Free CSCS Practice Test
Original questions for both CSCS sections, written to NSCA’s current outline, every answer explained.
A team flies across five time zones for a game. Which plan best limits the effect on performance?
312 original CSCS questions with explanations · 2 sections: Scientific Foundations and Practical/Applied · 50% of 2025 candidates passed both
Choose your section
The Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) credential from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is for coaches who train athletes for performance. Each section has its own page with free drills for every domain and a timed mock exam at the real length.
CSCS Scientific Foundations
95 questions (80 scored) · 90 minutes · 71% passed in 2025
- Exercise Science (60%)Free drill
- Sport Psychology (25%)Free drill
- Nutrition (15%)Free drill
CSCS Practical/Applied
125 questions (110 scored) · 2.5 hours · 55% passed in 2025
- Program Design (40%)Free drill
- Exercise Technique (25%)Free drill
- Program Implementation (20%)Free drill
- Organization and Administration (15%)Free drill
Includes 30 to 40 video or image questions.
Training personal clients rather than athletes? NSCA-CPT practice test: 155 questions in 3 hours, on the same pass.
Take a section mock under the real clock
95 questions in 90 minutes, scored on the 80 that count, with a score by domain and topic and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillThe CSCS exam format
The CSCS exam has two sections taken on the same day: Scientific Foundations (95 questions, 1.5 hours) and Practical/Applied (125 questions, 2.5 hours), with a scheduled 15-minute break between them. Each section is scored on its own, and you need a scaled 70 on both.
- Sections
- Scientific Foundations: 95 questions in 1.5 hours (80 scored). Practical/Applied: 125 questions in 2.5 hours (110 scored), 30 to 40 of them video or image based
- Break
- A scheduled 15-minute break between the sections that does not count toward exam time
- Answer options
- Multiple choice; NSCA’s published sample questions have three answer choices (A, B and C) and one correct answer
- Passing score
- A scaled score of 70 or higher on each section
- Fee
- US$340 for NSCA members, US$475 for non-members; one-section retake US$250 / US$385
- Eligibility
- A bachelor’s degree or higher (or a physical therapy or chiropractic degree) and current CPR/AED. From January 1, 2030, US candidates need a degree from a CASCE-accredited program
- Retakes
- Retake only the failed section, within one year. Wait at least 30 days after an attempt and pay the full fee again; after three consecutive attempts, wait one year
- Outline
- The detailed content outline in force since July 1, 2025, from NSCA’s 2023 job task analysis
What the CSCS tests
Seven domains across the two sections, from NSCA’s detailed content outline in force since July 1, 2025. Every domain and topic has its own free ten-question drill on its section page.
CSCS Scientific Foundations
- Exercise Science (48 questions). Muscle, neuromuscular, bone and connective tissue, endocrine and cardiopulmonary physiology; biomechanics; bioenergetics; training adaptations, fatigue and recovery; research and statistics. Topic drills: Anatomy and Physiology, Biomechanics, Bioenergetics and Metabolism, Adaptations, Recovery and Research.
- Sport Psychology (20 questions). Motivation, arousal and attention, imagery, self-talk and goal setting, motor learning, the coach-athlete relationship, injury setbacks, mental health and disordered eating, and when to refer.
- Nutrition (12 questions). Energy balance, macronutrient needs and timing, hydration, alcohol, body composition approaches, supplement regulation and third-party testing, ergogenic aids, and the scope of practice.
CSCS Practical/Applied
- Program Design (44 questions). Needs analysis, training methods and exercise selection, exercise order, intensity, volume, rest, progression, periodization and return-to-play programming. Topic drills: Needs Analysis and Exercise Selection, Intensity, Volume and Rest, Periodization and Progression.
- Exercise Technique (28 questions). Warm-up and mobility, free weight, machine and alternative-implement technique, spotting, Olympic lift derivatives, sprint, agility and plyometric technique, conditioning and recovery sessions. Topic drills: Resistance Training Technique, Speed, Agility and Plyometrics, Warm-Up, Conditioning and Recovery.
- Program Implementation (22 questions). Coaching sessions, cueing and motor learning, test selection and administration, monitoring readiness, interpreting and communicating results. Topic drills: Coaching Sessions, Testing and Evaluation.
- Organization and Administration (16 questions). Scope of practice and referral, facility layout, cleaning, maintenance and supervision, emergency procedures, liability and risk management, overtraining and heat illness.
Common questions
How many questions are on the CSCS exam?
220 multiple-choice questions in two sections: Scientific Foundations has 95 (80 scored) in 1.5 hours and Practical/Applied has 125 (110 scored) in 2.5 hours. Each section has 15 non-scored pretest questions. There is a scheduled 15-minute break between the sections.
What is the CSCS pass rate?
In 2025, 9,650 candidates took the CSCS exam: 71% passed Scientific Foundations, 55% passed Practical/Applied and 50% passed both. 45,669 people held the CSCS at the end of 2025.
How much does the CSCS exam cost?
US$340 for NSCA members and US$475 for non-members for both sections. Retaking one section costs US$250 or US$385. Retakes are not discounted, and you have 120 days from registration to sit the exam.
Who can take the CSCS exam?
Anyone with a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution, or a degree in physical therapy or chiropractic medicine, and a current CPR/AED certification that included a hands-on skills test. Students can sit the exam before graduating and send the final transcript within one year. From January 1, 2030, US candidates need a bachelor’s degree from a CASCE-accredited program (2036 for degrees from outside the US).
Can I take the CSCS exam online?
No. The CSCS is given at Pearson VUE test centers. NSCA offers live remote proctoring only for the TSAC-F exam.
Did the CSCS exam change?
Yes. A new detailed content outline has been in use since July 1, 2025. Practical/Applied now has a Program Implementation domain (coaching sessions, testing and monitoring) in place of Testing, Ongoing Monitoring and Data Evaluation, and the domain weights changed. Our questions follow the current outline as printed in the July 2026 handbook.
Are these official NSCA questions?
No. NSCA does not release its exam questions. These are original practice questions written to the published detailed content outline, with three answer choices like NSCA’s sample questions and an explanation for every answer.
Does one pass cover the CSCS and the NSCA-CPT?
Yes. The CSCS and NSCA-CPT pass unlocks every timed mock exam and unlimited drills for both CSCS sections and the NSCA-CPT.
Ready for exam day?
95 questions in 90 minutes, scored on the 80 that count, with a score by domain and topic and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillExam format, fees, scoring and pass rates checked November 2026: NSCA Certification Handbook (effective July 1, 2026) · NSCA: CSCS exam description · NSCA: CSCS Job Task Analysis Summary (outline effective July 1, 2025) · NSCA certification exams: 2025 in review.
Original independent practice questions. CSCS and NSCA-CPT are registered marks of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSCA.