What is the format of the ArchiMate 3 exams?
Per The Open Group's official ArchiMate Examinations summary, the certification runs in two parts. The ArchiMate 3 Part 1 Exam (code OGA-031) is 40 simple multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, closed book, with no prerequisites; passing it earns ArchiMate 3 Foundation. The ArchiMate 3 Part 2 Exam (code OGA-032) is 8 complex scenario questions in 90 minutes, open book with an electronic copy of the ArchiMate 3 Specification built in; passing it earns ArchiMate 3 Practitioner.
What does ArchiMate 3 Part 1 actually test?
Part 1 covers the Level 1 learning outcomes: the language's core notation — layers, aspects, elements, and relationships — at recall and comprehension depth. Each correct answer scores a single point, and the pass mark is 60%, meaning 24 or more of the 40 questions.
The exam is closed book and supervised. The Open Group notes that additional time may be provided for candidates taking the English exam for whom English is not their first language, and that the published 60 minutes covers the exam itself — registration, tutorial, and survey typically add about 15 minutes around it.
How is ArchiMate 3 Part 2 different?
Part 2 is a scenario exam, not a recall exam. Each of the 8 questions presents a complex modelling situation, and answers are gradient-scored: the correct answer earns 5 points, the second best 3, the third best 1, and the distracter zero. The pass mark is 65% — 26 or more of the 40 available points — so partial judgment still scores.
Two structural facts change how Part 2 feels. It is open book: an electronic copy of the ArchiMate 3 Specification is built into the exam, and hardcopy books are not allowed. And it has a hard prerequisite: ArchiMate 3 Foundation, or a pass of the Part 1 exam on the same day at the same test center. Book Part 2 alone without either, and the slot is forfeit.
How much do the ArchiMate 3 exams cost?
The Open Group's retail fee schedule, applicable from February 1, 2026, lists both ArchiMate 3 parts in the USD 375 exam-booking group — the fee charged when booking directly with Pearson VUE by credit card. Retail vouchers purchased through The Open Group Shop are USD 400 per part, exams are priced in USD, and local taxes may apply by country.
The same schedule carries an ArchiMate-specific discount note: when Part 1 and Part 2 are booked together at Pearson VUE as consecutive exams in the same session at a test center, the pair is automatically discounted; because OnVUE does not allow two consecutive sessions, at-home candidates may purchase two separate vouchers at a reduced fee. Budget roughly $750 for the pair before the discount, and remember the schedule can change without notice.
Can you take the ArchiMate 3 exams at home?
Yes. The Open Group's exam summary states both parts are delivered at Authorized Examination Provider Test Centers and remotely by Pearson VUE OnVUE delivery, and The Open Group publishes an at-home advice sheet for candidates taking a Pearson VUE exam.
The one logistics trap for at-home candidates is the two-part path: OnVUE sessions cannot run consecutively, so the discounted same-session pairing is a test-center option. From home, plan the two reduced-fee vouchers and two separate appointments instead — the fee schedule spells out this exact route.
Who the ArchiMate 3 credential is (and is not) for
Take it if the role touches enterprise, solution, or business architecture modelling — the credential is The Open Group's proof that you know the ArchiMate visual modelling language, and it pairs naturally with TOGAF on an architecture resume.
Skip it as a first move if the job asks for architecture method rather than modelling notation (that is TOGAF's territory) or for project delivery credentials like CAPM. And if the deadline behind the credential is closer than your study calendar, Exam Assist handles the ArchiMate sitting end to end, with the service fee due only after the agreed result posts.