SAFe® 5 Scrum Master Certification (SSM)

The Certified SAFe Scrum Master course has been thoughtfully designed to help you prepare for the Certified SAFe Scrum Master exam.  On course completion, you will be equipped with all the tools and techniques to: 

• Implement scale Scrum in a SAFe enterprise 
• Facilitate Scrum events across teams 
• Facilitate effective Iteration execution 
• Support effective Program Increment execution 
• Support relentless improvement 
• Coach Agile teams to gain maximum business results

Our Certified SAFe Scrum Master training aims to equip you with all the skills to be an effective SAFe Scrum Master. In this engaging and interactive two-day program, you will develop the practical skills employers look for in a SAFe Scrum Master: 

• Leadership 
• Coaching  
• Change management  
• Motivation  
• Conflict management 
• Facilitation  
• Lean-Agile management 
• Supporting execution of program 
• Training Agile teams 
• Resolving impediments 
• Enhancing team performance 
• Leading and facilitating change 
• Delivering the maximum business value at scale 
• Identifying customer needs 
• Guiding teams for enhanced productivity and performance 
• Writing epics, capabilities, features, and stories 
• Prioritizing product and team backlogs 
• Delivering the maximum business value at scale 

The SAFe Scrum Master certification helps you: 

• Validate your commitment to continued excellence and quality 
• Demonstrate your proficiency in SAFe® and applying Scrum at the enterprise-level 
• Grow your career in SAFe® with confidence.  
• Get noticed at interviews or for promotions at your current job.  
• Command higher salaries than your non-certified peers.  
• Network with industry leaders and Agile professionals 
• Begin your scaling agile journey to your Advanced Certified SAFe Scrum Master Certification 

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®) with its underlying principles in Lean, systems thinking, Agile development, design thinking and DevOps is the most popular method for scaling Agile, employed by seventy percent of Fortune 100 and a large number of the Global 2000 companies.  

The demand for SAFe Scrum Masters is at an all-time high and the Certified SAFe Scrum Master certification is sure to open opportunities for high-paying Scrum Master roles across industries.

Not at all. Professionals in IT industries or non-IT industries who want to work in a SAFe® environment can take up this course. The following professionals are welcome to join the course: 

1. Program or Project Manager 
2. Scrum Master 
3. Team Lead 
4. Release Train Engineer 
5. Business Analyst 
6. Agile Coach 
7. Portfolio Manager 
8. Consultant 
9. Architect 
10. Engineer 
11. Developer
12. Director 
13. Quality Manager 
14. Product Manager 
15. Product Owner 
16. Delivery Manager 
17. Program Manager 

There are no prerequisites to take this course and anyone interested in exploring the SAFe framework and building their skills to leverage this powerful framework can attend this course.  

If you intend to take up the Certified SAFe 5 Scrum Mater (SSM) certification exam, you would benefit from prior knowledge and experience on: 

• Agile concepts and principles 
• Scrum, Kanban, and eXtreme Programming (XP) 
• Awareness of software and hardware development processes 

Once you have completed the SAFe Scrum Master certification, you will be well equipped to take on the SAFe Scrum Master role in leading organizations. You can further enhance your SAFe skills by pursuing the following credentials:  

• SAFe® Advanced Scrum Master 
• SAFe® Product Owner  
• SAFe® Product Manager  
• SAFe® Release Train Engineer  
• SAFe® Program Consultant 

Yes, you will get free access to 100 e-learning courses for one year. 

You will earn 16 PDUs and 16 SEUs by participating in our two-day training program.

You will need 10 continuing education or outreach hours (PDUs) to maintain your SAFe SSM certification. 

PDUs are Professional Development Units issued by the Project Management Institute®. They can be earned by completing educational training or learning opportunities, which serve to validate your participation and continued proficiency in the principles and practices of project management. 

PDUs are the measuring unit used to quantify your project management professional development as part of the PMI’s Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program. 1 PDU = 1 hour of learning/activity. 

A Scrum Education Unit® (SEU®) is a credit issued by Scrum Alliance®, validating your participation and continued proficiency in the fundamental principles of Scrum. SEUs demonstrate that you are furthering your proficiency as a Scrum practitioner. SEUs follow a 1:1 ratio, where one hour of participation or preparation towards increasing your proficiency in Scrum is equal to one SEU. 

You can earn PDUs by attending training programs offered by PMI Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs) or by organizations or universities. Whenever you attend a PMI congress, webinar, conference or any other event or indulge in self-directed learning, you can earn PDUs. 

You can find out more about PDUs in PMI’s FAQs. 

