Get Certified!
Become a CAP: A Certified Astrological Professional
Certification Overview
Ensuring Astrological Excellence Worldwide
ISAR is known worldwide for its certification program and exemplifies the highest standards in our profession. Since its inception in 2003, the CAP (Certified Astrological Professional) program has been continuously developed and updated into the premiere program it is today.
The program's four components are:
• Ethics Awareness Training & Exam
• Consulting Skills
• Competency Exam
You may take these trainings and exams in any order.
The Competency Exam is rigorous and demanding with a low pass-rate on the first attempt. To prepare for the CAP Competency Exam, we strongly recommend you enroll in courses at ISAR-Affiliated Schools. These institutions’ well-rounded curriculums have been reviewed by ISAR and will provide the foundation you need to succeed.
FAQ
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How do you earn CAP status?
As of April 2025, you earn CAP status by achieving the following in any order:
1. Successfully participate in and complete the Ethics Awareness Training and pass the Ethics Awareness Exam with a grade of 80% or higher.
2. Successfully participate in and complete the Consulting Skills Training.
3. Pass the Competency Exam with a grade of 70% or higher.
You remain a CAP by continually adhering to the ethical and professional standards outlined in the ISAR Code of Ethics.
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Is going to an ISAR Affiliated School a CAP requirement?
No. We do strongly recommend it, but it is not a requirement. Candidates who achieve CAP status while attending or having graduated from an ISAR Affiliated School will earn the "CAP with Honors" designation.
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Is there a study hours requirement to be a CAP?
No formal study hour requirement exists. However, becoming a CAP requires mastering a substantial body of astrological knowledge, and successful candidates typically invest hundreds of hours studying, reading, attending classes, and completing coursework to successfully pass the necessary trainings and exams. The ISAR-Affiliated Schools provide this.
Ethics in Astrology
As an astrologer, how do you know whether your actions are genuinely beneficial?
A system of ethical principles will help you answer that question and guide you when complex considerations arise. Whether you are a counseling astrologer, a researcher, a content producer, or an enthusiast, understanding ethics enables you to practice astrology responsibly.
The Ethics Awareness program is the cornerstone of CAPISAR’s certification program. Based on ISAR's Ethical Standards and Guidelines, it prepares you to practice astrology with a solid understanding of your ethical obligations and aligns our field’s standards with those of other professions.
Consulting Skills
This experiential training teaches a repertoire of skills that makes working with astrology clients personal and more effective.
Due to the nature of the consulting relationship, we are placed in the position of giving information and insight regarding the client’s concerns. Listening can become a secondary activity when there is so much astrological information to convey. This training puts the client in the center of the consulting relationship, allowing the session to tune into the client’s thoughts and feelings. A client-centered approach and an information-centered approach are stylistically different modes that can coexist in an astrological consultation. Both are valid approaches and styles, and the goal of this training is to give you the techniques to recognize and alternate between the two.
Competency Exam
Those seeking to be a CAP (Certified Astrological Professional) must demonstrate competence in astrology by passing a rigorous exam.
It is an open-book test and you can use whatever texts or materials you think you will need, but it is timed. Questions are a combination of true/false, multiple choice, short-answer and in-depth essay. The exam covers many areas: history of astrology, an understanding of the various applications of astrology, basic astronomy as applied to astrology, symbolism, knowledge of chart calculations, forecasting skills including secondary progressions, return charts, transits, eclipses and lunations, synastry and relationships including chart comparison, family patterns, miscellaneous relationships and group dynamics.
