Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) training: the required course, online classes and what to compare
For the Certified ScrumMaster, training is not optional. Scrum Alliance requires a 16-hour course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer, usually spread over two to three days, and you only get access to the CSM test after completing it. Courses run online or in person, and each trainer sets the price within a published range of $250 to $2,495 USD.
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Certified ScrumMaster CSM certification training is mandatory
Most certifications let you skip the course and book the exam. CSM does not. Scrum Alliance states that you will have access to the required scrum master test after you have completed the course, so with CSM, training, certification and test come as one package: course first, then the test.
That is why searches for CSM training and certification usually lead to the same thing — a course listing. The Certified Scrum Master certification course is the only route to the credential, and its fee includes two test attempts.
Source: Scrum Alliance — Certified ScrumMaster. Checked 9 October 2026.
What a Certified Scrum Master course covers
Scrum Alliance describes the CSM as an introductory course on the scrum framework — team accountabilities, events and artifacts — together with the agile principles and values that support scrum. The course also covers the Scrum Foundations learning objectives.
A Certified Scrum Master training course is 16 hours of training, with most classes spanning two to three days, followed by an online multiple-choice test: 50 questions in one hour, with 37 correct answers needed to pass.
Source: Scrum Alliance — Certified ScrumMaster. Checked 9 October 2026.
Who teaches Certified ScrumMaster training
Every Certified ScrumMaster training is taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer — Scrum Alliance describes them as highly vetted and intensely evaluated agile trainers. The trainer, not Scrum Alliance, sets the price, the schedule and the format of each class.
In practice that means two Certified ScrumMaster courses can look quite different: a two-day intensive or sessions spread across a week, a large class or a capped one, materials included or not. The certification at the end is the same.
Source: Scrum Alliance — Certified ScrumMaster. Checked 9 October 2026.
Certified Scrum Master training online or in person
You can take the Certified Scrum Master certification online or in a classroom. Scrum Alliance lists delivery method — online versus in-person — as one of the factors that affect course prices, alongside location and class size caps.
Online Certified Scrum Master training suits people who cannot travel or want to fit sessions around work; Certified Scrum Master online classes still consist of the 16 hours of training with a Certified Scrum Trainer, because that is the requirement. An online CSM certification is the same credential as one earned after an in-person class — the delivery format is not part of the certification.
Before booking a Certified Scrum Master online course, check the session times against your time zone and whether attendance at every session is required to complete the course.
Source: Scrum Alliance — Certified ScrumMaster. Checked 9 October 2026.
How to compare CSM certification courses
Since every Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification training course leads to the same test, judge each CSM certification course on what differs between them — and do the same if you are weighing CSM certification courses from several trainers:
- Format and schedule — two to three full days, or shorter sessions over more days; online or in person.
- Class size — Scrum Alliance names class size caps as a price factor; smaller classes usually mean more discussion time.
- What is included — Scrum Alliance mentions practice exams and copies of course material as extras some courses provide.
- Timing of the test — you have 90 days and two attempts after the course, so choose a date when you can sit the test soon after.
- Price — within the published $250–$2,495 USD range, set by the trainer.
Source: Scrum Alliance — Certified ScrumMaster. Checked 9 October 2026.
After the course: the test and the 90-day window
A Certified ScrumMaster CSM certification training course ends with access to the test, not with the certificate. You have 90 days and two attempts to pass, both included in the course fee. Pass, and you receive the badge and membership.
Study straight after the course while the material is fresh. The pass mark is 37 of 50, so you can miss 13 questions and no more — knowing the accountabilities, events and artifacts precisely matters more than general agile knowledge.
Certsqill’s CSM question bank carries expert-developed questions with an explanation for every answer option and a readiness score per domain, with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Source: Scrum Alliance — Certified ScrumMaster. Checked 9 October 2026.
Training after CSM: A-CSM and renewal SEUs
The next course in the Scrum Alliance scrum master track is the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster. It requires a Certified ScrumMaster certification (active or expired), 12 months of work experience as a scrum master within the last five years, and successful completion of an approved A-CSM course.
Further learning also keeps your CSM alive: renewal every two years needs 20 Scrum Education Units and a $100 fee, and SEUs can be earned through education, events or volunteering.
Source: Scrum Alliance — Advanced Certified ScrumMaster. Checked 9 October 2026.
CSM training & courses: questions people ask
Is Certified ScrumMaster training required for the CSM?
Yes. Scrum Alliance gives access to the test only after you complete the 16-hour course with a Certified Scrum Trainer. Checked 9 October 2026.
How long is the Certified ScrumMaster course?
16 hours of training, with most classes spanning two to three days. Source: Scrum Alliance, checked 9 October 2026.
Can I get the CSM certification online?
Yes. Courses are offered online or in person; Scrum Alliance lists delivery method as one factor in price. The certification is the same either way. Checked 9 October 2026.
Do CSM certification classes include the test?
Yes. The course fee includes two test attempts, to be used within 90 days of finishing the course. Source: Scrum Alliance, checked 9 October 2026.
How much does Certified Scrum Master CSM training cost?
$250–$2,495 USD, set by the trainer. Scrum Alliance bases the range on public course prices as of October 2023. Checked 9 October 2026.
Does Certified Scrum Master online training count the same as a classroom course?
Yes — they differ only in delivery. Both are 16 hours with a Certified Scrum Trainer and lead to the same Scrum Alliance test.
What comes after Certified ScrumMaster CSM training?
The test, then optionally the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster, which requires 12 months of scrum master experience in the last five years. Source: Scrum Alliance, checked 9 October 2026.