Our blog will help you learn more about how to earn an SEU from Scrum Alliance. Get all the information you need to take advantage of SEUs for your professional growth, namely: 

• What are SEUs and why you need them 
• How to earn SEUs 
• Types of continuing education opportunities that qualify for SEUs  
• How to calculate the value of an SEU for Scrum Alliance certifications 
• How to log SEUs for Scrum Alliance certifications 
• How recent SEUs need to be 
• How to determine whether a previously accumulated SEU can be used for Scrum Alliance certifications 
• List of SEU resources put together by Scrum Alliance  
• Where you can utilize SEUs you have accumulated  

For further information about SEUs and PDUs, please reach us at support@knowledgehut.com.  

Scaled Agile, Inc.® is the provider of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), the most popular method for scaling agile at the enterprise level. SAFe was initially released in 2011 by Dean Leffingwell as a knowledgebase for enterprises to adopt Agile. The Certified SAFe 5 Scrum Master certification is given to those who have successfully undertaken the SAFe Scrum Master Certification Exam. 

You cannot get certified without taking the course. Scaled Agile believes in true learning that can only be achieved through in-person training and hands-on experience from a SAFe Program Consultant (SPC). The SAFe Scrum Master exam is not provided as a substitute for formal training. 

When you enrol for the SAFe Scrum Master certification course, you will receive the following: 

• Certified SAFe Scrum Master Certificate (PDF format) 
• Certified SAFe Scrum Master Digital Badge 
• One-year membership to the SAFe Community Platform
• Access to SAFe events and MeetUp Groups  
• Various SAFe learning resources

Here’s the process to become a Certified SAFe Scrum Master: 

1. Get trained by an authorized training partner of Scaled Agile. Attend the two-day training delivered by a SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) who’s also an expert practitioner. 
2. On successful completion of the two-day training, you will receive information on the exam along with your login credentials, directly from Scaled Agile.  
3. Log in using your credentials and take the 90-minute, 45-MCQ online closed-book exam. 
4. Get 34 out of 45 questions right to pass the SAFe 5 exam and 33 out of 45 questions right to pass the SAFe 4 exam. 
5. On passing the exam, you become a Certified SAFe 5 Scrum Master. You will receive your SAFe 5 Scrum Master PDF Certificate and Digital Badge within 5-7 working days. 

Ready to get started with your Certified SAFe Scrum Master certification? Click here.

Yes, you will receive a course completion certificate on completing the course.  

You will have to attend two days of training under a SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) following which you will be required to take an exam to demonstrate your knowledge of SAFe and to get certified. Once you pass the exam, you are declared certified.   

No, your certificate will not mention the mode of course you have attended. It will look the same as the in-person certificates.  

The Scaled Agile framework is evolving, all thanks to the engagements and contributions of those who share their ideas as well as practical experiences in the workplace. Renewal of your certification validates your interest in keeping up with the latest best practices in SAFe® and your commitment to professional excellence.

• PDUs: A minimum of 10 continuing education/outreach hours (PDUs) need to be added each year.
• Certification Renewal Cost: You will need to purchase the bundled product which includes Membership and Certification and comes at a price of $295 ($100 for renewal and $195 for membership). If you possess more than one certification from Scaled Agile, you can renew all of them together at this cost. For example, if you have a Leading SAFe certification expiring on 6 April 2021 and an SASM certification expiring on 10 October 2021, when you pay $295, both certifications will get renewed and will have the same expiry of 10 October 2021 or whichever is the later date. 

• Log in to the SAFe Community platform using your credentials.
• Click on the "Renew" button next to your certification (located at the top of the homepage)
• You will then be presented with the payment Screen (Shopping Cart), allowing you to complete the renewal process. 

In that case, you will only need to pay $195 and continue to benefit from all the valuable content and interactions at the SAFe Community Platform.

The latest release of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is version 5, update 5.1. KnowledgeHut's Leading SAFe 5 Certification course is aligned with the latest version of SAFe.

No. The version of SAFe remains SAFe 5. The change from SAFe 5 to 5.1 is simply a set of updates to SAFe 5. One of these updates includes a new SAFe 5.1 Big Picture, but this and the other updates, are all in support of SAFe 5 for Lean Enterprises.

An upgrade is when a significantly changed version of the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®) is released; this is recognized typically by an increase in the major version number (e.g. 4 to 5).

Updates are when incremental changes are made to the existing version of the Framework and no upgrade is required.  Updates do not require a retest if you already have the most up-to-date certification available, and no upgrade is required.

The change from SAFe 5 to 5.1 is an update, not an upgrade. 

