Anthropic study plan
CCAO-F study plan
A step-by-step CCAO-F study plan: the exact order to study in, how long to spend on each stage, and when to start practice questions. Follow it top to bottom.
The real CCAO-F is 60 questions in 120 minutes, pass mark 720 / 1000. For the full domain-by-domain breakdown behind each stage, read the CCAO-F study guide.
Your step-by-step plan
Map the blueprint and set a date
Day 1Read the official exam guide and the seven domains with their weights. Book a provisional exam date now: a fixed date turns open-ended reading into a plan. Note that output evaluation and validation carries the most weight, so it will get the most time.
Get hands-on with the Claude apps
Week 1Use Claude for real tasks from your own job. Run one task in a plain chat, set up a Project with instructions and a knowledge document, try research on a question that needs sources, and ask for an artifact. Questions are far easier when you have seen each feature do its job.
Lock in prompting, features and models (Domains 1 and 3)
Week 1Learn the five elements of a good request and the feature and model decision tables. Use the recall prompts in this guide: cover the summary, answer from memory, then reveal. Aim to say out loud which feature and model you would use for a task and why.
Go deep on checking output (Domain 2)
Week 2This is the heaviest domain. Practise verifying the specifics first, telling accuracy from completeness and consistency, spotting invented citations and quotes, and matching review to the stakes. Work through scenario questions rather than reading alone.
Cover Projects, workflows and responsible use (Domains 4, 5 and 6)
Weeks 2-3Learn the split between project instructions and knowledge, where checkpoints belong in a workflow, and the data protection moves: anonymise before upload, keep lookup keys out, follow the approved account and approval process. Then cover troubleshooting (Domain 7) as cause and fix pairs.
Practise on scenarios with every answer explained
Week 3Move to full practice sets and read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right. The tempting wrong answers repeat in families, such as asking Claude to check itself or relying on an instruction to protect data, so learn to name each family on sight.
Close weak domains and sit a timed mock
Week 4Use your per-domain accuracy to drill the domains dragging you down rather than re-reading what you already know. Take at least one full timed mock to rehearse pacing, then review every missed question before you sit the real exam.
Ready to start stage one?
Free CCAO-F questions, with every answer explained. No sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How long does this CCAO-F study plan take?
It is 7 stages, paced by how much time you can give it each week - most candidates work through it in 2 to 6 weeks. Each stage below has a suggested duration; slow down on any stage where the recall checks in the study guide are not landing before moving on.
What order should I study CCAO-F in?
Follow the stages in order below. They are sequenced deliberately: foundational material first, then the domains weighted heaviest on the exam, then timed practice, with review passes built in rather than left to the end.
Do I need practice questions as part of this plan?
Yes. Reading alone does not surface what you have not actually learned. This plan builds in graded practice, and the full 261-question bank is free to use as you work through each stage.
Is this plan enough on its own, or do I need the full study guide too?
This page is the plan: what to do and in what order. The study guide adds the domain-by-domain breakdown, easy-to-confuse traps, and worked examples behind each stage - read it alongside this plan, not instead of it.
Examworthy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic. This study plan is original material based on the public exam blueprint. We never reproduce live exam items. CCAO-F and related marks belong to their respective owners.