Study and careerExams & certifications
How much does sommelier certification cost? The 2026 fees
The official fees for every level of the Court of Master Sommeliers, plus WSET, CSW and French Wine Scholar, and the costs that never appear on a price list.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
5 min read
The short answer: in the UK, the four levels of the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe cost £3,620 in course and exam fees, if you pass each one at the first attempt. In the Americas, the first level alone is $949 in person or $649 online. Then come the costs nobody lists: travel, books, wine to taste and resits. Every price below comes from the provider's own page, as of October 2026.
Where I stand: I work with the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, whose online Learning Portal SOMM DIGI builds.
Court of Master Sommeliers Europe
| Level | Fee (UK) | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Sommelier | £695 | A two-day course, with the exams on the morning of day three |
| Certified Sommelier | £325 | One day of exams: theory, tasting and service. No course |
| Advanced Sommelier | £1,100 | A five-day course, with the exams in the last two and a half days |
| Master Sommelier Diploma | £1,500 | The examination |
- Introductory Sommelier
- Fee (UK)£695
- What it pays forA two-day course, with the exams on the morning of day three
- Certified Sommelier
- Fee (UK)£325
- What it pays forOne day of exams: theory, tasting and service. No course
- Advanced Sommelier
- Fee (UK)£1,100
- What it pays forA five-day course, with the exams in the last two and a half days
- Master Sommelier Diploma
- Fee (UK)£1,500
- What it pays forThe examination
These are the UK fees on the Court's current course prices page, and the same figures appear against its 2026 and 2027 course dates. The Court's shop also lists the Advanced exam without the course at £650. Outside the UK, the Court charges the equivalent in the local currency, and prices may vary slightly from place to place. Courses fill up: if there is no place for you, the Court puts you on a waiting list.
- Introductory: £695
- + Certified: £1,020 so far
- + Advanced: £2,120 so far
- + Master Sommelier Diploma: £3,620 in total
Court of Master Sommeliers Americas
| Level | Fee (USD) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Sommelier | $949 in person, $649 online | In person includes the wines; online, you buy your own |
| Certified Sommelier | See the course calendar | Not listed on the level page |
| Advanced Sommelier | $100 application, $1,899 course, $399 theory exam | The course and the exam fall in different years |
| Master Sommelier Diploma | $100 application, $999 per section for the practical and tasting | Theory is an oral exam |
- Introductory Sommelier
- Fee (USD)$949 in person, $649 online
- Good to knowIn person includes the wines; online, you buy your own
- Certified Sommelier
- Fee (USD)See the course calendar
- Good to knowNot listed on the level page
- Advanced Sommelier
- Fee (USD)$100 application, $1,899 course, $399 theory exam
- Good to knowThe course and the exam fall in different years
- Master Sommelier Diploma
- Fee (USD)$100 application, $999 per section for the practical and tasting
- Good to knowTheory is an oral exam
Figures from the Americas' level pages. Fail the Introductory and the online retake is $150; there is no discounted rate for a Certified retake.
WSET, CSW and French Wine Scholar
Other wine qualifications are priced differently, and they examine different things: none of them tests service. See WSET vs CMS before you choose.
| Qualification | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| WSET Level 1 Award in Wines | £250 (online £210) | WSET School London |
| WSET Level 2 Award in Wines | £630 (online £465) | WSET School London |
| WSET Level 3 Award in Wines | £995 (online £755) | WSET School London |
| WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines | £2,900 per semester, two semesters (online £2,150) | WSET School London |
| Certified Specialist of Wine | Exam $475 for members, $850 for non-members; membership $135 a year | Society of Wine Educators |
| French Wine Scholar | $945 online, $1,095 with live online lectures | Wine Scholar Guild |
- WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
- Price£250 (online £210)
- SourceWSET School London
- WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
- Price£630 (online £465)
- SourceWSET School London
- WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
- Price£995 (online £755)
- SourceWSET School London
- WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
- Price£2,900 per semester, two semesters (online £2,150)
- SourceWSET School London
- Certified Specialist of Wine
- PriceExam $475 for members, $850 for non-members; membership $135 a year
- SourceSociety of Wine Educators
- French Wine Scholar
- Price$945 online, $1,095 with live online lectures
- SourceWine Scholar Guild
WSET School London is WSET's own school. WSET courses are taught by approved providers around the world, and prices vary by provider and country. The French Wine Scholar price includes the study guide and the exam. For the CSW, the study guide is $59 on top.
The costs that are not on the price list
- Travel and a bed. Most of the Court's exams are in person, often far from home, and the Advanced in Europe takes five days. Price the flights, hotel and meals before anything else.
- The book. The Court sells its course book, Sommelier (the sixth edition of Sales & Service for the Wine Professional), at £45 plus postage. Here is how I would study it.
- Wine to taste. A cost that keeps adding up. You can't pass a blind tasting without tasting the classics again and again.
- Your tools. For the service exam you bring your own corkscrew and the tools of the trade.
- Resits. Budget for a second attempt, just in case. A CSW retake, for example, is $395 for Society members.
- Time. Days off work for courses and exams, and months of study around your shifts.
How to spend less
- Apply for a scholarship. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe offers 12 global scholarships a year at Introductory and Certified level, for BIPOC and low-income candidates. They cover course and exam fees; travel and accommodation are yours. Details on the Court's site.
- Study before you pay. Arrive at the Introductory already knowing the classic regions, and give yourself the best chance of passing first time. My free Level 1 Sommelier Practice Test shows you where you stand.
- Share the bottles. Taste with a study group: six people, six bottles, everyone tastes everything for the price of one.
- Pick the right first step. If you don't work on a restaurant floor, WSET Level 2 may suit you better than the Court's Introductory. At WSET School London it is £630, or £465 online.
- Ask your employer. It is always worth asking whether your restaurant or company will help with the fees.
Is it worth the money?
My first Court course was the Introductory at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, in 2012; I passed the Advanced in 2019. A certificate won't get you a job on its own. What the study changes is how you talk to guests: you stop reciting facts and start selling the feeling of a wine, not the score. That is the part worth paying for.
To get more from every fee, study a little every day. SOMM DIGI AI has 3,000+ exam-prep questions and makes quizzes on any region you choose, free to start.
Questions people ask
How much is the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory course?
£695 in the UK with the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe; $949 in person or $649 online with the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas (October 2026).
How much does it cost to become a Master Sommelier?
In Court fees alone, £3,620 in the UK for the four levels at the first attempt. Add resits, travel, books and years of wine tasting, and the real budget is far higher.
Is WSET cheaper than the Court of Master Sommeliers?
Its first levels cost less at WSET School London: £250 for Level 1 and £630 for Level 2. But the two examine different things: only the Court examines service.
Are the fees the same in every country?
No. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe charges the equivalent of its UK fee in the local currency, and prices may vary slightly by location. WSET prices vary by course provider.
Is there financial help?
Yes. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe offers 12 global scholarships a year at Introductory and Certified level, covering course and exam fees.
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