How GARP SCR Is Scored: What “Pass” Means + What to Focus On
- Kateryna Myrko
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
The GARP Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate exam is designed to confirm you can apply climate-risk concepts and frameworks in realistic risk-management situations—not to produce a granular numeric score report. Officially, the SCR exam is graded on a pass/fail basis.
How GARP SCR Is Scored?
1) Pass/fail outcome — not a percentile ranking
GARP states the SCR exam is scored on a pass/fail basis, and it publishes pass rates that “are subject to change based on the number of candidates.” So “Pass” means you met GARP’s passing standard for that exam administration—there is no official claim that you are ranked against other candidates or that the exam has a fixed pass rate. How GARP SCR Is Scored
2) Every question counts the same
The exam consists of 80 equally weighted multiple-choice questions, including one multi-part case study, and you have four hours to complete it. Because questions are equally weighted, there is no “heavy” question that can rescue a weak section—consistent execution across the whole blueprint is what drives a pass.
3) Results timing and what you’ll receive
After an exam window closes, GARP states it scores exams “in a timely fashion,” and candidates are notified when results are available in the GARP candidate portal. (Practically: plan for a pass/fail outcome rather than expecting an itemized score breakdown.)
4) If you don’t pass, you have limited-cost retake options
GARP notes candidates who don’t pass can register at a reduced rate during the next two exam cycles, and separately describes a one-time retake fee (USD 350) available during the next two cycles under specific conditions. That policy matters because it changes how you should think about “risk of failure”: your goal is still to pass, but the program has a defined retake pathway.
What to focus on (high-yield, aligned to the official structure)
1) Treat it as a breadth exam with a case-study spine
GARP describes the SCR exam as requiring “analytical thinking and practical application,” and it explicitly includes a multi-part case study. That means your prep must go beyond memorization:
practice applying frameworks to scenarios (policy shocks, transition plans, portfolio exposure, disclosure decisions),
and get comfortable extracting what matters from a longer prompt (case-study style).
2) Master the official topic map (and don’t ignore “soft” sections)
GARP’s SCR FAQ lists the exam coverage areas, including: Foundations of Climate Change, Sustainability, Climate Change Risk, Policy/Culture/Governance, Green & Sustainable Finance, and Climate Risk Measurement and Management. Because questions are equally weighted, skipping a topic isn’t “saving time”—it’s donating points.
3) Don’t over-index on heavy math—but do practice quantitative interpretation
GARP explicitly says the SCR exam is not highly quantitative, but you may need basic arithmetic, ratios, units/magnitudes, and interpretation of graphs or tables. So the best ROI is:
metric literacy (what the number means, what it doesn’t),
unit discipline (CO₂e, intensity vs absolute),
and fast reading of charts/tables without second-guessing.
4) Use GARP’s intended prep inputs: time, materials, and practice exam
GARP recommends ~100–150 hours of study and notes it provides official study materials and a full-length practice exam. If you want the most “score-aligned” practice, prioritize that official practice exam and then drill weak areas based on the topic map above.
5) Exam execution: your pass is often decided by pacing
With 80 questions + a case study in 4 hours, you have about 3 minutes per question on average (before you account for case-study time). A simple rule that protects your score: don’t let any single multiple-choice question consume “case-study time.” Move, bank points, and return if needed.
Unlock your potential with our comprehensive GARP SCR practice exams and study packages!
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