD fee.
The Mandatory Course
The CSM differs from certifications you can simply book and sit. Scrum Alliance states plainly that you will not be able to access the CSM test if you did not take an approved course from a Certified Scrum Trainer.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum contact time | 16 hours, commonly delivered across 2–3 days |
| Who may deliver it | A Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) |
| Content covered | The CSM Learning Objectives and the Scrum Foundations Learning Objectives |
| Formats | In person or live online |
| Prerequisites for the course | None — no degree, no prior experience required |
| Price range | 250–2,495 USD, set by the individual trainer |
On price: Scrum Alliance does not control course prices and publishes the 250–2,495 USD range based on publicly listed course prices as of October 2023. Price varies by delivery method, location, class size caps, and additional materials. The test fee itself is included in the course price — you are not billed separately for your first two attempts.
Attempts, the 90-Day Window, and Retakes
After your course, your trainer arranges your Scrum Alliance account and you receive a welcome email containing an activation link. The clock starts there, not at the end of the course.
| Situation | Cost |
|---|---|
| First attempt within 90 days of the welcome email | Included |
| Second attempt within 90 days | Included |
| Third or later attempt | 25 USD each |
| Any attempt after the 90-day window | 25 USD each |
Two details that reduce unnecessary anxiety:
- You do not need to request an extension once the 90 days have elapsed. The test remains available; you simply pay the per-attempt fee.
- Your score is visible only to you. Your trainer and other Scrum Alliance members cannot see how you performed. And once you have passed, you cannot re-sit to improve your score.
Renewal: Two Years, 20 SEUs, 100 USD
Scrum Alliance certifications are explicitly not lifetime credentials. Every certification runs on a two-year cycle from the date you earn it, and Scrum Alliance emails a reminder 90 days before expiry.
| Certification level | SEUs required | Renewal fee (2 years) |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational — CSM, CSPO, CSD, CAF, CASP, CAL 1 | 20 | 100 USD |
| Advanced — A-CSM, A-CSPO, A-CSD, CAL 2 | 30 | 175 USD |
| Professional — CSP-SM, CSP-PO, CSP-D | 40 | 250 USD |
Rules worth knowing:
- Both requirements apply. Scrum Alliance is explicit that renewal requires a fee and SEUs; you cannot substitute one for the other.
- A Scrum Education Unit is one hour of relevant continuous learning — reading, webinars, events, training, or volunteering. SEUs cannot be purchased.
- Taking another Scrum Alliance course renews everything. Earning any Scrum Alliance certification automatically renews your other certifications, including inactive ones.
- Higher-level renewal cascades. Renewing your highest-level certification in a track automatically renews lower-level ones in that track.
- Expiry is not fatal. You may renew at any point after expiry, and the renewed certification is valid for two years from the renewal date. Member benefits remain accessible for 90 days after expiry.
What Scrum Alliance Does Not Publish
Be careful with figures you encounter in third-party prep material:
- No official pass rate. Scrum Alliance does not publish a CSM pass-rate percentage. Widely quoted figures such as "95% pass" are not official.
- No percentage weights per content area. The CSM Learning Objectives are grouped into three categories but carry no published percentage weighting. Any source presenting a precise weight breakdown is presenting an estimate, not a Scrum Alliance figure.
- No fixed pass mark other than 74%. There is no scaled score and no variable cut score.
When a source offers a number Scrum Alliance itself does not publish, treat it as an estimate regardless of how confidently it is stated.
Real-World Planning Guidance
A sensible sequence for most candidates:
- Read the 2020 Scrum Guide before the course. The class is far more valuable when the vocabulary is already familiar, and 16 hours goes quickly.
- Sit the test within a week or two of the course. The test is described as a test of learning rather than a test of knowledge — recall is freshest immediately afterwards, and you are inside the 90-day window with both attempts available.
- Re-read the Scrum Guide the day before, focusing on timeboxes, accountability lists, and the three artifact commitments.
- Start logging SEUs immediately. Twenty hours over two years is undemanding if tracked as you go, and Scrum Alliance automatically logs SEUs for qualifying content consumed on its own site.
- Diarize the renewal date now. The two-year cycle arrives sooner than people expect, and the reminder email is easy to miss.
What must a candidate complete before they can access the CSM test?
A candidate fails the CSM test twice within 60 days of receiving the welcome email. What happens if they want to try again?
What is required to renew a CSM certification?
A prep website states that the CSM test has a 95% pass rate and that 'Scrum Master' questions account for exactly 22% of the exam. How should these figures be treated?