Designation Requirements

To earn the CSA designation and join our respected international organization of professionals dedicated to serving seniors ethically and effectively, simply follow these steps:

1. Complete the CSA application for the CSA designation: The application includes:
   
   
   • CSA Information Profile
   • Disclosure Questionnaire
     
     The questionnaire is both a screening tool and an acknowledgement of an applicant’s agreement to comply with the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility and SCSA Membership Rules once the designation is earned.
     
2. Pass a background check
3. Pass the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility online module and sign the CSA Code and SCSA Membership Rules
4. Fulfill the education/experience requirements:
   
   
   • Option 1: Complete the CSA course or its training equivalent AND have one year of paid work experience working with seniors OR 50 hours of volunteering with seniors in the last three years
     
     
   • Option 2: Have two years of paid work experience working with seniors OR 100 hours of volunteer experience with seniors within the last three years
     
     
   • Option 3: Have a certificate or degree in a field related to working with seniors from an accredited college or university
     
     
   Definition of education / experience terms
5. Pass the CSA Exam*
   
   If you are seeking the CSA credential, you may choose one of two paths to designation, depending on your education/experience qualifications:
   • Option 1: CSA Course and Exam Package
   • Option 2: CSA Exam Only
   
   If you are not seeking the CSA credential, you may choose to enroll in the CSA Course Only. Please see the Course Information page for more on these options
   
   *Passing the CSA Exam is required for professional CE credit and is available with the CSA Course and Exam Package only. CE is not available with the Exam only or the Course only options.

For a complete description of the CSA certification program, including eligibility and recertification requirements, please check out the CSA Candidate Handbook.

If you have any questions regarding these requirements or would like to fill out the application via telephone with one of our Education Representatives, please contact us at 888-653-1785.