- Identity Check: What This Cheat Sheet Covers
- The Exam at a Glance
- Scaled Score vs. Pass Rate
- The Nine Domains in One Pass
- Fees, Pathways and Eligibility
- Windows, Retakes and the Conflicting FAQ
- Exam-Day Rules That Trip Candidates Up
- Renewal Numbers to Memorize
- Scope-of-Practice Safeguards
- Scheduling the Domains
- FAQ
- The exam has 250-260 single-best-answer questions in four hours; passing requires a scaled score of 255 on a 100-300 range.
- The nine domains have no published percentage weights, so do not assume they are equal.
- Initial costs total $535 (Pathway 1) or $610 (Pathway 2): $500 exam plus $35 application, or plus $110 with PQE review.
- The July 2026 handbook controls retakes: a second failure means skipping a cycle, waiting a year and documenting 40+ refresher hours.
Identity Check: What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This page covers one credential: Certified in Classical Homeopathy (CCH), awarded by the Council for Homeopathic Certification (CHC) as the Certified Classical Homeopath designation. Other credentials elsewhere in healthcare and business share the same three letters, but nothing here applies to them. If you arrived looking for a different CCH, the fees, windows and domains below will not match what you need.
If you are still orienting yourself, the explainers on what CCH certification is and what CCH stands for cover the basics. This article assumes you have decided to sit the exam and want the facts compressed into one scannable review.
The Exam at a Glance
| Item | Must-Know Fact |
|---|---|
| Issuer | Council for Homeopathic Certification (CHC) |
| Credential awarded | Certified Classical Homeopath (CCH) |
| Test provider | Kryterion, through Webassessor |
| Delivery | Authorized test centers or live remote proctoring |
| Questions | 250-260 single-best-answer multiple-choice items |
| Time | Four hours |
| Reference materials | Closed-book; no personal references or calculators |
| Location rule | Candidates must be physically in the United States or Canada, even when testing remotely |
Retain the published range of 250-260 questions rather than hunting for an exact count. The range exists because the form composition can vary, and no exact number is promised in the issuer's materials. Four hours across roughly 250 items works out to under a minute per question on average, so pacing matters as much as recall.
For a realistic read on difficulty, see how hard the CCH exam is.
Scaled Score vs. Pass Rate
Two numbers circulate in candidate forums, and they are routinely confused.
- Passing score: 255 on a scaled range of 100-300. This is the threshold you must reach.
- Pass rate: 76% for 2024, as reported by the issuer. This is a cohort statistic describing how a particular group performed.
More context on both numbers lives in the CCH passing score breakdown and what the pass-rate data shows.
The Nine Domains in One Pass
The official scope source is the CHC Domains and Statements (Content Outline) 2025, updated October 16, 2025. It lists nine formal exam objectives. No percentage allocations are published, so avoid study plans that assume each domain carries equal weight or that convert the number of outline statements into weights. Case studies and repertory graphs or charts appear as question presentations; they are not extra domains.
Domain 1: Foundations and Theory of Classical Homeopathy
The conceptual base for everything else, tested as examined theory.
- Core principles and their classical interpretation
- Terminology you must recognize on sight in a stem
- How foundational reasoning supports later case analysis questions
Domain 2: Materia Medica
Remedy knowledge, usually the heaviest memorization load.
- Remedy pictures and distinguishing features
- Differentiating similar remedies within a single question
- Use the 2021 remedy list on CHC's preparation page as a supplementary aid, not a blueprint
Domain 3: Repertory
Navigating rubrics and interpreting repertory presentations.
- Rubric selection and structure
- Reading repertory graphs and charts, which appear as a question format
- Connecting repertorization results back to candidate remedies
Domain 4: Health Science
The medical-knowledge foundation. The formal outline uses the singular "Health Science," while the handbook overview says "Health Sciences"; both refer to the same domain.
- Anatomy, physiology and human pathology
- Recognizing when a presentation exceeds a homeopath's scope
- The pathology study guide linked by CHC is a supplementary resource
Domain 5: Ethics and Professional Practice
Professional conduct, confidentiality, fitness and scope boundaries.
- Confidentiality and informed practice
- Medical referral obligations
- Appropriate boundaries between homeopathic care and licensed medical care
Domain 6: Homeopathic Case Taking
Gathering the information a case requires.
- Interview technique and what to elicit
- Distinguishing what the patient reports from what you observe
- Documenting a case so it can be analyzed
Domain 7: Homeopathic Case Analysis
Turning gathered information into a reasoned remedy selection.
- Evaluating and prioritizing case information
- Case-study questions that present a full scenario
- Linking analysis to repertory and materia medica reasoning
Domain 8: Posology
Decisions about administration of the chosen remedy.
- Selecting among dosing approaches under classical principles
- Matching administration decisions to the case presentation
- Recognizing when to wait versus act
Domain 9: Follow-up and Case Management
Evaluating response and managing the case over time.
- Interpreting what happens after a remedy is given
- Deciding next steps across successive visits
- Documenting progress and knowing when to refer
For a deeper treatment of each objective, see the full guide to all nine CCH content areas.
Key Takeaway
Because weights are unpublished, a balanced plan that touches all nine domains is safer than over-investing in your favorite one. Use practice questions at the main practice test site to find the domains where your accuracy lags.
