How to Prepare for the GARP SCR Certification (2025 Guide)

Kateryna Myrko
Aug 28
6 min read

At a glance: what you’re preparing for 2025

What the exam tests: applied knowledge of climate science, sustainability concepts, regulations & disclosure, transition/physical risk, and green finance—geared to risk managers and adjacent roles.
Format & timing: 80 equally weighted MCQs (includes one case study) in a 4-hour session.
Recommended prep time: ~100–150 hours with official materials and a full-length practice exam provided by GARP.
2025 exam window: Oct 18 – Nov 1, 2025 (standard registration Aug 1 – Sept 30; schedule by Oct 30, 11:59 p.m. ET).
Fees (Oct 2025 standard): US$625 (FRM/RAI/ERP holders), US$650 (GARP Individual Members), US$750 (Non-members). One-time retake: US$350 (next two windows).
Delivery options: Pearson VUE test center (CBT) or OnVUE online proctoring (same content, different logistics).

Understand the exam—so you can reverse-engineer your prep GARP SCR Certification (2025 Guide)

Why SCR matters in 2025–2026. Climate and nature risks moved squarely into enterprise risk, treasury, credit, underwriting, and portfolio oversight. SCR validates that you can translate science, policy, and disclosure into decision-useful risk analysis—exactly what employers need. GARP’s own “Key Takeaways” frame SCR as applied: scenario use, transition planning, measurement, oversight, and green finance instruments. Build your plan around application, not memorization. GARP SCR Certification (2025 Guide)

How the exam is built. Expect single-question MCQs and a compact case study block. The four-hour allowance is generous, but the trap is time drift inside the case (data exhibits, definitions, and governance nuance). Successful candidates practice reading discipline and triage (see “Exam-day tactics” below).

Official schedule & policies you must plan around (2025)

Window: Oct 18 – Nov 1, 2025 (multiple daily slots). Schedule a seat by Oct 30 (≥48 hours before your desired time). Seats are first-come, first-served.
Registration: Standard runs Aug 1 – Sept 30, 2025 (deadline 11:59 p.m. ET). Payment must clear by the deadline.
Deferral: One deferral to the next window allowed with a US$150 fee; deadline Oct 1 for the October window.
Retake: If you don’t pass (or don’t schedule/no-show), you can register once at US$350 for either of the next two windows. If the curriculum updates, GARP provides the new eBook free.
ID & name match: Original, valid, unexpired government ID; the registration name must match exactly (including middle names/initials). Digital IDs not accepted.

The 10–week study blueprint (≈120 hours)

This plan assumes ~12 hours/week. If you prefer ~100 hours, trim the optional drills; if you’re targeting 150 hours, expand practice volumes.

Week 1 — Get oriented (10–12h)

Goals: Understand exam scope, confirm your registration/scheduling milestones, skim the full eBook.
Tasks: Map topics to your background; build a formula/definition deck (risk metrics, emissions scopes, stress vs. scenario, financed emissions).
Output: A one-page “what the exam actually tests” memo for your context (banking/insurance/AM).
Why it works: You align effort to applied questions—what the SCR case will probe.

Week 2 — Climate science & physical risk (12h)

Content: Climate drivers, hazards, materiality channels, asset/location exposure, catastrophe models (qualitative level).
Practice: 80–100 MCQs; short caselets with maps/tables.
Checkpoint: Can you translate hazard maps into portfolio risk language (PD/LGD, VaR shocks, underwriting thresholds)?

Week 3 — Policy, regulation & disclosure (12h)

Content: TCFD/IFRS S2/SASB concepts, prudential trends, supervisory expectations, disclosure controls.
Practice: 80–100 MCQs emphasizing definitions vs. obligations and governance.
Artifact: RACI matrix sketch for climate governance in a bank or insurer. (This cements how questions expect accountability lines.)

Week 4 — Transition risk, sector pathways (12h)

Content: Transition levers (policy, tech, market), sector decarbonization pathways, transition plans.
Practice: 80–100 MCQs; one mini-case on high-emitting sector.
Skill: Distinguish company ambition vs. credible plan vs. risk profile—a frequent exam angle.

Week 5 — Measurement foundations (12h)

Content: Carbon accounting (Scopes 1–3), financed emissions, portfolio coverage metrics, target-setting basics.
Practice: Data interpretation items, terminology precision.
Output: A “metrics glossary” you can scan on exam morning.

Week 6 — Scenario analysis & stress testing (12–14h)

Content: Scenario design, input assumptions, sensitivities, limitations; transmission to credit/market/insurance risk.
Practice: 100–120 MCQs; one case dry-run (timed 45–60 min).
Checkpoint: Can you critique scenario suitability and interpret outputs without over-precision?

