Key Takeaways
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iSAQB CPSA-A is a high-level software architecture certification suitable for experienced IT professionals. The certification is intended to prove your skills in designing, documenting, and describing software architectures.
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This certificate can enhance your professional image due to the fact that it will be evidence of your high-level software architecture knowledge and experience.
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CPSA-F examination is a multiple-choice test which takes about 75 minutes and consists of about 40 questions.
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For registration for the CPSA-A examination, it is necessary to have a valid CPSA-F certificate and not less than three years of IT work experience. Your experience must include participation in designing and developing at least two IT systems.
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It is required to get no less than 70 credit points for an accredited CPSA-A training program, which includes not less than 10 points in methodology, technology, and communication areas.
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CPSA-A examination is divided into two parts: a written software architecture assignment and an oral examination. In the latter, you have to present and defend your software architecture project to two independent examiners
What is iSAQB CPSA-A?
The CPSA-A is the next level of certification after the CPSA-Foundation in the iSAQB® scheme. It helps software architecture professionals gain higher qualifications and take their abilities to the next level. Simply put, the iSAQB CPSA-A certificate is a recognized document certifying qualification for anyone working on solution structures in IT projects and aiming to broaden their skills in this field.
CPSA-A provides advanced knowledge in three qualification domains: Methodology, Technology, and Communication. The modular structure of the program gives an opportunity to the software architecture professionals to choose modules which suit their work, interests and career plans.
Unlike Foundation Level, CPSA-A takes more time, practical skills and individual work from candidates. This level is not based on taking one course and passing the multiple choice test. Candidates should develop a training path, apply their knowledge to a task of architecture and justify their decision.
But what benefits may you get by CPSA-A certification? How will it help you in your work as a software architect? The next paragraphs provide answers to these questions.
Who Is CPSA-A For?
CPSA-A is aimed at professional software architects and developers, technical team leads, and other IT specialists who have some experience in dealing with software architecture and want to assume more responsibilities. This certification course is perfect for people who create sophisticated systems, lead development teams, document architecture solutions, and interact with stakeholders.
How Will the CPSA-A Certification Help You?
The following competencies are yours with the iSAQB® CPSA Advanced Level Certificate:
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Independent and systematic design of medium and large-scale IT systems
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Taking responsibility for technical and content matters concerning IT systems of medium or high criticality
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Being able to design and document the measures needed to achieve the non-functional requirements
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Supporting development teams in implementing these measures
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Leading architecture-related communication in medium and large-scale development teams
What Are the CPSA-A Requirements?
We understand that the requirements for the CPSA-A exam can be a bit detailed and sometimes confusing. That’s why we aim to present them to you in the simplest and most understandable way possible.
Conditions to fulfill for accessing the iSAQB CPSA advanced level certification:
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Certificate: An iSAQB certificate for Software Architecture, Foundation Level.
- Professional Experience: At least three years of full-time professional experience in the IT sector. Participation in the design and development of at least two different IT systems.
- Activities and Overview of the Related IT Systems:A general overview in table form of the activities and related IT systems. A list of the main features in bullet points (system and project scope, industry, technologies, used products, frameworks, operating systems, methods, patterns).
- Training Participation: Participants receive a certificate by attending CPSA-A Advanced Level courses, and each advanced level course has a specific number of credit points. Participants wishing to enroll in the CPSA-A® exam must accumulate a total of at least 70 credit points and should cover 10 points for each of the following areas.
Certificates of participation are provided by accredited training providers.
How Do CPSA-A Credit Points Work?
Each iSAQB Advanced Level module awards credit points in one or more of three competence areas: methodology, technology, and communication. These are, in order:
Methodology: A systematic approach to architectural tasks, independent of the technologies used.
Technology: Knowledge and implementation of technology solutions used in design tasks.
Communication: The ability to effectively collaborate with different stakeholders in addition to communication, presentation, discussion, and moderation skills.
Below are the iSAQB advanced-level courses and the credit points listed for each of the three areas of competence.
How Many CPSA-A Modules Do You Need?
A total of at least 70 points must be collected from the three competency areas listed above. However, it is also required to collect a minimum of 10 points from each competency area.
For example;
A person attending the ADOC + AGILA + ARCEVAL courses completes 70 points with 60 points in the methodology area and 10 points in the communication area, but since they have "0" (Zero) points in the technology area, they do not meet the conditions.
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ADOC: 20 methodology
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AGILA: 20 methodology and 10 communication
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ARCEVAL: 20 methodology
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Total: 70
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Technology: 0
In another example;
Individuals who attend the DDD + AGILA + CLOUDINFRA courses and qualify for certification achieve a total of 90 points with 50 points in the methodology area, 20 points in the technology area, and 20 points in the communication area, thus surpassing the 70-point threshold. At the same time, since they collect at least 10 points and above from each competency area, they qualify to take the CPSA-A exam.
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Confidentiality Agreement: A confidentiality agreement regarding not disclosing information about examination duties and reports(expert opinions) or corrections. A written consent declaration by the candidate that they will not transfer any tasks taken in the exam, any documents, models, papers, notes, reports created during the process (expert opinions), or corrections to any other person or organization.
This is a standard contract that imposes a penalty on the candidate in case of violation. This document can be obtained from the certifying organization.
What Is the CPSA-A Exam Format?
After completing all the stages mentioned above, you need to obtain a document from certification organizations such as "Certible" or "FUTURE NETWORK CERT" confirming that you have accumulated 70 points.
The training providers issue participation certificates that show the credit points you earned in each Advanced Level course. You then submit these certificates, together with the other required documents, to a licensed certification body.
