CMSA® | Final Exam Overview + Study Tips
Congratulations on completing the CMSA® syllabus and beginning your preparation for the final exam!
There is a 30-day waiting period between final exam attempts, so we encourage you to take ample time to prepare before attempting the final exam. This guide contains:
CMSA® - Final Exam at a Glance
| Exam structure | 50 multiple-choice questions, drawn from a randomized question bank. |
| Exam location | The exam is online and does not need to be scheduled. |
| Exam length | 2 hours, timed. |
| Exam content | The exam covers the content from the core and prep courses. Content from elective courses will not be covered. |
| Exam results availability | ICandidates will receive their results immediately after completing the exam. |
| Passing score | Candidates must achieve a score of 70% to pass. |
| Eligibility | The exam can be accessed upon completion of all core courses and 7 or more electives. |
| Number of attempts | Candidates who do not pass must wait thirty days before retaking the exam. Once passed, final exams cannot be retaken. |
| Retaking the Exam |
Candidates who do not pass the exam must wait thirty days before they can attempt it again. An active CFI subscription is required to be eligible for exam retakes. |
| Single Browser Tab | The exam should only be opened in one browser tab. Opening in additional tabs or windows may lead to issues with the exam, including automatic exam failure. |
| How to prepare | Review the course videos, materials, exercises, Qualified Assessments, and case studies. Take the CMSA® Practice Exam. |
| Practice exams | Candidates may take an unlimited number of practice exams before taking the CMSA® Final Exam. |
Exam Duration
The CMSA® Final Exam is timed and must be completed within two hours.
- Generally, we recommend spending about two minutes on each question.
- The total time allowed for the exam is 2 hours. If a candidate leaves the exam at any point, the timer will continue. Candidates may resume their current attempt if time remains.
Tips for Studying & Preparing
Review Course Materials
- Rewatch video demonstrations
- Review course presentations, exercises, and case studies
- Take detailed notes and organize them by topic using the "notes" feature in the CFI LMS
Complete advanced-level electives
- Complete level 4- and one level 5 elective courses. While these will refer to some of the earlier courses and principles, the exam will not test your knowledge of elective content.
Take the practice exam
- The practice exam will best indicate what to expect in the final exam. We recommend taking the practice exam multiple times until you feel comfortable and confident in your understanding of the material.
Other Tips to Consider
- Be sure to sit in a comfortable setting with no distractions.
- Have a snack and water close to keep you energized and well-hydrated.
- Ensure that you have a stable network connection.
- You can refresh your browser during a brief outage without losing progress, but the exam counter will not stop.