The Certified Agile Essentials Specialist (CAE) exam from the International Software Quality Institute suits people who work in IT teams and want a credential in agile basics. This page gives you free practice sets by topic, a map from the official content areas to those sets, worked questions with explanations, a study plan, and answers on format, fee, passing score and retakes.
The CAE has 40 questions, takes about 60 minutes and costs $155[1] (International Software Quality Institute, verified Oct 27, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 40 questions[1] | International Software Quality Institute · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Time limit | 60 minutes[1] | International Software Quality Institute · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Passing score | 65%[1] | International Software Quality Institute · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Exam fee | US$155.00[1] | International Software Quality Institute · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake fee | US$38.75 (+25% 2TRY add-on)[1] | International Software Quality Institute · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake policy | One free re-sit within 90 days with 2TRY add-on[1] | International Software Quality Institute · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Delivery | Remote proctored or Pearson VUE test center[2] | pearsonvue.com · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Eligibility | No formal prerequisites; basic IT knowledge and IT team experience[1] | International Software Quality Institute · Oct 27, 2026 |
According to International Software Quality Institute, “There are no specific entry requirements or pre-requisites except basic IT knowledge and experience of working in IT teams.”[1]
The CAE exam, run by the International Software Quality Institute (iSQI), tests your grasp of agile fundamentals. It covers the Agile Manifesto and principles, release and iteration planning, requirements, reviews and progress, and team quality. It is meant for people who work in IT teams and want to show they understand how agile work is organised.
There are no formal prerequisites. iSQI asks only for basic IT knowledge and experience of working in IT teams.
The exam has 40 questions and a time limit of 60 minutes. The minimum score to pass is 65%. You can sit it remotely with a proctor or at a Pearson VUE test center. You can order your voucher from the iSQI shop page or through your Pearson VUE account.
The exam fee listed by iSQI is US$155.00. If you add the 2TRY option when you buy, 25% is added to your initial order, shown as US$38.75. With that add-on, you can take one free re-sit within 90 days if you do not pass the first attempt.
Fees, vouchers and add-ons can change, so check the iSQI exam page and the Pearson VUE page for the current terms before you book. Our practice questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions.
The content areas below are copied from the official CAE content outline published by International Software Quality Institute. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Agile Manifesto and Principles[3] | CAE Agile Principles & Mindset Practise telling apart the values and principles behind agile work, and spotting answers that sound agile but put process ahead of people. |
| Release and Iteration Planning[3] | CAE Agile Planning & Delivery Practise how a team plans what to deliver, how work is sized and ordered, and how plans change when new information arrives. |
| Requirements, Reviews, and Progress[3] | CAE Definition of Done & Acceptance Criteria Practise how requirements become clear acceptance criteria, how finished work is reviewed, and how progress is judged. |
| Team Quality[3] | CAE Team Collaboration & Communication Practise how shared responsibility, communication and regular inspection keep quality within the whole team and not in a separate step. |
Prepare for the CAE - Certified Agile Essentials Specialist exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the PRIMARY purpose of continuing education requirements in Retrospectives & Continuous Improvement for CAE professionals?
Answer: A. Maintaining current knowledge and competency as the field evolves
Explanation:
The correct answer is that continuing education keeps knowledge and competency current as the field evolves. Agile practice changes over time, so the main point of ongoing learning is staying useful and accurate in your work.
The option about mandatory regulatory requirements only is wrong because it names a single narrow motive and the word only makes it too absolute. Networking can happen along the way, but it is a side benefit, not the purpose. Earning extra credentials for career advancement is also a side effect that benefits the individual and does not describe why the field asks for learning.
The general rule: when a question asks for the primary purpose, choose the option that describes the lasting reason. Be wary of options that are absolute, that name only one motive, or that describe a by-product.
Question: Which standard of practice is MOST important for ensuring quality in Stakeholder Engagement?
Answer: A. Following evidence-based protocols while adapting to specific circumstances
Explanation:
The correct answer is following evidence-based protocols while adapting to specific circumstances. It combines a reliable base of known good practice with the judgment to fit it to the situation, which is what quality in stakeholder engagement depends on.
Strictly adhering to the same procedure in every situation is wrong because rigid repetition ignores differences between stakeholders and contexts. Using the most advanced technology regardless of need is wrong because the tool should follow the problem, not the other way round. Minimizing documentation to focus on practical work is wrong because it treats records as waste, when useful documentation supports shared understanding.
The general rule: in agile questions, balanced answers that pair a sound practice with adaptation usually beat answers that insist on one extreme.
Question: What is the purpose of a product backlog in Agile?
Answer: C. Captures prioritized user requirements
Explanation:
The correct answer is that a product backlog captures prioritized user requirements. It is the ordered list of work the team may deliver, and it gives everyone a shared view of what matters most to stakeholders.
Tracking employee hours is wrong because the backlog describes the work to be done, not time spent by people. Listing project risks is wrong because risks are managed separately and are not the main content of the backlog. Recording historical defects is wrong because the backlog looks forward at what to build or fix, not backward at what has already happened.
The general rule: match each artifact to its purpose. The backlog is forward-looking, ordered by value, and centred on what the product needs.
Start with the official content areas from iSQI and read the exam page so you know the format, the time limit and the passing score. Then use the table on this page to pick the practice set that matches each area.
Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so treat them as practice for reasoning, not a preview of the exam. Use the official material as the source of truth, and book only when your results are steady across all areas.
The CAE exam has 40 questions and a time limit of 60 minutes. Check the iSQI exam page before you book, since the exam body sets and may update these details.
The minimum score listed by iSQI is 65%. That is the figure to aim above in practice, ideally with steady results across every content area rather than strong scores in only a few.
iSQI lists the exam fee as US$155.00. Adding the 2TRY option raises the initial order by 25%, shown as US$38.75. Vouchers are ordered from the iSQI shop page or through your Pearson VUE account, so confirm current prices there.
Yes, if you bought the 2TRY add-on. It allows one free re-sit within 90 days if you do not pass on the first try. Without the add-on, check iSQI for the terms that apply to a new attempt.
There are no formal prerequisites. iSQI says you need only basic IT knowledge and experience of working in IT teams. No specific course or earlier certificate is required to sit the exam.
Yes. The exam can be taken remotely with a proctor or at a Pearson VUE test center. You can order your voucher from the iSQI shop page or through your Pearson VUE account.
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