New A+ certification exam objectives will be released in 2019
It is that time in the CompTIA certification cycle where it is time to update the A+ 220-901 and 220-902 exams. We are looking at a release early 2019 possibly in January for the new A+ certification exam.
Click here for our A+ Exam Simulator for exams 1001 & 1002
It will be interesting to see what happens to the numbering now that we are running out of three-digit X01. Will it be 220-1001 and 220-1002 or will CompTIA go for 903 & 904 or something along those lines to preserve the three-digit scheme?
Want to see the CompTIA retirement dates, click here.
Click here for the complete A+ 220-1001 & 220-1002 exam objectives
What does that mean for my current certification status?
Nothing in the short term. If you are A+ certified today (and you passed the exam post-2011) then you are certified for three years from your exam date. This is true even if those three years takes you past the introduction of the new A+ exam.
Click here for A+ sample questions 220-901 & 220-902
Should I wait for the new A+ exam or just take the A+ 220-901 or 220-902 now?
If you are ready to take the exam in 2018 then, of course, there is no question that you should pick 220-901 or 220-902 if for no other reason that it is the only one available and there is no benefit in pushing this back to next year if you need it now. It becomes more of an issue next year. Say CompTIA releases the new exam in January 2019, then the 220-901 & 220-902 will still be available into the summer of 2019. This is the “grace period” that CompTIA offers for each new release and that means that for about six months or so you can actually choose which version of the exam to take. The choice will then hinge more on what your knowledge base/training looks like at that time. If you, at that time, have trained for A+ 220-901 or 220-902, then, no question, you will want to sit for that test. If its 2019 and you will start training for A+, then you will want to train on the new exam because you won’t be facing a hard deadline in the summer when the 220-901 and 220-902 will be retired. Its always nice to know that if you miss on the first try, that you still have a lot of time left to try again. In any case, whichever exam you sit fir in early 2019, you will be certified for three years from the exam date.
Did you know that CompTIA is certified too?
Just as CompTIA offers you an A+ certification process, CompTIA is also submitting itself to certification. A few years ago, CompTIA got approved for the International Standards Organization – ISO – quality certification. It is a process through which the ISO verifies that the organization that controls our certification process, CompTIA, does itself have a process in place that ensures the proper quality of the program. One of the things the ISO certification requires is that CompTIA updates its exam objectives (and so the exam itself) every three years.
29 thoughts on “New A+ certification exam coming in 2019”
if I where to take the test today would the change of the test 2019 affect my 2018 certification ? will the will the change affect my study materials would those need to be updated as well?
No. it will not. Irrespective of which version you pass you are “just as A+ certified” for three years from the exam date.
I have 220-902 exam scheduled for the end of January. Can I still take the exam or should I start training in the 1000 series when it comes out?
Between January 15 (when 1001/1002 will be released) and July of 2019, you will have, at the testing center, the freedom to choose to pass either A+ Exams 901/902 or A+ 1001/1002. Once you pass the exam, and no matter which version you pick, you will be A+ certified for three years from the exam date. So the good news is no, you won’t have to retrain.
If that person has taken the 901 and has only the 902 left to pass, will that mean that they must take the 902 by the cut off date? Can they take the 1002 to complete/match the 901? Or, will the person need to start over and take the 1001 & 1002?
Hi Jarvis, yes both tests have to be of the same version. You can either be 901/902 or 1001/1002 certified but there is no mix and match allowed. So this does indeed mean that whoever has passed the 901 exam will have to pass the 902 no later than July 2019.
Hi I read 901 and 902 exam,but I prefer first take 901 and then go for 902 exam.which do you recommend for this?
Thanks
Hi Zorik, taking 901 first and 902 a couple of weeks later is how most people get A+ certified. A few will sit for both exams the same day but that is rarer. In terms of CertBlaster, you can buy the preps for 901 and 902 separately. Here is a link to the bundle (both in the same purchase for an extra 20%+ discount) if you scroll down on the page you will see two buttons, one each for 901 and 902 separately: https://certblaster.com/product/a-plus-practice-test-bundle-220-901-and-220-902/
Best of luck on your quest for certification!
Hey I am practicing for 220-901 in next month but will it change the exam question or it remain same as 220-901 or it just only they will change 220-901 to new version like 220-903 something like that?
