About the Tests

How often does The SABSA Institute hold exams?

Examination modules are held at the end of all official education events run by SABSA-accredited education partners.
The frequency with which each training and exam module is offered varies according to schedules determined locally by the accredited education partners.   Education partners design their schedules to meet local demand.   Date and venue information is listed on partner web sites.
[Top of page]

How do I register for a SABSA exam?

SABSA examinations are hosted by SABSA-accredited education partners.   A candidate registers for an exam by paying the relevant exam fee to the examination host and submitting a registration form completed with:
  • Name
  • Full Postal Address
  • Job Title
  • Email, Phone and Facsimile Contact Information
  • Signature
The SABSA Institute will confirm your registration prior to the examination date.
[Top of page]

Who sets the examination?

All SABSA tests are set and marked by the SABSA Institute Testing Board.   The local SABSA-accredited education partner administers the sitting of the test by local candidates.
[Top of page]

How can I be sure that examinations are consistent and fair?

The questions are developed and tested for consistency and quality using the best practice methods widely in use in educational establishments and professional certification bodies around the world.
[Top of page]

How are the exam questions selected?

The SABSA Institute maintains a database of approved questions for each domain of the SABSA Body of Knowledge and at each of the six cognitive levels of the SABSA Competency Framework.

Questions are randomly selected from the database for each exam module to ensure the set of questions used at each exam is unique.  The questions are spread evenly across all knowledge domains relevant to the certification module being tested.
 
The cognitive level (according to Bloom’s Taxonomy) of the questions increases with certification levels in order to test the competencies appropriate to that level:
  • Foundation Certificate questions test competency levels 1 and 2 (knowledge and comprehension);
  • Practitioner Certificate questions test up to competency levels 3 and 4 (application and analysis);
  • Master Certificate questions test up to competency levels 5 and 6 (synthesis and evaluation).
[Top of page]

How many questions are contained in each exam module?

Each SABSA exam module consists of forty questions.

For a SABSA Master certificate, in addition to the 40-question objective test, each candidate must produce an appropriate piece of work that he/she has performed in a professional capacity.  The work may be sanitised to protect client confidentiality, and it may be presented either as a written dissertation or as a viva presentation (viva voce oral examination) to a panel of peers.  The choice between these two will depend largely on the geographical location of the candidate, the availability of a panel of peers and the preference of the candidate.  If the written dissertation is selected, then this too will be judged by a panel of peers appointed by The SABSA Institute Testing Board.
[Top of page]

What is the time limit for answering each exam module?

Each module has a time limit of 60 minutes.
[Top of page]

In what format are the questions presented?

The candidate is provided with a separate answer sheet pre-printed with a grid of alternative answers (A, B, C or D) for 40 questions.  The candidate must select the correct answer for each question by circling the letter in pencil.
[Top of page]

How many of the questions count towards my score?

All questions in a SABSA exam count towards a candidate’s score.
[Top of page]

What score must I attain to achieve a pass?

A candidate passes the exam module:
If:
  • A total score of no less than 75% (30 correct answers out of 40 questions) is recorded;
And
  • Knowledge domains are also scored individually. The candidate's score may fall below 60% in no more than a single domain.
[Top of page]

How many test modules must I pass to gain my certificate?

The number of passes required depends on the certification level being sought:

  • The Foundation Certificate requires passes in each of two mandatory exam modules;
  • The Practitioner Certificates require additional passes in two of six exam modules depending on the candidate’s chosen career specialism;
  • The Master Certificates require additional passes in three of seven exam modules depending on the candidate’s chosen career specialism, plus a dissertation or viva presentation.
[Top of page]