STEP 2: CGCS EXAM

The certification exam must be successfully taken within your one-year applicant period, which begins when your application is approved.

About the exam

• When your application is approved, you will receive instructions for scheduling and accessing the free online exam. (Paper exams are provided when necessary).
• An independent online proctoring service is used to monitor during the exam. The exam is closed book.
• The exam is made up of three parts (Agronomy; Business; Environmental Management) and contains multiple-choice questions. Each part of the exam is timed.
• Flexibility is built-in. The entire three-part exam may be taken in one sitting, or each part may be taken on different dates/times.
• Immediate results. After each exam section is completed, the applicant will immediately receive an online pass/fail message.
• Try out sample exam questions and view the online testing platform.

Scheduling your exam

To provide you with the greatest flexibility, there are several options for scheduling your exam:

• The online exam may be scheduled on a date(s) and at time(s) you prefer.
• In such cases that an online exam is not feasible and a paper version is requested, the applicant must contact Shelia Finney for more information on scheduling the exam with a GCSAA-approved proctor.

Retaking the exam

The exam is made up of three parts. You may retake any failed part twice within your one-year applicant period. You must wait seven calendar days between retaking the same part of the exam. If you fail to pass a part after two retakes, you must wait one month before you may reapply to the program. For this reason, testing early in your applicant period is recommended.