Take the next step in your beekeeping journey with the Heroes to Hives Certificate of Completion Exam. This annual exam complements our free online Beginning Beekeeping Course available on our YouTube channel, allowing participants to demonstrate their knowledge and earn official recognition for their education.
Participants who successfully complete the exam will receive:
A digital Heroes to Hives Certificate of Completion (generated automatically on your test results screen upon successful completion)
An official Heroes to Hives iron-on patch and sticker mailed to you
Please note: Patches and stickers are mailed only to participants located within the United States.
Pathway to the Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program
For participants living in the Midwestern United States, the Heroes to Hives Certificate can serve as a stepping stone toward further professional beekeeping education.
Your Heroes to Hives Certificate satisfies the online “Apprentice” course requirement for the program. Participants will still need to complete the program’s required examinations, volunteer and hands-on training requirements to officially test out of the Apprentice level. At this time, Heroes to Hives does not have formal transfer agreements with other Master Beekeeping programs.
2026 Exam Details
Please read the following information carefully before registering.
Exam Opens: April 1, 2026
Exam Closes: December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Exam Format:
100 multiple-choice and true/false questions
All content is covered in the Heroes to Hives online course
The exam does not include questions on business development components of the course
The exam is open book
Accessing the Exam
After paying the exam fee (using the link at the bottom of this page), you will receive a unique exam link on the confirmation page (this link will also be emailed to you when you register for the exam). Be sure to save this link, as it provides access to the exam until you complete it.
Time Limits and Attempts
Unlimited time to complete the exam
Unlimited attempts once you have paid the exam fee
All attempts must occur before the exam closes on December 31, 2026
If the exam is not completed by the closing date, you will need to pay the fee again when the exam reopens on April 1, 2027.
Certification Timeline
Certificates are delivered digitally on the results screen of the exam and will be emailed
Patches and stickers are mailed to U.S. participants
Materials are typically issued within 4 weeks of completing the exam
Refund Policy
Exam fees are non-refundable.
Once payment is submitted, you will have full exam access through December 31, 2026.
Required Student Survey
At the beginning of the exam, you will be asked to complete a short required survey.
This survey helps the program evaluate impact and improve educational services. Survey data is:
Securely stored by Michigan Food and Farming Systems
Never sold or shared with third parties
Reported only as anonymous, aggregated data for program evaluation and grant reporting
