NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®)
The strength and conditioning credential for coaches of athletes — exercise science, technique, program design, testing and the business of running a weight room.
About the exam
The CSCS is the NSCA's credential for professionals who design and run strength and conditioning programs for athletes — high school, collegiate, professional and tactical. It is accredited by the NCCA and is the standard credential for collegiate strength coaches.
The exam has two separately scored sections taken at Pearson VUE test centers. Scientific Foundations is 1.5 hours with 80 scored and 15 non-scored questions on exercise sciences, sport psychology and nutrition. Practical/Applied is 2.5 hours with 110 scored and 15 non-scored questions on exercise technique, program design, organization and administration, and testing — including 30 to 40 video and image items that ask you to judge technique. You need a scaled score of 70 or higher on each section.
Our practice follows the NSCA detailed content outline topic by topic: technique faults described the way the video items show them, load and volume calculations, periodization and needs-analysis scenarios, physiology and nutrition questions, plus flashcards, worked case studies, illustrated guides and full-length timed practice.
How we track your progress
Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:
- Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
- Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
- DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
- ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
- Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.
The exam blueprint
NSCA CSCS Detailed Content Outline effective January 1, 2020 (still the published outline; domain counts confirmed on the NSCA exam description page, 2026). — Scientific Foundations (Exercise Sciences, Sport Psychology, Nutrition) and Practical/Applied (Exercise Technique, Program Design, Organization and Administration, Testing and Evaluation). Tap a domain to see its topics.
1 Exercise Sciences Scientific Foundations · 44 of 80 scored (55%) of the exam
104 practice questions in this domain so far
2 Sport Psychology Scientific Foundations · 19 of 80 scored (24%) of the exam
45 practice questions in this domain so far
3 Nutrition Scientific Foundations · 17 of 80 scored (21%) of the exam
40 practice questions in this domain so far
4 Exercise Technique Practical/Applied · 40 of 110 scored (36%) of the exam
95 practice questions in this domain so far
5 Program Design Practical/Applied · 38 of 110 scored (35%) of the exam
90 practice questions in this domain so far
6 Organization and Administration Practical/Applied · 12 of 110 scored (11%) of the exam
29 practice questions in this domain so far
7 Testing and Evaluation Practical/Applied · 20 of 110 scored (18%) of the exam
47 practice questions in this domain so far
What you get when you access this exam
Free with your QuizMe account.
Built on the NSCA content outline
Every question is tagged to a CSCS domain and outline task — exercise sciences, sport psychology, nutrition, technique, program design, administration and testing.
Hints that teach
Reveal the principle, cue or formula behind each question. Every answer explains why the right choice is right and why the others fall short.
Adaptive practice
Questions steer toward your weakest domains, weighted like the real exam, and get harder as you improve.
Full-length timed practice
190 scored questions in 4 hours — the combined pace of both sections — with full review.
Flashcards, cases and guides
Flashcards for key numbers and rules, worked program-design case studies, and illustrated guides you explore hotspot by hotspot.
Progress in every domain
Each domain moves from Not started to Exam ready, so you know exactly what to study next.
Test at home or at a center
Register through your NSCA account. You'll get an Authorization to Test email from Pearson VUE and must sit the exam within 120 days. You can take both sections together or separately.
At a Pearson VUE test center
- Computer-based at hundreds of Pearson VUE centers worldwide.
- Bring valid government photo ID that matches your registration name.
- Practical/Applied includes 30–40 video and image items on exercise technique.
- Pass both sections within one year of your first exam date.
Before you register
- Have a bachelor's degree — or be enrolled as a college senior — and current CPR/AED certification.
- College seniors must submit proof of the degree after graduating.
- NSCA members pay a lower exam fee than non-members.
- Check nsca.com for current fees, retake rules and degree requirements.
Exam-day game plan
How to walk in ready — and how to pace 190 scored questions in 4 hours — both sections back to back.
Pacing checkpoints
Our timed test runs all 190 scored questions in 240 minutes — the two sections' combined time. The real exam gives 1.5 hours for Scientific Foundations and 2.5 hours for Practical/Applied, each scored separately; we describe the video items in words or simple figures.
The week before
- Take one full timed practice of both sections, then review your misses by domain.
- Drill the numbers: %1RM–repetition relationships, rest intervals by goal, sprint and plyometric volumes.
- Rehearse technique checkpoints for the major lifts — the video items test faults.
- Confirm your Pearson VUE appointment and your ID.
During the test
- Scientific Foundations: about 1 minute per question — don't get stuck on a single physiology item.
- Video items: watch for the one fault the question asks about — knee valgus, early arm pull, lumbar flexion.
- Program design: identify the goal (strength, power, hypertrophy, endurance) before picking loads, sets or rest.
- Answer every question — there's no penalty for guessing.
Keep your head
- Non-scored questions can feel odd — don't let one shake you.
- Each section is scored on its own; a rough first section doesn't sink the second.
- Change an answer only for a specific reason.
After you test
- You must pass both sections and meet all eligibility requirements within one year of your first exam date.
- Retake just the section you didn't pass — a single-section retake costs less than the full exam.
- CSCS holders recertify on the NSCA's reporting cycle with CEUs and current CPR/AED; the current cycle ends December 31, 2026, and the next runs through December 31, 2029.
- See nsca.com/recertify for CEU totals and fees.
Official sources and further reading
- NSCA — CSCS exam description ↗Official sections, domains, question counts, timing and passing score.
- NSCA — CSCS certification ↗Eligibility, fees, registration and Pearson VUE scheduling.
- NSCA — Stay Certified ↗Recertification cycle, CEUs and CPR/AED requirements.
Ready to start?
450 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.
CSCS® and NSCA® are registered trademarks of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. QuizMe and thinQtank Learning are not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSCA. All questions are original. Details are summarized from the NSCA's official CSCS pages; fees and policies change — always confirm at nsca.com.