Credentials / American College of Sports Medicine

ACSM Certified Group Exercise Instructor

ACSM-GEIcertificationverifiedby American College of Sports Medicine· Compare
Verified: this record was checked against its official source. Last verified 2026-09-03. 10 sources on file.

At a glance

Credential type
certification
Status
active
Target professional
Group exercise instructors
Country
US
Official page
https://acsm.org/certification/get-certified/group-exercise-instructor/
Recertification page
unknown
Categories
Personal Training

Accreditation

No accreditation on record — status unknown. Absence of a claim is recorded honestly rather than guessed.

Eligibility & examination

Eligibility

Minimum age
18
Education
Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent
Degree required
no
Experience
unknown
CPR/AED
yes
Other prerequisites
Current adult CPR/AED certification with a live/in-person practical skills examination component (e.g., American Heart Association or American Red Cross); First Aid required beginning 2027

Candidates must meet eligibility requirements and pass the certification examination; applications and supporting documents submitted via the MyACSM portal. Certification valid for three years.

Examination

Format
Computer-based multiple-choice exam delivered by Pearson VUE; available in-person at a Pearson VUE testing center or live remote-proctored online (OnVUE). Content organized into four performance domains (Class Design, Leadership, Instruction, Professional Responsibilities).
Online exam
yes
Testing center
yes
Length
unknown
Questions
unknown
Passing score
Scaled score of 550 on a 200-800 scale (criterion-referenced standard set via modified Angoff)
Attempts included
1
Retake policy
Re-test requires payment of a retest fee ($205 for ACSM-GEI); handbook contains a Retest Policy section. Once an application expires, candidate must submit a new application and pay all applicable fees.

Initial certification costs

$410
exam fee nonmember
$310
exam fee member
$205
exam retake fee
$50
application fee

$410: Non-member · $310: ACSM member; note the GEI web page lists $410 for member candidates, conflicting with the handbook's $310

Renewal & CEU requirements

3 yr
renewal cycle
45
CEUs per cycle
$60
renewal
Recertification required
yes
CEU unit system
ACSM CEC (Continuing Education Credit); 1 CEC = 1 contact hour. CEC equivalency with other organizations is 1.0 = 1.0, or 0.1 = 1.0 if the other body uses the decimal (CEU) system.
Ethics requirement
no
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
Deadline rule
Certification is valid 3 years. Certificants certified before 2025 expire Dec. 31; those newly certified in 2025 expire three years from the date of initial certification. Recertification (CECs, current CPR/AED, fee) must be completed by 11:59 p.m. EST on the expiration date; a six-month grace period follows during which the credential is expired/inactive and an $80 late fee applies.

Two options: (1) accumulate/report 45 CECs in the cycle, maintain current CPR/AED, and pay the fee by the expiration date, or (2) meet current eligibility requirements and retake/pass the exam. CECs are self-reported in the MyACSM CEC Dashboard; ACSM auto-posts CECs from its own courses/events (after Feb. 22, 2025), while approved-provider and outside CECs must be entered manually. CECs do not carry over between cycles and must be earned after initial certification. Caps: up to 8 CECs/yr (24/cycle) for ACSM committee work; max 5 CECs/yr for CPR/AED/First Aid certifications (effective Jan. 1, 2025); up to 15 CECs/cycle (max 5/yr) for teaching/lecturing; 10 CECs per college credit hour (grade C or better); up to 10 CECs for authoring peer-reviewed publications/books/abstracts; earning a higher-level ACSM certification yields 10-15 CECs. ACSM audits 10% of recertification submissions; documentation must be retained at least one calendar year and produced within 30 days if audited. After the six-month grace period, only reinstatement ($225) is possible; emeritus status ($165) exempts qualifying retirees from CECs and fees.

CEU recognition

  • ACE (American Council on Exercise) — accepts ceus from
    Non-ACSM-approved CECs accepted if content is directly related to the ACSM certification and the activity carries approval from a governing body or major fitness organization; ACSM matches the credit amount (1 CEC per contact hour).
  • NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) — accepts ceus from
    Accepted if directly related to the ACSM certification and approved by a governing body/major fitness organization, even if ACSM is not listed; ACSM matches the awarded credit amount.
  • NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) — accepts ceus from
    Accepted if directly related to the ACSM certification and approved by a governing body/major fitness organization; decimal CEUs convert 0.1 = 1.0 CEC.
  • AFAA — accepts ceus from
    Listed in the guidebook as an acceptable CEC-approving organization for non-ACSM-approved continuing education.
  • Other certification organizations (for CECs toward ACSM renewal via new credentials) — not recognized
    Certifications earned from other organizations cannot be applied toward ACSM certification renewal (only new, higher-level ACSM certifications earn CECs).
  • ACSM Approved CEC Providers (100+ approved providers) — approved ceu provider
    CECs from ACSM Approved Providers count but are not auto-posted; certificant must self-report and retain documentation.

Pathway

What this credential requires

All of:
  • Age18 years of age or older
  • EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent
  • CPR/AEDCurrent adult CPR/AED certification

Open in Pathways →

Sources (10)

Latest verification activity: initial verification → confirmed (2026-09-07) · reverification → confirmed (2026-09-06) · initial verification → confirmed (2026-09-06) · initial verification → confirmed (2026-09-03) · reverification → confirmed (2026-09-03)

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