Support

To create a free account on our system go HERE   

You can re-set your password here:
https://www.winescholarguild.com/lost-password/

You can find out your username here:
https://www.winescholarguild.com/lost-user-name/

If you are still having issues accessing your account, please let us know using our website contact form.   

You can change your account email address in My Profile in your account menu. Please note, to activate the new email address in Community, click on your Community profile picture (account), log out and log back in again.    

You can find your achievements in our Graduates page.

If you are enrolled to an online program, you can ‘edit’ your profile from your account in your online classroom by accessing your account menu (top right corner).  

After changing your email address in your WSG account in "My Profile", you can activate the new email address in "Community", by clicking on your Community profile picture (account), then logging out and in again.   

The list of your active course enrollments can be found in "My Online Courses & Exams" in your account menu.  

You have one year from the date of registering for the online course to access the e-learning resources and to take the exam.   

From your online classroom, you can check the expiry date of your enrollment (and exam deadline date), from the right hand side of the page.

Yes, all the educator-led lectures will be recorded and posted to the online classroom around 24 hours after the live session so if you miss any, you can catch up in your own time.

If you are registered to the latest, current version of your program, you will find the link to extend in the "Need More Time" section of your online classroom.

Please see the upgrade options available to you in the ‘Need More Time’ section of your online classroom.   

Please contact us through our website contact form for the next steps.

WSG policy states that no person with a passing score be allowed to re-sit an exam in order to achieve a higher score.  

This policy is in effect in order to not compromise the integrity of the exam. Please note, WSG offers prizes each year for our top scorers.  

Yes! Candidates scoring 85-90 pass with Honors. Candidates scoring 91-100 pass with Highest Honors. Each year, WSG honors the highest scorer of the year with the WSG Award of Excellence.

Yes. Sample test questions and practice quizzes can be found in each program through the online portal. Each program comes with supplemental materials in order to prepare each student in the best way possible!

All exam questions are taken from the manual, therefore, we will not include errata material on the exam. However, students should know what is current. We ask that each student amend the study manual with the information in the Errata to bring it up-to-date.  

Although it is possible to extend enrollment and the exam deadline, it is recommended that candidates take the exam within 12 months of registering for a program. The study manuals are regularly updated with relevant information. This 12-month window ensures that candidates are tested on the material they studied. 

No, there is not a tasting component to the exam. Please note, our online programs include webinar series on wine styles. WSG Programs include suggested wine lists and tasting is always part of the classroom offerings.

There is a description of what students should study within each online portal for each program. Study maps, review the facts, and apply the material you have learned! 

The exam is not open-book. Both paper exams and online exams are proctored. When sitting the exam, no books, notes, maps or other materials can be on the desk/table, on the walls, or on the computer screen. Exceptionally, Masters students only are permitted 2 sheets of blank paper and a pen.  (Exam questions must not be written down.)  

The Essentials exams consist of 50 multiple-choice questions and students have 45 minutes to complete the test. The pass mark is 60%. 

Wine Scholar exams consist of 100 multiple-choice questions. A passing score is 75 or higher. Educators intending to teach the program must pass with a score of 85 or higher. There is no tasting component to this exam. Students have one hour to complete the test.   

Master Level exams have a different format (see Master Level exam FAQs below). 

For classroom students, program providers schedule test dates at the end of their classroom instruction. These exams are paper exams.   

For online students, you have up to one year from the date of registration to sit the exam.  You will find all the information you need to schedule your exam in your online classroom. If you experience any issues scheduling your exam, please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Very important note: The exam must be taken before the enrollment expiry date. An exam taken on or after the enrollment expiry date cannot be supported by our system.

The Wine Scholar exams are proctored through ProctorU, one of the industry’s leading online proctoring companies. ProctorU is a live online proctoring service that allows the individual to take the exam from the comfort of home. ProctorU is available 24/7, however, each student will need to schedule the proctoring session at least 72 hours in advance to avoid any additional on-demand scheduling fees (paid directly to ProctorU.)  

