
The PTCA exam, Linux Foundation PyTorch Certified Associate, is an online, proctored, multiple-choice test of core PyTorch skills. It has 60 questions, lasts 120 minutes, needs a 75% passing score and costs USD 250 as of October 2026. Its four domains are PyTorch Fundamentals (38%), Performance and Optimization (26%), Model Development (20%) and Data Handling (16%).
This guide covers each domain in the depth the exam expects, the exam rules that catch candidates out, and a six-week plan for people who already write some Python. When you want to measure your readiness under exam conditions, start the PTCA practice test, which follows the same four domains and the same 120-minute limit.
What is the PTCA certification and who is it for?
The PyTorch Certified Associate is an entry-level credential from the Linux Foundation for people who are starting to use PyTorch in machine learning work. According to the Linux Foundation's exam page, it is designed for early-stage practitioners who have some Python and machine learning experience and are beginning to use PyTorch. The experience level is listed as beginner, and there are no prerequisites to sit the exam.