Frequently asked questions

Exams mix a few formats. Multiple choice asks you to select the best answer from four options. Scenarios present a real-world situation and ask you to respond in the format provided — an inline code/config editor, ordered steps, sub-questions, or an option-and-justification choice. Each scenario is paired with a short rationale where you explain your approach, which is graded separately from your response.

It depends on the tier. The exact count, time limit, and passing score for each exam are shown on its lobby screen before you begin — as a guide:

• Foundation — 20 questions, 30 minutes
• Core — 30 questions, 75 minutes
• Advanced — 20 questions, 90 minutes

Core and Advanced exams also include a scenario with a paired rationale alongside the multiple-choice questions.

No. In a real exam you're shown three scenarios and choose one to complete — you're only graded on the scenario you pick. Choose the one that best fits your strengths, then answer it and its paired rationale.

No. The timer runs as wall-clock time and cannot be paused once you begin. When it reaches zero the exam auto-submits whatever you've answered, so plan to finish in one sitting and keep an eye on the clock to make sure you reach every question.

Yes. Every answer is saved the instant you select or type it. You can move freely between questions using the question map without losing anything.

To pass you need to clear the overall passing score (commonly 70%) and meet the minimum on every applicable part — multiple choice, scenario, and rationale each have their own threshold. The overall score is a weighted blend of your multiple-choice and scenario performance. Per-domain/section scores are shown for insight but do not gate pass/fail on their own.

Your scenario response is graded against a rubric — a set of independent criteria, each worth points. You earn points criterion by criterion, so partial credit applies: addressing three of five criteria earns those points rather than zero, and a criterion that's only partly met can earn part of its points. Those points are summed into a scenario percentage, which then has to clear the scenario threshold (commonly 65%). Because credit is per-criterion, the best strategy is to address every part of the prompt — even briefly — rather than perfecting one part and skipping the rest. Graders reward answers that are specific to the scenario over generic best-practice advice.

The rationale is where you explain the reasoning behind your scenario response, and it's graded on its own criteria — a strong scenario answer doesn't carry over. A strong rationale:

• Matches the answer you gave — your reasoning lines up with the approach you actually submitted; a rationale that contradicts your own answer scores poorly.
• Explains why, not what — the reasoning behind your approach, not a recap of your steps.
• Ties to the scenario — references the specific situation and requirements instead of generic advice.
• Names the payoff — the problem or risk your approach avoids and the outcome it improves (consistency, scalability, security, governance, or maintainability).
• Stays accurate — only makes claims about Optimizely that are correct; factual errors cost points.
• Is specific and concise — skips generic benefits that don't apply.

Where it fits, briefly weighing a reasonable alternative and why it's less effective can strengthen your answer. Partial credit applies here too, so cover the reasoning even if you're unsure.

You can retake the exam after a short cooldown period (commonly 2 days). Your exam lobby and the catalog show the exact retake date for your attempt. The cooldown applies only after a failed attempt.

Real exams have a limited number of attempts per calendar quarter (commonly three). Practice mode is unlimited with no cooldown, so use it to prepare as much as you like.

An exam that isn't finished — because you left, closed the tab, or ran out of time — is scored as a failed attempt and counts toward your quarterly attempts (but not the multi-day cooldown). You cannot rejoin an in-progress attempt; you start fresh once its time is up. Because answers auto-save, a brief network blip generally won't lose your work — reconnect and keep going.

If you already hold a current, unexpired credential for that certification, you don't need to retake it — an active credential blocks a new attempt until it's near renewal. See My certifications for status and renewal timing.

Real and renewal exams run in a proctored, fullscreen session. Practice mode is not proctored. When proctoring is on, the session monitors whether you leave the exam — switching tabs, moving focus to another window, moving the window to another monitor, or exiting fullscreen.

Each time you leave the exam window or exit fullscreen it's recorded as a violation and you'll see a warning. If you reach the violation limit (commonly three), the exam ends automatically and is submitted. Stay in the fullscreen exam window from start to finish.

During a proctored exam you should work entirely on your own, in the fullscreen window, without outside help or resources. Copying, pasting, right-clicking, and developer-tools shortcuts are blocked, and leaving the exam window is monitored. In short: no copying exam content, no external assistance, no second devices, and no attempts to inspect or capture the exam. You agree to these rules before you begin.

