How to choose CWI prep: Parts A, B and C

Start with the exam, not the product

You need 72% on each part and 72% averaged across all three, and you take Part B first. Each part rewards a different skill:

If a course can't say how it trains each row, it teaches a general idea of welding inspection, not these three exams. The Part B guide shows how different the practical part is.

What to look for, part by part

Part A: closed-book recall

Nothing is on the desk, so facts, definitions and formulas have to be in your head at 49 seconds a question. Look for:

• A question bank big enough that you are not memorizing answer positions.
• Worked calculations, because the math is done without a book. Our Part A course has 5.
• Spaced review that brings back what you missed, not one pass through a list.
• Scores by domain, so you see whether processes, metallurgy, discontinuities or inspection is dragging you under 72%.

The Part A drilling guide shows how to run these.

Part B: hands-on measurement

Part B is where candidates feel safe and then aren't. You read gauges, measure welds and look things up in the Book of Specifications. A multiple-choice lecture on weld symbols doesn't train that. Look for:

• Measurement practice: drawn profiles you size and call accept or reject.
• Book of Specifications drills, so you find the table fast.
• Physical replicas if you want to handle a gauge. AWS ships plastic weld replicas to its online seminar students. Fillet Gauge does not ship replicas, so say that to yourself when you plan.
• A mock that matches the real pace. Our Part B has 3 timed exams of 46 questions and 120 minutes.

See Part B measurement drills and how to practice with replicas.

Part C: open-book code lookup practice

Open book does not mean easy. The D1.1 PDF is on screen with word search off, so speed comes from knowing the layout, bookmarks and clause numbers. Look for:

• Lookup drills on the current D1.1 edition, timed, with your time per question.
• Practice that gives clause references only. You need your own licensed copy of D1.1, and no prep product should reproduce its text.
• A way to find out where your time went after a mock, not just what you got wrong.

Fillet Gauge times D1.1 lookups in sets of 8 and shows your median time. The Part C lookup drills show the method.

Timed mocks, explained answers and edition

Timed mocks. A 20-question quiz does not prepare you for 165 questions in 135 minutes. Ask how many full-length exams a package has and whether they match the real counts above. Ours has 2 timed exams for Part A, 3 for Part B and 2 for Part C, each showing how every domain moved since your last one.

Explained answers. A score tells you that you are losing points. An explanation tells you where. You want the key and a reason each wrong option is wrong, plus the clause it relies on. Every Fillet Gauge question carries a worked explanation and its reference.

Edition match. Exams in 2026 use D1.1:2025, and some free tests are still built on 2020. Practice on the wrong edition and your clause numbers are off. Ask any vendor which edition its lookups use.

Original questions. You sign a Candidate Attestation Agreement before each part, so pick a provider whose questions are original and written to the published AWS outline. Anything sold as the exam's own questions is a risk to your certification, not a shortcut.

Your date. Ask what to do in 30, 60 or 90 days. The study plan guide shows how a schedule changes by background.

Typical price ranges, checked 25 Oct 2026

These are the ranges we could confirm on public pages. Prices change, so read the page the day you buy.

Seminar prices are for the seminar only. The initial exam is $1,255 for AWS members and $1,520 for non-members, and a retest is another payment: $445 for Part A or Part C, $385 for Part B, and $915 member or $1,180 non-member for all parts (AWS price list, effective 1 January 2026, read 25 Oct 2026). Packages that include the exam cost more, so don't pay the exam fee twice.

We did not find a public price page we could verify for third-party online CWI courses, so we give no range for them. Open each provider's own price page, note the date, and run the checks above against what it lists. Compare all four routes side by side in CWI training and courses compared, and see every fee in the cost guide.

Count the retest too. A prep product that costs far less than one retest is cheap if it works on your gaps. The retest rules cover the limits.

Match the prep to your gap

• Struggling with processes, metallurgy and calculations? You need teaching and worked explanations. Start with welding processes for the CWI exam and the CWI math calculator.
• Losing time finding answers in D1.1? You need timed lookup drills on the 2025 edition.
• Unsure with the gauges and the book? You need hands-on Part B work.
• Fine on all of it but anxious? Full-length timed practice is the cheapest fix.
• Want a live instructor? AWS sells seminars. They are a good fit for teaching, and a practice bank after them shows your score by part.

What a good prep plan includes

1. A baseline. Take a short check on each part you are sitting, and record the domain scores.
2. An order. Part B first, since its confirmation letter carries the eligibility codes you need to book Parts A and C.
3. A weekly rhythm. Three study blocks, one timed block, one review of misses and one rest day.
4. Timed practice at real pace. Part A at about 49 seconds a question, Part B at about 2.6 minutes, Part C at about 2.5 minutes.
5. A readiness check. Score each part against 72% on fresh sets before you rely on a date. CWI practice test score: am I ready? shows how.

Next step

Take the free 10-question check for Part B, Part A or Part C (D1.1). It takes a few minutes, needs no signup and scores you by domain. If the gap is bigger than a check shows, the one-click part course gives you a lesson for every exam subject, timed mocks and a worked explanation on every answer for $99 per part. See the terms and refunds first, then ask the study buddy at /study-assistant for a plan built around your exam date.

FAQ

What is the best CWI exam prep?

The one that trains each part the way it is tested, explains every answer and shows your score by part. A seminar, a course and a practice test can each be right for a different gap.

Do I need a seminar to pass the CWI exam?

No. Seminars are optional. Choose prep around your gaps, check the fees in the cost guide and make sure a package that includes the exam isn't paid twice.

How long should CWI exam prep take?

It depends on your background and how many parts you sit. Your first check score is a better guide than any rule of thumb, and the study plan guide lays out 30, 60 and 90 day versions.

Is a free CWI practice test enough?

A free check is the right first step because it finds your weak domains. For a full plan you want timed full-length exams and explained answers on the right edition.

Sources

• Certification and Education Program Price List, American Welding Society, effective 1 January 2026. Read 25 Oct 2026.
• Online instructor-led learning, AWS. Read 25 Oct 2026.