TOGAF EA · Exam planning

TOGAF Combined exam or separate Part 1 and Part 2?

Both routes can lead to TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Practitioner certification. The better choice depends less on how quickly you want the credential and more on how you perform across a long, uninterrupted exam session.

The Combined exam is not one 150-minute pool

The TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Combined Part 1 and Part 2 exam is OGEA-103. It contains 48 questions across two sections.

Part 1 has 40 multiple-choice questions and a maximum of 60 minutes. Part 2 has eight scenario-based questions and a maximum of 90 minutes. Once you finish Part 1, you cannot return to it. Unused Part 1 time does not become extra Part 2 time.

The biggest trade-off is the lack of a break

The Open Group states that the Combined exam is a continuous session with no break between Part 1 and Part 2. That matters because the two sections demand different types of concentration.

Part 1 is a 40-question knowledge and comprehension test. You then move directly into 90 minutes of scenario analysis for Part 2.

If you know that your concentration drops after a long exam, separating the parts can be a sensible risk-control decision. It lets you approach Practitioner fresh rather than after completing Foundation.

Separate exams give you a checkpoint between Foundation and Practitioner

Taking Part 1 first gives you a clean decision point. You can confirm that your Foundation knowledge is strong before moving into Practitioner preparation.

This can be useful because Part 2 changes the task. Instead of mainly recognising TOGAF concepts, you need to apply them to scenarios and rank plausible responses.

If your Part 1 result exposes a knowledge gap, you can fix it before sitting Part 2. If Part 1 feels comfortable, you can move your preparation toward scenario judgement.

See why Practitioner can feel different even after a strong Foundation result →

There is also a certification difference

If you take the exams separately and pass Part 1, you can achieve the TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Foundation certification before you take Part 2.

The Combined exam works differently. It is designed to award the higher-level Practitioner certification. Passing the Combined exam does not also issue a separate Foundation certificate.

If you pass Part 1 within the Combined exam but fail Part 2, you do not receive Foundation certification from that partial Combined result.

Failing one section does not mean repeating the whole Combined exam

If you fail one section of OGEA-103, The Open Group says you only need to retake the corresponding standalone part. Your passing result from the other section remains available to complete the Practitioner certification.

The retake waiting period still applies. You must wait at least one month before taking another exam within the same certification program.

If Part 2 is the section you need to retake, use the one-month wait to diagnose the specific gap rather than restarting your study plan →

If English is your second language, check the exam code before booking

Eligible candidates receive an additional 30 minutes for each part. For a Combined exam, that is 60 additional minutes in total.

If you live in and take the exam in a country designated by The Open Group as an ESL country, extra time is automatic for standalone Part 1 or Part 2 bookings. For the Combined exam, you must select the ESL-specific exam code, OGEA-103-ESL.

If you do not meet the automatic-country rule, you may still qualify, but approval is required before booking and The Open Group applies additional eligibility criteria.

When the Combined exam makes sense

The Combined route is a reasonable choice if your Foundation knowledge is already stable, your Practitioner preparation is also complete, and you are comfortable sustaining concentration across a 150-minute session without a break.

It is also administratively simple: one booking, one continuous session, and one route directly to Practitioner if both sections are passed.

When separate exams make more sense

Separate exams are worth considering if you want to:

• avoid taking Part 2 immediately after a 60-minute Part 1 exam
• use your Part 1 result as a readiness checkpoint
• adjust your Practitioner preparation after experiencing the official Part 1 exam
• obtain the Foundation certification before completing Practitioner
• spread the testing load across different days

There is no universal “better” route. The Combined exam optimises for a single sitting. Separate exams optimise for recovery, feedback and flexibility.

Official sources: The Open Group — exam fees (fees can vary by region, currency and local tax) · OGEA-103 Combined exam · Combined exam break policy · Combined exam certification outcome · failed-section retakes · ESL time allowance.