Everything you need to know about how the CBAP® exam is structured — questions, time, scoring, and exactly how the marks are distributed.
120 multiple-choice case-study and scenario questions, answered in 210 minutes (3.5 hours). It is a competency-based exam taken online with remote proctoring (PSI) or at a test centre, with an on-screen pass/fail result confirmed by email within 48 hours.
IIBA publishes how the 120 questions are distributed (CBAP Handbook, May 2026). Weight your preparation to match — this is the single most useful planning fact:
| Area | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements Analysis & Design Definition | 30% | |
| Requirements Life Cycle Management | 15% | |
| Strategy Analysis | 15% | |
| Business Analysis Planning & Monitoring | 14% | |
| Solution Evaluation | 14% | |
| Elicitation & Collaboration | 12% |
Requirements Analysis & Design Definition is the heaviest at 30% — most candidates under-weight it.
6 free questions · explanation for every option · per-area readiness · no dumps.
Start free →It's challenging because it's an application exam, not a memorisation test — case-study and scenario questions across all six BABOK knowledge areas. Well-prepared candidates with a structured plan pass; people who rely only on work experience often don't.
Typically 150–200 hours over 2–3 months (5–8 hrs/week). With a prep course and strong BABOK fluency, some do it in around 100. What matters most is practising questions, not just re-reading.
CCBA is the mid-level credential (around 3,750 hours of experience); CBAP is senior (7,500 hours) with longer, more complex case studies.
120 multiple-choice case-study and scenario questions, answered in 210 minutes (3.5 hours).
IIBA does not publish a numeric cut score — results are pass/fail with per-area performance indicators. Aim for a consistent 80–85% on realistic mocks before booking.
IIBA does not publish official pass rates, so any exact percentage quoted online is unverified. The readiness signal that actually predicts passing: consistently holding 80–85% on realistic, full-length practice exams before you book.
7,500 hours of BA work in the last 10 years at least 900 hours in 4 of the 6 knowledge areas 35 professional-development hours in the last 4 years 2 references (career manager, client, or CBAP recipient) with a work email
A $145 application fee (non-refundable) plus a $350 exam fee for IIBA members ($505 non-members; first-year membership included). Member retake $295 — verified against the iiba.org fee schedule, August 2026.
For most candidates, 150–200 hours over 2–3 months (roughly 5–8 hours a week). What matters most is practising questions and analysing why each option is right or wrong — not just reading.
60 Continuing Development Units (CDUs) every 3 years.
No — every question is original, written to test the concepts and reviewed before it ships, with an explanation linked to the source for every option. Dumps are stale, often wrong, and against IIBA's policies.