Linux Foundation Certification Discount Codes (CKA, CKS, MCPA, and more)
Is now a good time to buy?
Short answer: if your exam date is not urgent, wait for Cyber Week, which runs from late November to early December. Every year for the past five years it brought 50% off single certifications and 60-65% off bundles, and you have 12 months after purchase to take the exam. With the current promotion, CKA costs $267 (KRW 357,500) at 40% off. At the 2025 Cyber Week rate of 50% it would be $223 (KRW 298,600), about KRW 58,900 less than paying now at the most recently checked rate of 1,339 won per dollar. If you need to sit the exam soon, use the running promotion or the year-round code now.
The Kubestronaut bundle has been an exception to the wait-for-Cyber-Week advice. In Cyber Week 2025 and the May 2026 sale, when bundles were 60% off, it was only 50% off. Even in the two-day October Prime sale on October 6 and 7, 2026, it was 50% off. So if you plan to buy the Kubestronaut bundle, it is probably worth waiting for a sale with bundles at 50% or more off, which does not have to be Cyber Week. The current promotion takes 40% off bundles, so the Kubestronaut bundle costs $1,197, against $997.50 at 50% off, a difference of $199.50.
However, on November 9, 2026 the Kubestronaut bundle grew from five certifications (KCNA, KCSA, CKA, CKAD, and CKS) to six by adding CKNE (Certified Kubernetes Network Engineer), and its list price went from $1,645 to $1,995. The prices above use the six-certification list price, but the 50% record comes from the earlier five-certification bundle, so whether the new bundle gets the same rate remains to be seen at the next sale.
Separately, from February 15, 2027, new Kubestronauts also need CKNE. If you want to become a Kubestronaut with the current five before then, you can buy the CKA, CKAD, and CKS bundle ($1,245) and the KCNA and KCSA bundle ($425) instead of the Kubestronaut bundle. Their list prices add up to $1,670, $325 less than the six-certification bundle’s list price. However, according to a notice the Linux Foundation Education team sent to affiliate partners on November 12, a title earned this way still needs CKNE when you renew on or after February 15, 2027. Even if you buy the CKNE exam ($445) separately then, one of the 50%-off coupons Kubestronauts receive every year brings it to $222.50, for a total of $1,892.50, $102.50 less than the six-certification bundle.
Promotion history
The CKA price column uses the exchange rate on each promotion’s start date.
2021
| Period | Promotion | Single | Bundle | CKA price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-29 ~ 12-06 | Cyber Monday 2021 | 50% | 65% | KRW 224,200 ($188) | CYBER21CC / CYBER21BUN |
| 12-15 ~ 12-22 | December 2021 Promo | 35% | 35% | KRW 289,300 ($244) | GIVELEARNING21 |
2022
| Period | Promotion | Single | Bundle | CKA price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-18 ~ 01-25 | January 2022 Promo | - | 33% | - | KCNA22 |
| 02-15 ~ 02-22 | February 2022 Promo | - | - | - | LINUX22 / EXAM35 |
| 05-10 ~ 05-17 | May 2022 Promo: Better Together | - | 35% | - | BETTER22 |
