Linux Foundation Certification Discount Codes (CKA, CKS, 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 from 2021 to 2025 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 $289 (KRW 389,100) at 35% off. At the 2025 Cyber Week rate of 50% it would be $223 (KRW 300,200), about KRW 88,900 less than paying now at the most recently checked rate of 1,346 won per dollar. If you need to sit the exam soon, use the running promotion or the year-round code now.
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 ~ 09-22 | Pack Your Future With New Skills | 35% | 40% | KRW 389,100 ($289) | SEPT26BTS35 / SEPT26BTS40 |
No matching rows.
FAQ
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, and CKS 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 (exam FAQ).
Can I keep Kubestronaut by renewing only CKS and CKAD?
Yes. Under the Linux Foundation CARE (Certification Advancement & Recertification Experience) program, since January 2026 renewing CKA or CKAD also renews KCNA, and renewing CKS also renews KCSA. Since June 18, 2026, renewing CKS also extends CKA. The Kubestronaut title lasts only until the end of the year in which the first of your five certifications expires. Renewing CKS and CKAD on time renews or extends the other three, so you keep the title. This applies only if you earned each lower-level certification before, and automatic renewals take a few business days to process (CARE program, Kubestronaut FAQ).
Do I need to renew Golden Kubestronaut?
No. Once you earn Golden Kubestronaut, you keep the title without renewing, even when new CNCF certifications are released (Kubestronaut FAQ).
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 need to go to the Linux Foundation directly.
- This page is updated whenever a new promotion arrives. It was last revised on September 15, 2026.