For all exams proctored by ProctorU, you can cancel or reschedule your exam up to 24 hours before your scheduled exam start time by logging in to your ProctorU account and using the rescheduling link. If cancelling or rescheduling less than 24 hours prior to the exam start time and/or you are not showing up for your exam or more than 15 minutes late, a $95 re-scheduling fee payable to WSG will be applied. 

If you have taken an exam and need to re-sit you have two options available to you:

• If you studied with an Approved Program Provider, please contact your school to coordinate an exam re-take (fees apply).
• If you registered online with WSG, you may contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to coordinate your exam re-take (fees apply).

You may register for an exam alone without purchasing the study package. However, since all test questions are taken from the manual, the odds are not in your favor for a successful exam sit. We recommend joining the relevant program for the best possible chances of success. But it is not compulsory.

You may contact the WSG office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further assistance.

You must schedule your exam using the exam link in your WSG account (and not directly through the ProctorU website). Follow the "exam invitation" at Step 2 of your exam page. If you have just been prompted to create a ProctorU account, please return to your exam link (in your WSG account) and repeat the steps, clicking on the scheduling link again to activate the exam invitation.     

We will send you a confirmation email with your results letter, 7 days from your exam date. If you have passed the FWS, SWS or IWS diploma (both units), you will receive a certificate and lapel pin through the post.

No. These are advanced exams conferring a professional post-nominal. It is helpful to have a solid, general wine background before embarking on these courses of study. 

If you are interested in a beginner-level course, please feel free to check out our Wine Essentials courses. 

Our certifications have an average minimum requirement of 100 hours of study time, including around 20 hours spent in the classroom (classroom study format) or viewing online review lectures (online study format).  

Please note, that additional study time may be required if the student does not have a strong wine background. 

• Spanish Wine Scholar: We recommend spending an average of four hours per chapter. There are 10 chapters in the manual. Some chapters are longer than others, but the smaller units might contain the most important information. In sum, plan on approximately 40 hours of time in preparation.
• French Wine Scholar: We recommend spending an average of four hours per chapter. There are 21 chapters in the latest Edition 7 manual. Some chapters are longer than others, but the smaller units might contain the most amount of new information. In sum, students should plan on approximately 100 hours of study and review in preparation. 
  
• Italian Wine Scholar: We recommend spending an average of 8 hours per chapter. There are 8 to 12 chapters in the manual depending on the Unit. Some chapters are longer than others, however, the smaller units may have a great deal of information that is unfamiliar to many students. In sum, the student should plan on approximately 64 to 96 hours of study for each unit.  

Of course! Read through the Fundamentals Unit (Chapter 1) in its entirety before studying the individual chapters. Always begin by reading each regional chapter in its entirety before going back to study it. Work with a highlighter. Highlight new terms and important appellations. 

Use blank maps and locate the most important information such as the appellations, grapes, soils, mountains and rivers. Check off the learning objectives as they are mastered, which are downloadable on the Online Course page. Confirm content retention by working through all available resources. 

For the online Wine Scholar exams, test takers will see their results immediately upon submitting their exam.  

Distance learning students receive exam results via email, seven business days from the date of the exam. Successful results are also sent by post including a congratulations letter, a certificate and a lapel pin.  

Successful classroom students will receive their results, certificate and lapel pin via their Approved Program Provider. Exceptionally, students in the United States who complete their program through an Approved Program Provider will receive their results, certificate and lapel pin by post.  

Each successful candidate will receive a letter of congratulations, lapel pin and a certificate suitable for framing. Each successful candidate also has the right to include the post-nominal as part of his or her professional signature (i.e. John Smith, FWS).

You will need a computer with reliable internet connection, a webcam, working microphone and speaker. The exam cannot be taken from a tablet, mobile phone or Chromebook. A good internet connection is required. 

If you have TeamViewer software on your device, please disable or uninstall prior to your ProctorU session start. 

