CRA (Other exams) study guide
CRA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential is a professional certification for people who manage sponsored research - pre-award specialists, post-award administrators, grants and contracts staff, departmental research administrators, and compliance officers. It signals that a practitioner understands the full life cycle of a sponsored project, from finding funding and assembling a proposal through award negotiation, financial management, and closeout, and can apply that knowledge under audit and regulatory scrutiny. The CRA study guide has 6 sections and about 2,446 words.
01Project Development and Management
The Project Development and Management domain tests whether you can turn a research idea into a fundable project and then keep scope, schedule, budget, and roles aligned after award. Exam items often ask what should have happened during proposal planning, which post-award change needs approval, or why a project is off track.
381 words, about 2 min02Pre-Award Research Administration
The Pre-Award Research Administration domain tests the work between a funding opportunity and an accepted award: finding and interpreting the solicitation, confirming eligibility, assembling the proposal, developing the budget, handling cost sharing and subawards, securing compliance approvals, and submitting through the sponsor system. Read the notice of funding opportunity and sponsor policy.
424 words, about 2 min03Post-Award Research Administration
The Post-Award Research Administration domain tests what happens after the award notice: accepting and interpreting terms, setting up accounts, spending within the period of performance, obtaining prior approvals, documenting effort, issuing and monitoring subawards, submitting reports, and closing out. Compare the award terms with the proposal and institutional policy.
402 words, about 2 min04Financial Management
The Financial Management domain tests whether sponsored funds are accurate, allowable, allocable, and auditable. Expect questions on cost principles, direct and indirect costs, effort, cost transfers, drawdowns, program income, cost sharing, invoicing, reconciliation, and audit readiness.
426 words, about 2 min05Compliance and Regulatory Affairs
The Compliance and Regulatory Affairs domain tests the regulatory perimeter around sponsored projects: human subjects, animal welfare, conflict of interest, export controls, responsible conduct of research, data security, biosafety, and audit or monitoring. Exam questions often ask which approval is needed, when it is needed, and what to do when a requirement changes.
408 words, about 2 min06Professional Ethics and Conduct
The Professional Ethics and Conduct domain tests judgment under pressure. Questions often present a realistic conflict: a PI wants an unallowable cost charged, a colleague asks for confidential proposal information, or a supervisor pressures staff to approve something quickly.
405 words, about 2 min