Exam Information
Everything you need to know to feel confident and prepared for your credentialing exam.
Three Things You Need to Know
70% The minimum score you need to pass an Institutes exam.
4 The number of testing windows in a calendar year.
2 The amount of times you can take same exam in one testing window, or four times in a calendar year.

Registering and scheduling exams
Registering for your exam
When you order your designation study materials, you can also register for your exam during the testing window of your choosing. Selecting your exam at the same time you choose your materials ensures that you receive the most up-to-date content for your chosen testing window.
To register for your exam, visit the relevant designation page of the program you are pursuing. Or, contact your human resources or training department for your company’s specific registration process.
Learn More
Scheduling your exam
Once you register for an exam window, you will need to schedule your exam appointment as soon as possible to lock in your preferred exam date. The majority of our designation exams are computer based and administered in two-month testing windows at either a Prometric testing center, an Institutes approved on-site testing center, or virtually. Connect with your manager or training department to find out if your company is an on-site testing center before registering for your exam.
Schedule your appointment when you know you will be ready to sit for the exam. Scheduling an appointment far in advance and then rescheduling could deprive another examinee of a desired testing date and time. We recommend scheduling the exam appointment early in the testing window in case the exam must be rescheduled or retaken. Students are responsible for any missed appointment due to a personal or work-related scheduling error. Virtual exams do not need to be scheduled.
Schedule your appointment by either:
- Visit the Prometric website to schedule an exam appointment or to locate a center. Provide your Student ID number when asked for the Candidate ID number
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Call Prometric at (877) 311-2525. Provide the following information:
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Your name as it appears in your Account Manager on the The Institutes’ website. If the name on your photo ID does not match the name in the Account Manager, do not proceed any further. Contact The Institutes immediately
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Your Student ID as it appears above and in your Personal Information on Your Account manager screen on The Institutes’ website. Prometric might refer to your Student ID number as a Candidate ID number. They are the same.
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The name of The Institutes’ course/exam you are taking and its two or three digit number. For example AINS 21, AAI 81, or CPCU 540. Refer to the top of this confirmation notice or to your course guide for assistance.
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The name of the testing center where you want to take the exam. A list of testing centers is available on Prometric’s website.
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Your daytime telephone number and e-mail address
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The day after making an appointment, visit the Prometric website to verify and print a copy of your appointment information to take to the test center. Call Prometric immediately if there is a discrepancy.
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Before Exam Day:
Familiarize yourself with the testing center location before the day of your exam. Look up the address in advance to plan your route and be aware of any possible construction issues or other traffic considerations. Aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before your exam appointment to find parking and check in.
Visitors and companions are not permitted to wait in the testing center.

Study Resources and Exam Day Guides
The What to Expect section of each designation page can answer many of your questions on studying and exam day. This includes information on “Starting a designation: Your guide for success” which provides tips on practice exams, study guides and everything else you might need, and “Conquering exam day” which will make sure you have everything you need for the big day.
Our students also offer a wealth of advice, support, and study insights. Connect with them on our Institutes' Chat on Facebook.
When it comes to studying, we know your life is busy, and fitting in time to study can be a challenge. Remember why you started in the first place and focus on your end goal to keep you motivated throughout your journey. To help you along, here are some resources to make sure you feel prepared.
Check out "What to Expect on Exam Day" and "After Exam Day."
For more proven exam preparation techniques, download our "How to Prepare for Institutes Exams" guidebook.
Exam Prep Guidebook
Rules of Conduct
The Institutes, in accordance with its mission to provide educational programs and professional certification to individuals in the insurance industry, has a commitment and obligation to ensure that those who receive our designations and certifications meet academic and professional standards. To that end, The Institutes developed two codes or sets of rules. CPCUs and CPCU candidates are subject to the CPCU Code of Professional Conduct. They along with all other persons taking Institutes exams are subject to The Institutes’ Code of Academic and Professional Integrity.
In addition, everyone taking an Institutes’ exam must follow certain procedures when they take the exam. These guidelines or procedures (e.g., not using notes when taking an exam) are outlined above and every student must agree to these at the beginning of the examination session before being allowed to take the exam. These procedures are incorporated by reference into The Institutes’ Code of Academic and Professional Integrity.
Any examinee who is found to have violated The Institutes' Rules of Conduct for test administration forfeits the right to confidentiality.

