Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST®)

A Certified Scrum Trainer educates and trains individuals and teams in agile principles and practices, the scrum framework, and other competencies related to the specific Scrum Alliance course. They deliver Scrum Alliance certification courses and decide whether to recommend their course attendees to Scrum Alliance for certification. Additionally, CSTs contribute to the broader agile community by staying updated with the latest trends and sharing their expertise.

You must be an active CST to teach certain courses. CSTs are entrusted to deliver Scrum Alliance's core certification courses (all courses within the scrum master track and product owner track).

Scrum Alliance has specific requirements and standards for trainers who lead these certification courses. These standards ensure that the training is consistent, high-quality, and aligns with the core principles and practices of scrum. As a CST, you'll deliver our most in-demand scrum certification courses.

Training of other Scrum Alliance courses requires a separate evaluation process.

Earning the Certified Scrum Trainer certification from Scrum Alliance can be a significant undertaking, and the time required to achieve it varies widely based on individual circumstances.

Some of the basic requirements include extensive practical experience with scrum, demonstrated expertise in scrum practices and principles, and a proven ability to teach and mentor others in the scrum framework effectively. The process is designed to ensure that CSTs have a comprehensive and deep understanding of scrum, making the timeline to certification vary from person to person.

Scrum Alliance uses a formal application and interview/simulation process to assess an applicant’s scrum experience, scrum knowledge, community involvement, and training experience. In order to apply, one must hold an active Certified Scrum Professional® - ScrumMaster (CSP®-SM) or an active Certified Scrum Professional® - Product Owner (CSP®-PO) designation from Scrum Alliance. However, there is no designated "CST course" or "CST exam" that an applicant is required to take as a prerequisite.

Co-training with an active CST is not required but is highly recommended. Successful applicants have found co-training to be an invaluable experience when piloting their course materials and practicing their facilitation style in a real-world context.

Please note that you must hold an active CSP-SM or CSP-PO certification to begin co-training with current CSTs.  We recommend creating relationships with active CSTs organically, by networking at events and creating natural connections with the Scrum Alliance guides' community.  Any active CST open to co-training will have indicated their intention on their Scrum Alliance profile. 

Yes—Scrum Alliance welcomes those who already train or coach for another scrum-certifying body or training organization to apply to become a CST. As a Scrum Alliance CST, you are expected to focus and prioritize your teaching efforts in furtherance of Scrum Alliance’s mission in order to provide an exceptional student experience. You may not offer "two-in-one" certification courses or market your classes in a way that suggests students will receive an additional certification from a different certification body.

Please let us know if you have concerns about interviewing in English and we can discuss inviting a community translator (other Scrum Alliance certificant) to accompany you and help with translation during the interview. Please let us know if you have other concerns about providing your application personal statement(s) in English, and we will work with you to discuss options. 

If you receive a Deferral Decision from the Trainer Approval Community that you believe to be incorrect, you may appeal the decision to Scrum Alliance. In that case, certain guides' community members may be selected to participate in a "Certification Appeal Committee" that reviews and considers such appeals.

An appeal must be made within 30 days of the decision. If the appeal is of a Formal Review decision, we recommend you complete a feedback call with your reviewers before submitting your appeal.

You, as the individual making the appeal, have the burden of proof. Your appeal will not be accepted for review if it does not include relevant documentation that clearly demonstrates the basis for your appeal, and that you fully satisfy all of the CST Certification Standards. Scrum Alliance staff members may participate in Certification Appeal Committee proceedings in a non-voting capacity.

The decision of the Certification Appeal Committee is made by a majority vote of the Committee members. Thereafter, the Committee informs Scrum Alliance of its decision with regard to the appeal and provides a written explanation of the basis for such decision.

If, after reviewing the General Application Appeal Process, you wish to appeal either your CST Candidate Formal Review or Interview/Simulation decision, please contact the Scrum Alliance Providers Team.

If you feel there has been a violation of the Scrum Alliance Code of Ethics, please submit the provided form.

Please note: We highly encourage applicants to submit when ready, though we cannot ensure interview/simulation dates outside of scheduled events. Successful candidates must submit a thorough and complete application (making sure to meet all prerequisites and certification standards and completely address any feedback) regardless of date, rather than rush and submit to meet a certain deadline. No additional documentation or requirements can be submitted after you have submitted your application for prescreen review.You must submit your course materials to align with the learning objectives and Scrum Guide version that are most current at the time of your submission, even if you are re-applying after a deferral.