Distance learning students of current program versions will take the exam with ProctorU, one of the industry’s leading on-line proctoring companies. ProctorU is a live online proctoring service that allows the individual to take the exam from the comfort of home. ProctorU is available 24/7, however, each student will need to schedule the proctoring session at least 72 hours in advance to avoid any additional on-demand scheduling fees (paid directly to ProctorU.) 

For Masters programmes' students, each candidate will receive a results letter by email, 3 weeks from their exam date. Successful candidates will be mailed a letter of congratulations and a certificate suitable for framing.

You will need a computer with reliable internet connection, a webcam, working microphone and speaker. The exam cannot be taken from a tablet, mobile phone or Chromebook. A good internet connection is required.

The exams for all current versions of the Masters programs are proctored by ProctorU, one of the industry’s leading on-line proctoring companies. ProctorU is a live online proctoring service that allows the individual to take the exam from the comfort of home. 

To schedule your exam, please check the exam section of your online classroom for all the information you need.   If you experience any issues scheduling your exam, please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The exam consists of three sections: 50 multiple-choice questions (worth 50 points), four short-answer essay questions (worth 40 points total) and a map identification exercise (worth 10 points).

The exam demands a working knowledge of the material, a true understanding of the inner workings of the region, and an ability to integrate those facts into a meaningful whole. The four essay questions will test your working knowledge of the material. They require a working knowledge and a deep understanding of the material.

Candidates are given 2 hours to complete the Masters exam with ProctorU. 

• You’ll learn so much more than you would on your own! During WSG tours, our internationally renowned instructors are always with you; providing fascinating information, answering questions and clarifying facts and figures to ensure understanding of the nuances and subtleties of each region and its wine styles.
• Camaraderie! And the experience of exploring new wine regions with other like-minded individuals who are just as passionate and obsessive about great wine as you are!
• Access to amazing wine tastings and estates you would not be able to visit on your own. With personal and long-standing relationships in each of the regions we operate, WSG has some of the highest-level contacts in the industry. As a WSG study abroad participant, you will have the opportunity to taste incredible wines at each estate and will be welcomed as an honored guest everywhere you go.
• All our WSG instructors have lived or worked in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, or the other countries in which we operate, for many years. This has allowed them to cultivate extensive experience and contacts within the region. You’ll get expert information about the wine business, and an insider’s take on local culture.
• Avoid taking chances on hotels or restaurants you don’t know.  With more than a decade of experience, our guides use first-hand knowledge to select the best hotels and restaurants for your enjoyment.
• Make the most of your travel time! Our itineraries minimize driving to ensure you receive a thorough overview of the region, taking in the breathtaking landscapes and amazing wine culture of each respective region.
• Avoid driving, parking, or navigating in foreign lands. Feel free to relax and enjoy wine your meals in the comfort of a safe and carefully curated learning environment.
• Your WSG Tour Instructor and Tour Manager will translate for the group at all times, eliminating communication or language barriers, as many winemakers in France, Italy and Spain may have limited English proficiency.

Our Educational Wine Tours offer end-to-end full-service wine experiences with all lodging and most meals included. You may move locations throughout the week and visit up to three wineries each day. This type of tour provides a deep-dive experience in the vineyards, cellars and with local winemakers and there is no formal classroom instruction.

Our Masters Program Immersions provide a 360-degree view of a region via three days of classroom instruction with extensive tutored tastings and two days of field trip study. These programs supplement the existing WSG course content and are available to new students, current students and alumni. Course materials are included in the price and you can take your certification exam for the corresponding program once you return home. It’s expected that students arrive in the region having already completed all of the online lectures of the corresponding Masters certification.

Hotels are not included in the price of our Masters Program Immersions, but we are happy to provide information on options for all budgets once you reserve your seat. Lunch is included on field trip days, with free time on classroom days to source your own lunch at your expense. A welcome dinner and farewell meal are also included. Many students prefer the structure of learning in the classroom combined with the free time in the evenings of this format.