ACE Health Coach Certification Exam

ACE Health Coach Certification Exam

The ACE Health Coach exam determines whether you have the expertise in fitness, nutrition and behavior modification necessary to design and implement effective exercise programs and guide clients to a healthy lifestyle.

The 3-hour, 150-multiple choice question exam tests your ability to determine the most appropriate course of action in a variety of real-life scenarios. You must earn a score of at least 500 out of 800 possible points to become an ACE-certified Health Coach. Only 125 of the 150 questions will count toward your overall score, as the remaining questions are experimental and are being evaluated for use on future exams.

You can take the exam in either of the following two formats:

Not quite ready to take the exam?

Although a Computer-Based Testing (CBT) voucher is only included in our Premium bundle, you can purchase one separately. The voucher, which must be redeemed within 6 months from purchase date, will automatically appear in your MyACE account. As long as candidates redeem the voucher within that timeline, they can register for any exam date posted on the ACE website. Vouchers are non-refundable and non-transferable.

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What’s covered?

Questions on the ACE Health Coach Certification Exam cover the following performance topics:

  • Building Rapport and Facilitating Behavior Change
  • Program Design and Implementation
  • Program Progression and Adjustments
  • Professional Conduct and Competency

You can read more about the specific topics assessed within each performance domain and find out the percentage of exam questions covered by each domain in our ACE Health Coach Exam Content Outline.

Does ACE provide study help?

Of course we do. Our goal is to help you not only study for the exam, but retain the knowledge so it will help you become a better ACE Health Coach.

We have a number of study resources to help:

  • ACE Academy Select: Included in our Premium bundle, ACE Academy Select uses presentations to give candidates an in-depth look at topics covered on the exam so they can better understand the content. The study resource also includes 12 weeks of custom-guided e-mails, access to the ACE Resource Center, our Exam Review and two online practice tests.
  • ACE Academy: Included in our Standard bundle, ACE Academy is a valuable resource for aspiring Health Coaches who need help staying on track throughout the study process. The resource includes a 12-week guided e-mail series, access to the ACE Resource Center, our Exam Review and an online practice test.
  • ACE Resource Center: If you need answers you can’t find in your reference books or need help breaking down a specific topic, call our team of experts at (888) 825-3636, ext. 796 or e-mail them at resource@ACEfitness.org.
  • Facebook: Get study tips and connect with other people preparing for ACE exams by checking out our ACEfitnessStudyCenter page.

What can I expect on exam day?

You’ll need your admission ticket, which you can access and print from your exam registration portal and a government-issued ID with photo and signature that matches the name on your exam registration. We recommend extra layers of clothing for comfort in the exam center. For questions about proper identification or if the name on your admission ticket doesn’t match your ID, call (888) 825-3636, ext. 783.

Once you arrive at your exam center, you’ll see that some testing centers administer multiple credentialing exams – not just those dedicated to ACE Health Coaches. To keep distractions at a minimum, you’ll take your exam in a room with a closeable door and either adequate space or partitions between other test takers.

Some important things to keep in mind:

  • If you don’t have a printout of your admission ticket with you on exam day, you may not be able to sit for your exam.
  • If the name on your exam registration does not match the name on your government-issued ID with photo and signature, you will not be able to sit for the exam.
  • You are not permitted to bring a calculator.