Assistants Certification Exam

The ASHA Assistants Certification Exam is a national exam created by ASHA and approved by the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC). The exam was developed to establish standards of knowledge and competency for audiology assistants or a speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs). It assesses assistants’ knowledge and skills to ensure that they clearly understand (a) their appropriate scope of practice, (b) how an assistant must be supervised, and (c) the basic tasks performed in an assistant’s role.

Applicants for assistants certification must pass the national exam to be considered an ASHA-certified assistant in audiology or speech-language pathology and be awarded the C-AA or C-SLPA credential.

In order to take the exam, applicants for assistants certification must first have (1) received approval of their application and required documentation, and (2) paid the initial certification fee of $249 (includes assistants certification exam and one year of affiliation). The exam is administered by Prometric on behalf of ASHA, and it will be available at testing centers throughout the U.S. and online through live proctoring.

General Information

The Passing Exam Score

The CFCC makes the final determination for the passing score.

• The current passing score for audiology assistants is 162. 
• The current passing score for SLPAs is 162.

Preparing for the Exam

To prepare for the exam, become familiar with the format and the content of the exam by reviewing the exam blueprint and by using the exam resources available below for audiology assistants or SLPAs. Then, develop a study plan based on the exam content and your knowledge in each topic area.

The exam is made up of 100 multiple choice questions that were created by peers in the field, including educators, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and assistants.

Registering for the Exam

• Once you are approved to take the exam, a unique Exam Eligibility ID and link to register for the national exam will be emailed to you by ASHA staff.
• Select the link in the email to register for the exam and to select the test date and location that best meets your needs.
• You have one year to schedule and take the exam once you’ve been approved.

ADA Accommodations

ASHA is dedicated to making the testing process accessible to all and strives to provide access—to the fullest extent possible—to activities based on awareness of the registrants’ needs. The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) provides protection to individuals with disabilities, with a record or history of an impairment/disability or who is regarded as having an impairment/disability. The ADA requires the provision of reasonable accommodations to support access to goods, services, facilities, advantages or accommodations offered. However, reasonable accommodations will not alter the nature of the exam, result in undue financial and administrative burden, or affect the health and safety of an individual or others.

If you require ADA accommodations for the exam as part of the application process, you will be required to provide documentation from a qualified professional who has made an individualized assessment that supports the need for the requested testing accommodation. Appropriate documentation will vary depending on the nature of the disability and the specific testing accommodation requested. Examples of types of documentation include:

• recommendations of qualified professionals
• proof of past testing accommodations
• observations by educators
• results of psycho-educational or other professional evaluations
• an applicant's history of diagnosis
• an applicant's statement of his or her history regarding testing accommodations

All personal and application information submitted by applicants and/or certificate holders is considered confidential and will not be shared with any party other than ASHA's Certification staff or administration vendors for certification processing purposes. Mail documentation to:

ASHA
c/o Certification Department
2200 Research Blvd. #313
Rockville, MD 20850

Nondisclosure Agreement

The Assistants Certification Examination is confidential and proprietary to ASHA. The examination is made available to candidates solely for the purpose of assessing their proficiency. Candidates are expressly prohibited from recording, copying, reproducing, disclosing, publishing, or transmitting this examination, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, verbal or written, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose. Candidates should refrain from participating in the creation of any Assistants Certification Examination prep activities or study guides for a period of one year following their completion of the examination. Candidates accept the terms of this nondisclosure agreement through their act of completing the examination.

Retest Policy

After you take the exam, your score will automatically be sent to ASHA for review and you will be notified of your results. If you didn't receive a passing score of 162 or higher, you will be eligible to retest up to two more times within one year of your initial approval to test. You may take the exam again by paying the $99 retest fee and scheduling a retest date.

Applicants may take the exam no more than three times within one year. If you don’t receive a passing score within one year, your application will be closed. If you wish to reapply for assistants certification, you may do so by submitting a new application under the assistant certification standards in effect at the time.

Audiology Assistants

Exam Blueprint

The Audiology Assistant Exam Blueprint [PDF] was developed through a research-based practice analysis by audiology assistants, audiologists, and educators to ensure that the certification reflects emerging data, applied knowledge, and best practices. The audiology assistants national exam will be based on the information in the blueprint.

Practice Exam Questions

Sample questions for review and study purposes are an example of the types of questions that appear on the audiology assistants exam.

Exam Resources

The ASHA resources provided are not exclusive to the audiology assistant exam but will allow you to review topic material. Please refer to the Audiology Assistant Exam Blueprint [PDF] for specific topic areas.

• Issues in Ethics: Audiology Assistants
• Medicaid Toolkit
• Medicare Frequently Asked Questions
• Practice Portal 
• Preferred Practice Patterns for the Profession of Audiology
• Self-Assessment for Cultural Competence
• Hearing and Balance
• Infection Control
• Scope of Practice for Audiology Assistants [PDF] 

SLPAs

Exam Blueprint

The SLPA Exam Blueprint [PDF] was developed through a research-based practice analysis by SLPAs, SLPs, and educators to ensure that the certification reflects emerging data, applied knowledge, and best practices. The SLPA national exam is based the information in the blueprint.

Practice Exam Questions

Sample questions for review and study purposes are an example of the types of questions that appear on the SLPA exam.

Exam Resources

The ASHA resources provided are not exclusive to the SLPA exam but will allow you to review topic material. Please refer to the SLPA Exam Blueprint [PDF] for specific topic areas.

• Issues in Ethics: Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
• Medicaid Toolkit
• Medicare Frequently Asked Questions: SLPs
• Practice Portal
• Preferred Practice Patterns for the Profession of Speech-Language Pathology
• Self-Assessment for Cultural Competence
• Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
• Infection Control