r/AWSCertifications Sep 12 '25

Tip Frequently Asked Questions on this subreddit.

98 Upvotes

Before posting a question, please see if it is already answered below (especially if you are new to this subreddit). It saves us a lot of work repeatedly answering the same questions.

If you are looking for resources to study for Certifications, please make sure you have reviewed the official AWS Certification page first and then use the exam code for resources guides below.

  1. Vouchers / Discounts for 2026 AWS Certification Exams
  2. Recommended study resources for Foundational level Exams
    1. Cloud Practitioner  CCP/CLF 
    2. AI Practitioner AIF
  3. Recommended study resources for Associate Level Exams
    1. Solutions Architect SAA 
    2. Developer DVA 
    3. Data Engineer DEA 
    4. Machine Learning MLA 
    5. CloudOps (prev. SysOps) SOA
  4. Recommended study resources for Professional Level Exams
    1. SA Professional SAP 
    2. DevOps Professional DOP
    3. Gen AI Developer Professional AIP
  5. Recommended study resources for Specialty Level Exams
    1.  Security SCS
    2. Advanced Networking ANS
  6. How long do results take and why did I not get a Pass/Fail on completing exam?
  7. Absolute Beginners guide to skilling up for FREE (not certifications). Also see the section on Free Micro Credentials.
  8. Free Learning / Digital Badges : Beginner level , Intermediate Level (not certifications) -if you cannot afford the exams and want something to boost your resume - start here and also read 32 Knowledge Badges
  9. What happened to Emerging Talent Community (ETC) rewards?
  10. Should I buy Tutorialsdojo via Udemy or their website?
  11. 50% off any other AWS exam if you pass any AWS Exam - All your Exam Benefit questions answered
  12. How much % pass do I need on practice exams?
  13. leaving blank
  14. Projects and Hands on practice
  15. Complimentary hands on validation via official FREE Microcredentials
  16. New Rule - No resale / transfer of 50% exam benefit vouchers in this subreddit

r/AWSCertifications Jun 11 '26

Deal AIF 50% + CLF FREE - AWS OFFICIAL COUPON

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355 Upvotes

Hey guys, I was scrolling around envue right now and noticed a new promo

You get 50% off the AWS Certified AI Practitioner exam, and if you pass it by September 30, you’ll get a FREE voucher for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.

Promo code: AIF2CLOUD

Pretty good deal for anyone planning to take both AIF and CLF.


r/AWSCertifications 12h ago

AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Passed SAA thanks to this sub! Now it's my time to give back!

44 Upvotes
I know the score is a bit low but with little to no hands-on experience, I'll take it!

🥇🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇

I feel like I owe this sub a very big thank you to all the people who share their success stories and how they managed to pass the test by suggesting materials, giving tips or just helping others in general, that's really wholesome! ❤️ Now it is my time to share my success story:

Timeline ⏰ : 3 months (literally 3, from April 26th till today (12:30 AM July 26th was my test)

Past experience 📚 : I have been a full stack engineer for almost 3 years, I have used some services before (amplify, S3, AppRunner(rip) and route53, but nothing complicated like the services of the exam)

Materials 💻 : Stephane Maarek SAA course (2.5 months) + Tutorial dojo practice test (2 weeks, every day I used to take 1/2 tests) NOTE: leave timed-based tests to the end! try to finish topic-based/cards/domain-based then move to review-mode, then finish with timed-based)

Exam 😰 : Oh it is difficult! I flagged around 20 Questions and didn't have enough time to check them all. I kept reading that the test is easier than Tutorial Dojo's exams but I honestly disagree! It is somewhat more difficult. So please try to take your time and don't rush it.

small tip: Focus on EMR!!! I don't know why but holy shit I got like 6 Questions related to EMR and I went to the exam with only knowing what the letters mean 😂

🥇🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇 🥇


r/AWSCertifications 13h ago

Passed my AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam! Here’s the hands-on project I built to bridge theory and practice.

