1. PRESCREEN
Once your application is submitted, it goes into a queue to be prescreened by a Scrum Alliance staff specialist. The goal of the prescreen is to validate that the application meets all CST Prerequisites and is ready to move forward to Formal Review by the Trainer Approval Community (TAC). The prescreen can take approximately 4 weeks, depending on the amount of applications in the queue.
- If you meet the minimum requirements, you will be notified that your application is moving forward to Formal Review by the TAC.
- If you do not meet the minimum requirements, you will receive feedback from the Scrum Alliance staff specialist outlining the missing requirements and areas for growth. There is no waiting period for reapplication. You will be encouraged to re-work your application based on the prescreen feedback and resubmit when you are ready.
2. FORMAL REVIEW
Once you have passed prescreen, your application will be added to the queue for Formal Review by the TAC. The Formal Review will be completed by two TAC members who will each conduct an independent review of your application and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the CST Certification Standards. Once two reviewers pick up your application, they have a 4-6 week timebox to complete their review. During this time, you will not be permitted to submit any new materials. Please note: TAC members recuse themselves from reviewing applicants that they’ve co-trained with, mentored, or have engaged in a business relationship.
- Application approved: If both TAC reviewers agree that in their review, your application meets the CST Certification Standards, your application will be approved and you will be invited to a Formal Interview.
- Application not approved: If both reviewers, in their review, determine that you do not meet the CST Certification Standards, the application will be deferred. You will be informed of the decision and receive written feedback describing which standards were not met and why the decision was made. This email will also include next steps and a resubmission date*. You will also be invited to participate in a feedback call with your reviewers to receive clarification and answers to any questions you may have.
- Tiebreaker: In the event that the two TAC reviewers have differing opinions in the final decision, a third TAC reviewer will be invited to complete a review of your materials and act as a tiebreaker vote. This may extend the timebox for your review and you will be notified.
*A note on resubmission dates: The standard deferral period for an application resubmission is six months, but the TAC makes this decision on a case-by-case basis. There are times when an applicant is invited to make changes and resubmit immediately, and other times when the TAC will ask applicants to wait at least a year before resubmitting their application. The resubmission date depends on the feedback and recommendation of the TAC.
Please note that if you are asked to wait at least a year before resubmitting your application, you will need to re-pay the application fee.
3. FORMAL INTERVIEW and SIMULATION
The Formal Interview and Simulation is a face-to-face interview and training simulation with a 5 member TAC panel. The TAC will assess whether you meet the definition of a national and international thought leader in Scrum and agile and are able to demonstrate your abilities as a world-class trainer.
- CST approved: If all of the members of the panel determine that you meet all of the CST Certification Standards and are qualified to be certified by the Scrum Alliance as a CST, you will be approved as a CST.
- CST not approved: If the members of the panel determine that you do not meet all of the CST Certification Standards and/or are not yet qualified to be certified by Scrum Alliance as a CST given feedback, and invited to re-interview* at another time.
*A note on re-interview dates: If you are not approved during the Formal Interview and Simulation, the TAC will invite you to re-interview at a future date. The standard wait time is 6 months for a first interview denial, and a year for a second interview denial. Based on dates of future interview slots or feedback provided by the TAC, you may be invited to interview as soon as the next possible interview date, or you may be invited to an interview date that falls in the following year.
4. CERTIFIED SCRUM TRAINER
And so begins the next chapter of your story as a CST! For more information on your next step, see What’s Next.