With many organizations now preferring Professional Scrum Master (PSM) and Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) from scrum.org over other similar certifications, there has been a surge in enquiries around these certifications.

Unlike most of the other certification bodies, taking training from scrum.org is not mandatory to get yourself certified. If you already have enough experience and are looking to validate your scrum knowledge, then you just need to purchase an assessment code scrum.org and get yourself certified.

This being the case we get a lot of folks who ask how to clear PSM assessment and how to clear PSPO assessment without attending the training and hence this post.

PSM and PSPO Exam Tips for Better Preparation

If you're preparing independently, you’ll need a structured approach. Start by going through the PSM and PSPO study guide from scrum.org. Focus on the Scrum Guide—understanding every word can help answer most questions in the assessments. For PSM certification tips, consistently practicing open assessments, reviewing sample questions, and exploring real-world Scrum scenarios are highly recommended.

For PSM exam preparation, it helps to study empirical process control theory, roles and responsibilities, Scrum events, and artifacts in depth. Do not overlook common traps in tricky scenario-based questions—time management during the exam is also key.

When it comes to PSPO exam tips, the questions often lean more toward business value, stakeholder engagement, and maximizing ROI. Read case studies and explore how Product Owners drive outcomes through backlog management and stakeholder alignment. Practicing questions on product backlog refinement and release planning can really help.

7 Tips To Clear PSM and PSPO Assessment Without Attending a Scrum.org Training

With the right attitude, regular practice, and the right learning materials (which we can help you with), you can clear the PSM and PSPO assessments. Here are seven tips that can really help you pass the tests with confidence:

1. Read the Scrum Guide 

It may seem obvious, but it really is everything. For both PSM and PSPO, the Scrum Guide is the book you need to read. Read it more than once or twice until the ideas come naturally to you. Don't hurry. Take your time reading. Know about every event, artifact, and responsibility.

Here's a tip: After you read something, try to put what you read into your own words. It helps you remember better!

2. Look at Scrum videos

Go to Agilemania’s YouTube channel. There are easy-to-follow, animated videos on PSM & PSPO Certification Guide, and many more. This will help you understand the basic ideas behind Scrum in a fun way. If you're new to Agile or learn better by seeing things, this is a great way to understand how Scrum works in real life. You can also visit this PSM and PSPO suggested reading page to find out some more resources to pass the exam. 

3. Use Open Assessments to practice

Want to know where you stand before the real thing? Go to our assessment page and take the free PSM and PSPO tests. The questions are very similar to the ones on the real test, so this is a great way to practice. 

Open assessments will help you get a sense of how the real exam will be structured, what kinds of questions will be asked, and how much time you'll have. Keep working on it until you always get full marks. That's when you know you're ready!

4. Don’t Overload Yourself

Yes, it's easy to get lost in forums, extra PDFs, and LinkedIn posts. But keep in mind that more isn't always better. Stick to the basics: Scrum Guide, Scrum Glossary, Open Assessments, PSPO Suggested Reading, PSM Suggested Reading & Video lessons. 

5. Use the Glossary

A lot of people forget about the Scrum or Agile Glossary, but it's a great resource. It makes things clearer and helps you understand concepts better. As part of your prep, read it a few times. A lot of the exam questions use the same words, which will help you figure them out faster. Agilemania also offers blogs and short explainers to help you connect what you learn with what you do.

6. Have faith in the process

Finally, don't freak out. Most people who pass the tests without any formal training do something like this to learn on their own. You can do this! Stay with the free stuff. Go over ideas often. Do practice tests. Be consistent.

7. Join an Online Class

If you’d rather not go for Scrum.org-authorized training just yet, we’ve got a perfect alternative. You can enroll in a 2-day online PSM or PSPO training with Agilemania, designed for self-learners like you who still want expert guidance. Why Agilemania?

• Our certified Scrum trainers come with 25+ years of industry experience

• We break down tough concepts into simple, relatable examples

• You’ll get full post-training support. We'll guide you until you pass the exam with flying colors. 

Why Training Still Matters for PSM and PSPO Assessment

Now to answer the question why not taking the training doesn’t make sense – 3 of the above-mentioned points seems to get you the PSM-I or the PSPO-I certification but

With the number of PSM-I and PSPO-I certificate holders increasing by the day, your formal education (not discounting your experience, in any way) does help to distinguish yourself. Attending training gives the ability to display the class you attended in your scrum.org profile, which helps the organizations to validate your formal education. This entry in your scrum.org profile confirms that you have a sound understanding of scrum the way it was intended by the co-founder. It emphasizes the fact that you understand the nuances of the Scrum Master role and Product Owner role, and are better equipped to take on the job of internal change agent or to maximize the ROI for the product line.

When you attend a training, you automatically qualify for a free retake at the assessment in the unfortunate event that you don’t clear in the first attempt.

You also qualify for a 40% discount on your PSM-II assessment because you took the training from scrum.org PST.

So just by attending a PSM training, you get $150*2 (from 2 PSM-1 attempts) +$100 (40% PSM-II discount) totaling to $400 worth of value. That is with today’s conversion rate of INR 75.6 to a dollar, you are getting INR 30240 worth of value by attending the training.

Ok, here is me marketing my company now - If you were to attend the training from Agilemania then you are eligible for a minimum of 10% discount on any future courses from Agilemania. So by paying in the range of INR 23,000 you are not only getting to understand scrum the way it was meant to be, but you are also getting a minimum of INR 30240 worth of returns. Now that in my mind is maximizing the value of your investment. Oh! Scrum on, it doesn’t get better than this, now does it?

You can’t blame me for trying to sell you our training now, can you?

More PSM and PSPO Assessment Resources 

I hope I have given you enough insights to make an informed judgement on how you want to clear your PSM-I or the PSPO-I assessment.

There are multiple ways of clearing PSM-I and PSPO-I without attending trainings and here are a three of them -

I am neither endorsing nor guaranteeing but I know many people who swear by the website mlapshin.com that has helped them clear both PSM-I and pspo assessment. Lately, I have been hearing of the website www.volkerdon.com which also seems to have a decent amount of questions that will help you clear the PSM-I and PSPO-I assessments. If you are curious to know, No, I am not getting paid for mentioning these websites nor am I promoting them.

Another reliable option is Agilemania’s assessment, which also offers free PSM and PSPO assessment resources on its website. These are designed to help you evaluate your readiness and gain familiarity with the exam format. It's a great starting point, whether you're self-prepping or considering a full training later.

Final Thought

While it’s possible to clear the PSM and PSPO assessment without formal training, preparing the right way is essential. Using trusted resources, taking practice assessments, and following proven PSM certification tips and PSPO exam tips will increase your chances of success. Still, formal training adds clarity, structure, and real-world insights that self-study may not offer.

Whether you're going the self-study route or investing in a workshop, the goal remains the same, mastering Scrum the way it was intended. And once you do, the value goes far beyond a certificate. It empowers you to lead change, deliver value, and make a real impact.