Yes — proctored exams require fullscreen, and exiting fullscreen counts as a violation. Your browser will prompt for fullscreen when the exam starts.

You earn a verified credential that includes a Credly digital badge (issued automatically, shareable on LinkedIn and elsewhere), a downloadable certificate PDF, and a unique verification code. You'll also get an email confirming your result.

Your name and organization are printed on your certificate, so we ask you to confirm them before you start. Make sure they're correct — that's how they'll appear on the credential.

Certifications are valid for about one year. Credentials earned later in the year roll forward so a late-year pass isn't penalized. Renewal timing for each of your credentials is shown on My certifications.

Every credential has a public verification code in the format OPTI-YYYY-…. Anyone can confirm it on the verification page, and your Credly badge is independently verifiable too.

Open the Verify a credential page (also linked under Help in the sidebar) and enter the verification code — you'll instantly see whether it's valid, who earned it, when it was earned, and its expiry date. No account is needed. A shared verification link opens the result directly, and you can cross-check the holder's Credly badge from the same page.

These are meta-credentials awarded automatically for combinations of current certifications across multiple products — for example, holding Core certifications in several distinct products. Only current (unexpired) certifications count toward them. See the Program overview for the full criteria.

Yes. Real exams require you to be signed in with a complete profile so your credential can be issued to you. Creating an account is free and open to everyone.

Sign in with Opti ID (single sign-on) or with an email and password. If your organization enforces SSO, use the Opti ID option. You can start from the sign-in page.

Some exams have prerequisites — for example, you complete the Foundation exam before taking Core exams. The catalog shows any prerequisite and marks exams as locked until it's met.

Some exams run in beta and require an invite code to start (they don't affect account creation). If an exam is in beta, the lobby will ask for the code. Beta results still count toward your certification.

If you hold an eligible legacy certification, a one-time bridge code can waive the Foundation prerequisite so you can go straight to the relevant Core exam. Enter it on the exam lobby when prompted.

The program spans three tiers — Foundation, Core, and Advanced — across product tracks and professional roles. You start with Foundation, then earn Core and Advanced credentials on the products and roles you work with. The Program overview and exam blueprints lay out the full map.

Certifications cover the Optimizely One product suite (content management, commerce, experimentation, data platform, and more) mapped to roles such as practitioner, strategist, developer, solutions architect, and administrator. Browse everything on the Exam catalog.

Renewal is a shorter, delta-focused exam covering what's changed — typically around 15–20 questions in about 30 minutes — rather than retaking the full exam. There's a grace period after your credential's expiry to complete it.

Structured learning lives in Optimizely Academy — see Program overview for links and the blueprints for the exact topics each exam covers.

Yes. The exam experience targets WCAG 2.1 AA and includes in-exam font-size controls, visible focus indicators, reduced-motion and high-contrast support, comfortable touch targets, and screen-reader announcements.

Email education@optimizely.com before your exam with your account email, the exam name, and the accommodation you need. Extra time is applied to your exam by our team — the in-app checkbox is a reminder and doesn't grant time by itself.

Use a current version of a major desktop browser — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari — with JavaScript and local storage enabled and fullscreen allowed. A desktop or laptop is recommended over a phone or tablet, since scenarios can involve a code/config editor.

Plug in and charge your computer; turn off auto-shutdown, sleep, and screensaver so your screen stays awake; use a reliable internet connection; and find a quiet, distraction-free space with enough uninterrupted time to finish in one sitting. Close other apps and tabs before you begin.

Because answers auto-save as you go, a brief interruption usually won't cost you work — reconnect and continue. Remember the timer keeps running, and an attempt that can't be completed in time is scored as a failed attempt.

Right after you submit, you'll see your result on screen. Afterward, find your history and downloads on your Dashboard and My certifications, and confirm any credential on the verification page.

Email education@optimizely.com with your account email, the exam name, and what happened (including the time and any error message). The more detail you provide, the faster we can help.

If it's an issue with a specific exam question, use the Report issue button on that question while you're taking the exam — you can pick a reason and add details, and it's tied to that question for us to review. For anything else (account, results, or platform problems), email education@optimizely.com with what happened and a screenshot if you can.