Your CHES study companion
CHES Study Center & Exam Guide
Prepare for the Certified Health Education Specialist exam with the current NCHEC format, eligibility rules, eight Areas of Responsibility, and a focused study route.
Meet the test
Know the CHES exam before you start.
NCHEC describes CHES as a competency-based exam of entry-level subcompetencies in the Eight Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists. The current blueprint is based on HESPA II 2020.
The optional 10-minute break occurs after question 83 and counts inside the three-hour exam time. Once you begin questions 84–165, you cannot return to the first block. Check NCHEC’s current handbook for delivery and security details.
NCHEC’s current blueprint
Eight CHES Areas of Responsibility
NCHEC’s October 2025 report gives these weights. The reported whole-number percentages total 99 because of rounding; use them as study priorities, not separate score cutoffs.
Identify population health needs, assets, capacity, and context using relevant data and assessment methods.
Use evidence and stakeholder input to set priorities, outcomes, objectives, and feasible program plans.
Coordinate people, resources, partners, and activities to deliver health education programs.
Select evaluation methods, interpret evidence, and use findings to improve practice.
Support policies and conditions that improve health, choosing advocacy strategies that fit the context.
Develop and deliver clear, accessible health information through appropriate channels.
Apply collaboration, leadership, management, and resource stewardship in professional practice.
Use ethical principles, professional standards, and reflective judgment in practice.
Some provider pages still show Planning at 14%. Use NCHEC’s current handbook and scoring report as the source of truth.
Blueprint transition: NCHEC says its HESPA III 2025 framework identifies nine Areas of Responsibility and will inform CHES exam content in 2027. This center reflects the current eight-area exam; check NCHEC for the outline that applies to your testing window.
Check your route
CHES eligibility is based on academic preparation.
NCHEC requires an accredited bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree and one of two health education preparation routes.
Health education major
Your official transcript shows a major explicitly in health education, such as community health education or public health education.
Required coursework
Your official transcript shows at least 25 semester credits or 37 quarter hours addressing the eight areas, with grades of C or better. NCHEC sets additional limits by course type.
Unsure about your transcript?
NCHEC offers an optional prescreen service. Some students near graduation may qualify for its 90-day eligibility option.
Choose a starting point
Four routes into CHES review
Use practice results to choose one next step. Connect the phases of health education work instead of treating the eight areas as unrelated topics.
1 · Assess before planning
Practice reading population data, distinguishing needs from assets, and identifying who should inform an assessment.
2 · Follow the program cycle
Connect priorities and measurable objectives to design, implementation, evaluation, and improvement.
3 · Strengthen communication and advocacy
Choose accessible messages, channels, partners, and policy strategies that fit the audience and intended outcome.
4 · Apply leadership and ethics
Work through scenarios about resources, collaboration, professional boundaries, and ethical decisions.
A four-week route
Plan your CHES review
Schedule focused sessions, track misses by Area of Responsibility, and use mixed practice to connect methods across the exam.
Week 1 · Assessment and planning
Review assessment methods, data sources, stakeholder input, prioritization, goals, objectives, and program logic.
Week 2 · Implementation and evaluation
Study delivery, partnerships, resources, process and outcome evaluation, research use, and improvement.
Week 3 · Advocacy and communication
Practice audience analysis, message development, communication channels, policy context, and advocacy choices.
Week 4 · Leadership, ethics, and mixed practice
Review management and professional judgment, then use timed sets to repair weaker areas and rehearse the exam sequence.
Official information and study tools
Choose your CHES resources
Use NCHEC for current eligibility, handbook, format, schedule, fees, scoring, and blueprint. Mometrix provides independent practice and study materials.
NCHEC CHES exam
Review the official exam overview and testing options.
CHES exam handbook
Check format, break, application, and exam-day details.
Eligibility and scoring
Confirm academic routes, standard setting, and score reporting.
Mometrix CHES practice test
Use practice explanations to find topics for review; cross-check reported weights against NCHEC.
Mometrix CHES study guide
Explore the provider’s CHES test-preparation guide.
CHES flashcards
Use recall prompts for terminology and core concepts.
CHES®, MCHES®, and NCHEC are marks or designations of their respective owners. This independent study center is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCHEC.
Quick answers
CHES questions, answered
How many questions are on the CHES exam?
NCHEC lists 165 multiple-choice items: 150 scored and 15 pilot items. Candidates are not told which items are scored.
How long is the CHES exam?
The exam is three hours. NCHEC’s handbook lists a maximum appointment time of 3.5 hours, including tutorial, consent, and the post-exam survey.
What is the CHES passing score?
NCHEC uses a criterion-referenced Modified Angoff standard and equates the passing point across forms. NCHEC reported a pass point of 600 on its 200–800 scale for October 2025. That is not a fixed number of raw answers correct.
What are the CHES eligibility requirements?
You need an accredited bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, plus either a qualifying health education major or required coursework across the eight areas. Confirm transcript requirements with NCHEC.
Can I take the CHES exam remotely?
NCHEC lists live remote proctoring in addition to computer-based test centers. Check current availability and technology requirements before scheduling.
Is CHES the same as MCHES?
No. CHES measures entry-level subcompetencies. MCHES is a separate exam for advanced-level practice; consult NCHEC for its requirements and outline.
Why do Mometrix and NCHEC show different weights?
NCHEC’s October 2025 table lists Planning at 13%. Mometrix’s practice page currently lists 14%. Use NCHEC’s current materials as the authority for the live blueprint.
Check the source
Official sources and update notes
This center uses NCHEC’s exam pages, its handbook revised April 2025, and the October 2025 scoring and blueprint report. Dates, fees, and testing policies can change; verify them directly with NCHEC before applying.
- NCHEC CHES exam page: purpose, format, and options.
- NCHEC CHES handbook: exam rules, eligibility, timing, and HESPA II 2020 blueprint.
- NCHEC eligibility page: degree and coursework routes.
- NCHEC scoring and statistics: pass point, scale, and recent candidate data.
- NCHEC schedule and fees: current registration windows and fee deadlines.
- NCHEC practice analysis: HESPA III identifies nine areas and is planned to inform 2027 exam content.
- Mometrix CHES practice test: independent study material.
Prepared October 15, 2026. This educational resource does not guarantee certification or exam results.