F5 NGINX Certification FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions about F5 NGINX Certification can be found below. Topics include:

• 1. Joining the F5 Certification program
  2. Resources for Exam Preparation
  3. Scheduling and taking NGINX exams
  4. NGINX exam results
  5. Achieving NGINX Certification
  6. NGINX Certification exam development

1. Join the F5 Certification Program

• How do I join the F5 Certification program?
  • Instructions to register for the F5 Certification program can be found here: How do I enroll in the F5 Certified Professionals program?

2. Prepare for the NGINX Certification Exams

• Where can I review the NGINX Certification Blueprint?
  • NGINX Certification Blueprint

• How many NGINX exams are there?
  • There are four NGINX exams.
    • NGINX Management
    • NGINX Configure: Knowledge
    • NGINX Configure: Demonstrate
    • NGINX Troubleshooting

• Are there any prerequisites for the NGINX exams?
  • No, there are no prerequisites for the NGINX exams.

• How many NGINX exams do I have to pass to achieve F5 Certified Administrator, NGINX?
  • You must pass all four exams to achieve F5 Certified Administrator, NGINX

• Do the NGINX exams have to be taken in a specific order?
  • No. The exams can be taken in any order.

• Is there a waiting period between taking each of the exams?
  • No. There isn’t a waiting period.

• Can anyone take the NGINX exams?
  • Yes. The NGINX exams are available to everyone. However, candidates must be a part of the F5 Certified! program and have a valid candidate ID to take F5 Certified! exams.

• How do I know if I am ready to take the NGINX exams?
  • We recommend that candidates review the NGINX Certification blueprint to determine what additional training, experience, and knowledge you may need to be ready to take the NGINX exams.  
  • Think of the NGINX Certification blueprint as a university syllabus.
    • All four NGINX exams are contained within the NGINX Certification blueprint.
    • Each of the NGINX exams has topics and examples that were used as prompts to write items for each of the NGINX exams.
    • On the right hand side of the blueprint is a column containing the topics’ Cognitive Complexity, the degree a candidate should understand the topic. For example, R = Remember, U/A = Understand and Apply, A/E = Analyze and Evaluate. The last page of the blueprint is a full description of the Cognitive Complexity definitions.
  • The blueprint also includes an overview of the Minimally Qualified Candidate (MQC) – a high-level description of who the NGINX certification is designed for. The MQC description should be considered a guideline.

• Are there additional study resources?
  • Reviewing the NGINX Certification exam blueprints to identify the topics where you need more knowledge or experience is a good place to start. Practical experience and additional training are also beneficial.
  • Are there any NGINX trainings I can take?
    • Yes. Resources for NGINX Certification Exam Preparation

3. Schedule & take your NGINX Certification Exams

• How do I schedule and take my NGINX exams?
  • NGINX exams are delivered via Certiverse. How do I schedule an NGINX exam?

• How much do the NGINX exams cost?
  • Each NGINX exam costs $50 USD.

• How are NGINX exams delivered?
  • The exams are delivered online via Certiverse.
  • We have taken stringent security measures to ensure exam delivery is secure.
  • We strongly recommend you find a quiet, nondisruptive location to take your exams. For example, if someone walks into your space while you are taking your exam your results will be invalidated.

• Where can I get more information about taking exams on the Certiverse Platform?
  • https://help.certiverse.com/portal/en/kb/testing-candidate-resources

• What is the live proctor test taking experience like with Certiverse?
  • https://help.certiverse.com/portal/en/kb/articles/taking-an-exam-with-rosalyn

• What is the format of the NGINX Certification exams?
  • NGINX Certification exams are multiple choice.
  • Some of the questions have exhibits. We recommend you read the entire question and view all of the exhibit to answer the question.
  • Most of the questions are “select one correct answer,” however there are some questions that will prompt you to “select two correct answers.” You must select two correct answers to get credit for that question. Partial credit is not given. 

• What is the NDA Reminder screen?
  • As an F5 Certified candidate, you have agreed to the rules established by our program.
  • To start your exam, you must AGREE that you have agreed to the F5 Certified Candidate agreement. If you DECLINE, the exam session will end.  

• How long are each of the NGINX exams?
  • The NGINX exams have 30 questions.
  • The NGINX exams are 30 minutes in duration. Exam time will start when the first question appears on your screen.
  • There are no time extensions for the NGINX exams.  

• Can I flag questions for review?
  • Yes, you can flag items for review to change at the end of the exam. However, the exam clock will not stop.

• Can I skip questions?
  • Yes. We recommend you flag the question it to review it before the exam time runs out.

• Can I change my answers to the questions?
  • Yes. You can change it while you are answering the question. You can also flag it to review at the end of the exam and change it then.

• What language are the exams in?
  • English 

• Can I provide feedback to the exams.
  • Yes. You can add comments to each of the questions, but the exam clock will not stop. Your feedback is valuable, and F5 Certification reviews all comments.
  • You can also email support@mail.education.f5.com with general feedback. Please do not email exam content in your feedback.

• Can I retake the NGINX exam if I do not pass it?
  • Yes. You can retake the NGINX exam if you do not pass it.
  • F5 Certification retake policy schedule:
    • 15 days after first attempt
    • 30 days after second attempt
    • 45 days after third attempt
    • 365 days after fourth attempt
    • 90 days after 5th attempt (or more).

• Can I retake the NGINX exam if I pass it?
  • No. If you pass an NGINX exam, you cannot retake it.

4. NGINX Certification Exam Results

• When will I get my NGINX exam results?
  • You will receive an “on-screen” preliminary PASS/FAIL result when your exam completes.
  • You will receive an email from Certmetrics with your final results within 72 hours.  
  • You can also log into your Certmetrics account to see your final results within 72 hours.

• What are the passing scores for each of the exams?
  • 245 is the passing score for all of the NGINX exams.

• 245 seems like a weird exam score. What does that represent?
  • F5 Certification has implemented a scaled scoring method for all of our certification exams. A scaled score represents the total number of correct answers that has been converted into a consistent and standardized scale. We use scaled scoring so that we can ensure the exams are equated fairly and accurately over the lifespan of the exams.
  • For more information about scaled scoring see How does Scaled-Scoring work?

5. Achieve your NGINX Certification

• What is the name of the NGINX Certification?
  • F5 Certified Administrator, NGINX

• Will I be awarded a badge for achieving NGINX Certification?
  • Yes! F5 Certification badges are issued via Credly.
  • Candidates who achieve NGINX Certification will receive an invitation from Credly to “accept” the badge and are encouraged to share it.

• How long will my F5 Certified Administrator, NGINX certification be valid?
  • Two years from the date you pass the last of the four exams.

6. NGINX Certification Development

• Can I contribute to the ongoing development of the NGINX Certification?
  • YES! F5 Certification is always recruiting subject matter experts (SMEs) to write and review exam questions.
  • Please email certdev@mail.education.f5.com to volunteer and we’ll get you started.