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Tosa is an adaptive, proficiency-based certification that measures and validates real-world digital skills. Candidates receive a score on a 1–1000 scale corresponding to one of five skill levels — from Beginner to Expert — along with a diploma or certificate of completion they can share with employers, schools, or on LinkedIn.
Tosa certifications cover a wide range of in-demand digital skills areas, including office productivity and collaborative applications, graphic design and drafting applications, digital literacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, CRM, web design, web development, and coding. They are recognized as industry-valued credentials by state education and workforce agencies across the United States and trusted by institutions in more than 50 countries.
Yes. Tosa certifications are approved by multiple U.S. state departments of Education and workforce agencies as industry-recognized credentials, supporting Career and Technical Education (CTE), K-12, higher education, and workforce development programs. Tosa is listed in the CareerOneStop Credential Finder and the Credential Engine registry, both linked to in-demand occupations recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Tosa is also recognized by employers and organizations across the country, and trusted by thousands of institutions in more than 50 countries worldwide.
Tosa certifications cover a wide range of digital skills areas, including:
The Tosa catalog continues to grow as new subjects are added. For a complete, up-to-date list of available certifications:
A Tosa certification gives you a concrete, verifiable advantage in the job market and in your academic or professional development:
Tosa is designed for anyone looking to validate their digital skills:
There are no prerequisites, age requirements, or degree requirements to take a Tosa certification.
Tosa certifications are aligned to a broad range of in-demand occupations, including office and administrative roles, graphic and web design, IT support, data analysis, programming, project management, marketing, and cybersecurity. Tosa is listed on CareerOneStop — the U.S. Department of Labor’s credential database — linked to specific occupation codes, so candidates and employers can verify occupational alignment directly.
Most Tosa certification exams have a 60-minute time limit. Coding certifications (Python, JavaScript, and web development) have a 90-minute limit.
Yes. Most Tosa certification exams — including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Adobe subjects — are available in multiple languages. For U.S. institutions, Spanish-language versions are available, making Tosa well-suited for bilingual programs, English Language Learner (ELL) populations, and international schools. Other available languages include French, German, Italian, and Dutch.
Available languages are listed on each individual certification page. For a specific language request, contact us.
Yes. Tosa certifications are designed for all skill levels — there is no minimum score required to sit for the exam. The adaptive format adjusts question difficulty in real time based on each candidate’s responses, so the exam meets every learner where they are. Even candidates with limited experience will receive a meaningful score and level designation.
The free Tosa sample test is a great way to gauge your starting level before the certification exam.
Institutions that offer Tosa certifications benefit from:
Each Tosa certification score maps to one of five skill levels:
Candidates who reach the Productive level or above earn the credential. They receive a diploma and a Credly digital badge. For certifications covering foundational digital skills (DigComp, CyberCitizen, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides), the Basic level (351–550) is also sufficient to earn a diploma. A Certificate of Completion is issued for any certification where the diploma threshold is not reached.
Tosa issues two types of credential documents depending on the score achieved:
Every candidate who completes a Tosa exam receives a credential document — either a diploma or a certificate of completion. Every score is meaningful and independently verifiable.
Tosa certifications are valid for 3 years from the date the exam is completed. Earners may retest at any time to improve their score or to renew their certification.
There is a minimum 24-hour waiting period between two attempts; a longer waiting period may apply depending on applicable laws or institutional policies. Each attempt uses a new version of the exam, ensuring a fair and independent assessment.
Your full certification history is always accessible in your candidate portal.
Yes. Each exam registration gives one attempt, with a minimum 24-hour waiting period required before a retake. To achieve a meaningfully better result, candidates typically benefit from completing additional training or practice — approximately 15–18 hours of work per level of improvement.
In specific K-12 education settings, student exam vouchers include up to two additional retakes, administered through a test reset by the teacher or administrator.
Each retake presents a new version of the exam. Tosa continuously generates varied question sets to provide every candidate with a fresh, independent assessment and to maintain the integrity of the certification.
Retakes are not included in the original exam registration and require a separate purchase, except in the K-12 settings described above.
Tosa awards a Credly digital badge to all candidates who achieve a Productive, Advanced, or Expert score. Credly is the leading digital credential platform — your badge is a verified, shareable digital certificate that employers, schools, and institutions can independently verify.
You can share your Tosa certification in several ways:
Yes. There is no limit to the number of Tosa certifications you can earn. Many candidates certify in multiple subjects to build a broader credentials portfolio.
Earning certifications across related subjects also unlocks stackable credentials and suite-level Credly badges that recognize mastery across a group of related applications. For example, earning Tosa certifications in Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides at the Productive level or above earns the “Tosa Certified User for Google Workspace” stackable credential, in addition to the individual subject credentials and badges.
Certification bundles are available to help institutions structure multi-subject programs around these stackable credentials.
Tosa certifications are currently approved as industry-recognized credentials by multiple U.S. state departments of Education and workforce agencies. State approvals are updated regularly.
In states that have approved Tosa as an industry-recognized credential, the certification may count toward CTE concentrator requirements, contribute to accountability metrics, and qualify students for performance-based funding, scholarships, or dual-credit pathways. The specific benefits vary by state.
Yes. Tosa certifications may be eligible for funding through several federal and state programs, depending on your institution and state:
Funding eligibility varies by state, institution type, and program. Contact our team for guidance specific to your situation.
Absolutely. State approval is one layer of recognition, but it is not required to use or benefit from Tosa certifications. Institutions in all 50 states use Tosa to assess skills, support workforce training, enhance academic programs, and provide students with a portable, internationally recognized credential.
We are actively working to expand state approvals. Contact us if you would like to support Tosa certification approval in your state.
The State Approvals page lists all states where Tosa certifications are currently approved, along with links to individual state pages that detail which specific certifications are recognized and under which programs (CTE, workforce development, etc.). Each state page identifies the approved certifications and the relevant state agency or program.
If your state is listed but you don’t see the specific certification you need, or if your state is not yet on the list, we welcome the opportunity to work with you on getting it approved. Contact our team to start the conversation — we collaborate directly with state agencies, districts, and institutions to support the approval process.
No. Tosa testing sessions can be as small as a single candidate or as large as an entire school cohort. There is no minimum group size. Institutions can administer exams individually, by class, or across multiple cohorts simultaneously.
Institutional administrators manage everything through the Tosa admin portal. The setup process typically involves:
For in-person sessions, the administrator or teacher:
No proctor software, webcam, or microphone is required for supervised in-person testing.
Exam credits are flexible and not locked to a specific subject. Administrators can allocate credits freely across any available Tosa certification subject based on their program needs.
Yes. The Tosa testing environment integrates with all major Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Student Information Systems (SIS) through LTI and a RESTful API. Supported platforms include ClassLink, Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, D2L Brightspace, Schoology, and others.
Integration capabilities include:
Yes. Tosa is available on both the Clever and ClassLink directories, enabling K-12 districts to connect via Instant Login SSO and automated roster synchronization.
SSO is also available via Google Workspace, LTI, and the Isograd API.
Rostering originates in the Tosa testing environment and can be done in several ways:
Once students are rostered in the Tosa testing environment, their roster automatically syncs to the Isograd Learning Lab — groups and students are created and updated without additional manual steps.
Tosa testing environment:
Isograd Learning Lab:
Institutions and organizations have access to volume education pricing. Contact your local Isograd representative or our sales team to discuss your program, volume, pricing, and setup.
Reach out to our team to discuss your program, pricing, and setup. We offer onboarding support, technical integration assistance, and access to instructor resources.
You can take a Tosa certification exam in two ways:
On exam day, whether in-person or remote:
Your diploma or certificate of completion is issued within 3 business days for in-person sessions, or 7–10 business days for remote-proctored sessions (after proctor review is complete).
Tosa exams can be taken on desktop or laptop computers running Windows, macOS, or Chrome OS (Chromebooks). Tablets, smartphones, and mobile devices are not supported.
For remote-proctored exams, a working webcam and microphone are required. For in-person supervised exams, webcam and microphone are not required.
To take a Tosa certification exam, you need:
No software download or installation is required for the Tosa testing environment.
Tosa offers two distinct product types:
Certification packs include up to two assessments — one to take before training begins and one to take after — to help you track improvement and prepare with confidence.
Delivery time depends on your exam format:
Documents are emailed to your registered address and are also accessible at any time in your candidate portal. If you do not receive your document within the expected timeframe, check your spam folder or contact support@isograd.com.
If you encounter technical difficulties, you can access live support directly from within the testing environment using the support chat option. You can also contact the Isograd support team by email.
If you are at a school or institution, also notify your proctor, teacher, or administrator immediately so they can escalate on your behalf.
Go to the Tosa candidate login page and click “Forgot Password.” You will receive a password reset link at your registered email address.
If you do not remember which email address you used to register, contact our support team.
Yes. A Tosa certification demonstrates to employers that you have independently validated, proficiency-based digital skills — not just self-reported experience. According to an Isograd study, 95% of certified candidates report that their Tosa certification positively impacted their professional visibility.
Tosa certifications are referenced in the Credential Engine registry and the Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop, each linking the certification to specific in-demand occupations.
Several preparation options are available:
Tosa offers three proctored testing options to meet the needs of different candidates and institutions:
Remote proctoring allows candidates to take their Tosa certification exam from home or any private location. The process is fully online and asynchronous — no live proctor watches your session in real time.
Tosa’s remote proctoring is powered by Integrity Advocate, which uses your webcam and microphone to record your session. The recording is reviewed after the exam to verify compliance with Tosa’s exam policy before your diploma is issued.
Remote proctoring is included in all individual certification packs purchased through the Tosa Online Store, and is available as an optional add-on for institutional customers.
To take a remote-proctored Tosa exam, your device must meet these requirements:
Integrity Advocate is Tosa’s remote proctoring partner. It records your exam session via your webcam and microphone and flags potential anomalies for human review.
The process is asynchronous — no live proctor is watching your session in real time. Automated checks run during and after your session, followed by a two-step review: first by Integrity Advocate’s AI system, then by an Isograd examiner if any irregularities are flagged. You will be asked to consent to session recording before your exam begins.
No. Remote-proctored Tosa exams are available 24/7 with no advance scheduling required. Simply click through your exam link when you are ready to begin. There is no live proctor watching in real time — your session is reviewed after completion.
Isograd partners with Prometric, a global leader in test delivery, to offer in-person testing at thousands of authorized locations worldwide. Here is how it works:
For specific test-day procedures and requirements, visit the Prometric website.
All remote-proctored sessions go through a two-step review process. Integrity Advocate’s automated system analyzes the recording to flag potential irregularities. An Isograd examiner then reviews any flagged sessions to make a final determination.
Recording access is strictly limited to authorized Isograd staff for exam integrity verification purposes.
Photo ID cannot be submitted after the proctoring check is completed. If you were unable to upload your ID at the start of your session, you will still be allowed to complete the exam. However, to validate and release your diploma, Isograd will contact you or your exam sponsor (your school or institution) to confirm your identity before the diploma is issued.
Tosa certification bundles group multiple subject certifications together to support stackable credential pathways. Rather than earning individual subject certifications in isolation, a bundle allows candidates to work toward a suite-level credential that demonstrates mastery across a group of related applications — for example, the “Tosa Certified User for Google Workspace,” earned by completing Tosa Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides certifications at the required level.
When you earn all the required credentials that make up a Tosa certification bundle, the bundle credential is automatically awarded.
Bundles are available for both individual candidates and institutional programs, and are designed to align with career pathways, CTE program requirements, and workforce development goals.
Tosa offers certification bundles across its main subject areas, including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Adobe Creative Cloud. Each bundle specifies the required subject certifications and the minimum score thresholds needed to earn the suite-level stackable credential.
Yes. The individual subject certifications within a bundle are identical to their standalone counterparts and carry the same state recognition. Purchasing or completing a bundle does not affect the validity or recognition of the individual certifications within it.
Yes. The Isograd Learning Lab is Tosa’s integrated digital-skills learning environment, offering courseware aligned to most Tosa certifications. It prepares learners for Tosa exams while building practical, hands-on proficiency in the covered software and tools.
Courses include video lessons, in-application tasks, quizzes, assessments, flashcards, and quick-review decks. Instructor resources — syllabuses, pacing guides, answer keys, and unplugged activities — are provided for teachers and administrators.
The Isograd Learning Lab can be used as a self-paced learning resource or as part of an instructor-led training course. Individual learners can also purchase Isograd Learning Lab access as part of a certification pack in the Tosa Online Store.
The Isograd Learning Lab offers courses in the following subjects:
In-application courses for Microsoft 365 and Adobe require an add-in or plugin to be installed on the learner’s device. Adobe courses are not compatible with Chrome OS.
A full course averages approximately 40 hours of content, though this varies by subject and delivery method. Self-paced learners can progress at their own speed; instructor-led programs can be paced to match a semester or term schedule.
