In fall 2026, Machine Learning Engineer - Associate is in the middle of an exam transition. September 28, 2026 was the last day to take MLA-C01 in English, and from September 29 the English exam switched to the revised MLA-C02 (beta). MLA-C01 in Korean, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese, on the other hand, remains available until MLA-C02 reaches general availability. In other words, the exam duration, number of questions, question types, and scope all depend on the language you take it in.
Based on the official AWS Certification pages and exam policies as of October 2026, this post covers which exam you will take, how exam day flows, the five question types, the extra time and key phrases when you test in English, scoring and results, time management, checklists for online and test center exams, and rescheduling and retakes. Check the exam scope and study order first in MLA-C01 Complete Exam Guide.
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Which Exam Will You Take: MLA-C01 or MLA-C02?
| Aspect | MLA-C01 (current exam) | MLA-C02 (revised, beta) | |------|------|------| | Languages | Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese (English ended on September 28, 2026) | English only (Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese planned at general availability) | | Duration | 130 minutes | 170 minutes | | Questions | 65 (50 scored + 15 unscored) | 85 | | Fee | $150 USD | $75 USD (beta pricing) | | Question types | Multiple choice, multiple response, ordering, matching, case study | Multiple choice, multiple response | | Domain weights | Data preparation 28%, model development 26%, deployment 22%, operations and security 24% | 28%, 24%, 24%, 24% | | Newly added scope | Not applicable | Bedrock, RAG, embeddings and vector databases, agents, generative AI evaluation and cost |
If you take the exam in Korean, prepare with the MLA-C01 study materials and question bank on this site as they are. If you take it in English now, it is MLA-C02, so on top of the MLA-C01 scope you need to prepare Bedrock knowledge bases, RAG, agents, and generative AI evaluation. Passing either exam earns the same AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate certification, valid for three years.
A beta exam can be taken only once; if you fail it, you must retake the exam after general availability.
!MLA-C01 exam day flow: booking, check-in, the 130-minute exam, and results within 5 business days
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How Exam Day Flows
| Stage | What to do | |------|------| | Booking | Book a Pearson VUE exam from your AWS Certification account (aws.training/Certification), choosing a test center or online (OnVUE) | | Preparation | For online exams, run the system test in advance and prepare a webcam, microphone, a single monitor, and a quiet room | | Check-in | Online, you can launch the exam 30 minutes before the scheduled time, have your ID and testing environment checked, and get connected to a proctor; at a test center, arrive 15 to 30 minutes early | | Exam | Watch the remaining time on the on-screen timer; there are no scheduled breaks | | Results | Check your results in your AWS Certification account within 5 business days |
AWS exams have no scheduled breaks. At a test center you may step away during the exam, but the exam time keeps running; in an online exam you may not stand up or leave the camera's view for any reason, including a restroom break.
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The Five Question Types (MLA-C01)
The official MLA-C01 exam guide lists five question types. The revised MLA-C02 guide lists only two: multiple choice and multiple response.
| Type | Format | Condition for credit | |------|------|------| | Multiple choice | 1 correct answer + 3 distractors | Select the one correct answer | | Multiple response | Two or more correct answers among five or more options | Credit only when you select all the correct answers (no partial credit) | | Ordering | Select 3–5 responses and place them in the correct order | Credit only when both the selection and the order are correct | | Matching | Match a list of responses to 3–7 prompts | Credit only when every pair is correct | | Case study | Two or more questions about one scenario | Each question is scored separately |
Ordering is a natural format for asking about the flow of the ML lifecycle (data collection → preprocessing → training → evaluation → model registration → deployment → monitoring) or a setup procedure (register the scalable target → define the policy → apply the policy). For matching, think of a table that maps services to their purposes. In a case study you read the same scenario several times, so noting the key conditions such as data size, latency, and security requirements on your first read saves time.
Unanswered questions are scored as incorrect and there is no penalty for wrong answers, so always pick an answer, even for questions you are unsure of.
