CSCS guides
Direct answers for CSCS format, studying, exam day, scores, and what to do next.
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To sit for the NSCA CSCS you need a bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited school, or senior-year enrollment, plus hands-on CPR/AED. Here is when each document is due, how registration and the 120-day window work, and who the 2030 CASCE rule affects.
Read the guideThe NSCA CSCS has a 95-question Scientific Foundations section in 1.5 hours and a 125-question Practical/Applied section in 2.5 hours. Here are the seven domains, the three-option item types, the video and image items, the unscored questions, pacing and test-center rules.
Read the guideYou need a scaled 70 or higher on both CSCS sections, and a scaled 70 is not 70% correct. Here is how NSCA sets and equates the standard, why nobody can tell you how many questions you can miss, and what your score report can and can't tell you.
Read the guideNSCA estimates 3 weeks to 9 months of CSCS study, depending on your degree and hands-on experience. Here is how to weight your weeks by the 190 scored questions, three plan shapes by background, what NSCA says to study from, and when to register.
Read the guideIn 2025, half of NSCA CSCS candidates passed both sections: 71% passed Scientific Foundations and 55% passed Practical/Applied. Here is how to read NSCA's pass rates, why the applied section stops more people, and what makes the exam harder than it needs to be.
Read the guideThe NSCA CSCS costs $340 for members or $475 for non-members, and $250 or $385 to retake one section. Here are the worked totals with and without membership, the optional NSCA study bundles, the fees you can avoid, and what recertification costs later.
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The NSCA CSCS Practical/Applied section has 110 scored questions in Program Design, Exercise Technique, Program Implementation, and Organization and Administration, plus 30 to 40 video or image items. Here is what each domain asks, a worked Karvonen example, and how to practice for the video items.
Read the guideIf you fail one NSCA CSCS section, you retake only that section after a 30-day wait, for $250 or $385, and must pass it within a year of your first exam. Here are the rules, a dated example, the three-attempt limit, and a plan for the section you missed.
Read the guideLooking for exam basics? Visit the NSCA CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) exam hub.
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