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Cisco Continuing Education

The Continuing Education program offers flexible, alternative options to recertify while you pursue new learning opportunities and expand your skill set.

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Overview Qualifying Options Policies and rules

Build skills. Recertify. Unleash your potential with Continuing Education.

Keeping your Cisco certification active is the smart way to hone your technical skills, build networking knowledge, and accelerate your career dreams. And now with more ways than ever to recertify, you can start on your path toward recertification as early as today.

Continuing Education

How it works

The certification lifecycle

Most Cisco certifications are active for three years. You can keep your certification active by recertifying at any point during those three years. CE credits are one of several ways to work toward your recertification.

CCST certifications are valid for life and do not need to be recertified.

Learn more about recertification

How to earn CE credits

CE credits are awarded when you complete qualifying Cisco training. You can continue to complete training, or combine your CE credits with an exam to complete recertification.

Explore qualifying CE training

How CE credits are applied

You must complete all requirements for recertification by your certification expiration date. Credits accumulate until you recertify your highest level of certification. At that point, all certifications at that level and below become recertified.

How “pending” CE credits work

If you let a certification expire, you must complete the full examination process again to earn active status. Any ‘Pending’ CE credits at the time of expiration will retroactively apply towards recertification based on the activity completion date once your claim is validated.

How to apply CE credits

You can use CE credits, or combine them with an exam, to work toward recertification.

Associate recertification

Only using Continuing Education (CE):

  • Earn 30 CE credits

Specialist recertification

Only using Continuing Education (CE):

  • Earn 40 CE credits

Professional recertification

Only using Continuing Education:

  • Earn 80 CE credits

Combining exams with Continuing Education (CE) credits:

  • Earn 40 CE credits AND pass one professional level exam

CCIE recertification

Only using Continuing Education (CE):

  • Earn 120 CE credits

Combining exams with Continuing Education (CE) credits (Choose one option):

  • Earn 40 CE credits AND pass one technology core exam
  • Earn 40 CE credits AND pass any two professional level exams
  • Earn 80 CE credits AND pass any one professional exam

CCDE recertification

Only using Continuing Education (CE):

  • Earn 120 CE credits

Combining exams with Continuing Education (CE) credits (Choose one option):

  • Earn 40 CE credits AND pass one technology core exam
  • Earn 40 CE credits AND pass any two professional level exams
  • Earn 80 CE credits AND pass any one professional exam

Earn CE credits by completing training on Cisco U.

When you complete certification paths on Cisco U., you’ll be awarderd CE credits, which you can apply toward recertification.

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Explore the Cisco Learning Network

Not sure where to begin? The Cisco Learning Network is where you can ask questions, share ideas, and connect with other members as you prepare for your Certification exams.

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