GIAC Certification Renewal CPE Option: SANS Training, New GIAC Certification, GIAC Gold Paper
SANS Training Course
Completing a relevant SANS Training course can renew a GIAC certification. The course must be completed within the four years prior to your GIAC certification expiration date to qualify. This includes attending or teaching a SANS course.
- Live SANS Training: All live SANS courses can be applied and should automatically track for CPE credit in your GIAC CPE Dashboard.
- SANS OnDemand Training: Your Certificate of Completion should automatically track for CPE credit in your GIAC CPE Dashboard.
- To receive a Certificate of Completion, you must complete 80% of the assessments with an 80% or higher or view 80% of the slides in the course.
- SANS SelfStudy Training: SelfStudy students can obtain a Certificate of Completion when the corresponding SANS OnDemand Bundle or GIAC certification exam attempt has been successfully completed. When the OnDemand Bundle is not available for a SelfStudy course, downloading all course mp3 files is the requirement for obtaining the SelfStudy Certificate of Completion. To obtain a SelfStudy Certificate of Completion, you must email selfstudy@sans.org.
*Required Supporting Documentation: If your course does not automatically tracked for CPE credit in your account, please include a copy of your Certificate of Completion with your online CPE submission.
SANS Courses can earn up to 36 CPEs depending on the length of the course. SANS courses qualify for 1 CPE per completed training hour or 6 CPEs per full day of completed training.
The same course can be used to renew up to THREE GIAC certifications as long as it meets the requirements.
New GIAC Certification:
Earning a NEW GIAC certification without bundled SANS training can be submitted to renew an existing GIAC certification. The new certification must have been earned within the four years prior to your GIAC certification expiration date to qualify.
Your GIAC certification record(s) should automatically track for CPE credit in your GIAC Account Dashboard.
*Required Supporting Documentation: If your certification does not automatically track for CPE credit in your account, please include a copy of your GIAC Certificate or Exam Summary with your online CPE submission.
Earning a NEW GIAC certification qualifies for 36 CPEs. Certification renewals do not qualify.
A NEW GIAC certification can be used to renew up to THREE GIAC certifications.
GIAC Gold Paper:
Publishing a GIAC Gold Paper can be submitted to renew a GIAC certification. Your Gold Paper does not need to be specific to your certification; however, it must be relevant to the certification you are renewing.
If you have not previously earned GIAC Gold status for the certification you wish to renew, you may register through the 'Certification History' section of your GIAC Account Dashboard by clicking the 'Go Gold' link next to the appropriate certification.
*You are responsible for the $549 Gold fee in addition to the certification renewal fee, once your Gold application has been approved.
For more information on the Gold program, please visit https://www.giac.org/gold/
A Gold Paper qualifies for 36 CPEs.
A Gold paper can be used to renew up to THREE GIAC certifications.
Your Gold paper record(s) should automatically track for CPE credits in your GIAC Account Dashboard.
*Required Supporting Documentation: If your Gold Paper does not automatically track for CPE credits in your account, please include a copy of your Gold Paper with your online CPE submission.
Instructions for Completing the Renewal Process
The submitting and tracking of CPE credits, assignment of CPE credits to specific certification renewals, and registrations are all completed through your online GIAC Account Dashboard.
Certification Renewal Registration:
- Once logged in to your account, click 'Certification History.'
- Click 'Renew Now.'
- Click the 'Alternative CPE option to complete your renewal using your CPE submissions and assignments.
- Click the Exam option to renew by taking the current exam for your certification
Submitting and Tracking of CPE Credits:
- Once logged in to your account, click 'Certification History.'
- Click CPE - Submit and Assign Credits.
- Click 'Submit New Credits.'
- Select the CPE Category and Subcategory.
- Enter your information in the fields on the submission form.
- Attach your documentation as a file or link to url.
- Add any supporting documentation if needed.
- Click 'Submit Request' for CPE Credit.
Assignment of CPE credits to certification renewals:
- Once logged in to your account, click 'Certification History.'
- Click CPE - Submit and Assign Credits.
- For each submission previously made, click the 'Assignment' link next to your qualifying CPE submission.
- Select your qualifying GIAC certification(s) from the drop-down list.
- If prompted, please complete the CPE Justification by clicking 'Justify Credit Assignments.'