The certification body checks your application, confirms that you meet all requirements, and manages the exam process.
Then, an assignment for the exam will be sent to you. Now, let's get into the details of the exam itself;
The CPSA-A exam consists of 2 main parts:
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Part 1 of the examination: The assignment (paper)
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Part 2 of the examination: Defense of the assignment
Part 1: The assignment (paper)
Part 1 of the examination includes an assignment that can be completed with approximately 40 hours of work. Once received, this assignment must be completed within a 3-month timeframe. It can be submitted earlier than 3 months, but if you exceed this period, your exam will be considered invalid.
Part 1 of the examination, or the assignment paper, is thematically related to one or two of three system types: Information system, Web system, and Embedded system.
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Information System: Business processes and data
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Web System: Public access, changing loads, and security
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Embedded System: Limited resources and time-sensitive behavior
Part 2: Defense of the assignment
After completing the first stage, the certifying organization assigns two independent evaluators to review the documented solution and deliver it to them for evaluation. The exam officials will then conduct an online interview or phone conversation with you.
In this conversation, namely the oral defense stage, you must explain, present, and defend your solution to the exam officials. If the reviewers confirm that you have met all the requirements for CPSA‑A®, that your solution is in accordance with the guidelines, and that you have well documented, explained, and defended your solution, it means you are eligible to receive the "Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Advanced Level (CPSA-A®)" certificate. The entire exam can be conducted in either German or English.
For detailed information, you can review the "Examination Rules Certified Professional for Software Architecture Advanced Level" document.
CPSA-A Examination Task (example)
Candidates are not permitted to share confidential examination tasks or documents. Before receiving a task, they must sign a non-disclosure agreement that includes a contractual penalty for violations.
A confidentiality agreement signed by the candidate before the exam ensures that tasks received during the exam, any documents, models, papers, and notes, as well as reports created during the process (expert opinions) or corrections, are not transferred to other individuals or organizations.
Therefore, we can't provide specific examples but it's possible to illustrate based on an exam sample published on the iSAQB's official page.
BigSpender is an official sample assignment based on an expense management system. Candidates must design an architecture that supports receipt handling, approval, payment, billing, and auditing.
You can find it here: Version 1.5, May 20, 2017 CPSA-A Final Task – BigSpender
How Much Does the CPSA-A Certification Cost?
It seems you are asking about the total cost of obtaining the CPSA-A certificate after completing all the required stages.
We can explain the budget needed for the CPSA-A certificate in two different scenarios:
1- CPSA-A certification exam enrolling price
2- Total Cost from Scratch to CPSA-A Certificate
The prices mentioned here are the current prices as of July 2026; however, do bear in mind that the prices may change when you are reading this article. For the latest prices of CPSA-A Exam Fee, you can click here. For the latest prices of all the certificates from scratch, you can view the iSAQB page.
1- CPSA-A certification exam enrolling price
The enrollment fee for the CPSA-A certification exam is 2,550.00 Euros plus VAT. If you need to retake the exam, the repeat fee will be 750.00 Euros plus VAT.
2- Total Cost from Scratch to CPSA-A Certificate:
For those who currently do not possess any CPSA certifications but wish to pursue the CPSA-A certification, it is necessary for them first to acquire the CPSA-Foundation (CPSA-F) certification and then complete the three different Advanced modules, which are elaborated above. The approximate cost of the three Advanced modules is as follows:
For example:
First, you take the CPSA-F certification and subsequently go through the ADOC + CLOUDINFRA + SOFT modules, earning a total of 80 CP and gathering at least 10 points in each competency area and then sign up for the CPSA-A certification test.
iSAQB® Foundation Level Training + CPSA-F Exam Fee: starting from €2,150
(The CPSA-F examination fee may be charged separately, depending on the selected course and certification body.)
Example CPSA Module 1 - iSAQB® ADOC - Architecture Documentation Certification: starting from €1,450
Example CPSA Module 2 - iSAQB® CLOUDINFRA: starting from €2,200
Example CPSA Module 3 - iSAQB® SOFT - Soft Skills Certification: starting from €2,200
CPSA-A Certification Exam: €2,550
Total Price: The estimated starting price of the four training courses and the CPSA-A examination is approximately €10,550 excluding VAT.
It is important to emphasize that the exam cost of CPSA-F might be paid additionally depending on course registration and certification organization.
The mentioned prices only cover training and testing expenses. Our trainings can be held both in online and onsite modes. In the case of onsite training, all learning materials will be supplied by tecnovy, and additional expenses like transport and accommodation are not covered by the above price calculation.
Don't forget that prices may vary, and you can always get up-to-date pricing on our website.
Is the CPSA-A Certificate Valid for Life?
Yes. The CPSA-A certificate is valid for life and does not require renewal or recertification.
Can You Complete CPSA-A Online?
Yes. Accredited Foundation and Advanced Level training courses can be completed online. Online Advanced Level courses provide the same official credit points as onsite courses. The written assignment is completed independently, and the oral defence is arranged by the selected certification body.
Is CPSA-A Worth It?
CPSA-A can be worth it for experienced software architects who want to show their practical skills and take on more responsibility. It is not designed for beginners because candidates need a CPSA-F certificate, professional experience, 70 credit points, a written assignment, and an oral defence.
Conclusion
The iSAQB CPSA-A is the Advanced Level certification for experienced software architects. To earn it, you need a CPSA-F certificate, at least three years of IT experience, work on at least two IT systems, and 70 credit points with at least 10 points in methodology, technology, and communication. After completing these requirements, you must submit a written assignment and defend it before two examiners. Accredited training can be completed online or onsite, and the certificate is valid for life.