| 06-14 ~ 06-21 | June 2022 Promo: Level Up | 30% | 40% | KRW 338,900 ($263) | LEVELUP30 / LEVELUP40 |
| 07-19 ~ 07-29 | SysAdmin Day 2022 | 27% | 35% | KRW 358,500 ($274) | SYSADMINDAY100 / SYSADMINDAY200 |
| 08-16 ~ 08-30 | August 2022 Promo: Back to School | - | 34% | - | BACK2SCHOOL |
| 09-20 ~ 09-27 | September 2022 Promo | 35% | 35% | KRW 357,900 ($257) | SEPTEMBER35 |
| 10-18 ~ 10-25 | October 2022 Offer | - | 40% | - | BOO22 |
| 11-28 ~ 12-07 | Cyber Monday 2022 | 50% | 65% | KRW 264,300 ($198) | CYBER22CC / CYBER22BUN |
| 12-14 ~ 12-20 | Give Yourself the Gift of Learning | 35% | 35% | KRW 333,000 ($257) | HOLIDAY22 |
2023
| Period | Promotion | Single | Bundle | CKA price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-24 ~ 01-31 | New Year, New Goals | 25% | 35% | KRW 365,700 ($296) | - |
| 02-20 ~ 02-28 | February 2023 Promo | 30% | 50% | KRW 359,300 ($277) | AWARDCERT23 / AWARDS23 |
| 03-16 ~ 03-27 | March 2023 Promo: Pot of Gold | 25% | 35% | KRW 387,900 ($296) | MARCH23 / MARCHBUN23 |
| 04-11 ~ 04-18 | April 2023 Promo | 30% | 30% | KRW 366,200 ($277) | APRIL23 |
| 05-16 ~ 05-23 | May 2023 Promo: Spring Forward | - | 50% | - | MAYSPRING50 |
| 06-13 ~ 06-20 | June 2023 Promo | 30% | 40% | KRW 352,600 ($277) | JUNEBBQ30 / JUNEBBQ40 |
| 07-11 ~ 07-12 | Prime Day 2023 | 40% | 40% | KRW 306,700 ($237) | PRIME23 |
| 07-18 ~ 07-30 | SysAdmin Day 2023 | 25% | 34% | KRW 373,300 ($296) | JULY23100 / JULY23200 |
| 09-12 ~ 09-19 | Get Back to School with Tux! | 35% | 35% | KRW 341,300 ($257) | BACKTOSCHOOL35 |
| 10-10 ~ 10-11 | QUICK! 2-days ONLY to $ave 40% Sitewide | 40% | 40% | KRW 319,700 ($237) | PRIME2023 |
| 10-17 ~ 10-24 | $ave on Security Courses, Certification & More | 35% | 35% | KRW 347,600 ($257) | - |
| 11-27 ~ 12-06 | Cyber Monday Savings Are Here! | 50% | 65% | KRW 257,200 ($198) | - |
| 12-14 ~ 12-21 | We're Saying Thanks with 35% Sitewide Savings! | 35% | 35% | KRW 332,500 ($257) | - |
2024
| Period | Promotion | Single | Bundle | CKA price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-16 ~ 01-23 | Learn More in '24 & Save up to 35% | 25% | 35% | KRW 395,800 ($296) | NEWYEAR24 / NEWYEAR24PLUS |
| 02-20 ~ 02-29 | Leap Into Learning with Large Savings! | 29% | 50% | KRW 373,500 ($280) | LEAP24 / LEAPMORE24 |
| 03-12 ~ 03-19 | Find Your Pot of Career Gold! | 25% | 40% | KRW 388,600 ($296) | LUCK24CC / LUCK24 |
| 04-09 ~ 04-16 | Seed Your Career Profile's Garden | 30% | 30% | KRW 375,000 ($277) | EARTHDAY24 |
| 05-14 ~ 05-21 | Further YOUR Education with Courses & Certifications | 40% | 50% | KRW 324,100 ($237) | MAY24 / MAY24PLUS |
| 06-06 ~ 06-07 | Big Savings to Celebrate Kubernetes 10th Birthday! | 40% | 40% | KRW 324,200 ($237) | K8STURNS10 |
| 06-11 ~ 06-18 | Kickstart Your Career with IT Training & Certifications | - | 40% | - | - |
| 07-16 ~ 07-17 | Delivering Prime Training Deals Just for You! | 40% | 40% | KRW 327,700 ($237) | PRIME24 |
| 08-13 ~ 08-20 | Blockbuster 35% Savings Sitewide | 35% | 35% | KRW 352,400 ($257) | AUGUST24 |
| 09-10 ~ 09-17 | Sharpen Your IT Skills with 35% Savings | 35% | 35% | KRW 344,900 ($257) | SEPTEMBER24 |