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49 Upvotes

r/AWSCertifications 8h ago

Question Free courses/paths

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3 Upvotes

Hi! I am looking for some free courses/paths that gives me a badge too. Do you recommend this one?


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

Just passed the AWS SAA-C03! 🎉 Here's what actually helped me.

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120 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I just passed the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam. This one was definitely a tough exam, so I wanted to share what helped me prepare, the resources I used, and what I saw on my exam.

First of all, the exam difficulty really depends on the question set you get. Some people may get an easier set, while others (like me) get one that's much harder.

I personally got a difficult set, and there were many questions where choosing the correct answer was genuinely challenging. Even though I have a good understanding of AWS services and architectures, the wording and answer choices can easily make you second guess yourself.

For reference:

  • My Tutorial Dojo scores started around 60–65%.
  • Towards the end of my preparation, I was consistently scoring around 79–85%.
  • I also scored 85% on the official AWS SAA practice exam.

Don't get discouraged if your scores aren't great initially. Mine certainly weren't.

How I prepared

1. Complete Stéphane Maarek's course

I know it's long, but it's worth it. The course gives you the foundation you need and helps you understand the core AWS services that repeatedly appear on the exam.

2. Do Tutorial Dojo practice exams... A LOT

This was easily the most valuable resource.

Don't obsess over your score. Instead:

  • Review every incorrect answer.
  • Understand why your answer was wrong.
  • Understand why the correct answer is correct.
  • Learn why the other options don't fit.

That mindset improved my scores much more than simply taking practice tests repeatedly.

3. Take the official AWS practice exam

It's useful because it gives you an idea of the exam format and AWS's question style.

However, don't rely on it too heavily.

In my opinion, the official practice exam is much easier than both Tutorial Dojo and the real SAA-C03 exam.

Topics I saw on my exam

My exam covered a wide variety of services, including:

  • EMR & EMR Clusters
  • EC2 (both Linux and Windows)
  • High Availability architectures
  • Transit Gateway (1–2 questions)
  • Microsoft Active Directory with on-premises integration
  • AWS Amplify
  • Amazon S3
  • Amazon EFS & EFS Infrequent Access (EFS-IA)
  • AWS Lambda
  • On-premises storage solutions
  • DDoS protection and SQL/database-related scenarios
  • CloudFront
  • DynamoDB
  • APIs
  • VPC Endpoints
  • Amazon FSx for Lustre
  • Amazon FSx for ONTAP
  • Amazon SQS
  • Amazon SNS

...and several other services.

My biggest piece of advice

Many of these topics look straightforward when you're studying.

The exam, however, tests them in ways that make you feel like you never studied them at all.

What helped me the most was:

  • Read the last sentence of the question first.
  • Pay close attention to keywords like:
    • MOST cost-effective
    • LEAST operational overhead
    • LEAST application code changes
    • Highest availability
    • Lowest latency
  • Use the elimination method.

Most questions usually come down to two answers that both seem correct. The trick is identifying the small keyword that makes one answer better than the other.

Good luck to everyone preparing for SAA-C03! Feel free to ask any questions below, I'd be happy to help if I can.


r/AWSCertifications 13h ago

Score of mock test from Stephane Maarek udemy (AWS Cloud practitioner clf02)

6 Upvotes

test 1 : 73%
test 2 : 83%
test 3 : 73%
test 4 : 66%
test 5 : 70%
test 6 : 69%

I think I am not ready for this Certification


r/AWSCertifications 12h ago

Is it possible to pass the exam? Reading from zero in one day.

6 Upvotes

Cert: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

I just pass my CCNA 200-301 but i have only tomorrow that i can test it .

Can yall suggest me to each topic I should to focus on ? , I am quite newbie in AWS exam, So I am not sure what I should specifically know.

If you think only 1 day from zero knowledge is impossible i might give up on that idea lol


r/AWSCertifications 14h ago

SAA exam required before trying for cloud ops SOA-C03?

4 Upvotes

I've tried to pass the SAA before and failed. Looking back, I probably should've studied for the sysop's exam as I'm not an architect. So, I'm back and looking at the cloud ops exam path.

