American Society of Association Executives
ASAE is the essential organization for association management, representing both organizations and individual association professionals. We believe associations have the power to transform society for the better. Our passion is to help association professionals achieve previously unimaginable levels of performance. We do this by nurturing a community of smart, creative, and interesting people: our members. In short, we are the Center for Association Leadership.
How To Register
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 Spring (usually May) and Winter (usually December). The test is administered at scheduled test sites throughout the U.S. and internationally at Scantron testing centers. Due to COVID-19 concerns, candidates also have the option of taking the exam from their home or other location with a live online proctoring option (LOP). NCCA is temporarily allowing us to offer the LOP option to candidates.
Computer-Based Test
The CAE exam is administered as a computer-based test. Candidates can 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.
Reasonable Accommodations Pursuant to the ADA
The CAE Commission will make reasonable efforts to accommodate eligible candidates who provide documented evidence of their disability or need for special arrangements, with auxiliary aids and services that do not present an undue burden to the CAE Commission and do not fundamentally alter the measurement of the knowledge the assessment is intended to test. If you require special testing arrangements, you must inform the CAE Commission of your needs in writing upon application submission or at least 30 days prior to your exam date.
Prepare For Your Test
This list of core resources has been compiled by the CAE Commission to reflect a sample of literature that is aligned with the CAE Exam Content Outline and would be useful in preparing to be a chief staff executive or preparing to earn the CAE. The list is reviewed and recent references may be added periodically.
While these resources are not required reading and should not be interpreted as constituting the sole source of all CAE exam questions, candidates may find them useful when preparing for the exam. Each candidate should develop his or her own personal reading list and study plan based on individual needs and knowledge.
- Association Law Handbook, 6th edition
- Professional Practices in Association Management, 3rd Edition – *Out of Stock.
The 3rd edition is the core resource for the May 2021 exam, however the 4th edition is also suitable as a study resource for the May exam. - Professional Practices in Association Management, 4th Edition – Core resource for December 2021 Exam
- The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management, 4th Edition
- How to Read Nonprofit Financial Statements, 3rd edition
- Membership Essentials: Recruitment, Retention, Roles, Responsibilities, and Resources, 2nd Edition
- ASAE ForesightWorks User’s Guide
In addition to the core resources, CAE exam items can be referenced to any ASAE-curated knowledge—defined as information published or disseminated by ASAE, such as books sold in the bookstore or articles published in Associations Now or newsletters.