Looking to earn your Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential?

The Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential is a National and International marker of a committed association professional who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage an association in today’s challenging environment. 

Have you got what it takes to go to the next level, AuSAE is here to help you!!

Study Group -Your Pathway to CAE:  Learn More Here 

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have experience with not for profit organisation management, complete a minimum of hundred hours of specialised professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management, and pledged to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and not for profit management. More than 4700 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE program is accredited by the American National commission for certifying agencies (NCCA).

Exam's are held in May and December each year. With AuSAE preparing a comprehensive 10 week AuSAE CAE Study Program for you, leading up to the exam dates. The AuSAE CAE Study Program(s) starts either 

Exam date: May 1-14, 2024
Application deadline: Friday, February 23, 2024

Exam date: December 1-14, 2024
Application deadline: Friday, September 27, 2024

Step 1: Contact us to determine your eligibility- we will help you with this.

You may apply for the CAE when you have completed each of the eligibility requirements, including work experience and professional development criteria.

Candidates who apply to take the CAE exam must have

• Five years of experience as an employee at the staff level  OR 
• One year employed as a chief staff executive or C-suite-level executive at a qualifying organisation. 

A qualifying organisation is a nonprofit organisation (trade association, professional society, individual membership organisation, philanthropic organisation, or an association management company (AMC). In lieu of employment at a qualifying organisation, an applicant may have 10 years’ paid service as an employee, independent contractor, or consultant with demonstrated professional involvement within the association community by providing services as defined by the CAE exam content outline or five years of such service if substantially all of your work is devoted solely to qualifying organisations.

Candidates must have completed 100 hours of broad-based, association management-related professional development, as defined by the exam content outline, within the last five years of the month in which you submit your application to be eligible to sit for the CAE examination. 

Read more about eligibility requirements and get other information about earning your CAE.

Step 2: Apply and prepare for the exam 

The CAE exam is offered twice a year, in May and December. Choose a date that fits well with your schedule and allows you time to prepare. If you take the AuSAE CAE Study Program, we will assist and bundle up the exam fee, study material(s), additional resources and practice exam questions. We will assist all the way though. 

Step 3: Take the exam.

The four-hour examination includes 200 multiple-choice questions. More below

Step 4: Get recognised.

When you earn your CAE, plan to walk across the stage at the next AuSAE conference (ACE & LINC) Also:

• Share your accomplishment with others via a letter of support from AuSAE & ASAE.
• Brag a little with merchandise bearing the CAE logo.
• Add digital recognition to your social media, email, and web profiles.

Step 6: Keep your CAE current.

CAEs are required to renew their certification every three years.

 This CAE information was shared to AuSAE by ASAE and the CAE foundation 

CAE Examination Information and Dates

The first step toward earning your CAE, after you've met your experience and education eligibility requirements, is to submit an application. You should submit your application once you meet the application criteria and are prepared to sit for the exam within the next twelve months. The application deadlines for upcoming exam dates are listed below. Please note that your application must be received in the CAE Program office by close of business on the listed application deadline.

Registering for an Exam Date
Once you have an approved application on file, you will be sent a notification to schedule from Scantron via email approximately 4 weeks before the examination date. Once you receive a notice to schedule you can select a site and date for your exam. Exam applications remain valid for one year after the date of approval. A candidate with an approved application may test in any of the test administrations offered within the one-year time frame. If his/her application expires, the candidate must submit a new application with the appropriate fees and have the application approved in order to register for the exam. A retake fee will apply for sitting more than once on the same application.

When and Where The Test Is Given
The CAE exam is offered in a two-week window in May and December.  The test is administered at scheduled test sites internationally at Scantron testing centers. Due to COVID-19 concerns, 2021 candidates will also have the option of taking the exam from their home or other location with a live online proctoring option (LOP). 

Computer-Based Test

Beginning with the Spring 2020 exam, the CAE will be administered as a computer-based test. Candidates will be able to schedule their exam within a two-week window at any of the sites available through Scantron. Candidates will have 4 hours to complete the exam once they begin. Results will be mailed to candidates approximately 6 weeks after the final day of the testing window. Candidates will not receive results after they complete the exam at a testing center, as the post-exam process is not changing. After the test, the questions are analyzed statistically to identify if there are any hidden flaws. Questions that appear to be flawed are reviewed by the CAE Examination Committee to determine how that question should be scored. After these issues are resolved, the test is scored and results are finalized. Results from the Spring 2020 exam are anticipated to be sent mid to late August. 

AuSAE Test exam Outline
The CAE exam, ASAE will be conducting a pilot test with the Australasian Society of Association Executives. The Australasian CAE Exam Content Outline is similar to the standard U.S.-centric outline but with some variations to account for differences in meaning, practice, or laws.

CAE_Australasian_Exam_Content_Outline.pdf