How every sitting is run.
How EMA examinations are built, run, scored and governed, set out in full so that candidates and employers can hold us to it.
Examination Blueprint
Every EMA examination is built against the published EMA Competency Framework. Questions are scenario-based. Each one describes a realistic management situation and asks you to judge what to do, which recall alone will not answer. Every sitting draws its own randomised set from the question bank, so no two sittings are identical. An examination may also include a small number of unscored evaluation questions. They look the same as the scored ones and do not affect the result.
| Credential | Questions | Duration | Pass Standard | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMA-I · Associate | 60 | 90 minutes | 70% | 3 years |
| EMP-II · Professional | 75 | 105 minutes | 75% | 3 years |
| EME-III · Expert | 90 | 120 minutes | 80% | 3 years |
| EMX-AI · AI Extension | 60 | 90 minutes | 75% | 2 years |
The question count and the pass standard rise with each level, and the time per question shortens slightly, from 90 seconds to 84 and then 80. To try the format, take the sample examination. It has ten practice questions in the real exam interface, the same number at every level, and it is free and unrecorded.
Examination Administration
On-demand sittings
Examinations are taken on demand. Once you obtain one, a sitting opens straight away and stays valid for the certification's eligibility window of 180 days. You can begin at any point in that window. A sitting not begun before the window closes expires, and a new one has to be obtained.
One open sitting per certification
A candidate may hold only one open or in-progress sitting per certification at a time, which keeps the record of attempts unambiguous.
Continuous timing
The examination clock runs from the moment the sitting begins. Closing or reloading the browser does not pause the clock or change the question set. Candidates pick up exactly where they left off.
Randomised forms
Each sitting draws its question set at the moment the examination starts. The set is then fixed for that sitting and never reshuffled, so the attempt record stays consistent and can be audited.
Scoring & Results
Examinations are scored automatically against the answer key, and the result is available as soon as you submit. Each level's pass standard is fixed and published above. Nobody adjusts results, and there is no curve or quota, so candidates are measured against the standard rather than against each other.
Candidates who do not pass may obtain a new sitting, which draws a fresh set of questions.
Credential Lifecycle
Issuance
A credential is issued as soon as you pass. It carries a unique credential ID (in the form EMA-YYYY-NNNNN, or EMP- or EME- for the higher levels) and is conferred by the Academy’s Certification Board.
Verification
Anyone can verify a credential at any time with its credential ID, and no account is needed. The result shows the holder, the certification, its dates and its current status.
Expiry & recertification
Ladder credentials are valid for three years from issue, and the EMA AI Extension for two, because AI practice moves faster. Holders recertify by passing the current examination for their level, so a credential always reflects the current competency framework.
Suspension & revocation
The Academy may suspend or revoke a credential for examination misconduct, misrepresentation, or fraud. A change of status shows in public verification immediately.
Accommodations
The Academy provides reasonable examination accommodations, such as extended time, for candidates with documented disabilities or conditions that affect timed assessment. To request one, use the Contact page at least five business days before you begin your sitting and describe the arrangement you need. Requests are handled confidentially. An accommodation changes the conditions of the examination, never the pass standard.
Examination Integrity
Candidates agree to complete examinations on their own, without assistance, and to keep examination content confidential. Sharing, reproducing or soliciting examination questions is grounds for invalidating results and revoking credentials. EMA sells no training, so we gain nothing from inflated pass rates. What matters to us is that a pass means what it says, and we protect the examination with that in mind. The blueprint, how questions are written, scoring and our commitment to publish pass rates are set out in How the exam is built.
The draft EMA AI Standard is open for public comment.
Read the draft →Questions about these standards or a specific credential?
Contact the Academy