PSM I Certification: Exam, Cost, Passing Score and How to Prepare

What is PSM I?

PSM I is the first level in Scrum.org's Professional Scrum Master certification path. It demonstrates a fundamental level of Scrum mastery and an understanding of Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide.

The certification is earned by passing an assessment, not merely by attending a course.

A successful candidate should understand both the mechanics of Scrum and the principles that make the framework coherent: empiricism, the Scrum Values, self-management, the purpose of each Scrum event, the accountabilities within the Scrum Team and the relationship between the artifacts and their commitments.

Who is PSM I for?

PSM I may be useful for:

• •current or aspiring Scrum Masters
• •Agile practitioners
• •delivery professionals
• •team coaches
• •developers and other Scrum Team members
• •managers working with Scrum Teams
• •consultants supporting Agile adoption
• •people who want to demonstrate a rigorous understanding of Scrum

You do not need another Scrum.org certification before attempting PSM I.

Formal work experience is not listed as a prerequisite for purchasing the assessment. Practical experience working in or around a Scrum Team can still make scenario questions easier to interpret.

PSM I exam format

Scrum.org currently lists:

• •80 questions
• •60 minutes
• •85% passing score
• •US$200 per attempt
• •multiple-choice questions
• •multiple-answer questions
• •true/false questions
• •online assessment
• •one attempt per assessment password
• •password does not expire until used
• •lifetime certification
• •no annual renewal fee

With 80 questions in 60 minutes, candidates have less than one minute per question on average. That makes familiarity with Scrum terminology and framework logic especially important.

What does PSM I test?

Scrum.org organizes PSM I around Professional Scrum Competencies and focus areas.

Candidates should be prepared for questions where common organizational habits conflict with Scrum. The strongest answer is often the one that best preserves empiricism, self-management, transparency, inspection and adaptation rather than the one that sounds most familiar from a traditional management setting.

Do you need a Scrum.org course before PSM I?

No.

Scrum.org explicitly states that training attendance is not a prerequisite for taking its Professional Scrum certification assessments.

Official training can still be valuable, and Scrum.org recommends several learning options, but candidates may purchase and take the PSM I assessment without first completing a Scrum.org class.

This makes PSM I different from certifications that are awarded simply for attending training.

What should you study for PSM I?

The most important starting point is the current Scrum Guide.

The official current Scrum Guide is the November 2020 version by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland. Scrum Guides also provides a French translation of the 2020 guide.

A strong preparation plan should cover:

1. Scrum theory and empiricism.
2. The Scrum Values.
3. The Scrum Team and its accountabilities.
4. The Scrum Master accountability.
5. The purpose and boundaries of each Scrum event.
6. Scrum artifacts and their commitments.
7. Definition of Done.
8. Self-management.
9. Facilitation and coaching.
10. Product Backlog management and Product Value.
11. Stakeholder interaction.
12. Repeated practice with Scrum.org's Scrum Open assessment.
13. Scenario-based practice that tests application rather than memorization.

Candidates should be able to explain why Scrum works the way it does, not merely recite definitions.

Understanding the Scrum Master accountability

A Scrum Master is not simply a meeting organizer or a traditional team manager.

The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and for helping the Scrum Team improve its effectiveness.

That can involve helping people understand Scrum theory and practice, supporting self-management, removing or addressing impediments, facilitating when useful, coaching the team and helping the wider organization interact more effectively with Scrum.

PSM I candidates should be alert to answer choices that make the Scrum Master the team's command-and-control manager.

Is PSM I difficult?

The 85% passing score means there is limited room for error. The 60-minute time limit also creates pressure.

The assessment is not just a vocabulary test. Candidates need enough understanding to distinguish Scrum itself from practices that may be common in a workplace but are not required by Scrum.

Strong candidates usually know the Scrum Guide well, can reason from empiricism and the Scrum Values, and can recognize incorrect assumptions quickly.

PSM I exam language and French preparation

Scrum.org currently lists PSM I in:

• •English
• •Japanese
• •Simplified Chinese through the referenced Scrum.org China option

Scrum.org also provides instructions for people who choose to use browser translation, while noting that it does not guarantee translation quality.

The official Scrum Guide is available in French.

CertOnyx plans to provide English and French PSM I preparation. That does not mean the official Scrum.org assessment itself is currently offered natively in French. Preparation language and official assessment language are separate.

Does PSM I expire?

No annual renewal is currently required.

Scrum.org describes PSM I as a lifetime certification with no annual renewal fee.

This is different from certifications that require periodic continuing-education credits or renewal payments.

PSM I vs PSM II and PSM III

PSM I demonstrates fundamental Scrum mastery and a sound understanding of the Scrum framework and Scrum Master accountability.

PSM II is intended to assess more advanced understanding and the ability to apply Scrum Master knowledge in more complex real-world situations.

PSM III goes deeper still and requires a very high level of Scrum mastery and explanation.

Candidates do not need to study all three levels at once. PSM I is the natural starting point for most people entering the Scrum.org Scrum Master certification path.

How CertOnyx will support PSM I

Coming Soon

CertOnyx plans to extend its preparation model to PSM I with:

• •focused exam-style practice questions
• •scenario-based Scrum questions
• •targeted weak-area practice
• •performance feedback
• •timed practice
• •English and French preparation content

Until the PSM question bank is production-ready, PSM remains marked Coming Soon. CertOnyx does not expose unfinished placeholder content as a live certification-preparation bank.