Rescheduling, Transferring, or Cancelling Your Exam
Life gets busy, and sometimes you’ll need to change your exam appointment. If that happens, here’s what you can do.
Reschedule your exam in the same testing window
On-site centers have their own policies for rescheduling. Contact your center directly to reschedule or connect with your manager to find out more.
If rescheduling at a Prometric testing center, please note the following:
- There is a $50 rescheduling fee. The reschedule fee is charged and collected by Prometric and agreed to by The Institutes. If you are within the 3-12 days window and you have a legitimate hardship that requires you to reschedule an appointment and that you believe would warrant an exception to the application of this fee, please contact Prometric Customer Care directly at (800) 775-3926.
- The rescheduling fee is waived if you are rescheduling at least 12 business days before your original scheduled appointment. Business days are defined as Monday-Friday, excluding holidays observed by Prometric.
- Rescheduling requests less than three days before the scheduled test date cannot be accommodated.
To change an appointment to another date within the same testing window, please have your appointment confirmation number available and go to the Prometric website or call (877) 311-2525 at least three business days before your original appointment date.
A registration is valid for only one testing window.
Transfer your exam to the next testing window
If you were not able to take your exam in your scheduled exam window you can transfer to the next testing window. Contact The Institutes at least three days before your scheduled exam to transfer to the next testing window. Additionally, please note that a transfer fee will be charged. You may refer to our Exam Registration booklet to see current transfer fee costs.
Transfer Deadline
If you do not have a scheduled appointment, a request to transfer a registration is accepted until the last business day of the testing window for which you are registered. However, a transfer fee applies.
Cancel your exam
Contact The Institutes to cancel your exam appointment and registration, which will also cancel your appointment at the Prometric Testing Center. A cancellation fee of $145 for on-site testing centers and $185 for Prometric testing centers will apply. If you cancel your exam appointment and registration within 3 to 12 days of your exam, you may be eligible for a partial credit. Refer to the appropriate Registration Booklet for the specific credit amount.
Note: Canceling your appointment through Prometric does NOT cancel your exam registration. You also must cancel or transfer your registration with The Institutes. Otherwise, no credit will be granted. An appointment must be canceled at least three business days before the test date.
An exam registration and the Prometric appointment must be canceled at least three business days before the appointment date.
Common Exam Questions
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When do you offer exams?
We offer exams in four testing windows throughout the year:
- Quarter 1 – January 15th – March 15th
- Quarter 2 – April 15th – June 15th
- Quarter 3 – July 15th – September 15th
- Quarter 4 – October 15th – December 15th
This lets students test in a timely fashion and take three weeks off in between to take a break, order new materials, and prepare for their next exams.
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What score do I need to pass an Institutes exam?
70% is the minimum score you need to pass an Institutes exam.
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Can I take the exam in segments?
Some computer exams are offered in a segmented format. The segmented exam delivery method breaks a traditional exam into two to four separate exams that are shorter in length than a traditional examination. Examinees prepare for and take each segment individually; passing all segmented exams for a single course earns credit for the entire course.
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Do you offer special accommodations?
If you need special accommodations for your exam, they must be in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Thirty days prior to your exam date, please provide our Assessments’ department with documentation that is no more than three years old and includes the following:
- A school plan, such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan
- A diagnostic statement from a qualified professional identifying the disability
- A description reflecting your past and current functional limitations
- An evaluation conducted by a qualified professional that lists their name, title and professional credentials
Email this documentation to Assessments@TheInstitutes.org or mail them to:
Assessments
The Institutes
720 Providence Road
Suite 100
Malvern, PA 19355-3433Once your request has been evaluated and approved by The Institutes, register for your exam and notify Assessments@TheInstitutes.org so we can coordinate your request with your chosen testing center. If registered to take your exam at a Prometric center, Assessments will notify you with specific details for scheduling your appointment.
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What are the national exam pass ratios?