| 10-08 ~ 10-09 | Save 40% on All e-Learning & Certifications | 40% | 40% | KRW 319,000 ($237) | OCTPRIME24 |
| 10-15 ~ 10-22 | Save 40% on Cybersecurity Courses & Certifications! | 30% | 30% | KRW 376,700 ($277) | OCT24 / OCT24CYBER |
| 12-02 ~ 12-11 | Cyber Monday Savings Are Here! | 50% | 60% | KRW 278,100 ($198) | - |
| 12-17 ~ 12-19 | Save 35% When You Give the Gift of IT Skills! | 35% | 35% | KRW 369,200 ($257) | HOLIDAY24 |
2025
| Period | Promotion | Single | Bundle | CKA price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-21 ~ 01-31 | Save 35% on Certifications, Individual Courses & More! | 35% | 35% | KRW 370,600 ($257) | JANUARY25 |
| 02-04 ~ 02-07 | Save 40% Sitewide for Lunar New Year | 40% | 40% | KRW 388,600 ($267) | LUNAR25 |
| 02-18 ~ 02-25 | Save Up to 75% for Open Source Software Month | - | 50% | - | FEB25BUN |
| 03-18 ~ 03-25 | Put Your Career Pedal to the Metal | 40% | 40% | KRW 388,000 ($267) | MAR25 |
| 04-24 ~ 04-28 | Secure Your Skills & Your Career | - | - | - | APRIL25CYBER |
| 05-13 ~ 05-20 | What New Skills Will You Mine Today? | 40% | 50% | KRW 380,300 ($267) | MAY25BUN |
| 06-10 ~ 06-17 | Making Progress on Your 2025 Career Goals? | 30% | 40% | KRW 426,400 ($312) | JUNE25 / JUNE25PLUS |
| 06-25 ~ 06-27 | Just Released: 2025 State of Tech Talent Report | 50% | 50% | KRW 304,100 ($223) | TECHTALENT25 |
| 07-08 ~ 07-11 | Four Days Only – Delivering Prime Career Deals | 40% | 40% | KRW 365,900 ($267) | PRIME25 |
| 08-12 ~ 08-19 | Get Your All-Access Pass to Career Greatness! | 35% | 35% | KRW 401,800 ($289) | AUG25 |
| 08-26 ~ 08-28 | 3 Days Only – End of Summer Clearance Deal! | 40% | 40% | KRW 372,300 ($267) | AUG25SUN |
| 09-16 ~ 09-23 | Back to School. Back to Skills. | 40% | 40% | KRW 369,000 ($267) | SEPT25 |
| 09-24 ~ 09-26 | 3 Days Only – Save Up to 75% on Bundles | - | 50% | - | - |
| 10-07 ~ 10-08 | Two Days Only – Prime IT Skills Savings! | 50% | 50% | KRW 315,100 ($223) | OCTPRIME25 |
| 10-14 ~ 10-21 | Save 40% on Cybersecurity + 30% On All Other e-Learning & Certs | 30% | 30% | KRW 447,600 ($312) | OCT25 / OCT25CYBER |
| 12-01 ~ 12-09 | Cyber Week Savings Are Here! | 50% | 60% | KRW 326,700 ($223) | - |
| 12-16 ~ 12-19 | Unwrap New Skills This Season! | 40% | 40% | KRW 393,400 ($267) | HOLIDAY25 |
2026
| Period | Promotion | Single | Bundle | CKA price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-20 ~ 01-27 | Do You Have the Right Mix for 2026? | 35% | 35% | KRW 426,800 ($289) | SKILLSMIX26 |
| 02-17 ~ 02-24 | Ignite Your Next Career Move | 35% | 50% | KRW 417,800 ($289) | LUNAR26CC / LUNAR26BUN |
| 03-13 ~ 03-18 | Bundles Create The Perfect Formula for Career Momentum | 35% | 40% | KRW 431,100 ($289) | PI26CC / PI26BUN |
| 04-14 ~ 04-21 | Build Skills That Last: Save 35% Sitewide | 35% | 35% | KRW 425,000 ($289) | EARTH26 |
| 05-12 ~ 05-20 | Mega May: Power-Up Cyber Deals | 50% | 60% | KRW 332,000 ($223) | - |
| 06-23 ~ 06-26 | Four Days Only – Prime Time to Level Up Your IT Career! | 40% | 50% | KRW 410,200 ($267) | JPRIME26CC / JPRIME26B |
| 07-14 ~ 07-21 | Score Big on Your Tech Career & Save Up to 40% | 35% | 40% | KRW 432,200 ($289) | JULY26CC / JULY26BUN |
