How long before you took the CSA exam?

[admartin68]

Hello there!

Just curious to see how long it took you all to take and pass the CSA exam?

I am in the process of retaking the exam (2nd attempt) this Wednesday and feel pretty good about passing.

I was introduced to ServiceNow at the end of December 2025 and began my journey taking the prerequisite classes and studying for the exam. (about a month now)

The credentialing guidelines suggest working in the industry for 6 month to 1 year before taking the exam and I am wondering what are your thoughts on that.

I decided to study and go ahead and take the exam and then apply for an entry level position to gain experience that way.

I would love to hear you thoughts and would be happy to receive guidance and suggestions for success!

Kind Regards!

[Mohammed8]

Hi @admartin68 

All the best for your exam.

I took CSA after I already had good experience with platform so it was just about going through content for me, but I have interacted with people who started fresh and were able to clear exam in a month or two by going through content, e book and practicing in PDI and have dedicated most of time to clear exam. 

Its good to have experience but with dedicated time and practice one can clear exam easily.

Here is article i wrote sharing my experience:

https://www.servicenow.com/community/training-and-certifications/blog-1-from-csa-to-cad-to-fsm-my-se... 

Thanks and Regards,

Mohammed Zakir

[AndersBGS]

Hi @admartin68 ,

I actually agree with the statement "The credentialing guidelines suggest working in the industry for 6 month to 1 year ". To "just" take the exam but not work with the material that you have learned doesn't make any sense. 

[admartin68]

Thanks for the feedback. In my case since I'm already this far along I'm going to go ahead and retake the exam because I feel pretty good about it and with all of the studying that I've been doing I do feel that I have a basic understanding of the overall concept. Of course I would need to work in the industry in order to get Hands-On knowledge and that's what I'll strive towards next.

[Dr Atul G- LNG]

Hi @admartin68 

As a ServiceNow trainer, I’m happy to share my thoughts. Since this is your second attempt, I wouldn’t say you need to rush. The reason is that if you’re only preparing to pass the exam, you might be able to clear it, but my experience suggests spending at least 2–3 months going through the course content in depth.

Since you’ve already booked the exam, here are some tips:

Tips for the CSA Exam (Certified System Administrator)

CSA is the first and foundational exam in your ServiceNow journey. Here are some tips to help you prepare effectively:

• Study the training material thoroughly – Go through it line by line, word by word, at least 2–3 times.

• Practice the labs multiple times – Do each lab 3–4 times. Don’t just complete them; carefully read and understand the instructions as well.

• Follow the official eBook – Review it thoroughly at least 2–3 times to reinforce your understanding.

• Consider supplementary courses – Some candidates have found Udemy courses helpful for additional practice and clarity.

• Watch my experience video – I’ve shared my own preparation journey and tips here:
  https://youtu.be/60KXCXXHW7M

Good luck on your CSA journey!