Fees, Pathways and Eligibility
The fee table
| Charge | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Examination | $500 |
| Retake | $325 |
| Pathway 1 application | $35 |
| Pathway 2 application / PQE review | $110 ($35 application + $75 review) |
| Calculated initial total, Pathway 1 | $535 |
| Calculated initial total, Pathway 2 | $610 |
The initial totals above are simple sums of the published components. Budget separately for your education, since program tuition is not part of CHC's fees. A fuller breakdown sits in the CCH certification cost guide.
Which pathway applies to you
Pathways are defined by educational accreditation or approval, not by citizenship.
- Pathway 1: graduates of ACHENA-accredited or candidate programs, or CHO-approved programs.
- Pathway 2: applicants with other qualifying education, including international programs, who must complete a pre-qualification evaluation (PQE).
Standard preparation requirements
- 500 hours of theory and foundations
- 500 clinical hours
- At least 10 independently managed supervised cases, each with two follow-ups
- College-level anatomy and physiology, and human pathology
- English proficiency
- Educational documentation
- Attestations covering professional ethics, fitness and confidentiality
The issuer also publishes approved clinical-equivalency routes for established practitioners, so the standard 500-hour clinical route is not the only possibility for an approved applicant. Check the eligibility page before assuming you fall short. A longer walkthrough is available in the CCH requirements guide.
Windows, Retakes and the Conflicting FAQ
2026 testing windows
Dated 2026 notices extend the testing windows and supersede any generic "April and October only" wording you may see elsewhere:
| Cycle | Window |
|---|---|
| Spring | April 1 - September 30 |
| Fall | October 1 - November 30 |
Weekends and federal holidays are excluded from testing days. Scheduling details are covered in the CCH exam dates guide.
Retake rules
- A retake cannot occur in the same examination cycle as the failed attempt.
- Under the July 2026 handbook, a second failure requires skipping an examination cycle and waiting one year before another attempt.
- That candidate must also document a school refresher or certification-exam bootcamp of at least 40 hours.
- Subsequent attempts must be similarly spaced.
Exam-Day Rules That Trip Candidates Up
- Closed-book: no personal reference materials and no calculators.
- Location: you must physically be in the United States or Canada, including when testing remotely. Travel plans can derail a remote booking.
- Remote sessions: a continuous four-hour session with no breaks allowed.
- Test centers: restroom breaks are permitted, but they do not stop the exam clock.
The practical consequence is that remote candidates need a stamina plan, since there is no scheduled pause. Practice sitting through long timed blocks before exam day. The exam's single-best-answer format also means several options may look plausible, so training yourself to select the best option under time pressure is part of readiness. Timed practice at the practice test site helps build that habit.
Renewal Numbers to Memorize
Certification is not a one-time event. Renewal is annual, due by December 31, beginning in the calendar year after initial certification.
| Renewal Element | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Total CEUs | 15 |
| Category I (homeopathy) | At least 10 |
| Category II (professional development) | At most 5, optional |
| Fee | $170 (USD) |
| Other | Required attestations |
The authoritative sources are CHC's Recertification Handbook (updated July 23, 2026) and its recertification page. Plan CEUs across the year rather than compressing them into December.
Weighing ongoing costs against career benefits? The ROI analysis and the earnings guide discuss that trade-off. Remember that practice income varies widely and is never guaranteed, and the credential is not a medical license.
Scope-of-Practice Safeguards
Homeopathic concepts on this exam are tested as examined theory. Studying them to pass is not the same as asserting that homeopathy has proven treatment efficacy, and the CCH is a certification, not a license to practice medicine. The content outline preserves medical-referral and scope-of-practice safeguards, and Domains 4 and 5 are where those safeguards are most visible.
Scheduling the Domains
Since weights are unpublished, one sensible approach is to sequence domains by dependency: theory first, reference tools next, application last. Adjust to your own strengths.
Foundations and Health Science
- Review Domain 1 theory and terminology
- Refresh anatomy, physiology and pathology for Domain 4
- Read the 2025 content outline end to end
Materia Medica and Repertory
- Drill remedy differentiation (Domain 2)
- Practice rubric selection and chart reading (Domain 3)
Case Work
- Case taking, analysis, posology and follow-up (Domains 6-9)
- Work full case-study questions that combine skills
Ethics and Full-Length Practice
- Revisit Domain 5 scope and referral scenarios
- Complete timed, uninterrupted four-hour practice sessions
For a longer preparation framework, see the CCH study guide. Treat CHC's supplementary resources, including the 2021 remedy list, pathology study guide and sample items, as aids that sit alongside the 2025 outline, not replacements for it.
FAQ
The exam contains 250-260 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions, delivered in four hours. CHC publishes a range rather than a fixed number, so plan for either end of it.
A scaled score of 255 on a 100-300 range. This is not an 85% raw percentage, and it is different from the issuer's reported 76% pass rate for 2024, which describes a cohort rather than a cutoff.
The exam is $500, with a $35 application on Pathway 1 (total $535) or a $110 application and PQE review on Pathway 2 (total $610). A retake is $325, and annual renewal is $170. Education costs are separate.
You cannot retake in the same cycle. Under the July 2026 handbook, a second failure requires skipping a cycle, waiting one year and documenting at least 40 hours of refresher or bootcamp study. Follow your issued retake authorization if it differs from older FAQ wording.
No. Candidates must be physically located in the United States or Canada, including when using live remote proctoring. Remote sessions also run continuously for four hours without breaks.