Three levels of proof, never one more
A badge is only worth something if you can say exactly what it took to earn it.
What each badge attests
They are not interchangeable: each one puts someone different on the line.
Tested
You worked through the subject and passed the course's final exam.
- How you earn it
- A graded exam at the end of the course, 60 % to pass, two attempts.
- Who stands behind it
- ZahoUp: marking is automatic and the pass mark is the same for everyone.
Proven
You delivered real work, and someone accepted it.
- How you earn it
- A real project or a micro-task delivered, checked, then approved by the company.
- Who stands behind it
- The company or client that received the work.
Certified
A formal certificate you can hold up, with a public verification address.
- How you earn it
- A supervised exam, an oral defence, then review and signature by an expert tutor.
- Who stands behind it
- An expert tutor putting their name to it. They cannot certify someone they coached.
“Declared” is not a badge
You can attach proof from elsewhere to your profile: a certificate, a degree, published work. It appears exactly as you filed it, on its own, and nobody vouches for it on your behalf.
It is not a fourth level: it is a queue of proof waiting to be checked. ZahoUp does not sign it, it counts towards no score, and no company can filter on it. The day you have it verified, it becomes a real badge.
What holds a badge's value
Four rules that never bend, whichever plan you are on.
Revision earns no badge
Schoolwork and revision are there to help you progress. None of it turns into proof: that would be lying to whoever is hiring.
A human countersigns certification
The exam prepares and marks, but an expert tutor validates and signs. A machine cannot put its liability on the line with an employer.
An announced pass mark and attempts
The score required and the number of attempts are known before you start, and do not move afterwards.
Verifiable by anyone
A recruiter opens the certificate page and sees what was assessed, the date, the score and who signed it. No account needed.
Verifying a certificate takes ten seconds
Paste the ID printed on the certificate: its public page states what was assessed, and by whom.
Earn your first badge
Creating an account is free, and the first chapter of every course is open.