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Snowflake · Data & Analytics · Associate

Snowflake SnowPro Core exam guide

Exam COF-C03

SnowPro Core validates foundational knowledge of the Snowflake AI Data Cloud: architecture, security and governance, data loading and transformation, performance and cost, and data sharing and collaboration. It is the prerequisite for every SnowPro Advanced exam, and Snowflake skills remain among the most requested in data job postings in 2026.

Questions100
Time limit115 minutes
Passing score750 (0-1000 scale)
Exam fee$175 USD
Valid for2 years
DeliveryPearson VUE: online proctored or test center

Format: Multiple choice and multiple select. Fee note: $140 in India; COF-C03 replaced COF-C02 on February 16, 2026.

Who it's for

Data engineers, analysts, architects and administrators with at least 6 months of hands-on Snowflake use.

What the exam covers

Snowflake Platform and Architecture—
Governance, Security and Account Access—
Data Loading and Transformation—
Performance and Cost Optimization—
Data Collaboration and Sharing—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None.

Recommended: 6+ months of practical Snowflake experience.

Keeping it active

Valid 2 years. Renew through Snowflake's Continuing Education program (eligible instructor-led training or a qualifying higher SnowPro certification) or by passing the shorter, lower-cost recertification exam within the window before expiry.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Snowflake architecture (storage, compute, cloud services)
  • Virtual warehouse sizing and scaling
  • Loading data with COPY, Snowpipe and stages
  • Role-based access control and governance
  • Time Travel, Fail-safe and cloning
  • Secure data sharing and Marketplace
  • Query performance and cost monitoring

Job roles

Data EngineerData AnalystAnalytics EngineerBI DeveloperSnowflake AdministratorData Architect

Where it fits in your path

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Snowflake trial account; architecture, editions, warehouses, micro-partitions and caching layers.
  2. Week 2: Data loading and unloading: stages, file formats, COPY options, Snowpipe, streams and tasks.
  3. Week 3: Security and governance: RBAC hierarchy, system roles, network policies, masking and row access policies.
  4. Week 4: Performance and cost: query profile, clustering, search optimization, resource monitors, warehouse settings.
  5. Week 5: Collaboration: data sharing, reader accounts, Marketplace, replication; Time Travel, Fail-safe and cloning.
  6. Week 6: Two or three full 100-question practice exams under 115 minutes; review every miss against Snowflake docs.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Know exact defaults and limits (Time Travel retention by edition, Fail-safe 7 days, warehouse auto-suspend) because many questions turn on them.
  • Multiple-select items do not give partial credit in most cases; read how many answers are required.
  • Learn the system roles (ACCOUNTADMIN, SECURITYADMIN, SYSADMIN, USERADMIN) and which can do what.
  • COF-C03 replaced COF-C02 in February 2026; make sure your practice material targets C03.
  • Pace at just over a minute per question and flag long scenarios.

Key terms for this exam

All 93 terms Study with thinQcards™

Commonly confused on this exam

Frequently asked questions

How much does SnowPro Core cost?

$175 per attempt ($140 in India).

What is the passing score?

750 on a 0-1000 scaled score.

What changed with COF-C03?

COF-C03 replaced COF-C02 on February 16, 2026, reorganising content into five domains and adding newer platform features.

How long is SnowPro Core valid?

Two years. Renew through Snowflake's Continuing Education options or a recertification exam.

Is SnowPro Core worth it?

Yes for anyone working with Snowflake; it is required before any SnowPro Advanced exam and is widely recognised by employers using Snowflake.

Official page: learn.snowflake.com. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.