With a commitment to supporting and evolving SAFe practices, Scaled Agile is on a mission to meet the ever-changing needs of SAFe Enterprises and Partner communities. Towards this end, Scaled Agile will continually update their existing articles and keep adding new ones to reflect the updated understanding from the SAFe community and practitioners on best practices in Lean Agile at scale.

The latest update 5.1 was rolled out to the latest version, SAFe 5 on February 10, 2021. The key updates are as follows:

• An updated Big Picture (now at version 5.1) 
• New guidance for operational and development value streams to support organizing around value, the #1 request from our customers 
• ART and Team Topologies, patterns for organizing teams and ARTs to improve flow. 
• New guidance around DevSecOps technical skills and tools that power the Continuous Delivery Pipeline. 
• Integrated Participatory Budgeting, a dynamic and collaborative process of allocating funding to value streams. 
• Specific guidance for applying Lean-Agile practices to business and technology domains, including a new SAFe for Hardware article.

More information can be found on Scaled Agile.

A digital badge is an online image of your SAFe Certification that enables you to verify, share, post, and manage your SAFe expertise in real-time, via any platform. The Digital Badge, issued by Acclaim, the exclusive certifying entity for Scaled Agile. Your digital badge authenticates your certification and demonstrates your expertise in SAFe and commitment to professional excellence.  

To receive the Digital Badge go to the Privacy Preference Settings within the SAFe Community Platform and opt for it. Availing a Digital Badge is completely your decision; it is not mandatory. 

You will receive an e-mail from no-reply@youracclaim.com with the instructions to claim your badge. The mail will also have information on setting-up your account for certification management and sharing. To know more, please visit http://support.youracclaim.com.  

A Digital Badge comes with the following benefits: 

• You can share your expertise in a simple, secure, and easily verifiable format. 
• Employers have a better insight about your experience-level and capabilities. 
• You can search as well as apply for job opportunities via the Acclaim platform. 

You can share your Digital Badge directly from the Acclaim Platform: 

• On social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn 
• On email 
• In your email signature
• You can also embed it on your website

No. Digital Badge is included as part of your SAFe Community subscription benefits. The Badge will remain valid as long as you are a member of SAFe Community Platform. In case your membership expires, or you don’t renew it, the badge page will display the message “Expired”.  

Though badges are simply digital image files, they are linked to unique verified data, making them more secure and reliable than any other form of certificate. Therefore, it eliminates the possibility of anyone copying your certification as well as your associated identity. 

Visit http://support.youracclaim.com/ for issues related to:  

• Acclaim platform/account  
• Badge sharing/display 

Write to support@scaledagile.com if you haven’t received any badge notifications even after earning a SAFe4 or later certification or if you want to retrieve a badge that you rejected or deleted in Acclaim.  

• The SAFe Scrum Master certification exam is a closed-book test taken online.  
• The test comes with 45 multiple-choice questions which you are required to answer within 90-minutes (exam duration).  
• You need to get 33 out of 45 questions right to pass the SSM 4 exam and 34 out of 45 questions right to pass the SSM 5 exam. 

The SAFe SSM exam is a closed-book exam and is not difficult to pass, provided you have received the required training. Our intensive coaching and exam preparation activities are all geared towards helping you pass the exam on the first attempt.   

Once you complete your 16-hour course, you will receive a welcome email from Scaled Agile, Inc. This email will contain the link that will redirect you to the exam page. 

No, you will have a time limit of 90 minutes and will not be able to pause the test. In case you accidentally close the window, you will be able to reopen it immediately. If you lose the internet connection or access to the test for an extended period, you will have to reach out to support@scaledagile.com. 

There is no re-evaluation for the exam. However, if you fail you can retake the exam.  

Yes, the first exam attempt is included as a part of the course registration fee if, the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion.  

• Each subsequent retake attempt costs $50.  
• The second exam attempt (first retake) can be done immediately after the first attempt.  
• The third attempt has a 10-day waiting period and the fourth attempt has a 30-day waiting period. 

For more details read Scaled Agile’s Exam Retake Policy. 

No, you are not allowed to retake the exam if you have already passed the test and scored poorly. Your test score is only available to you. Nobody else will be able to see your score of the test.  

You will get your results immediately after you attempt the exam and click on the submit button.    

There are no limits to the number of times you can attempt the exam, if you ready to pay for it. The Scaled Agile, Inc. allows you to take the first attempt at no cost, within 30 days of the course completion. Thereafter, each retake attempt costs $50.  

The SAFe Scrum Master workshop at KnowledgeHut is delivered through our immersive learning experience platform, via live and interactive instructor-led training sessions.  

Listen, learn, ask questions, and get all your doubts clarified from your instructor, who is an experienced practitioner. 

