Anthropic · 2026 Edition
A complete preparation guide, edited by Johnson Ajibi, a network and security engineer with 12+ years' experience. Covers the exam format,all 4 blueprint domains, a week-by-week study plan, and proven tips for passing first time.
2–4 months
Prep time
Intermediate
Difficulty
60–90
Exam questions
700/1000
Pass mark
Exam code
CCAO-F
Full name
Claude Certified Associate
Vendor
Anthropic
Duration
90 minutes
Questions
~0 items
Passing score
700/1000 (scaled)
Domains covered
4 blueprint domains
Recommended experience
Foundational IT knowledge recommended
Typical prep time
2–4 months
Domain percentage weights are not currently available for this exam. The checklist below is still useful for planning your study.
Phase 1
Safety and Responsible Use
Tip: Start with the official Safety and Responsible Use objectives, then practise questions on it.
Phase 2
Claude Model Fundamentals
Tip: Cover the Claude Model Fundamentals objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 3
Using the Claude API
Tip: Cover the Using the Claude API objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 4
Prompting and Context Engineering
Tip: Finish with Prompting and Context Engineering, then re-test your weakest earlier domain before a mock exam.
Study the official exam blueprint — weight percentages tell you exactly where to invest prep time.
Practise scenario-based questions regularly — every modern cert exam is scenario-heavy.
Use spaced repetition to retain what you've learned (Courseiva does this automatically).
Book your exam date once you're scoring 80%+ consistently on practice tests.
Review explanations for every wrong answer, not just the question — the 'why' is what makes it stick.
Apply everything in this guide with adaptive practice questions, detailed answer explanations, and domain analytics.