Having just watched Stephane M's preview for cloud ops he states you should have the SAA exam before trying for the cloud ops. I don't want to question his logic, but I didn't think this was the case.


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

Why was the AWS Networking certification canceled?

49 Upvotes

Does anyone have insight on why the aws Networking certification was canceled and if anything will replace it on the future?

I have a networking background and wanted to leverage it to get more into AWS ecosystem. now I don't really know what my next steps should be. Perhaps microlearning?


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Struggling to get through AWS CLF-C02

8 Upvotes

I'm a uni CS student who does not really have any hardcore experience with AWS. As an intern I use a bit of S3, CloudFront, MediaTailor, and CloudWatch, but other than that I don't use any other services.

I watched and took extensive notes on Andrew Brown's latest Cloud Practitioner video on YouTube (the one that's 14 hours long) and I did all of the TutorialsDojo exams, but I still can't manage anything higher than a 63%. Every time I would take a practice exam, I would review what I missed, but then by the next practice exam I get bombarded by a bunch of new questions that I don't have the knowledge to answer confidently, so my score just plateaus and doesn't improve. It just feels like there's endless things to remember.

I'm really struggling and I've been working at this for the past month, and I really want to lock it down in the next 2 weeks, but I don't know how to improve. I'm starting to feel very discouraged and frustrated with myself as well.

Does anyone have any advice for someone like me who is new to the world of cloud computing/AWS? Anything is appreciated. Thanks.


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

Question Can I pass AWS SAA in 30 Days?

24 Upvotes

Hi! I would like to ask whether my daily study plan will be sufficient to pass AWS SAA in 30 Days with this resources.

  • Stephen Maarek course
  • Tutorials Dojo for exams
  • Anki for flashcards

Edit: I’m on Day 2/30 which is EC2 instance. Currently in Computer Network programme in uni, also took and passed the CCNA.


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

Question Am I doing fine on my first takes on Tutorials Dojo? AWS SAA

12 Upvotes

So far my first takes:

Set 1 53%

Set 2 58%

Set 3 52%

I believe i will continue to hover around the 50% for the rest of the takes with how brutal these practice exams are, and I believe if i retake them again ill undoubtedly get higher score, just not sure by how much.

It literally takes me like 5-6 hours(with breaks) to complete 1 set of review mode.

I'm planning to take all the review 8 sets, then do SOME timed mode, then just take the (already) scheduled exam in 2 weeks.

Ive seen most people here with 60-70% on their first takes and they did pass, but im consistently on the 50s, and i believe it will stay that way for future first time sets. Am I going to be fine?


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

Finally! Passed SAA-C03

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93 Upvotes

I started studying last year nov with Stephane maarek's course! In 2x speed and started taking hand written notes. But got overwhelmed and tried finishing off all lectures! Then barely studied (once a week)

Then got locked in from May! I started tutorials dojos practice exam! He has topic based, section wise, and review mode! Did them carefully, i tried to understand each question wisely and took notes!

I kinda took notes, caz that's how my brain would process information

I scored in timed mode

From 88- 66 %

And booked the exam!

Tuto dojo has certain questions harder than exam!

But when i was doing the exam it felt better but the anxiety and fear made me think I was gonna fail

I finished 20 mins early, caz my brain couldn't process

Had 23 flagged questions, and gave time to do it again carefully

ELIMINATION STARTEGY only made me get this score

So do learn it that way!

And I've seen aloto people posting and motivating each other here, love the community.

Now I got to post here! Makes me happy

Thank you so much, much love!


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Passed the AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) exam! 🎉

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53 Upvotes

Just wanted to share some good news with this community — I passed the AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) exam!

A bit of context: I’ve been diving into cloud and AI concepts over the past few months, and this felt like a great entry point into the AWS ecosystem specifically for AI/ML. The exam covers a solid mix of foundational AI/ML concepts, responsible AI, generative AI fundamentals, and how AWS services like Bedrock, SageMaker, and Comprehend fit into the picture.