The conventional in-person SAFe Scrum Master training from Scaled Agile, Inc. (SAI) will be delivered for 2-days. The online course is divided into several classes of shorter hours, unlike the in-person class that consists of 2 classes with 7 to 8 hours-long sessions. The size of the class is capped at 30 so that students gain a better learning experience. The participants and our trainers will be able to virtually collaborate with one another with the help of webcam tool. 

Our SAFe Program Consultants (SPCs) are:  

• Professionals licensed by Scaled Agile, Inc. to teach the official curriculum  
• Masters in SAFe who have immense experience in leading, applying, coaching, and implementing the SAFe 
• Skilled in SAFe framework and Agile software development  
• Subject matter experts and experienced practitioners who are active in software development and local Agile communities, along with the broader global SAFe and Agile movements.  

Our SAFe Scrum Master course focuses on engaging interactions. Most of the class time is dedicated to fun exercises, lively discussions, and team collaboration, all facilitated by the SAFe trainer who is an experienced Scrum practitioner. The workshop focuses on practical solutions to real-world, Scrum Master challenges drawn from decades of experience as product managers, Agile coaches, and Product Owners in Agile environments.  

Software Requirements: 

• Internet browser  
• MS Word or Notepad  

System Requirements: 

• Windows or equivalent environment with Internet browser and high-speed Internet connectivity 

Yes, your course material will be provided in advance. You will receive an email with a link to set your password, a few days in advance of the scheduled course. Once you log in to PRISM, you will have access to the study plan and all the course materials.  

The course material comprises of the course schedule or study plan, workbooks, relevant assignments, assessments, and case studies. 

The sessions would be auto recorded on PRISM, subject to permission by Scaled Agile, Inc. and the SAFe Trainer. Based on the permissions, you will be given lifetime access to the video recordings of the sessions. 

No, you will not yet be able to join the training through phone or tab. Please be prepared to join the training on your laptop or desktop.  

If you get disconnected during the training, you will have the option of re-joining within half-an-hour, subject to accreditation body guidelines and the instructor’s preference. 

Our workshops are currently held online. Anyone with a stable internet, from anywhere across the world, can access the SAFe workshop and benefit from it.   

You can check out the schedules here:

If you miss a class, you can access the class recordings at any time. At the beginning of every session, there will also be a 10-12-minute recapitulation of the previous class.  

KnowledgeHut will send a registration link to you via e-mail. You will have to set your password, log in to our platform, and start your learning journey.    

This is a live instructor-led training where you will be coached by SAFe® Program Consultants.   

We currently use the Zoom platform for video conferencing and will soon be adding more integrations with Webex and Microsoft Teams. However, all the sessions and recordings will be available right from within our learning platform. Learners will not need to wait for any notifications or links or install any additional software.    

Yes, there are other participants who actively participate in the class. They remotely attend the online sessions from office, home, or any place of their choosing.  

In case of any queries, our support team is available to you 24/7 via the Help and Support section. You can also reach out to your workshop manager via the workshop group messenger.   

If you have any more questions, please email us at support@knowledgehut.com and we will be happy to get back to you.   

With our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee policy, you are assured of highest quality standards. At KnowledgeHut, we strive to ensure that your learning experience with us is devoid of reproach. However, if for any reason your expectations are not met, we will refund the course fee in accordance with our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee policy. 

Note:  In case of refunds, it will be credited back to your account within 10-15 business days from the date of refund request.  

The certification fee for the SAFe® Practitioner exam is not charged separately. Once you enrol for the SAFe® certification training with KnowledgeHut, the exam fee is included in the course fee. 

Yes, the exam fee is included in the course fee.  

Yes, you can switch your start date with a prior notice of at least 24 hrs and subject to availability in the desired batch.   

Yes, we have a 100% money-back guarantee in line with our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee policy.

Yes, we have scholarships available for students and veterans with grants that can vary up to 50% of the course fees.   

To avail scholarships, please get in touch with us at support@knowledgehut.com. The team shall send across the forms and instructions to you. Based on the responses and answers that we receive, our panel of experts decides on the Grant. Please note that the entire process could take about 7 to 15 days. 

Yes, group discounts are available and apply to groups as small as three (3) participants. The more the number of participants attending a training course, greater the discount. By registering in groups, you can typically save up 20% to 30% on the course fee.  

For more details, please check out the upcoming schedules.  

Yes, instalment options are available for payment of course fees. To avail the instalment option, please get in touch with us at support@knowledgehut.com. The team will explain how the instalments work and provide timelines for your case.   

Usually, the number of instalments vary from 2 to 3, but the full amount must be paid before you complete the course. 

