Everything you need to know about how the IIBA-CBDA exam is structured — questions, time, scoring, and exactly how the marks are distributed.
75 multiple-choice scenario-based questions in 120 minutes (2 hours). Taken online with remote proctoring (PSI) only; immediate on-screen pass/fail, confirmed by email within 48 hours.
IIBA publishes how the 75 questions are distributed (IIBA-CBDA Handbook). Weight your preparation to match — this is the single most useful planning fact:
| Area | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Identify the Research Questions | 20% | |
| Interpret & Report Results | 20% | |
| Use Results to Influence Business Decisions | 20% | |
| Analyze Data | 16% | |
| Source Data | 15% | |
| Guide Organization-level Strategy | 9% |
Identify the Research Questions is the heaviest at 20% — most candidates under-weight it.
6 free questions · explanation for every option · per-area readiness · no dumps.
Start free →75 multiple-choice scenario-based questions in 120 minutes (2 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.
No mandatory requirements — open to anyone. IIBA recommends around 2 years of analysis work in business data analytics.
No application fee. Exam fee $250 for members ($405 non-members), first-year membership included.
For most candidates, around 30–50 hours (no official IIBA figure). What matters most is practising questions and analysing why each option is right or wrong — not just reading.
20 Continuing Development Units (CDUs) every year.
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.