The CSM test is for people who have finished a Certified ScrumMaster course with a Certified Scrum Trainer and now need to pass the 50-question online test from Scrum Alliance. This page has free practice sets by topic, worked answers to sample questions, the official test facts and a study plan. We write our questions with AI tools for practice. They are not real exam questions. Practice with the free CSM - Certified ScrumMaster practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (11 questions with answer explanations).

Free CSM - Certified ScrumMaster Study Tools

Interactive CSM - Certified ScrumMaster resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• Free CSM Scrum Roles and Principles Questions and Answers — 11 questions with instant scoring and answer explanations
• CSM - Certified ScrumMaster flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• CSM - Certified ScrumMaster study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• CSM - Certified ScrumMaster cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

CSM Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Oct 22, 2026 against Scrum Alliance. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

What the CSM is and how it works

According to Scrum Alliance, “The CSM test contains 50 multiple-choice questions based on the CSM Learning Objectives and Scrum Guide .”^[1]

The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) is a Scrum Alliance certification for people who work as a Scrum Master or want to learn the role properly. The test checks what you know of the CSM Learning Objectives and the Scrum Guide.

Eligibility. You cannot take the test without first doing the course. You must complete a CSM course with a Certified Scrum Trainer, and only then do you get access to the online test. Each trainer sets the price of their own course. Scrum Alliance lists a range of $250–$2,495 USD, and the course fee includes 2 test attempts.

Format and scoring. You take the test online, and nobody proctors it. It has 50 multiple-choice questions and a 60-minute time limit. You cannot pause the test, but you can bookmark questions and come back to them before time runs out. To pass, you need 37 of 50 correct (74%).

Timing and retakes. Scrum Alliance sends a welcome email with an account activation link. From then you have 90 days to take the test at no cost. If you fail twice, or take the test after those 90 days, each further attempt costs $25 USD until you pass.

Renewal. The certification renews every 2 years, and Scrum Alliance emails you 90 days before it expires. Course prices and dates depend on the trainer, so check the course listing and Scrum Alliance's CSM page and support articles for the current rules.

CSM content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CSM content outline published by Scrum Alliance. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CSM questions

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.

Example 1

Question: In a 4-week Sprint, what is the maximum timebox for the Sprint Review?

1. There is no timebox for the Sprint Review
2. Four hours
3. Two hours
4. Three hours

Answer: B. Four hours

Explanation:

B is correct. The Scrum Guide sets the Sprint Review at a maximum of four hours for a month-long Sprint, and a 4-week Sprint falls into that category. For shorter Sprints the review is usually shorter. A is wrong because every Scrum event is timeboxed, including the Sprint Review. C and D are wrong because two or three hours are not the stated limit. A team may well finish in that time, but the question asks for the maximum. Also note that four hours is a ceiling, not a target. Running the full timebox when the work is done adds nothing.

Rule to remember: learn each event's maximum for a month-long Sprint, and expect shorter Sprints to use less time.

Example 2

Question: What is the recommended size for a Scrum Team?

1. Exactly 7 members, plus or minus 2.
2. Typically 10 or fewer people.
3. Between 3 and 9 Developers, plus the Product Owner and Scrum Master.
4. As many people as needed to complete the work.

Answer: B. Typically 10 or fewer people.

Explanation:

B is correct. The current Scrum Guide says a Scrum Team is typically 10 or fewer people. That is small enough to stay nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint. A is wrong: "7, plus or minus 2" is a rule of thumb from older Scrum material, and the guide sets no exact number. C is wrong: "between 3 and 9 Developers" comes from an earlier version of the guide that counted Developers separately. The current guide sizes the whole Scrum Team. D is wrong: the guide says large teams should reorganize into several cohesive Scrum Teams that focus on the same product.

Rule to remember: the whole team, Product Owner and Scrum Master included, is typically 10 or fewer. "Typically" means guidance, not a hard cap.

Example 3

Question: Which of the following is a primary service the Scrum Master provides to the organization?

1. Managing the project budget and reporting on return on investment (ROI).
2. Assigning tasks to individual Developers and tracking their performance.
3. Leading and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption.
4. Directly resolving all technical impediments on behalf of the Developers.

Answer: C. Leading and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption.

Explanation:

C is correct. The Scrum Guide lists leading, training and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption as a service the Scrum Master gives the organization. It sits alongside helping people understand an empirical approach and removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams. A is wrong: budgets and ROI reporting are outside the Scrum framework and are not a Scrum Master accountability. B is wrong: the Developers manage themselves and decide who does what, and tracking each person's performance works against that. D is wrong: the Scrum Master makes sure impediments get removed. Often that means coaching the team to solve its own problems rather than fixing every technical issue for them.

Rule to remember: the Scrum Master serves, teaches and coaches. They do not manage people, money or task assignments.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the Scrum Guide and the CSM Learning Objectives, because the test questions are based on both. Read the Scrum Guide straight through before your course, then again after it, when the class discussions will make more sense.

1. Take a broad set first, such as CSM Scrum Methodology and Framework, to see where you stand. For every question you miss, find the line in the Scrum Guide that answers it.
2. Then work through the sets for your weak areas: events and artifacts, roles and responsibilities, and the role of the Scrum Master.
3. Watch the wording. Wrong options are often close to right: "assigns tasks" versus "coaches self-management", or a fixed number versus "typically".
4. Before test day, do a timed run of 50 questions in 60 minutes in a single sitting. Bookmark the hard ones and come back to them, as you can on the real test, which cannot be paused.
5. Take the real test well inside the 90-day no-cost window, so your second free attempt is still there if you need it.