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Your journey to become a Scrum Alliance trainer begins here. The process includes two steps:
1. A formal review, which includes vetting your domain expertise and experience for the area you want to train, and reviewing your materials.
Upon approval at a formal review, you will be invited to a training skills assessment (TSA), which we'll work with you to schedule. We offer in-person and virtual TSAs to accommodate your needs.
2. A training skills assessment, which is a live situational assessment that validates the following:
To make sure you are set up for a successful TSA, we offer resources and connect you with other community candidates in this stage, including:
You only need to pass a TSA once. After that, once you're a Scrum Alliance trainer, you can submit additional formal reviews to expand your training portfolio.
Here are the available domains for Scrum Alliance training:
Within the scrum suite:
Within the agile suite:
We accept trainer applications on a rolling basis. Apply as soon as you're ready!
If you are submitting with a goal for a particular date for an in-person Training Skills Assessment, please reference the following opportunities and submit by the dates below:
Dates for the in-person Training Skills Assessments at the Regional Scrum Gathering Banff (Canada) 2025. The CST application submission milestone date to submit has been extended to June 25, 2025.
Tentative dates for the in-person Training Skills Assessments at the Global Scrum Gathering Vancouver (Canada) 2026. The CST application submission milestone date to submit is January 7, 2026.
The Certified Scrum Trainer application process includes meeting the CST prerequisites (this does not currently apply to Certified Scrum Alliance Trainers).
Updated January 2025 by the Scrum Alliance Providers Team and Trainer Approval Community
The CST prerequisites have been carefully established to prepare an aspiring CST for success. Each prerequisite ensures that the CST candidate will be able to meet or exceed the expectations of the world-class training skills and fluent scrum understanding required of a CST. Successful completion of all prerequisites prior to application ensures candidate readiness and contributes to the overall credibility of the CST certification and application process. Additionally, note that all CST Candidate Prerequisites must be met in order to submit a CST application.
CST: an active Certified Scrum Trainer, meeting and maintaining all certification and renewal requirements designated by Scrum Alliance.
Learning Objectives (LOs): statements that define the expected goal of a curriculum, course, lesson, or activity in terms of demonstrable skills or knowledge that will be acquired by a student as a result of instruction. The learning objectives for a CSM or CSPO course are validated by a CST, who measures the student’s depth of understanding and what the student will be able to do after successful completion of the course.
Qualifying Training Event (QTE): a Scrum Master (or, if applying via the product owner path, a Scrum Product Owner) training course, either certified or non-certified, which must include:
Certified Scrum Trainers play a vital role in the Scrum Alliance community. The following standards set the certification requirements that each CST must meet and maintain.
A CST must demonstrate deep knowledge and extensive experience with scrum concepts, practices, values, and principles.
A CST must demonstrate excellence in current training and facilitation skills and techniques.
A CST must be an active participant in the scrum and agile community.
Becoming a Certified Scrum Trainer includes upholding the CST Standards (this does not currently apply to Certified Scrum Alliance Trainers).
Updated January 2025 by the Scrum Alliance Providers Team and Trainer Approval Community
Certified Scrum Trainers (CSTs) play a vital role within the Scrum Alliance community. Stringent certification requirements are imposed on CSTs to make certain that only those who are fully qualified are entrusted to engage in this role on behalf of the Scrum Alliance. The following standards set the certification requirements that each CST must both meet and maintain.
All aspiring trainers, CSAT and CST alike, must complete a formal review.
Once you begin the online application, you will see a series of tasks you will need to complete. The online application allows you to work through the various sections and requirements at your own pace. You can mark tasks as “Complete” when you finish them, or you can “Save and Continue” tasks that are still in progress, and invite mentors to collaborate within the application.
Below is an overview of each task. The application provides detailed instructions and guidelines for each requirement, as trainer requirements vary based on the domain for which you are applying.
Scrum Alliance trainers have extensive hands-on, real-world experience within the domain they wish to deliver. The key learnings expressed should demonstrate your comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the domain. Tip: Think about the stories and experiences you’ve gained over the years. Which of these key learnings/stories would you share with your students in class? What are the learnings you have gained from your varied work experience that impact the way you view and teach your domain?
We want to know why your domain inspires you and what motivates you to share that inspiration with others. Your personal statement should concisely describe your personal training philosophy and goals.
The submitted materials should clearly convey and provide a narrative of what the experience would be like as a student in your class. We want to see how you make the material your own. These materials must be aligned with the most current version of your domain learning objectives, the Scrum Guide (where applicable), and the Manifesto for Agile Software Development and attribute all sources properly.
Course materials could include a slide deck, flipchart images, student workbook, facilitator's guide, photos, an outline of your curriculum/narrative/lesson plans, games and activities, learning aids, etc.
Create a clear and comprehensive mapping between your course content and the learning objectives. Please use the most recent version of the learning objective mapping template found in the Apply application portal. Tip: The TAC uses the mapping document to verify that you are fully validating each learning objective. Use this document to clearly show them where and how you cover each objective in your materials, and how you, as the trainer, will validate your students' understanding of each learning objective.
Show your experience teaching your domain in a co-training partnership with a Scrum Alliance trainer or independently in a non-certified context. We highly encourage a blend of in-person and virtual training experience.
Recommendations should concentrate specifically on two areas of focus: domain knowledge and training ability. Recommendation authors should be specific and provide examples from observed training modules, student engagement, and/or classroom management (currently optional for Certified Scrum Alliance Trainer applications).
Scrum Alliance trainers are engaged ambassadors of scrum and agile and of Scrum Alliance. This is evidenced by their contribution(s) to Scrum Alliance and the greater scrum and agile community.
To complete the application, you will be asked to acknowledge and sign the terms and conditions and pay the $250 USD non-refundable application fee. The application fee is valid for one calendar year.
Once you’ve submitted your application, you will be able to see the status of your application displayed on your application dashboard in the Apply platform. You will also receive updates on your status via email.
During the Training Skills Assessment, the TAC will assess if the candidate meets the definition of a national and international ambassador of scrum and are able to demonstrate their abilities as a world-class trainer. The interview component of the TSA is an opportunity for the TAC to get to know a candidate on a personal level in an interactive way. The TAC will inquire, for example: what is your story? your “why”? What is your unique perspective and contribution to the global trainer and coach community?
The training simulation component of the TSA will evaluate the candidates' domain knowledge, professionalism, delivery effectiveness, audience management, student engagement, and self-awareness. We expect all candidates to align with the Scrum Guide and learning objectives version that are current at the time of their interview and simulation (regardless of the course materials version submitted in the formal application stage).
Please be aware that advancing to this stage does not guarantee a candidate will be approved as a trainer. Approval is dependent on your performance during the Training Skills Assessment.
The interview panel will consist of three TAC members and one Scrum Alliance staff member. All TAC members have been asked to recuse themselves in the event of any conflict of interest related to a candidate. We assemble TAC panels for candidates based on recusals and a desire to incorporate different team members for each round of interviews.
All TAC members, including Scrum Alliance staff representatives, are full voting members of the TAC and will represent students during the training simulation.
Below is a general summary of the Training Skills Assessment: