Pass the IT Risk Fundamentals Certificate Exam on the First Attempt

Author: Veronica Rose, CISA, CDPSE
Date Published: 12 October 2021

To any exam-taker, it is always magnificent after completion of your test to view the screen displaying “You Passed.”

I passed ISACA’s IT Risk Fundamentals Certificate exam, meaning that another certificate was added to my resume, and more knowledge was acquired. In this blog, I am sharing my preparation journey.

Days prior to this achievement, I was injured while going for my morning run in the forest. Since I couldn’t do my usual workout, I decided to dedicate my workout time of an hour to instead polish my knowledge on I&T-related risk, so I prepared in seven days and sat for the exam.

Here, I learned two lessons: Turn your pain into progress and embrace a student mindset.

Everyone has their way of preparing for and acing exams depending on their work/daily schedules and study plans. But before I share my study plan, it is important to note that the earners of this certificate demonstrate comprehensive fundamental knowledge of basic terminology, concepts, general practices, and explanations of risk and I&T-related risk.

Materials used
ISACA developed study materials to assist exam-takers to get all the training they need. So, you can select from a variety of online, instructor-led, and self-paced training courses to prepare for the IT Risk Fundamentals exam from the comfort of your home. Plus, the exam is available via remote proctoring.

How I prepared
I read the IT Risk Fundamentals study guide together with the online course, which is now available on ISACA’s new learning platform, ISACA Perform. The course has six modules: Risk introduction (5%), Risk Governance and Management (15%), Risk Identification (20%), Risk Assessment and Analysis (25%), Risk Response (15%) and Risk Monitoring, Reporting, and Communication (20%).

I prepared for the exam in seven days, dedicating one hour per day, and I must say, the exam was very easy for me because I am familiar with the IT Risk governance and management practices, I&T Risk general practices, and also my prior knowledge from CISA studies simplified my understanding of key terminologies during my preparation.

After going through the practice questions, I scheduled the exam. The exam consists of 75 questions and takes 120 minutes, though I did not need the full time. To pass the exam, a score of 65% or higher is required.

After attempting all the exam questions, I went through a few survey questions and then submitted my exam test. In a few seconds, the gratifying results were displayed on my screen “You Passed,” with a breakdown of my score from each module.

I later received a congratulatory message from ISACA via email and guidance on how to share my digital badge.

Want to know which certificate is suitable for you?
There are so many unique ISACA learning credentials! All good choices, but which one makes the most sense for you? What should you pursue right now, for where you are in your career and where you want to go? To help you understand your options, we’ve put together key facts and figures in one place. Now, you can digest all of ISACA’s career-boosting certifications and certificates and decide which one or ones are best for your advancement, goals and interests.

To learn more about which ISACA certification is best for you, check out this graphic: https://www.isaca.org/resources/infographics/which-isaca-certification-is-right-for-you