The CORe exam is the official ISM exam behind ISM Supply Management Core — passing it earns you the CPSM / APSM certification, a credential positioned at the Associate / Professional level. It is built for candidates who want to validate the skills measured by ISM Supply Management Core. Depending on your track, the exam is also linked to the Supply Management Integration, Leadership and Transformation in Supply Management and CPSD certifications, so one pass can move you toward more than one ISM credential.

The CORe exam presents 180 (165 scored, 15 unscored) questions to be completed within 180 minutes. That pace leaves little room for second-guessing: read each question carefully on the first pass, flag the ones you want to revisit, and keep moving instead of stalling on a single item. Before exam day, run at least one full timed session in the TestSimulate desktop or online test engine with a comparable question load — a steady rhythm under the clock is a trainable skill, and it is often what separates a pass from a near miss.

To pass the CORe exam you need 400 (scaled 100-600), and the official registration fee is $495 (ISM Member), $795 (Non-Member). Keep in mind that a failed attempt means paying that fee again in full — retakes are not discounted. Given the cost, self-test before you book: if you can score comfortably above the passing mark on two or three consecutive timed TestSimulate practice tests, your budget is far better spent on the exam itself than on a retake.

None for exam registration; for CPSM: 3 years professional experience + bachelor's degree OR 5 years experience without degree Because ISM revises its certification programs from time to time, treat this as a starting point rather than the final word. Confirm the current eligibility requirements on the official ISM exam page before you register.

Registration for the CORe exam is handled through the official channels below:

• ISM Official Registration
• Pearson VUE Scheduling

Delivery method: In-person at Pearson VUE test centers / Online proctored — pick the option that suits you best when booking your slot.

ISM points ISM Supply Management Core candidates toward the following official courses:

• ISM Guided Learning
• ISM Study Materials

Official courses build the foundation; pairing them with the 316 CORe practice questions from TestSimulate turns that knowledge into exam-day readiness.

Yes. A free PDF demo of the CORe practice questions is available, so you can check the question style and answer quality before spending anything. Every purchase also includes 365 days of free updates — whenever ISM adjusts the ISM Supply Management Core blueprint, your material is refreshed at no cost during that period. After the first year, you can extend the update service at a 50% discount from your member zone.

TestSimulate backs your purchase with a 100% Money Back Guarantee. If you take the corresponding exam within 60 days of purchase and do not pass, you can claim a full refund by submitting a scanned copy of your exam enrollment slip together with the official Score Report PDF within 2 days of your exam date; approved claims are processed within 7 days. The guarantee applies only to the exam matching your purchase, the candidate name must match the payer name, and it does not cover attempts taken within 3 days of purchase, candidates who downloaded the material but never sat the exam, expired orders, or free materials. If you would rather keep preparing, you can exchange the product for two free exam preparation packages of equal value and keep the update service on your original purchase.

Delivery is instant: your download is available right after payment, and a copy is emailed to you within one minute. If nothing arrives within 2 hours, check your spam folder and contact our support team. There is no limit on the number of computers you can install the software on.

The ISM Supply Management Core syllabus is organized into 7 domains. Among the headline areas are Legal and Contractual (12%), Financial Analysis (6%), Supplier Relationship Management (24%). Rather than copying every subtopic here, we keep the complete, current outline in the Exam Topics section above — work through it domain by domain with the TestSimulate CORe practice questions so nothing on the blueprint catches you off guard.