Week 7 — Green/sustainable finance & instruments (12h)

Content: Green, sustainability-linked bonds/loans; use-of-proceeds, taxonomies; transition finance pitfalls.
Practice: 80–100 MCQs emphasizing labeling, KPIs/S-PTs, and second-party opinions.

Week 8 — Governance, risk appetite & controls (12h)

Content: Board oversight, incentives, risk appetite integration, limits/reporting, three lines, audit.
Practice: 80–100 MCQs; short memos: “Would you approve this risk appetite statement? Why/why not?”
Output: A 10-bullet “good governance” checklist—gold for fast marks.

Week 9 — Mixed review + Mock #1 (12–14h)

Tasks: 40–60 warm-up MCQs (mixed), then one full timed mock.
Review: Build an error log with four labels: content gap, careless, time sink, misread.
Fix: Revisit the content gap items the next day with targeted reading.

Week 10 — Weak-area sprints + case practice (12–14h)

Tasks: Two 60–80 question blocks focused on your weakest domains; one case-only drill (30–40 min).
Light read: Policies & logistics, calculator/whiteboard rules, ID match check.
Goal: Reach ~70%+ on weak areas and tighten reading discipline for the case.

What to study (and how deep)

Use GARP’s structure to weight your effort:

Climate science → physical risk translation (know the risk channels, not the physics details).
Policy/disclosure/governance (definitions are easy points; governance nuance wins tougher items).
Transition risk & sector pathways (recognize credible vs. cosmetic plans).
Scenario analysis & stress testing (conceptual design, limitations, interpretation—not heavy math).
Green/transition finance (labels, structures, pitfalls).
Measurement & targets (Scopes, financed emissions, portfolio metrics).

Depth rule: If a topic feeds the case study (scenario, transition plan, governance), go one level deeper: assumptions → outputs → decisions → controls.

Resources that actually move the needle

Official eBook & GARP Learning (includes a full-length practice exam)—your core. Build notes from these to stay aligned with exam phrasing.
Approved third-party prep (e.g., course packages) for additional question volume or instructor structure; use them to supplement, not replace, the official eBook.
Your company’s own reports (TCFD/IFRS S2; stewardship; transition plan). Reading them with a “risk lens” builds context that transfers to the exam.

Exam-day tactics (proven by high scorers)

Pacing: 80 MCQs in 240 minutes ≈ 3 min/question. Plan a two-pass strategy:

Pass 1 (~150–160 min): Solve clear items + short concept checks; flag any multi-paragraph stems/case sub-items.
Pass 2 (remainder): Work flagged items methodically, starting with the case; read questions before exhibits to guide your scan.

Case method:

Read the question stems first to know what you’re hunting.
Skim exhibits for the data type (scenarios? governance? KPIs?) and return to the stem.
Eliminate distractors that confuse policy vs. disclosure or mix up risk channels.

Tooling rules: Expect on-screen calculator and whiteboard (digital for online, erasable for center). No personal calculators or paper—practice with the same tools you’ll see.

Logistics traps to avoid:

Name mismatch on ID (including middle names) = no seat, no refund/deferral.
Late scheduling (must schedule ≥48 hours before your slot); no-shows forfeit fees.
OnVUE tech issues (VPNs/VMs blocked; run the system test on the exact setup).

7-step action plan (from today to test day)

Register for the October 2025 window (by Sept 30, 11:59 p.m. ET).
Schedule your seat immediately (popular centers/times fill fast; must schedule by Oct 30).
Block 10 weeks on your calendar (~12h/week). Treat them as immovable meetings.
Work the eBook → practice loop (read → make concise notes → 30–40 MCQs → correct → update notes).
Do one full mock in Week 9; build an error log and plug gaps in Week 10.
Rehearse the environment (on-screen calculator + whiteboard; OnVUE system test or center route rehearsal).
Have a fallback: if a work spike hits, file the deferral by Oct 1 (US$150) rather than risking a no-show.

Career angle: where SCR pays off

Banking & insurance: integrating scenario outputs into credit underwriting, capital planning, and pricing; aligning governance with regulatory expectations.
Asset management: mapping transition/physical exposures into risk appetite and client reporting; assessing transition plan credibility for holdings.
Corporate risk & treasury: embedding climate risk into ERM; linking capex and financing to transition KPIs.

GARP highlights ongoing CPD to keep skills current—wise in a fast-moving policy/standards landscape.

FAQ (2025)

Is the SCR exam available online?

Yes—test at a Pearson VUE center or via OnVUE online proctoring (same content).

How do retakes work?

If you don’t pass (or don’t schedule/no-show), you can register once for US$350 in either of the next two windows; updated eBook provided if the syllabus changes.

How many hours should I study?

Plan ~100–150 hours. If you’re new to climate risk, aim toward the higher end; if you live this at work, 100–120 may suffice.

What if my ID doesn’t exactly match my registration?

You will be turned away and forfeit fees. Ensure an exact name match well before exam day.

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