You do not need to finish your course work before you take the certification exam. This article explains exactly what is required for the exam and what is required for the Certificate of Completion, because the two are often confused.
Exam Eligibility
There is no completion requirement to sit the exam.
You can schedule the exam, take the exam, pass the exam, and receive the Certified credential even if course items are still unfinished.
Not required to book or sit the exam
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Mandatory exercises
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Challenges inside mandatory exercises
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Mandatory videos
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Optional labs and optional exercises
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Any minimum progress percentage
The only requirement
Book your exam before your certification deadline. Nothing in the course portal gates access to the exam.
Certificate of Completion
This is a separate document from the Certified credential, and it does have completion requirements.
To unlock the Certificate of Completion you must finish all mandatory exercises and mandatory videos in your curriculum. Optional labs are not counted.
The Certificate of Completion is available regardless of your exam status. You can download it without having taken the exam, and you can pass the exam without having earned it.
Side by Side
Do you need to finish all mandatory work?
Certificate of Completion: Yes.
Certified credential from the exam: No.
Do you need to pass the exam?
Certificate of Completion: No. It is available regardless of exam status.
Certified credential: Yes. Passing the exam is the only requirement.
Do optional labs ever matter?
No. Optional labs are supplemental. They are not required for either credential.
Why We Still Recommend the Mandatory Labs
The exam is built around the skills the mandatory exercises teach, so finishing them is the best preparation available. In the exam you may be given a tool from a mandatory exercise, from an optional exercise, or a tool that does not appear in the course at all. Working through the mandatory exercises and their challenges equips you to handle any of those cases.
This is a preparation recommendation. It is not an eligibility rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to finish the mandatory parts to get into the exam?
No. You can sit the exam with mandatory exercises, videos, and challenges unfinished.
Do I have to finish the whole course before the exam?
No. Finishing the course is only relevant if you also want the Certificate of Completion.
Must I finish every mandatory item before I take the exam?
No. Completing the mandatory curriculum is recommended, not required, for sitting the exam. It is required for the Certificate of Completion.
Can I take the exam after my lab access expires?
Yes. Completing the mandatory exercises beforehand is recommended preparation, but it is not required.
Are the mandatory labs required for exam eligibility?
No. Nothing in the course gates exam eligibility.