Are you looking for information on how to go about Scrum Master certification renewal or how to renew other popular Scrum certifications? You are on the right page. In this post, we will explain how to renew Scrum Master certifications, in detail.
Scrum Master certification renewal criteria:
- Scrum Alliance’s certifications: You have to earn SEUs and renew the certificate every two years, in order to maintain your credentials.
- Scrum.org’s certification: The PSM certification does not require renewal, it is valid for a lifetime.
- Certification from Scaled Agile: The Leading SAFe certification needs to be renewed but there paying the renewal cost is the only requirement.
Continue reading this post and learn the complete details on Scrum Master certification renewal and how to renew Scrum Master certification.
If you want to learn more about the Scrum Master certifications you can get detailed information on our article: The Top 4 Scrum Master Certification.
How to Renew Scrum Master Certification?
Scrum Master Certification Renewal: PSM certification by Scrum.org
If you are holding the PSM certification by Scrum.org, you do not need to renew it. Because this certification is valid for a lifetime.
Scrum Master Certification Renewal: Scaled Agile’s Leading SAFe Certification
If you hold the Scaled Agile’s Leading SAFe certification, you have to renew it every year. But there is no requirement for you to fulfil to renew it. This Scrum Master Certification renewal can be made by only paying the renewal fee, which is 100 US$.
Learn more about this certification: Leading SAFe Training.
How to Renew Scrum Alliance’s Scrum Master Certifications?
Scrum Alliance’s Scrum Master certifications have certain SEU requirements that you must fulfil before you could renew them. SEU stands for Scrum Education Unit. An SEU is basically an hour spent in a Scrum-related activity such as learning or producing some work. We will explain these activities in detail in this post.
You need to earn a specific number of SEUs every two years before you can renew your Scrum certification. Once you have earned these and the renewing period is approaching, you can submit your SEUs for your certification renewal.
Master of Project Academy offers Free Scrum SEU Training. You can enroll for FREE and earn 2 SEUs.
If you are holding multiple certifications from Scrum Alliance, they will allow you to only renew the higher certification only, which then automatically renews the lower level certifications that you hold.
Some people may take the certification maintenance as an unnecessary extra obligation put on them by the certifying body. However, if you look at the maintenance requirements – these actually are beneficial for you. When fulfilling the certification maintenance requirements, you go through different learning activities, participate in various Scrum-related activities, and so on. Hence, you are actually upgrading yourself and aligning with the current market trends and developments.
Scrum Master Certification Renewal Step #1 – Earn SEUs
You have just learned above that unlike Scrum.org’s PSM and the Scaled Agile’s Leading SAFe certification, for the Scrum Master certification or other Scrum Alliance certifications you have to go through a renewal process. And for this renewal, you have to earn certain amounts of SEUs but don’t worry is not difficult at all. In fact, Scrum Alliance allows you to indulge in a variety of activities that earn you SEUs.
There are many things that you can do, for instance, learn something new, give a lecture, write a book, etc. We will explain these activities and more in the next paragraphs.
Reading a book on Scrum
For Scrum Master certification renewal, you can read as many books as you want. Reading books not only earns you SEUs but this activity also increases your knowledge. There is no restriction on the Scrum subject that you choose for your reading. The books could be on Agile methodologies, their use or it could be a guide on how to implement agile in your projects. Any book you read, you will earn SEUs.
There are tons of books available and you can find many books online. It’s just a matter of searching on Google and you will find books of your choice. You will find books available for free and some may be paid for as well. So, utilize any for your Scrum Master certification renewal.
Watching an educational video
On the Internet, there is also no lack of educational videos on Scrum. If you search on YouTube or other video sites, you will find many Scrum videos of your interest. For your Scrum Alliance certification renewal, you can choose to watch any video, free or paid. For instance, you may watch videos on Agile methodologies, or Agile tools or techniques, or anything else.
Other than free Scrum SEU training bundles, you can also find paid Scrum training videos on the Internet. There are many online academies that offer paid Scrum Alliance SEU course bundles. If you purchase one, you may be able to get videos worth all the required SEUs, at once. Watching educational videos is an easy and quick way of learning and also earning SEUs for your Scrum Alliance certification renewal.
You can also join Scrum SEU webinars and earn SEUs while you are learning.
Presentation preparation
For Scrum Alliance CSM renewal, you may be able to find an opportunity to teach. Maybe at a college or at your workplace, you may get an opportunity to deliver a lecture to a bulk of students. This is an interesting opportunity where you will prepare a PowerPoint presentation and present it to your colleagues or a group of students.
Maybe your organization is implementing Scrum and you may want to present to the team some guidelines or instructions on how to better implement Agile into their projects. Or, if you get a chance to deliver a lecture on Scrum at a college, that would be another opportunity for you to earn SEUs for your Scrum Alliance certifications.
Master of Project Academy offers Free Scrum SEU Training. You can enroll for FREE and earn 2 SEUs.
Writing a book on Scrum
Book authoring also comes in the category of Education. When you write a book on Scrum, this too will count towards your SEUs. Who wouldn’t wish to be an author sometime in his or her life? So, this is a great opportunity for you to write a Scrum book on the topics of your choice. Be it on Agile project management methodologies like XP, Kanban, Crystal, or any other, you may write anything you like, in the book. When you write a book, you will earn SEUs for your Scrum Alliance certification renewal. And, once you have completed the book, you may even want to publish it with a publisher. So, write a book, small or big and it’s an interesting way to fulfil the Scrum Alliance’s certification renewal requirement.
Publishing articles or blogs
Quicker than writing a book is to publish articles or posts on the Internet. Often, educational websites offer opportunities for writing content for them. You may look up the Internet for such opportunities. Alternatively, you can create your own website or blog and publish as much content as you want and whenever you like. This is one of the easier options to earn SEUs for your Scrum Master certification renewal.
