ACSM-CEP · eligibility · checked Oct 27, 2026
ACSM-CEP requirements, two pathways, one audit
There are two ways in. A master’s in clinical exercise physiology (or equivalent) with 600 clinical hours (Pathway A), or a bachelor’s in exercise science, exercise physiology or kinesiology with 1,200 clinical hours (Pathway B). Either way you also need a current life-support card (BLS/ACLS; first aid from 2027), and every application is audited before you can book.
ACSM-CEP practice test Study guide
Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
- 600 / 1,200 hclinical hours, master’s / bachelor’s
- CAAHEP degree from Aug 2027for new graduates
- Every applicationaudited before booking
Study while the hours add up
ACSM-CEP practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
From degree to exam date
Degree
Degrees awarded on or after August 15, 2027 must come from a CAAHEP-accredited program (bachelor’s in exercise science or master’s in exercise physiology) or one that has started the accreditation process. Until then, a regionally accredited degree in the fields above qualifies.
Coursework
Transcript courses in clinical exercise testing and prescription, advanced exercise physiology, and clinical exercise physiology or pathophysiology, including ECG interpretation and the pharmacology of commonly prescribed drugs. Syllabi may be requested when a course title does not show the content.
Clinical hours
600 h or 1,200 h, logged on the clinical experience template.
Life support
BLS Provider, ACLS, or CPR for the Professional Rescuer, with a live in-person skills check; current first aid also required from August 15, 2027.
Application and audit
Every CEP application is audited (transcript and clinical log) before you can schedule the exam. If your application is found ineligible, the exam fee is refunded and the $50 application fee is kept.
Booking
Approval opens the testing window for a Pearson VUE center or OnVUE. More time: $50 for each 3-month extension of the testing window, up to 3 per application (1 year in total).
Clinical hours: what counts
Minimum: 600 / 1,200 h, and only hours in a clinical setting count. They can come from internships, volunteering or paid work (handbook, p. 6).
Check each log entry against the work itself: clinical assessment and interviewing, exercise testing, prescription and progression for chronic disease, supervised training with ECG, vitals or oximetry, patient education and disease management (requirements page). Virtual counseling hours are accepted when they show active counseling, prescription and support, up to half of the total.
The recommended mix by condition
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical hours | 600 (master’s) or 1,200 (bachelor’s) hours in clinical exercise programs; virtual counseling counts for at most half; observation, athletes, apparently healthy clients and personal training do not count | ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) · ACSM: updated ACSM-EP and ACSM-CEP requirements and accreditation (revised Feb 6, 2026) [1][2] | |
| Cardiovascular | 180 / 360 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Obesity / metabolic | 150 / 300 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Behavior change / education | 70 / 140 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Pulmonary | 40 / 80 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Orthopedic / musculoskeletal | 40 / 80 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Neoplastic | 40 / 80 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Frailty | 40 / 80 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Neuromuscular | 40 / 80 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
| Total, master’s / bachelor’s | 600 / 1,200 hours | Handbook, p. 6 | — |
Healthy clients do not count
A year of personal training or strength coaching adds nothing to the log: hours with athletes or apparently healthy people are excluded, and so are observation-only hours. Time in a cardiac rehab gym counts when you take an assisted or direct role in assessment, prescription, supervision, counseling or education (handbook, p. 6).
Graduating on or after August 15, 2027
CAAHEP degree from Aug 2027: the date the degree is awarded decides which rule applies, and a program that has made a formal inquiry or filed a Request for Accreditation Services also qualifies. The same date brings a first-aid requirement, and the certification board plans to review the policy again in August 2029 (ACSM). The rule covers the EP too: ACSM-EP requirements.
Bachelor’s degree but no clinical log yet?
The ACSM-EP asks for exercise science bachelor’s + CPR/AED and no clinical hours, so it can be a first credential while the 1,200 hours build up. How the two compare: exercise physiologist certification.
More on the CEP
- ACSM-CEP overviewWho the credential is for, the six domains, the route to the exam
- ACSM-CEP practice testA mixed set across all six domains, weighted like the July 2025 outline
- ACSM-CEP exam factsFormat, scaled scoring, the 2023–2025 pass rates, retakes and renewal, from the handbook
- ACSM-CEP costMember and nonmember fees, what the audit refunds, retests, extensions and renewal
- ACSM-CEP study guideThe two texts, how to split the hours, ECG and drug skills
Sources
- ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: updated ACSM-EP and ACSM-CEP requirements and accreditation (revised Feb 6, 2026) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
Eligibility questions
Can I sit the ACSM-CEP with a bachelor’s degree?
Yes. Pathway B: Bachelor’s + 1,200 clinical hours, plus a current life-support card.
Do personal training hours count toward the clinical hours?
No. Personal training, observation, non-clinical work and hours with athletes or apparently healthy people are all excluded.
Does ACLS count instead of BLS?
Yes. The requirements page accepts BLS Provider, ACLS or CPR for the Professional Rescuer, each with a live, in-person skills check.
Is the hours split by disease mandatory?
No, it is a recommended distribution. Only the total and the clinical setting are required.