The new A+ 1001/1002 will be released next Tuesday the 15th of January. However, for six months from Tuesday CompTIA still keeps 901/902 available at the same time as the new exam. This means that until July of this year you will be able to choose to sit for A+ 1001/1002 or A+ 901/902 so you should pick A+ 901/902 if that is the one you studied for.
Hey, I want to ask you that I will take comptia 220-901 next month but will it change the question on exam and material or it will same in 220-901 or it just only they will change to new version instead of 220-901 to upgrade
Hi Muhammad, next Tuesday the new A+ 1001/1002 will be released at the testing centers. However, for six months from Tuesday CompTIA still keeps 901/902 available at the same time as the new exam. This is often referred to as the “CompTIA grace period” and means that until July of this year you will be able to choose to sit for A+ 1001/1002 or A+ 901/902.
u will still take it man
which is more beneficial? will the employers take into account if i have 901/902 or 1001/1002?
Hi Prabh, the vast majority of employers just want you to be A+ certified and couldn’t care less which version of the exam you are certified in. You are lucky to be in the grace period (starting on Tuesday next week) so you can choose what works best for you. You should pick based on the published exam objectives. Pick the objectives you are most comfortable with (knows more of them already) and study for that version.
Hello should I start studying for 220-901 or the 220-1001. All the study material I’ve seen isn’t available till late April. I want to knock it out in 2-3 months but I wanna know if that’s realistic.
If this is the first time ever you are trying for an IT certification and you are a beginner in IT, then we recommend you wait for A+ 220-1001 & 1002. That’s because unless you are very confident you know and master most of the A+ exam objective already, you don’t want to put yourself under a “do or die” deadline. Say that by end of July 2019 if you passed 901 but haven’t succeeded at 902 yet, then you would have to start over from scratch with 1001/1002 because CompTIA doesn’t allow “mix and match” of A+ versions.
So the short answer is: If you know and master most of the A+ exam objective already go for 901/902 (and still be fast about it), if not, absolutely wait for A+ 1001/1002.
Should I wait to start studying for the 220-901 or the 220-1001. I’m only asking because all the study material
for the 220-1001 I’vee seen isn’t available until April. I wanna knock the test out in like 2-3 months. I don’t wanna have to wait 2 months to start studying.i just wanna know if this is realistic.
Hi Bono, see our response to Gghh below as it exactly applies to your question too.
Will the materials in the new versions 220-1001/220-1002 be very different from the materials in the 220-901/220-902?
Hi Keng, the content is about 25% different. The passing score is about 85%. So that 25% difference is enough to fail you would you use the A+ 901/902 materials to prepare for the A+ 1001/1002. Having said that, if you already know most of the A+ 1001/1002 materials before studying then maybe you will be able to make it anyways, but that does seem a bit risky.
nice blog
Thanks, Eric, and best of luck on your quest for certification!
I’m so confused! I wanna do the exam in summer, but I don’t know the date of the exam. is there any exact date for the exam or I can choose whenever I want to do it?
how could I find out?
thanks
Hi Mostafa, There are a few different ways to earn CEUs. For A+ 20 CEUs are needed. Related work experience, Training and Education and non-CompTIA certifications can all count towards your goal. To get to the official CEU information page from CompTIA, Google “CompTIA continuing education units”.
Forgive me if this was answered, I passed the 901 in December but the test center had me sit for the 1002 this month (which i didn’t know) and I passed both. Am I A+ if the first test was old and the second test was new?
This is an unfortunate situation. CompTIA does not recognize any “mix and match” between exam versions. So right now you are not certified although you have clearly demonstrated enough knowledge to be. Try to have Pearson VUE issue you a “replacement voucher” i.e. for free based on the confusion around the 1002 exam, and go sit for either the A+ 1001 which will match your 1002 or a voucher for the 902 to match that exam with 901 you already have. You have already clearly demonstrated the ability to pass these exams so hopefully, you’ll bag this real soon.
May the force be with you!
what the last date of old vesion exam of A+
Hi John, that will be Wednesday, July 31 end of business. By that time you need to have passed both the A+ 901 and 902. Would you only pass say 901 and then fail 902 on or about the 31st then you would have to start over with 1001 and 1002.