Courses support both delivery modes. In self-paced mode, learners progress at their own speed. In instructor-led mode, teachers can control which levels, lessons, and assessments are visible to students at any given time, keeping the class moving through material together.
The Isograd Learning Lab is accessible directly from the Tosa testing environment via Single Sign-On. From their Tosa account, students click through to their assigned course in the Learning Lab without needing separate login credentials. Teachers and administrators similarly access the Learning Lab admin console from their Tosa admin account.
Yes, indirectly. The Learning Lab is accessed via SSO from the Tosa testing environment. Students who log in to Tosa via their school SSO — whether through Google Workspace, ClassLink, Clever, or an LTI-integrated LMS — are automatically carried through to the Learning Lab without an additional login step.
Yes. The Isograd Learning Lab can return course data to your LMS via LTI Assignment and Grade Services. The information that can be sent back includes grades per course level, overall course progress, and the final course grade. Grade weightings are configurable by instructors in the Learning Lab admin console.
All tasks, quizzes, and assessments are graded automatically by the system. Instructors can customize the weight of each assessment type within a level and the number of allowed attempts per assessment, and can track all student progress through the reporting dashboard.
Teachers and administrators have access to a full set of instructor resources, including:
Students should begin their Learning Lab course at the level that corresponds to their Tosa pre-assessment score. For example, a student who scores at the Productive level in Excel should start the Excel course at Productive (Level 3), focusing on skills above their current demonstrated knowledge rather than repeating content they have already mastered.
This alignment between the Tosa pre-assessment and the Learning Lab course levels ensures each student’s learning path is personalized to their actual starting point.
No. The Tosa testing environment is fully browser-based and requires no software download, plugin, or add-in — including for subjects covering Microsoft 365 or Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Students need only a supported browser and an internet connection to take a Tosa exam.
It depends on the subject:
Chromebooks (Chrome OS 110 and above) are fully supported for the Tosa testing environment. Students can take all Tosa pre-assessments and certification exams on a Chromebook using Google Chrome.
For the Isograd Learning Lab, Chromebooks are supported for all browser-based courses (Google Workspace, Digital, and Coding subjects). Microsoft 365 in-application courses can be accessed from a Chromebook via the Microsoft 365 web app at microsoft365.com. Adobe Creative Cloud courses are not compatible with Chrome OS and require a Windows or macOS device.
The following domains must be accessible from all student and administrator devices. Add them to your firewall or content filter allowlist:
If your firewall does not support wildcard entries, whitelist these specific subdomains instead: app.isograd.com, learning.isograd.com, learning-resources.isograd.com, staticacm.isograd.com
WSS protocol (WebSockets Secure) on port 443 must also be open.
Retention periods depend on how you registered for your certification:
The only personal data retained is your first name, last name, and email address. All data is stored on secure AWS servers in the United States and is never sold or shared for commercial purposes.
You may request anonymization or deletion of your data at any time. Requests are processed within 60 days: dpo@isograd.com.
For institutions: Isograd’s data practices comply with applicable U.S. privacy laws, including FERPA and COPPA. Schools and districts may request a copy of Isograd’s Data Processing Agreement.
Your certification results are only shared with the institution or organization that registered you for the exam, in accordance with the terms you accepted at registration. Results are never sold or shared with third parties for commercial purposes.
Isograd is committed to compliance with applicable U.S. education privacy laws, including FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) for K-12 institutions. Isograd acts as a School Official or service provider under FERPA, accessing student data only as necessary to provide its certified assessment and courseware services.
Institutions may request a copy of Isograd’s Data Processing Agreement (DPA).
You can request that your personal data be anonymized or deleted at any time by emailing our Data Privacy Officer. Your request will be processed in accordance with applicable privacy regulations, including GDPR and U.S. state privacy laws such as CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act).
Individual candidates can purchase certification packs directly through the Tosa Online Store. Select your subject, then choose your pack options:
After checkout, you will receive your exam access link and any included materials by email.
A certification pack is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. All included exams and pre/post-assessments must be completed within that window. Unused credits expire at the end of the 12-month period.
Individual certification packs available in the Tosa Online Store include:
Optional add-ons include Isograd Learning Lab courseware for the corresponding subject. Packs are available per subject — purchase multiple packs to certify across different tools.
Institutions and organizations have access to volume education pricing. Contact your local Isograd sales representative or reach out to our team to discuss your program, volume requirements, and pricing.