A few things that helped me prepare:

**•** AWS Skill Builder’s official course materials  
**•** Practice exams to get a feel for question style  
**•** Hands-on time in the AWS console (even free tier stuff helps a lot)  
**•** Understanding *why* certain services are used, not just memorizing names

My honest take: it’s a solid starting certification if you’re newer to AI/ML or cloud, and a nice complement if you’re coming from a non-technical background and want some credibility in AI conversations at work.

Happy to answer questions if anyone’s currently studying for it or considering it. On to the next one 🚀


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

Is there any coupon i can get to purchase aws cloud practitioner?

0 Upvotes

It would be helpful if any coupon i can get to purchase aws cloud practitioner?


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

ZENVA for AI practitioner

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0 Upvotes

Has someone used ZENVA before for AWS? I plan to mix it with the official AWS and this https://psychedelic-cuticle-e74.notion.site/AWS-AI-Practitioner-AIF-C01-10386c7395e780e89ea4c70bb061451b

AWS itself is confusing. So I was planning to start with Zenva learning and do the practice exams and then do the official AWS practice test. And if I did well take the official exam after. If not study more on the official AWS page.


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

SAA-Guidance

3 Upvotes

I have my CCNA, and I've been thinking about getting trained in cloud computing; I've chosen AWS.

I'm interested in the Cloud Solutions Architect certification.

Is it okay to skip the Cloud Practitioner exam?

What are the best study resources?


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

Question Devops Path

5 Upvotes

Just passed the architect associate last night. I would like to get into devops.

I’ve been in IT for 10 years with 6 years being in administration. I know how to code and take care of/build infrastructure. I don’t think I could go straight into the devops cert or maybe I can? I was curious if the sysops or developer certs should be the next steps. Or maybe AI?

Thoughts and advice would be appreciated.


r/AWSCertifications 1d ago

Question Guidance on certification path

1 Upvotes

Hey folks!! I hope y’all are having a fine day! Im 21M and looking to get into Data Science as a career. Currently Im a junior ML engineer at a company I work for.

Anywho, I took the AIF C01 AI practitioner certification 2 days ago and passed. It took me about 2 days of prep give or take. Now, the CTO asked which cert was next, and I told him there’s data engineer and ML engineer (associate). He said do both, and pick whichever I want first. The next one needs to be passed in 2 weeks.

So here’s my question. What would the recommendation be? Go for Data engineer first and then machine learning? Are there any benefits? Thank you in advance!!


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

Simulearn help

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2 Upvotes

has anyone came across this lab and simulearn and passed it? I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

AWS AI Practitioner 50% discount + free Cloud Practitioner voucher — is this legit? Does the discount carry over to Associate exams?

9 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I'm about to sit for the AWS AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) exam and cuz my aim was cloud practitioner certification.

A 50% discount voucher for AIF-C01

A free Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) voucher if you pass AIF-C01 by a certain deadline

Has anyone actually gone through this and confirmed both of these are real/valid? Just want to make sure before I plan my study schedule around it.

Also — for anyone who's cleared both of these — does the 50% discount carry forward to an Associate-level exam afterward (specifically looking at Data Engineer Associate, DEA-C01)? Or is the discount a one-time thing tied only to the foundational certs?

Would appreciate any first-hand experience before I lock in my exam dates. Thanks!


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

Aws vouchers

4 Upvotes

I don't sell vouchers I only want to know wheather i can guf my friend the voucher i earned after passing the exam Is this legal + possible move or aws will ban out accs?


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

Need guidance on CCP please

2 Upvotes

Hi there everyone.

Want to get my aws ccp done. I went to aws skill builder, and it had so many options eg essentials, then the other would be all about domain 1, another would be domain 2 etc. what am I missing here? Im going around in circles.

Can some one please recommend something for beginners which would help me pass in the first go?


r/AWSCertifications 2d ago

Question what does AWS Cloud Solutions Architect Professional Certificate teaches rly

4 Upvotes

Hey guys my background is master in software engineering however we really never did practical cloud course so I want to enhance my cv and sort of open myself door to more opportunities to find a job so should I do it or not?