Designing the Post-Quantum Migration
The PQCA certification validates that you can assess a complex cryptographic environment and design a sound, implementable PQC migration architecture. Where PQCS builds foundational competence and PQCM covers program leadership, PQCA focuses on the technical design decisions that determine whether a migration actually works.
What PQCA Certifies
A PQCA credential holder has demonstrated the ability to:
- Assess existing cryptographic architectures for quantum vulnerability, mapping every dependency and trust relationship
- Select PQC algorithms for specific deployment contexts based on performance, key sizes, security assumptions, and operational constraints
- Design hybrid implementation architectures for key exchange and digital signatures
- Evaluate migration patterns (in-place, parallel, gateway-based) for different system types and risk profiles
- Design PKI migration strategies including dual-certificate hierarchies and HSM upgrade paths
- Apply cryptographic agility principles at the protocol, application, and infrastructure layers
- Produce implementation-ready architecture decision records and technical specifications
Who Earns the PQCA
Security architects, enterprise architects, solutions architects, principal engineers, cryptographic engineers, and senior technical consultants who design cryptographic systems.
Path to PQCA
- Hold an active prerequisite: Active PQCS certification
- Complete the PQCA Training course (online self-paced, live online, or in-person)
- Pass the PQCA certification exam
Exam Format
- Proctored exam. Supervision, location and recording vary by sitting and are confirmed when you book. See the Candidate Guide
- 120 questions in total: 110 scored plus 10 unscored pilot items
- 180 minutes, closed book
- Recommended preparation: the training course plus 30–50 hours of independent study
- Scenario-based questions emphasizing applied competence and professional judgment
- Passing score: 700 on a 100–900 scale, set to a criterion-referenced standard
- Pilot items appear alongside scored items and are not identified in the exam; they do not affect your result
- Results delivered promptly after completion
- Retakes: available 14 days after a first attempt and 30 days between later attempts, up to four attempts in any twelve months. First retake US$299, later retakes at the standard US$699 exam fee
Certification Details
- Digital badge issued upon certification, verifiable at pqca.pro
- Post-nominal designation: PQCA
- Valid for three years from the date of certification
- Annual maintenance fee: US$149 (covers all active Quantum Academy credentials)
- Renewal: 60 CPE credits per three-year cycle, with a minimum of 15 in each year. CPE-based renewal is included in the annual maintenance fee
- Or renew by re-examination on the current version of the exam (US$399)
What Comes Next
Earn PQCM + PQCA + PQCV and you are automatically awarded PQCX – Post-Quantum Certified Expert.
Pricing
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| PQCA exam only | US$699 |
| Online training + exam bundle | US$2,999 |
| In-person training + exam bundle | US$3,999 |
Verify a Credential Holder
Send the candidate’s full name to validation@quantumacademy.com.
The PQCA is a private professional credential issued by Quantum Academy, a trade name of Post-Quantum Institute. It is not a government-issued license, an accredited degree, or academic credit. Earning it does not guarantee employment, promotion, regulatory approval, or any other specific outcome. Quantum Academy programs are educational and informational only, and are not legal, compliance, or engineering advice.