| 08-11 ~ 08-18 | Built by a Community That Never Stops Learning. | 35% | 35% | KRW 408,100 ($289) | TUX35 |
| 09-09 ~ 09-11 | Switch & Save: Learn It. Prove It. | - | - | - | - |
| 09-15 ~ 09-23 | Pack Your Future With New Skills | 35% | 40% | KRW 389,100 ($289) | SEPT26BTS35 / SEPT26BTS40 |
| 10-06 ~ 10-07 | October Prime | 40% | 50% | KRW 358,800 ($267) | OCTPRIME26CC / OCTPRIME26B |
| 10-11 ~ 10-16 | Open Source Summit Europe 2026 Attendee Benefit | 40% | 40% | KRW 358,200 ($267) | OSSEU26 |
| 10-15 ~ 10-23 | October 2026 Promo | 35% | 35% | KRW 389,000 ($289) | OCT26NONCYBERKR / OCT26CYBERKR / OCT26THRIVEKR |
| 10-19 ~ 10-30 | All Things Open 2026 Attendee Benefit | 40% | 40% | KRW 355,000 ($267) | ATO26 |
| 10-28 ~ 10-29 | October 2026 Flash Sale | 35% | 35% | KRW 383,000 ($289) | TREATS35KR |
| 11-04 ~ 11-20 | Road to KubeCon NA 2026 | 40% | 40% | KRW 359,000 ($267) | 40KUBE26KR |
| 11-10 ~ 11-20 | KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2026 Attendee Benefit | 40% | - | KRW 357,500 ($267) | KCNA26 |
No matching rows.
FAQ
Does the 30% code work on bundles such as the Kubestronaut bundle?
Yes. Certification bundles are already priced 7-15% below buying the same certifications one by one at list price, and the code takes another 30% off the bundle price. For example, KCNA, KCSA, CKA, CKAD, CKS, and CKNE cost $2,280 if you buy each one separately at list price. The Kubestronaut bundle of those six is $1,995, and with the code it comes to $1,396.50, about 39% less than the separate list prices. Calculated the same way, the Golden Kubestronaut bundle of 17 certifications comes to about 40% less. Those savings include the bundle's own discount, and the code itself is still 30% off. Promotions differ in code, discount, and what they cover, so check the banner above during a promotion (Kubestronaut bundle, Golden Kubestronaut bundle).
Does the discount code work on MCPA, a certification from a foundation other than CNCF?
Yes. MCPA (Model Context Protocol Associate) is an Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) certification. The Linux Foundation sells it in the same training catalog as its Kubernetes certifications, so the year-round code KUBELAB30 takes 30% off. The exam alone lists at $250, or $175 with the code, and the bundle with a THRIVE-ONE annual subscription lists at $495. The exam is online proctored multiple choice, 90 minutes long, with one retake included. You have 12 months from purchase to take it, and the certification is valid for 2 years (MCPA page).
How long do I have to take the exam after buying?
You have 12 months from purchase to schedule and take the exam, with two attempts included. That means you can buy during a sale and sit the exam once you are ready (CKA page).
How long is the certification valid?
CKA, CKAD, CKS, and CKNE are valid for 2 years. CKA and CKAD earned before April 1, 2024 are valid for 3 years. You must pass CKA before you can take CKS, while CKNE, released in November 2026, has no prerequisite (exam FAQ, CKNE exam FAQ, CKNE exam page).
Can I keep Kubestronaut by renewing only CKS and CKAD?