Exam Pass Ratio CPCU 500 76.13% CPCU 520 74.39% CPCU 530 73.72% CPCU 540 68.48% CPCU 551 76.52% CPCU 552 73.63% CPCU 553 75.34% CPCU 555 75.31% CPCU 556 70.74% CPCU 557 76.34% AINS 21* 74.89% AINS 22* 76.28% AINS 23* 71.77% AINS 24 73.61% AIC 30* 72.50% AIC 31 75.32% AIC 32 74.91% AIC 37 73.99% AIC 39 75.00% AIC 41 68.24% AIC 43 81.25% AIC 44 70.05% AIC 47 73.93% AIC 48 83.74% AIC 49 73.68% API 28 70.71% API 29 79.01% AIM 40 71.14% AIM 44 69.46% ARM 54* 70.79% ARM 55* 73.98% ARM 56* 72.29% AU 60 70.10% AU 61 74.32% AU 62 80.00% AU 67 81.63% AAI 81* 58.96% AAI 82* 75.68% AAI 83* 70.50% AAI 87 79.23% AIAF 114 64.09% AIAF 115 71.76% ARe 143 74.89% ARe 144 76.56% AFSB 151 75.61% AFSB 152 82.97% AIDA 181 67.45% AIDA 182 89.49% Cyber 301 68.07% ACSR 1 76.99% ACSR 2 79.14% ACSR 3 73.39% ACSR 4 82.02% ACSR 5 96.23% ACSR 6 70.00% ACSR 7 71.83% ACSR 8 67.72% ACSR 9 76.87% SM 18 83.07% SM 19 70.45% AIS 25 72.21% AIS 25 72.21% Segmented Exams AIC 30A 74.34% AIC 30B 84.44% AIC 30C 83.60% AINS 21A 75.40% AINS 21B 80.96% AINS 21C 90.39% AINS 22A 72.53% AINS 22B 83.24% AINS 22C 86.38% AINS 23A 66.78% AINS 23B 84.10% AINS 23C 89.17% ARM 54A 80.16% ARM 54B 85.28% ARM 54B 85.28% ARM 54C 83.89% ARM 55A 81.52% ARM 55B 80.68% ARM 55C 88.51% ARM 56A 82.50% ARM 56B 81.25% ARM 56C 83.41% AAI 81A 83.74% AAI 81B 79.80% AAI 81C 84.76% AAI 82A 78.87% AAI 82B 87.50% AAI 82C 86.07% AAI 83A 78.26% AAI 83B 82.10% AAI 83C 83.56% Please note that in low volume programs pass ratios may fluctuate greatly and may not be indicative of the difficulty level of the exams taken.
Courses for which pass ratios are not shown are courses with insufficient exam activity to provide reliable pass ratios.
*AINS, AIC, ARM and AAI courses have segment pass ratios.
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Can I get state CE for continuing education?
Yes, you can get state CE for continuing education. To find out if your educational endeavor is approved for State Licensed CE credits, go to State CE Credit & License Information.
The Institutes file state CE credits according to your state’s requirements. If you’re testing at an onsite center, it’s your responsibility to verify that the center and proctor comply with CE requirements for test administration.
To ensure prompt filing of your state CE credits, go to your Institutes account and locate the State Continuing License information. Or call The Institutes before your exam to update your records. CE credits will not be reported without current license information on file prior to sitting for an exam. Failure to provide The Institutes with your current license information in accordance with the codes, policies, or regulations of your state(s) may result in CE credits not being filed.
Please note that The Institutes will not be responsible for any late filing fees or charges. When you pass your exam, we will file your CE credit in all the requested states.
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How do I find out if there is an onsite testing center near me?
Ask your manager or HR department if your company is approved as an Institutes on-site testing center. You can also review our list of Institutes approved testing centers to find out if there is one near you that is open to the public.
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Are there exams that can be taken online rather than at a testing center?
Exams for the courses listed below can be taken online at your convenience and do not require scheduling at a testing center:
- Ethics 311
- Ethics 312
- ANFI 206
- WCCA™ courses
- ACSR® courses
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How does The Institutes handle information about their students?
The Institutes release information about students only on a limited basis. Review The Institutes’ Privacy Policy for the specific guidelines.
Enrolling in any Institutes course, registering for an exam or holding an Institutes certification or designation indicates your acceptance of The Institutes’ Customer Information Release Policy. -
What should I do if I take a necessary dietary supplement?
Students requiring a medical or dietary supplement, such as those for a diabetic, that will be taken to a Prometric Testing Center must submit the request to The Institutes for prior approval by Prometric at least one month before the anticipated testing date.
Exam Registration Booklet
The Exam Registration booklet is a comprehensive guide on the Institutes exams. Inside you'll find details on topics such as:
- Special Discounts
- International Exams
- Exam Fees
- Important Program Information and Changes
- And more
Examinees are expected to have reviewed The Institutes’ examination Registration Booklet which contains information about The Institutes’ policies and procedures related to the release of personal information and examination administration
