How to Get Adobe Illustrator Certification

You can test your knowledge of Adobe Illustrator through Certiport, and the test takes 50 minutes. The cost to get Adobe Illustrator certification is $150, and you can take the renewal exams for free.

Although it’s not a must for every job position (at least I was never asked to show a certificate), it’s always a good idea to have an Adobe Certification to show off your skills along with your outstanding portfolio.

In this article, I will show you how to become an official Certified Adobe Professional, previously named Adobe Certified Associate. 

Let’s jump in!

Key Takeaways

• The certification test is developed by experts and can be taken online or in person.
• It is recommended to have 150 hours of hands-on experience before taking the exam. 
• There are currently 7 exam options, each is about 50 minutes long, and if you complete two or more you are automatically awarded a Specialty Credential.
• Each certification lasts 3 years. The initial exam is $150, but renewal exams are free.

What is the Adobe Illustrator Certification

Adobe, with the help of experts at Pearson Vue, has developed a professional certification exam to help industry individuals validate their knowledge of the various Adobe software. 

Each exam only covers one software, such as Illustrator. They also have exams for Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, After Effects, Animate, and Dreamweaver.

The Adobe Illustrator certification test must be scheduled online or in person at a Certiport exam center. The 50-minute exam is integrated directly with Adobe Creative Cloud to have a fully immersive testing experience. 

Currently, the online test is only offered in English. Adobe recommends having 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience before attempting the test, but they do offer practice tests as well.

Topics covered in the Adobe Illustrator exam include: “critical concepts related to working with colleagues and clients as well as crucial legal, technical, and design-related knowledge”, “the interface setup and program settings that assist in an efficient and effective workflow, as well as knowledge about ingesting digital assets for a project”, “managing document structure, such as layers and tracks, for efficient workflows”, “core tools and functionality of the application, as well as tools that affect the visual appearance of document elements”, and “saving and exporting documents or assets within individual layers or selections”, according to Adobe’s website.

If you’re not sure how to prepare or study for the Adobe Illustrator Certification test, check out this quick exam guide by Adobe where you can find some useful resources. You can also find some Adobe Illustrator quizzes or practice tests but they are not free.

How to Get the Adobe Illustrator Certification?

Follow the quick steps below to get started! 

Step 1: Go to https://certifiedprofessional.adobe.com/en/get-started and click to either schedule your exam online or find a testing center near you.

Step 2: To schedule an online exam, you will start by creating a Certiport account at certiport.com/login.

If you already have a login, log in to your account.

Step 3: Make sure to click register for the Adobe Certified Professional, otherwise you will not be able to proceed properly.

Step 4: Now that you have come this far, click finish and your profile is ready to go!

Step 5: Once you have logged in, make sure that “Test Candidate” from the drop-down menu is selected. Click on the “Shop Available Exams” button.

Step 6: Filter by company to see all of the Adobe exams offered.

Step 7: Select the “Schedule exam” button under the exam you wish to take, such as Adobe Illustrator. Verify your information and continue throughout the next few screens.

Step 8: Find an appointment time that works for you. Certiport will let you know all the details about how the test can be taken, etc so you will be prepared.

Step 9: Continue through the next two screens to finish scheduling your exam and purchase. The cost of each exam is $150, but it is an investment to showcase your knowledge. Happy Testing!

Adobe Illustrator Certification Exam Finished, now what?

Congratulations, you have passed the exam! Your certification is valid for the next 3 years and the renewal exams are free of charge. You will also receive an official certificate through Certiport and an invitation to claim a free digital badge. 

These are examples of the Adobe Illustrator Badge and the Specialty Credential badge for Visual Design.

Final Thoughts

The Adobe Illustrator Certification earns you the title of Adobe Certified Professional for 3 years with a passed exam.

Industry professionals recognize the significance of the Adobe Certifications and this is a great way to show that you really do have the software knowledge. If you pass 2 or more of the 7 exams, you are automatically given Specialty Credentials. 

If passed, you will be awarded a certificate and can download a digital badge to display on things like your resume, website, etc.

Have you taken the exam for Adobe Illustrator Certification? Did it help your knowledge of Illustrator and did your employer want to know more about it? Let me know in the comments below.

References: https://certifiedprofessional.adobe.com/illustrator