Failed TOGAF 10 Certified? Here's Your Recovery Plan
Failing an exam doesn't define you. The TOGAF 10 Certified has a pass rate of ~55%, you're not alone. Here's exactly what to do next.
The TOGAF 10 Certified has a pass rate of ~55%, which means many qualified candidates don't pass on their first attempt. This is a hard-difficulty exam that challenges even experienced professionals.
Most people who fail and try again with a better strategy pass on their second attempt. The key is understanding what went wrong and fixing it.
Wait Period
Varies, check with exam provider
Retake Cost
Typically full exam fee
Max Attempts
Varies by provider
Pro tip: Contact the exam provider directly for their specific retake policy.
- Preparing for Part 2 the same way as Part 1, with flashcards and recall drills.Part 2 is open book with the Body of Knowledge built into the exam, and it scores answers 5, 3, 1, and 0. Recall earns you nothing extra. Practice ranking four plausible actions against the constraints stated in the scenario.
- Planning to revisit Part 1 questions after starting the Part 2 section of the combined exam.On OGEA-103 the sections run back to back with no break, and once you complete section 1 you cannot return to it. Finish and review all 40 multiple-choice questions inside the 60 minutes allotted to that section.
- Booking Part 2 first because it sounds like the harder exam to get out of the way.Part 2 requires either the TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Foundation certification or a Part 1 pass on the same day at the same test center. Book Part 1 first, or book the combined OGEA-103.
- Buying two separate exam bookings when Practitioner is the goal from the start.The combined OGEA-103 exam is USD 610 as a booking fee against USD 810 for OGEA-101 and OGEA-102 booked separately. If you fail one section of the combined exam you retake only that section, so the risk of combining is limited.
- Studying the TOGAF Standard, Version 9.2 material because it is more widely available online.The 10th Edition reorganized Fundamental Content and moved how-to material into the Series Guides. Level 1 for the 10th Edition covers 8 learning units and 63 outcomes against 13 units and 107 outcomes for TOGAF 9, so the scope is genuinely different.
- Treating the small Part 1 units as optional.Architecture Governance is only 3 questions and Applying the ADM only 4, but the pass mark is 24 out of 40. Giving away 7 questions means you need 24 out of the remaining 33 to pass, which is a much harder exam.
- Assuming a failed attempt can be retaken next week.The Open Group requires a minimum one-month wait between attempts, and that applies whether you took a single-part or a combined exam. There is no limit on the number of retakes, but each attempt costs another booking fee.
- Booking an OnVUE appointment on a corporate or managed laptop without testing it.Run the Pearson system test on the exact machine and network first. The Open Group publishes separate guidance for corporate and managed laptops, and failing the system check at start time can cost the appointment.
- Expecting the certificate to appear immediately after a pass.Pearson forwards your results to The Open Group, which emails you within six business days to complete the certification steps, which may include accepting a trademark license agreement. You will not appear in the Directory of Certified People until you complete those steps.
Analyze Your Score Report
Review your TOGAF 10 Certified score report immediately. Identify which domains you scored lowest in, these are your priority areas. Write down specific topics you struggled with while the exam is fresh in your memory.
Take a Short Break (But Not Too Long)
Take 2-3 days off from studying to reset mentally. Failing is emotionally draining, and jumping back in immediately can lead to burnout. But don't wait too long, the material is still fresh.
Change Your Study Strategy
Whatever approach you used before didn't work. Switch it up: if you only read textbooks, add video courses. If you didn't do practice tests, make them your primary study method. Active recall beats passive review every time.
Focus on Weak Areas (80/20 Rule)
Spend 80% of your study time on the 2-3 domains where you scored lowest. You probably already know the topics you scored well on. For TOGAF 10 Certified, this targeted approach is far more effective than re-studying everything.
Take a Practice Test Before Rebooking
Don't rebook the exam until you're consistently scoring 85%+ on practice tests. This saves you money and builds real confidence. When you're scoring well, schedule the retake.
- Two-part exam: Foundation + Practitioner
- Foundation is 40 MCQs in 60 minutes
- Practitioner is open-book scenario-based
- Study the ADM (Architecture Development Method) cycle thoroughly
- Good e-Learning and Simplilearn for online courses
- Enterprise architects at Fortune 500 increasingly require TOGAF
How long do I have to wait to retake the TOGAF 10 Certified?
The retake waiting period for TOGAF 10 Certified is Varies, check with exam provider. Contact the exam provider directly for their specific retake policy.
How much does it cost to retake the TOGAF 10 Certified?
The retake cost is Typically full exam fee. Maximum attempts: Varies by provider.
What percentage of people fail the TOGAF 10 Certified?
The TOGAF 10 Certified has an average pass rate of ~55%, meaning roughly 45% of test-takers fail on their first attempt.
Is the TOGAF 10 Certified harder the second time?
No, the TOGAF 10 Certified difficulty is the same on retake. Many people pass on their second attempt because they know what to expect and can focus their study on weak areas.
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