Yes, if you renew before February 15, 2027. Under the Linux Foundation CARE (Certification Advancement & Recertification Experience) program, earning or recertifying a higher-level certification automatically brings the lower-level certifications you earned before back to current, with their expiration dates aligned to the higher one. Since January 1, 2026, CKA or CKAD covers KCNA and CKS covers KCSA, and since June 18, 2026, CKS also covers CKA. So today CKS alone covers up to three: KCSA, CKA, and KCNA through CKA. Since November 1, 2026, CKNE has also been part of CARE, and earning or recertifying CKNE brings CKA and KCNA back to current. The Kubestronaut title lasts only until the end of the year in which the first of your five certifications expires, so renewing CKS and CKAD on time keeps the other three from expiring and keeps the title. From February 15, 2027, however, new Kubestronauts also need CKNE. According to a notice the Linux Foundation Education team sent to affiliate partners on November 12, current Kubestronauts also need to pass CKNE when they renew on or after that date. The Kubestronaut FAQ does not say this yet. An expired lower-level certification comes back as current as long as you earned it before, but CARE never grants a certification you have never held. CKA is covered only when CKS is earned or recertified on or after June 18, 2026. If you earned the certifications under different Linux Foundation accounts, this is not automatic: send Linux Foundation Support all the accounts you used and ask them to link them. Automatic updates take a few business days to show up (CARE program, Kubestronaut FAQ).
Do I need to renew Golden Kubestronaut?
No. Once you earn Golden Kubestronaut, you keep the title without renewing, and you do not need to pass new CNCF certifications when they are released. Even if your Kubestronaut title expires, the Golden title and most Golden benefits stay. The exception is the THRIVE-ONE subscription, which requires a current Kubestronaut title, and you also lose Kubestronaut benefits such as the yearly 50%-off certification coupons. To keep those, renew CKS and CKAD on time as described above (Kubestronaut FAQ).
Are more Kubernetes certifications on the way?
Yes. When CNCF released CKNE (Certified Kubernetes Network Engineer) on November 10, 2026, it also announced plans for two AI certifications in 2027: KAIA (Kubernetes AI Associate) and CKIE (Certified Kubernetes Inference Engineer). Release dates, exam format, and prices are not public yet, but you can sign up for a launch notice on the Linux Foundation Education page for them. The same page is also recruiting subject matter experts (SMEs) to help write the exams. New exams can also change the Kubestronaut requirements. The Kubestronaut FAQ says a new Kubernetes exam is added to the Kubestronaut requirements once it reaches general availability (GA), and the requirement takes effect no earlier than 90 days after GA. CKNE, released on November 10, becomes a requirement on February 15, 2027, so KAIA and CKIE may be added the same way after they are released (CNCF announcement, KAIA and CKIE launch notice, Kubestronaut FAQ, Kubestronaut program).
Can I cancel or get a refund after buying?
An exam can be refunded only within three business days of purchase and before you schedule or take it. Self-paced e-learning courses can be refunded within three days if you have not completed them, and instructor-led training (live classes on a set schedule) needs a request at least 14 days before the class, with a 3% processing fee deducted. Requests go through the training support portal with your LF account. The official policies do not mention refunding the difference if a bigger discount appears after you buy (exam refund policy, payments FAQ).
About the links and the commission
If you purchase through a link on this page, part of the sale is paid to me as an affiliate commission. The amount you pay does not change, though. The discount and the final price are identical whether you use the link or not, and the commission comes out of the Linux Foundation’s side of the sale.
When I write a research post, I first set up the environment myself, test there, and record the results and the methodology in the Research repository on my GitHub, then explain that material in a more readable form here on the blog. Working this way takes a fair amount of time and money for cloud resources and API usage.
So far the blog has run without any particular income. If you go through the links on this page when you use a discount code, it would help me keep this research going. Of course, copying the code and buying directly gets you the same discount.
Things worth knowing
- Discount codes and periods are set by the Linux Foundation and can change without notice.
- Questions about payment, refunds, or exam scheduling are not something I can help with, so those go to the Linux Foundation support portal, where you can open a ticket with your Linux Foundation account. If something is wrong on exam day, checking the exam system status first is faster.
- Updated whenever a new promotion arrives. Last revised November 12, 2026.