Cert Exam Policy

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Enrollment Deadline - April 8, 2024

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CIAT's One-Of-A-Kind Unlimited Certification Exam Policy

Employers hiring for IT positions today demand more than a degree, they expect candidates to come with resumes stacked with industry certifications. Getting certified helps you stay ahead of your competition, position yourself for higher salaries, and demonstrate to your employer that you have the skills needed for the job. At CIAT, we do everything we can to help you get certified, which includes extending our one-of-a-kind unlimited certification policy to all eligible, active students. Check out our IT certification FAQS and exam policy.

Here's how it works:

CIAT offers 24 industry certifications across ten technical Certificate, Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degree programs, providing students the opportunity to earn an additional industry certification every 5 to 10 weeks. CIAT Certificate programs includes 2 to 5 certifications, depending on the length of program you select. Our Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems includes 10 industry certifications and our Applied Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems includes up to 19 certifications, depending on the concentration track you select. Some students opt to combine multiple programs in order to maximize their training and certifications.

There’s absolutely no reason not to. You’ve already chosen to invest your time, money, and personal energy towards building new skills and/or earning your degree. Make that time count. We’ve learned that our human nature sometimes steers us away from taking the final step we need in order to make a change, so we help you develop good testing habits from day 1. In a selection of your early IT foundation courses, a first attempt at the corresponding industry certification exam will be required for your final exam.

CIAT offers 24 industry certifications from CompTIA, Amazon AWS, Microsoft, Cisco, Google, (ISC)2, and EC-Council. Learn more about all IT certifications we support.

For active CIAT students – nothing – your exam costs are on us. On average, each industry certification ranges from $100 – $300 per attempt if you were to take the exams on your own. If you factor multiple attempts and DIY study materials, an average Bachelor’s Degree-seeking student can save $5,000 – $8,000 by taking the CIAT certification-based degree plan approach.

Most exams in the CIAT curriculum are included in our unique Unlimited Certification Exam Policy. A few exclusions do apply. The table below outlines which certifications are eligible for unlimited attempts or single attempt.

Certification NameEligibility
CompTIA ITF+Unlimited Attempts
CompTIA A+Unlimited Attempts
CompTIA Network+Unlimited Attempts
CompTIA Security+Unlimited Attempts
CompTIA Linux+Unlimited Attempts
Cisco CCNAUnlimited Attempts
Cisco DevNetSingle Attempt
Cisco CCNP Enterprise – ENCORSingle Attempt
Cisco CCNP Enterprise – SD-WANSingle Attempt
Cisco CCNP Enterprise – Routing & ServicesSingle Attempt
Microsoft MTA – OSUnlimited Attempts
Microsoft MTA – Windows ServerUnlimited Attempts
Microsoft Azure FundamentalsUnlimited Attempts
Microsoft Azure AdministratorUnlimited Attempts
Microsoft Azure Security EngineerUnlimited Attempts
Amazon AWS – Cloud PractitionerUnlimited Attempts
Amazon AWS – Solutions ArchitectUnlimited Attempts
Amazon AWS – SecurityUnlimited Attempts
Amazon AWS – DatabaseUnlimited Attempts
Amazon AWS – SysOps AdministratorUnlimited Attempts
Amazon AWS – DeveloperUnlimited Attempts
Google Cloud EngineerUnlimited Attempts
Certified Ethical HackerSingle Attempt
CISSPSingle Attempt

CIAT San Diego campuses are both Pearson-Vue authorized testing center locations. Pearson-Vue now offers online, remote, authorized exam proctoring for students to take industry certification exams from the comfort and safety of their own home. 

Students have the opportunity to take a new certification exam every five to ten weeks, depending on the length of the course. We encourage all students to be proactive in planning for their first exam attempt during finals week, before their next course starts, so that you’re taking your exam while the material is fresh. While certification exam preparation is embedded directly into CIAT’s curriculum, our most successful first-time certification passers spend a minimum 2-4 hours each week on top of their required coursework preparing for their industry exam. 

You name it. Our CIAT instructors and staff will support and cheer you on every step of the way. CIAT certification support includes unique certification-based curriculum, small group workshops, one-on-one tutoring, exam preparation software, and more.

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. The only way you truly fail is to give up. These certification exams are extremely challenging. Preparation time can be rigorous, but yields high rewards. Thanks to our unique Unlimited Certification Exam Policy, we’ll stop at nothing to help ensure you’re successful on your path. If you don’t pass on your first attempt, our CIAT instructors and staff will work with you to identify the areas that you may need more learning support. You’ll complete additional practice exams until your practice scores are 90% or higher, giving you confidence to try again.

If you have no prior industry experience and are working your way into the IT field, your first exam will start with CompTIA IT Fundamentals (ITF+). This first exam will help you build your exam study habits, learn the process of certification testing, and give you a strong foundation for growth. Many employers will look for a minimum of CompTIA ITF+ and CompTIA A+ to start in an entry-level IT position. 

If you are an IT professional with prior work experience in your background. Our IT expert staff will help recommend the best certification path for you to advance your career.

Certification exam preparation is built directly into our unique CIAT curriculum, so we’ll guide you every step of the way. Often times, however, even our extensive curriculum is not enough. If you’re serious about building your career quickly, passing your exams on the first try, and making the most out of your educational investment, you should be allocating a minimum of 2-4 extra hours per week with our test prep software and and study materials on top of your coursework .

IT industry certifications are a critical part of getting your first job in the IT field and are required by most employers before even submitting a resume. However, it’s important to remember that it’s still only one piece of the puzzle. Employers will look at the entire picture – your confidence in your IT skills, your interviewing and communication skills, your resume and background, and more. Once you land your certifications, our Career Services team will help you every step of the way. 

Your certification vouchers will expire 90 days after graduation from your selected program, so we strongly encourage you to take your certification exams along the way. Don’t push them off until the end of your program. You’ll spend more time refreshing and re-learning material and likely won’t be able to earn the maximum number of certifications available.

In order to receive your pre-paid certification voucher, you must have successfully passed the designated course or be currently taking the course with an expected path to successful completion near finals week. Students who have failed a course or are flagged as at-risk of failing the course will not be eligible to receive the pre-paid exam voucher. We encourage all students who are struggling with material or exam preparation to reach out to their instructor and request additional tutoring, extensions, or extra support.

Certification exam voucher costs are covered by CIAT as long as you are financially cleared and have an approved tuition funding plan in place. Students may utilize FAFSA grants and loans, military benefits, private loans, scholarships, personal payment plans, and more to cover the cost of tuition and fees. 

Questions About Getting Certified?

Whether you’re just entering the workforce or trying to take your career to the next level, CIAT offers the certifications needed to prove your expertise to current and future employers. Navigating the IT certification landscape by yourself can be challenging. If you’re wondering if this Microsoft Windows Operating System certification training is right for you or you need help getting started on another path, we’re here to help.

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EC Council, the world's largest cybersecurity technical certification organization, awarded CIAT the Circle of Excellence Award two years in a row for our Certified Ethical Hacker certification training courses and career-ready curriculum.

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We believe you deserve an education worthy of your service. CIAT welcomes military veterans, active duty service members, and spouses using the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E), Active Duty Tuition Assistance, and MyCAA.

FULLY ACCREDITED

We have high standards and we believe you should too. CIAT has proudly earned accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET) listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

2021 Best Cybersecurity Programs

2021 BEST CYBERSECURITY PROGRAMS

CIAT has been awarded top ranking status in Intelligent.com’s Best Cybersecurity Program review, highlighted as “Best For Industry Certifications”. Evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment.

2018 Academic Circle of Excellence award badge

CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

EC Council, the world's largest cybersecurity technical certification organization, awarded CIAT the Circle of Excellence Award two years in a row for our Certified Ethical Hacker certification training courses and career-ready curriculum.

Military Friendly School '21-'22 logo

MILITARY-FRIENDLY

We believe you deserve an education worthy of your service. CIAT welcomes military veterans, active duty service members, and spouses using the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E), Active Duty Tuition Assistance, and MyCAA.

Fully Accredited School

FULLY ACCREDITED

We have high standards and we believe you should too. CIAT has proudly earned accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET) listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

Talk to an Advisor

Request an appointment with one of our IT expert Admissions Advisors for personalized guidance on building your education plan. You’ll be able to book an appointment instantly for a time that fits your schedule. 

Enrollment Deadline - July 24, 2023!

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