nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Updated training materials

TechGuru80

If I take a SANS course, and either fail or don't take a certification exam...can I still pay a fee in a few years and get the updated materials, or do you have to pass the certification to get the benefit without taking the class again?

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

TechGromit

No updated material are reserved for people who pass a certification. Also when you take a class and sign up for the exam, your guaranteed the exam will be based on the course materials you have no matter how many times its updated in the 4 months you have to take the exam.

What I would do in your shoes, pay for a practice exam ($250), study the course materials you do have, build a good index and take the practice exam. This will tell you if the course materials you have are good enough to pass the exam, before you pay $1,049 for the exam (discounted rate for SANS alumni rate) After all it's not like they completely rewrite the books each version, they add and remove a little material each time. It would also depend on the course you referring to. SANS courses like the GSEC and GCIH are updated far more often than less popular courses like the GREM and GMON.

Note the SANS alumni rate only applies to courses you took before, but didn't attempt the certification for some reason. So if you took the GSEC, and want to take the certification a year later, 1,049 would be your price. but if you want to take the GCIH exam instead, without having attended the course, your certification attempt is going to cost you $1,699.

TechGuru80

TechGromit wrote: »

No updated material are reserved for people who pass a certification.

Just to clarify on that point...I know for a fact that when you go to renew a GIAC certification, you have the option to get the updated course material with your renewal fee (I think you have to pay shipping though). Wasn't sure if you didn't know that or if that's the point you were making.

That's good to know about the exam cost though...makes those $350 extensions not sound so bad. I wish you could get the updated materials by being an Alumni and not necessarily passing the exam.