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Testing in English: ESL +30 and Key Phrases
Non-native English speakers who take an exam in English can get a 30-minute extension (ESL +30). Request it once in your AWS Certification account before you book, and it applies to all your future exams in English (account → Request Exam Accommodations → ESL +30 MINUTES). It is especially helpful for MLA-C02, which is currently offered in English with 85 questions in 170 minutes.
| English phrase | Meaning | Direction to think of | |------|------|------| | most cost-effective | best value for the cost | Spot training, serverless or asynchronous inference, scaling to zero, the right instance | | least operational overhead | the least operational burden | Managed services, built-in SageMaker features, AI services | | minimal code changes | the fewest code changes | Script Mode, FastFile mode, managed containers | | near real-time | almost immediately | Firehose, asynchronous processing | | without traversing the internet | without going over the internet | VPC endpoints, PrivateLink | | comply with regulations | while meeting regulations | KMS, VPC isolation, CloudTrail, least privilege | | data drift | change in the data distribution | Model Monitor, retraining pipelines | | intermittent traffic | traffic that comes and goes | Serverless inference |
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Scoring and Results
Results are reported as a scaled score from 100 to 1,000, and 720 is the passing score. Scoring is compensatory with no per-domain cutoff, so you only need to reach 720 overall. The 15 unscored questions are not identified, so give every question the same weight.
Results, including those for beta exams, appear in your AWS Certification account within 5 business days after you finish. The score report includes a classification table showing your strengths and weaknesses by domain, so if you do not pass, use it to find your weak domains and prepare again.
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A 130-Minute Time Plan
Answering 65 questions in 130 minutes gives you an average of two minutes per question. Because case studies and long scenarios are mixed in, do not try to finish in one pass; split the time into three stages.
| Stage | What to do | Time | |------|------|------| | First pass | Answer every question once; for any you are unsure of, pick an answer and flag it for review | About 90 minutes | | Review flagged questions | Reread the conditions (cost, latency, security, operational overhead) of flagged questions and compare them with the options | About 30 minutes | | Final check | Make sure no question is left unanswered | About 10 minutes |
If you have spent more than three minutes on a question, it is safer to pick an answer, flag it, and move on.
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Exam Checklist
Online Exam (Pearson OnVUE)
Run the Pearson VUE system test in advance on the same computer and network Prepare a quiet room where you are alone, a clean desk, one monitor, a webcam, and a microphone You can launch the exam 30 minutes before the scheduled time; leave plenty of time for check-in One government-issued photo ID (the name must match the name in your AWS Certification account, in Roman characters) You cannot leave the camera's view during the exam (not even for the restroom)
Test Center Exam
Arrive 15 to 30 minutes before the scheduled time Two IDs (a primary ID plus a secondary ID); an ID issued in the country where you test may also be in the local script Leave personal belongings in a locker before entering You may step away during the exam, but the exam time does not stop
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Rescheduling, Retakes, and Recertification
| Item | Rule | |------|------| | Rescheduling | Up to 24 hours before the exam, at most twice per appointment | | Cancellation | Canceling more than 24 hours before the exam refunds the fee | | Retake | Possible 14 days after failing; no limit on attempts, but the full fee each time | | Beta retake | A beta can be taken only once; to retake, wait for general availability | | Validity and recertification | 3 years; recertify by passing the latest version of the exam or a higher-level exam | | Benefit after passing | A 50% discount voucher for your next exam in the Benefits section of your AWS Certification account |
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Exam Quick Reference
The key points to review one last time before you walk into the exam.
| Topic | Key Point | |------|------| | Version | Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese: MLA-C01; English: MLA-C02 from September 29, 2026 | | MLA-C01 format | 130 minutes, 65 questions (50 scored), $150 USD, 720 to pass | | MLA-C02 beta | 170 minutes, 85 questions, $75 USD, English only, one attempt | | Question types | C01: multiple choice, multiple response, ordering, matching, case study; C02: the first two | | Partial credit | Multiple response, ordering, and matching need everything right; case studies are scored per question | | Unanswered | Scored as incorrect; no penalty for wrong answers | | ESL +30 | 30 extra minutes for non-native speakers testing in English; request once before booking | | Breaks | No scheduled breaks; online you cannot leave your seat | | Check-in | Online, launch from 30 minut