Scrum Alliance Regional and Global Gatherings
Scrum Alliance regularly holds global and local events where professionals and Scrum Alliance members come together and meet. The purpose of these gatherings is to allow them to exchange knowledge and information about Scrum. They get a chance to participate in one-on-one learning sessions. Also, there are workshops and presentations that are very informative. These gatherings are in fact great opportunities to enhance your knowledge about Scrum and also earn SEUs for your certification renewal.
The global Scrum Alliance gatherings are held twice a year, once in a European region and the other one in North America. Details about the exact location and the dates of these events are published on the Scrum Alliance’s website. The local Scrum Alliance gatherings are held in different countries and in many cities. If you look at the Scrum Alliances website, you may be able to find a few events being held near to where you live. To attend an event, you must register yourself on the Scrum Alliance website first, in order to confirm your attendance with Scrum Alliance.
These gatherings are interesting opportunities for anyone who wants to meet Agile experts from around the globe and enhance their Scrum knowledge and also earn SEUs for their Scrum Master certification renewal.
Non-Scrum Alliance Sponsored Events
Other than Scrum Alliance regional and global gatherings, if you get a chance to attend a non-Scrum Alliance sponsored event, you may attend that too. There are often many such events happening throughout the year. Organizations or groups of professionals arrange these events. These are similar to Scrum Alliance-sponsored events. And, there too, you get a chance to participate in workshops, attend a presentation and talk with industry experts about Scrum.
Scrum Alliance accepts your participation in non-Scrum Alliance sponsored events, too. Events that are organized by individuals, or companies are another opportunity for you to attend Agile workshops, presentations, and one-on-one coaching sessions. Details about these events may be found with your acquaintances. Or, if you search the Internet, you will easily find schedule and location information about the upcoming events.
Other Ways to Earn SEUs
Other than all the options that we have explained above, you have more options to earn SEUs, too. Scrum Alliance accepts various other Scrum-related activities, which you can participate in and earn SEUs. What could be those other activities? Well, anything where learning is involved or you give out to the community, would be acceptable by Scrum Alliance. For instance, if you call up your colleagues on lunch and there you all are talking about Kanban or XP, this would count towards your SEUs. Similarly, if you participate in an online Scrum discussion forum or other similar activities, that would earn you SEUs, too.
If you want to learn more about the ways of earning SEUs, you can check our Scrum SEU Guide.
Scrum Master Certification Renewal Step #2 – Submit Earned SEUs
Before Scrum Master certification renewal or any other Scrum Alliance certification renewal, you need to submit the earned SEUs to Scrum Alliance. Once you have done that then you can move onto the final step of certification renewal with payment.
So, here are the steps to submit your SEUs before your Scrum Alliance certification renewal:
- Open Scrum Alliance website.
- Login to your account with your username and password.
- Click on ‘My Dashboard’ on the top-right side of the page.
- Click on ‘Manage SEUs’ on the right side of the page.
- From the “Select an Activity Type” drop-down menu, choose the SEU renewing category that best suits your continuing education opportunity. When logging SEUs for Scrum Master certification renewal or any other Scrum Alliance certification, you will also have to describe the activities that you have performed.
- Submit the SEUs.
Scrum Master Certification Renewal Step #3 – Renew Certification
So, once you have completed the above steps, it is time now to make fee payment for Scrum Master certification renewal or other Scrum Alliance certification that you are renewing. After the payment, your certification will renew for another two years. To submit the payment, follow these steps:
- In your Scrum Alliance account, click on ‘My Dashboard.
- Click on ‘Renew Certification’
- Select the Scrum Alliance certification that you are renewing. After you select it, you will see the payment amount.
- Now proceed to make payment for your Scrum Alliance certification renewal.
This is how to renew Scrum Master certification or any other Scrum Alliance certification that you hold.
Summary
Holding a Scrum certification is quite remunerative and in fact, it is a big achievement. As you have learned above, the Scrum.org PSM certification is valid for a lifetime, and the Leading SAFe certification by Scaled Agile only requires a renewal payment every year. So, you do not need to earn any SEUs for these Scrum certifications.
Whereas, once you have earned a Scrum Alliance certification, then you must maintain it in order to fulfil the Scrum Alliance’s certification requirements. You do not have to go through hard work and spend a lot of time – certification maintenance is an easy task.
The table below shows the SEU requirement for the Scrum Master certification renewal and also for other Scrum certifications.
| Scrum Alliance Certification | Requirement | Certification Renewal Fee | Renewing period |
| Foundational (CSM, CSPO CSD) | 20 SEU | US$ 100 | Every two years |
| Professional (CSP, CSP-PO, CAL II, CSP-SM) | 40 SEU | US$ 250 | |
| Advanced (A-CSM, A-CSPO) | 30 SEU | US$ 175 | |
| Leadership (CAL-E, CAL-O, CAL-T) | 10 SEU | US$ 50 | |
| Scaled Agile Leading SAFe | None | US$ 100 | Every year |
| Scrum.org PSM | Valid for lifetime | N/A | |
We have explained in this post that you can choose a variety of activities to earn SEUs, which are required for the Scrum Alliance certification renewal. Moreover, you do not have to earn all the SEUs continuously. If you have a busy schedule, you may look for SEU earning activities at your convenience and earn all the required SEUs in two years.
So, whether you participate in learning activities, author a book, write articles or posts, any Scrum-related activity you do, you will be earning SEUs. So, that’s basically what Scrum Alliance requires you to do for your Scrum Alliance certification renewal.
And, after reading this detailed post on how to renew your Scrum Master certification, you must be encouraged to start your certification renewal journey now and keep your certification active.