National Cyber Security Training Academy 

National Cyber Security Training Academy courses do not require outside testing sources.  At the end of each course you will be required to take a test for that course.  If you pass the course, then you will receive your certification for that course within 2 weeks in the mail.

CompTIA Exams

In order to take a CompTIA exam, you need to purchase an exam voucher. Most National Cyber Security Training Academy's courses included the cost of the voucher. An exam voucher is a unique code that will enable you to take your exam at an authorized testing center. 

When you’re ready to take your CompTIA certification exam, you can schedule your test on the Pearson VUE website. Follow these three steps:

1. Create a Pearson VUE testing account

You’ll need a Pearson VUE testing account to register for your certification exam and store your testing information with the testing center.

2. Find a Pearson VUE test center

All CompTIA certification exam testing is provided by our global testing partner, Pearson VUE. When you’re ready to take your exam, visit Pearson VUE’s website to find an authorized Pearson VUE test center near you to schedule your test. You’ll be able to select the testing center of your choice when scheduling your exam.

3. Schedule your exam

Sign in to your Pearson VUE account to find a testing center, as well as schedule, reschedule or cancel an exam appointment. Have your exam voucher number ready, if you’ve purchased a voucher already. If not, you can buy a voucher through CompTIA or on the Pearson VUE website. When scheduling your exam, you can find and select a nearby authorized testing center. If you cannot schedule your test online, Pearson VUE also offers scheduling via phone or via contacting your testing center directly.

 4. Save your exam appointment confirmation

Once your exam date is scheduled, you’ll receive a confirmation email with registration information as well as additional information that you may need to provide to your testing center. Make sure to store this information in a safe place. Certain information that you provide during the registration process, such as your email address, will be required to sign in to your certification account once you’ve passed your certification exam.

Candidate Testing Policies

ACCOMMODATIONS DURING AN EXAM

CompTIA is committed to complying with applicable law for individuals with disabilities.

Requests for accommodations are handled through our test service provider, Pearson VUE.  Please visit the Pearson VUE website for more details.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE ACCOMMODATION

English as a Second Language (ESL) is a 30-minute time extension for exams delivered in English in non-English speaking countries where a localized version of the exam is not available. Because all of CompTIA’s exams are available in English, ESL is not available in English-speaking countries. When registering for exams at Pearson VUE, ESL is automatically granted to candidates in eligible countries. Note: The ESL accommodation is available to candidates testing in the Canadian province of Quebec. Candidates testing with Pearson VUE in Quebec that require the ESL accommodation must contact the Pearson VUE call center in order to be granted the accommodation. Candidates in Quebec are not automatically granted the ESL accommodation.

 

EXAM SCORING 

• Classifying Scores as Indeterminate: CompTIA regularly    monitors the performance of all exams to ensure the validity of exam results.     During the monitoring of exam performance, CompTIA may classify scores as    indeterminate when there are discrepancies for which there is no reasonable    explanation. A classification of indeterminate can stem from a number of    factors. In an effort to ensure valid certifications CompTIA will allow    candidates whose scores are determined to be indeterminate the option of    retaking the exam at no cost. Scores classified as indeterminate will not be    considered valid and will not be eligible for certification.  If it is    determined that a breach of the Candidate Conduct Policy has contributed to the    classification of indeterminate, CompTIA will also take additional action as    laid out in the Candidate Agreement. 
•     
• Passing scores are set using statistical analysis and are subject to change. At the completion of the exam, candidates receive a score report  that contains important information regarding the outcome of the exam. CompTIA    does not publish exam passing rates because exam questions and passing rates are    subject to change without notice. 

EXAM CONTENT 

For security reasons, exam content is not available for review. Candidates who have comments or concerns about an exam question should submit a ticket. The subject matter expert committee will review all comments, concerns and suggestions made by candidates.  However please note, CompTIA will not respond to comments regarding exam content individually. 

CANDIDATE RETESTING

CompTIA reserves the right to ask any candidate to re-test if there is any suspicion of fraudulent or aberrant test scores. Re-testing will take place at a facility of CompTIA’s choosing at a mutually agreeable time.

CANDIDATE PHOTOGRAPH

To maintain the highest level of security and authentication, all CompTIA printed score reports provided at Pearson VUE testing centers will include a photo of the candidate.  Therefore, all test center administrators are required to take a photograph of each candidate prior to testing.  Candidates, who do not wish to have their picture taken, will not be allowed to take CompTIA exams.
For additional details about candidate photographs, please visit ID and Photo Requirements.

RESCHEDULE POLICY

You must contact Pearson VUE at least a minimum of 24 hours prior to your exam appointment. Rescheduling an exam less than 24 hours prior to your appointment or failure to appear for your appointment will result in the forfeiture of your exam fee. Exams scheduled with ADA specific needs require a three day reschedule notice. 

CANCELLATION POLICY

You must contact Pearson VUE at least a minimum of 24 hours prior to your exam appointment. Canceling or failing to appear for an exam will result in the forfeiture of your exam fee. Exams scheduled with ADA specific needs require a three day cancellation notice. 

Certification Renewal Policy

January 1, 2011, CompTIA implemented the CompTIA Continuing Education (CE) Renewal Program. CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA PenTest+, CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) and CompTIA Advance Security Practitioner (CASP+) certifications are now valid for three years from the date the candidate is certified.  The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an international body which standardizes the procedures used by personnel certification bodies, requires that candidates have a way to renew the currency of their certification on a regular basis. In CompTIA’s case, that renewal will occur every three years. This change in policy is in line with the practice of other major providers of certifications for IT professionals. In today’s IT environment it’s important for IT professionals to demonstrate that their knowledge and skills are current. 

The CompTIA CE Renewal Program gives eligible certification holders a range of ways to keep their CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA PenTest+, CompTIA CySA+ and CASP+ certifications current without necessarily having to take a new exam. These certifications will be denoted with a “ce” designation which means they will expire three years from the date certified.  If the certification is not renewed within the three years, candidates will no longer be certified and must retake the most current release of the exam to reactivate their certification. (Note: Certified Professionals may not take and pass the same exam twice) A grace period of 90 days is allowed for certification holders to pay any outstanding CE fee balance and/or upload additional continuing education units (CEUs). All CE activities must be completed within the three-year renewal cycle to be valid for CEUs.

CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA PenTest+, CompTIA CySA+ and CASP+ are global certifications; therefore, this policy is applicable to all certified candidates worldwide. 

The renewal policy is only applicable for CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA PenTest+, CompTIA CySA+ and CASP+. If other certifications are added candidates pursuing those certifications will be advised of any renewal policy implications.

The certifications affected by this change – CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA PenTest+, CompTIA CySA+ and CASP+ - are accredited under ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024. 

As a not-for-profit association for the IT industry, CompTIA reinvests the money it earns into new programs that serve the industry and the people who work in IT. This is certainly true for our certification programs. The process of developing and delivering high-stakes certification exams carries with it significant costs in time and resources. Likewise, the development and ongoing management of our Continuing Education Program has costs associated with it. The dollars paid for our certification exams are rolled back into the industry in the form of new and updated certification offerings and Continuing Education options for the IT workforce.