Certified Scrum Trainers

Certified Scrum Trainers^® play a vital role within the Scrum Alliance. CSTs are licensed to teach CSM and CSPO courses. Stringent certification requirements are imposed on prospective CSTs to make certain that only those who are qualified to meet this commitment are entrusted to engage in this role on behalf of the Scrum Alliance.

Vision

A CST is an ambassador of Scrum. He or she will:

Have a solid understanding of the Scrum framework, a deep understanding of the principles and values that are the foundations of Scrum, and a clarity on what belongs to Scrum and what is an extension or complement;
Have extensive experience of implementing and/or coaching Scrum inside organizations;
Be active in the wider Scrum community, through actual and virtual interaction with other Scrum and Agile thinkers and practitioners;
Have training experience beyond just Scrum, be willing to explore new ways of working and be committed to continuous improvement.

Philosophy of Application Process

We desire an application process that is fair, thorough, and that uses objective measures to choose trainers that will make good ambassadors of Scrum and the Scrum Alliance.

Two Ways to Get CST Certified. Pick One!

Because there are many amazing trainers who live in areas of the world where co-training with CSTs may not be feasible, Scrum Alliance has begun a pilot program called “Provisional CST” as an alternative method to our traditional CST application process (which does require showing evidence of co-training).

The Scrum Alliance firmly believes in co-training as a way to develop strong training skills, and the exclusion of this requirement in the Provisional CST application process is in no way a commentary on the importance of co-training.

Here's how the two CST application processes compare:

For a full description of the traditional CST application process, download the CST Certification Process and Standards (pdf).

For a full description of the Provisional CST application process currently in pilot program stage, see http://www.scrumalliance.org/pages/provisional_cst_process.

Class Participation and Certification Statistics

CST Application Process

Please click here for a description of the CST certification process.

The application for certification as a Scrum Trainer can be found here. Please identify the process you would like to follow on the subject line when you submit your application: "Provisional CST" or "Traditional CST."

Please contact the Scrum Alliance at CSTsupport@scrumalliance.org for information regarding fees to become a CST and any information regarding the CST agreement.

The basics of the CST Selection Process are as follows:

Initiated through an application packet, see link to the application above
- Basic background information, course materials, exercises, etc. are required
- Experience co-training is highly recommended
- At least 5 references from current CSTs is highly recommended
Pass an initial review by a peer review committee
Face-to-face interview for those who pass initial review

In order to be eligible for in-person interviews at the Las Vegas Gathering, you must have submitted CST application materials by March 1, 2013.

New Provisional CST Process 2013

We are accepting applications from current CSPs interested in pursuing a CST through the alternate Provisional CST process. Applications are being processed on a first-in, first-out basis. Given the popularity of this pilot program, applicants should understand that currently there are many applications being reviewed. In an effort to help applicants with their timelines, we will provide updates on the expected review time once we have completed the review of our first batch of applicants. Please check this web page for updates on application review time.

Click here to learn more about the Provisional CST process.

Certification Duration

One year.

Renewal of CST certification automatically incorporates lower-level certifications such as CSP, CSM, CSPO, and CSD.