The SAFe Scrum Master is a credential that certifies individuals on the use of the Scaled Agile framework. It is offered by the Scaled Agile to professionals who have a minimum of five years of experience and demonstrate an understanding of Lean thinking and implementing the ART by passing the exam.

The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) on the other hand is an entry-level credential offered by Scrum Alliance and is a good starting point for those who wish to start their career in Scrum and learn about Agile principles, roles, Scrum framework, values, artifacts, planning, organising, and executing.

Both credentials have a good standing in the industry and help professionals get good opportunities. What you choose to pursue depends on your previous experience and your future requirements. If you are SAFe experienced, then it is recommended that you go for the SSM credential. 

Both the SAFe Scrum Master and SAFe Agilist are credentials offered by the Scaled Agile, Inc.

SAFe Agilist helps professionals get a thorough introduction to the SAFe framework and help usher the lean-agile mindset in the enterprise context. It’s a great credential for leadership and managerial roles involved in leading change and instilling a DevOps culture.

The SAFe Scrum Master helps professionals validate their Scrum expertise at the enterprise level. SAFe Scrum masters lead their teams in tandem with the entire organization and deliver value at scale. 

The SAFe Scrum Master certification is certainly worth the effort. Armed with this certification, you can validate your knowledge and expertise and your commitment to continued excellence and quality. The certification helps you:

• Showcase your proficiency in SAFe and applying Scrum at the enterprise-level  
• It helps you get noticed and accelerate your career growth  
• It helps you get noticed at interviews or for promotions at your current job 
• Earn higher salaries than non-certified professionals

The SSM certification gives you a number of career benefits

• Earn salaries as high as $123k annually (PayScale) 
• Be part of the 800,00+ strong SAFe practitioner community 
• Get jobs across industries including telecom, oil and gas, finance, government, healthcare and more 
• Earn more than your non-certified peers 
• Open yourself to a sea of opportunities (70% of Fortune 100 companies employ SAFe)

The SAFe Scrum Master Certification is valid only for 1 year and needs to be renewed each year.

The certification cost is included in the training cost.

Training Cost in India: Rs 55999, Cost in the U.S.: USD 1099.

First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $50.

Candidates must have at least one year of experience working in a Lean-Agile environment.

• Program or Project Manager 
• Scrum Master 
• Team Lead 
• Release Train Engineer 
• Business Analyst 
• Agile Coach 
• Portfolio Manager 
• Consultant
• Architect 
• Engineer 
• Developer 
• Director 
• Quality Manager 
• Product Manager 
• Product Owner 
• Delivery Manager 
• Program Manager 

The SAFe SSM exam is a closed-book exam and is not difficult to pass, provided you have received the required training. Our intensive coaching and exam preparation activities are all geared towards helping you pass the exam on the first attempt.

No. It is a closed book exam.

The first step towards preparing for the SAFe Scrum Master Certification Exam is to attend the SAFe Scrum Master course. This will help you gain an in-depth understanding of all the concepts and also give you access to all the resources and study materials.

The SAFe Scrum Master exam is designed to measure knowledge and skill related to the job role. The exam is closed book and Scaled Agile recommends that candidates attend the training and do a thorough read of all the recommended resources before appearing for the exam.

On completion of the course you earn 16 PDUs and 16 SEUs. You can claim PDUs under PMI's ‘Education courses provided by other third-party providers’ category. You can claim your PDUs online at https://ccrs.pmi.org.

SAFe is among the most widely used frameworks for scaling agile with around 70% Fortune 100 companies adopting it to meet their agile needs. It’s popularity has increased by 5 percent over last year and according to Scaled Agile over 700,000 practitioners have been trained to date. You can leverage this burgeoning demand and validate your expertise in using SAFe to improve time-to-market, increase productivity, and boost quality.

SAFe has been adopted by top companies across the globe, such as Bosch, Cisco and many more.

Not just conglomerates, but medium size companies have also benefited from implementing SAFe. This has greatly increased the demand for SAFe Scrum Masters who can integrate Scrum practices into the organization and build high performing Agile teams to enhance bottom line margins.

Bosch, Lockheed Martin, PepsiCo, Anthem, Cisco, Standard Chartered, CapitalOne, Thales, FitBit and AstraZeneca are some of the global companies that are hiring SAFe Scrum Master certified professionals.

A SAFe Scrum Master:

• Carries out the responsibilities of a servant leader 
• Performs Program Increment planning 
• Facilitates Iteration execution 
• Finishes the Program Increment 
• Coaches the Agile team to become high performing

Average salaries in India: ₹1,274,502. In USA: $97k.