Esri has a certification exam that’s appropriate for teachers, college students, and high school students with 150+ hours of training in GIS or 3-6 months of GIS workplace experience. In October this year, the exam will be updated to reflect any changes made in the software (see the exam publication schedule).
A couple of things to note with the update:
- The updated exam will have a new URL.
The updated exam will be available at https://www.esri.com/training/catalog/68eed59d078e8d4f9c5ed354/gis-fundamentals-foundation-2026/.
- The exam number will change to “2026” in October 2026.
The updated name of the exam will be GIS Fundamentals Foundation 2026. The update becomes available, and the number changes, in October 2026. The previous number goes away and the previous exam will be retired in December 2026.
If your district or state uses the number in the exam title in the approved exams list, now is a good time to remove it. We recommend not including the version number in your records and exam state lists – instead, use “GIS Fundamentals Foundation” (without any version number). If you participate in management of a state exam list, email us at schools@esri.com for additional support.
- The same learning materials and guidelines still apply
The same learning materials for exam preparation and the same guidelines for who should take the exam will still apply. It’s just an update to the questions on the exam.
Learn more about the exam on Esri Academy, follow a learning plan to study for the exam, or get tips for preparing for exam day.
