Free CSCS Scientific Foundations Practice Test
Exercise science, sport psychology and nutrition questions, every answer explained.
A senior athlete who was cut from the team becomes withdrawn, says she no longer knows who she is without her sport and has stopped attending classes. What should the strength coach do?
144 original CSCS Scientific Foundations questions with explanations · 8 free drills: every domain and topic plus a mixed set · 71% passed this section in 2025
CSCS Scientific Foundations exam format
Scientific Foundations is the first section of the CSCS exam: 95 multiple-choice questions in 1.5 hours, 80 of them scored. Practice each domain with free ten-question drills, then take a timed mock with the real question count, clock and domain weights.
- Questions
- 95 multiple-choice questions: 80 scored and 15 non-scored pretest questions mixed in
- Time limit
- 1.5 hours at a Pearson VUE test center, followed by a scheduled 15-minute break before Practical/Applied
- Answer options
- Multiple choice; NSCA’s published sample questions have three answer choices (A, B and C) and one correct answer
- Domains
- Exercise Science 60% (48 questions), Sport Psychology 25% (20), Nutrition 15% (12)
- Passing score
- A scaled score of 70 or higher. NSCA does not publish the raw number of correct answers that equals a scaled 70; it varies by exam form
- Fee
- Both sections US$340 for NSCA members, US$475 for non-members; a one-section retake US$250 / US$385
- Retakes
- Retake only a failed section, within one year of the first exam date. Wait at least 30 days after an attempt and pay the full fee again; after three consecutive attempts, wait one year
- 2025 pass rate
- 71% passed Scientific Foundations (9,650 CSCS candidates)
What’s on the CSCS Scientific Foundations exam
The domains and question counts from NSCA’s detailed content outline. Our mock draws its 80 scored questions in these counts and adds 15 non-scored pretest questions, as on the real exam. Every domain and topic has a free ten-question drill with an explanation after every answer; each drill’s first attempt is free.
| Domain or topic | What it covers | Share of the exam | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Exercise Science | All topics below | 60% · 48 scored questions | 10-question drill |
| Anatomy and Physiology | Muscle structure and the sliding filament theory, motor units and fiber types, proprioceptors, bone and connective tissue, hormones and the cardiopulmonary system | Part of Exercise Science (tasks 1A, 1B, 1D, 1F, 1G) | 10-question drill |
| Biomechanics | Planes and axes, levers, torque, force, power, work and impulse, the force-velocity and length-tension relationships, and the roles of muscles in a movement | Part of Exercise Science (tasks 1C) | 10-question drill |
| Bioenergetics and Metabolism | The phosphagen, glycolytic and oxidative systems, substrate depletion and recovery, lactate, EPOC and work-to-rest ratios that target each system | Part of Exercise Science (tasks 1E) | 10-question drill |
| Adaptations, Recovery and Research | Neural and muscular adaptations to resistance and aerobic training, detraining, fatigue, overtraining and recovery, research design, reliability, validity and basic statistics | Part of Exercise Science (tasks 1H, 1I, 1J) | 10-question drill |
| 2. Sport Psychology | 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 | 25% · 20 scored questions | 10-question drill |
| 3. Nutrition | Energy balance, macronutrient needs and timing, hydration, alcohol, body composition approaches, supplement regulation and third-party testing, ergogenic aids, and the scope of practice | 15% · 12 scored questions | 10-question drill |
What Scientific Foundations tests
- Exercise Science carries 48 of the 80 scored questions: muscle and neuromuscular physiology, biomechanics (levers, torque, power, the force-velocity curve), bone and connective tissue, hormones, the cardiopulmonary system, the three energy systems, adaptations to resistance and aerobic training, fatigue and recovery, and research basics such as reliability, validity and the PICOT question.
- Sport Psychology carries 20: motivation theories, arousal and attention, imagery, self-talk and goal setting, the coach-athlete relationship, the psychological side of injury, and recognizing anxiety, depression and disordered eating so you can refer.
- Nutrition carries 12: energy and macronutrient needs, hydration, alcohol, evidence-based body composition approaches, supplement regulation and third-party testing, and where a coach’s scope ends and a registered dietitian’s begins.
- NSCA’s outline sets 24 recall, 44 application and 12 analysis questions, so most items ask you to apply a principle to an athlete rather than recite a definition.
How to take the CSCS Scientific Foundations exam
- Hold a bachelor’s degree (or a degree in physical therapy or chiropractic medicine) and a current CPR/AED certification with a hands-on skills assessment. You can send your final transcript up to one year after the exam date.
- Register on NSCA.com and pay US$340 (member) or US$475 (non-member). You have 120 days from registration to test.
- Schedule both sections at a Pearson VUE test center. The CSCS is not offered by live remote proctoring.
- Sit Scientific Foundations (1.5 hours), take the scheduled 15-minute break, then sit Practical/Applied (2.5 hours). Your score report is available at the test center when you finish.
Common questions
How many questions are on CSCS Scientific Foundations?
95 multiple-choice questions in 1.5 hours. Eighty are scored: 48 Exercise Science, 20 Sport Psychology and 12 Nutrition. The other 15 are non-scored pretest questions mixed in, and you cannot tell which they are.
What is the CSCS Scientific Foundations pass rate?
In 2025, 71% of candidates passed Scientific Foundations, against 55% for Practical/Applied. 50% of the 9,650 CSCS candidates passed both sections.
What score do you need to pass the CSCS exam?
A scaled score of 70 or higher on each section. NSCA converts the number you answer correctly to a scaled score so every exam form demands the same ability, and it does not publish the raw score that equals 70. Only the 80 scored questions in Scientific Foundations and the 110 in Practical/Applied count; the 15 non-scored questions in each section do not.
Can I retake just one section of the CSCS exam?
Yes. If you pass one section and fail the other, you retake only the failed section, within one year of your first exam date. A one-section retake costs US$250 for NSCA members and US$385 for non-members. You wait at least 30 days between attempts, and after three consecutive attempts you wait one year.
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.
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 drillMore CSCS and NSCA-CPT practice
One CSCS and NSCA-CPT pass covers every mock exam below.
Exam 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 written to NSCA’s published detailed content outline. CSCS and NSCA-CPT are registered marks of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSCA.