Exam Instructions and Guidelines

• A first-time exam fee of $25 will be assessed to all candidates who enrolled in a certification program prior to May 7, 2020 and paid the old program registration fee.
• A $75 fee will apply to all candidates who are retaking an exam that they previously did not pass.
• Pay your exam fee prior to scheduling your exam.

• Computer with webcam and internal microphone (tablets and mobile devices are not permitted)
• Compatible Browsers: Google Chrome (preferred) or Mozilla Firefox
• Government Issued Photo ID
• Internet speed minimum of 256kbps
• Ability to scan testing space with webcam to show no prohibited items are present in area
• See Troubleshooting section for more information.

NOTE: Candidates can check their internet speed and tech capabilities before starting their exam session using the link provided for a practice assessment in their exam confirmation email.

• You will receive an email with preliminary Pass/Fail results within 24 hours of taking your exam.
• Once your exam session is evaluated for adherence to the guidelines, your full results will be emailed to you within one week of your exam date.
• If you have passed the exam, you will also receive a packet in the mail with your certificate and pin. If you have failed, then you will receive emailed instructions regarding a retake.

All examinees must adhere to the following guidelines to take a AAAE certification exam. All sessions will be recorded, and AAAE will be notified of prohibited activities including, but not limited to, those listed below. Failure to adhere to these guidelines could result in AAAE invalidating your exam.

• Exams are not open book. The use of, or reference to, any unapproved materials during the exam is prohibited.*
• Examinees are not permitted to leave the room until their exam is complete.
• Examinees should only have one monitor/screen active during the exam. Screen sharing is required.*
• Navigating to other websites during the exam is strictly prohibited.* 
• Examinees must share their screen during the exam session to show that no other windows are open.
• The examinee’s webcam and mic must be enabled prior to logging into the exam and stay on for the duration of the exam.
• Examinees must have nothing in the room with them except the device on which they are taking the exam, including but not limited to electronic devices, smart phones, notepads, and reference materials. Once logged into the exam, a 360‐degree environment check with webcam is required to show that no prohibited items are in the room/workspace.*
• The use of earbuds, AirPods or headphones of any kind during the exam is prohibited.
• The exam site must be the only window open on the examinee’s computer during the exam.*
• Screen printing, photographing, copying or any other form of capturing or reproducing the exam is not permitted. Shared questions may be tracked to individual test takers.
• Examinees must be centered in the camera for the full duration of the exam.
• Examinees may not discuss the exam questions with others while the exam is in progress or after the exam.
• No other persons shall be in the room while the exam is in progress.

*Exceptions apply to those A.A.E. candidates taking the two-question proctored essay exam.

Failure to adhere to these guidelines or the Association’s suspicion that such failure has occurred may result in immediate termination of the exam. Examinees will be afforded the opportunity to address any such suspicions or failures. This session will be recorded for review. However, after review, AAAE reserves the right to take any appropriate action it deems necessary up to and including withholding certification from an examinee now and in the future. With regard to members, this may also include action for failure to adhere to AAAE’s Code of Ethics. Further, should an exam be terminated based on any suspicion of, or failure to follow these guidelines, AAAE reserves the right to deny any refund request for exam fees paid. Lastly, all actions taken by AAAE will be kept confidential, but for when an examinee has been sponsored by their employer. In such circumstances, notification to the employer will be limited to the action(s) taken.

• Should candidates have trouble accessing the exam site be sure it is opening in Google Chrome browser. It is recommended to set it as the default browser while taking the exam.
• If candidates have issues while taking or accessing the exam, they should click on the Help at the top right of the exam site and fill out a help ticket. Candidates should receive assistance from the exam team within 15-20 minutes. There is also a help bot available when taking the exam for simple issues.
• If using a Mac device, click here for additional instructions to help you proceed with the various exam site protocols.

• For a full list of Troubleshooting tips click here.