Once a unit has obtained the necessary ranks in their skills, they will be eligible to write class certification exams. In order to write a certification exam, each character must first obtain the necessary seal item (advanced seals are required to write certifications for advanced classes, and so on). Similar to the more recent games, once a unit becomes certified for a class they are free to switch in and out of the class without losing any experience or stats. All classes have minimum stat requirements, for example a Sniper cannot have less than 17 Str, so if a unit with less than 17 Str promotes into that class, they will receive a free stat bonus up to the minimum.

The percentage chance of passing a certification exam is calculated using the following formula. You cannot attempt an exam unless your chance of passing is at least 30%. If the unit's Luck is an odd number, then the value is rounded up.

The \(a\) variable is calculated based on the class change requirements.

The \(b\) variable is equal to the total number of skill ranks missing from the requirements.

For example, suppose a unit with D+ rank Lances, A rank Axes, B+ rank Flying, and 15 Luck attempts to take the Wyvern Lord (master class) exam. Their chances of passing the exam would be calculated as follows.

Classes are broken down into tiers. Byleth and all students start out as either a Commoner or a Noble, and can start changing classes as early as level 5. Depending on a unit's level, different tiers of classes will be available to them.

Furthermore, there are certain classes that are only available to the three house leaders (Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude); these Lord classes are unlocked throughout the story and do not require a seal or taking certification exam.

Finally, there are special classes that were introduced in the Cindered Shadows DLC. These Abyssian classes are only available in the main story after the side story is completed, and require a special Abyssian exam pass to write the certification exam.

Not all classes are equal. There are restrictions on which units can certify for a class, as well as what the classes can do.

The following classes are gender-locked.

Most of the classes that can use magic cannot use gauntlets. The following classes have access to both magic and gauntlets.

Only certain classes can use magic, and some will only have half the regular uses rounded up. This information is listed in the table below.

These classes all require a Beginner Seal to write the certification exam. They all need 60 class experience to master.

Class	Proficiency	Abilities	Mastery Abilities	Certification
Fighter	+1 +1 +1	—	Shove Strength +2	Axe D, Bow D, or Brawl D.
Monk	+1 +1	—	Draw Back Magic +2	Reason D or Faith D. Can use magic.
Myrmidon	+1	—	Swap Speed +2	Sword D.
Soldier	+1	—	Reposition Defense +2	Lance D.

These classes all require an Intermediate Seal to write the certification exam, with the exception of Dark Mage requiring a Dark Seal. They all need 100 class experience to master.

Class	Proficiency	Abilities	Mastery Abilities	Certification
Archer	+1 +2	Bowrange +1	Hit +20	Bow C.
Armored Knight	+1 +2 +2	—	Armored Blow	Axe C, Heavy Armor D.
Brawler	+1 +2	Unarmed Combat	Unarmed Combat	Brawl C. Male only.
Brigand	+2 +1	—	Death Blow	Axe C.
Cavalier	+1 +2 +2	Canto	Desperation	Lance C, Riding D.
Dark Mage	+2 +1	Miasma Heartseeker	Poison Strike	Reason C, Dark Seal. Can use magic. Male only.
Mage	+2 +1	Fire	Fiendish Blow	Reason C. Can use magic.
Mercenary	+2 +1	—	Vantage	Sword C.
Pegasus Knight	+1 +2 +2	Canto Avo +10	Darting Blow Triangle Attack	Lance C, Flying D. Female only.
Priest	+1 +2	Heal White Magic Heal +5	Miracle	Faith C. Can use magic.
Thief	+2 +1	Steal Locktouch	Steal	Sword C.

These classes all require an Advanced Seal to write the certification exam, with the exception of Dark Bishop requiring a Dark Seal. They all need 150 class experience to master.

Class	Proficiency	Abilities	Mastery Abilities	Certification
Assassin	+3 +2	Swordfaire Locktouch Stealth	Lethality Assassinate	Sword B, Bow C.
Bishop	+2 +3	White Magic Heal +10 White Magic Uses x2 Terrain Resistance	Renewal	Faith A. Can use magic.
Dark Bishop	+3 +2	Miasma Heartseeker Fiendish Blow	Lifetaker	Reason A, Dark Seal. Can use magic. Male only.
Fortress Knight	+2 +3 +3	Axefaire Weight -5	Pavise	Axe B, Heavy Armor B.
Grappler	+3	Fistfaire Unarmed Combat	Tomebreaker Fierce Iron Fist	Brawl A. Male only.
Hero	+3 +2	Swordfaire Vantage	Defiant Str	Sword B, Axe C. Male only.
Paladin	+2 +3 +3	Canto Lancefaire Terrain Resistance	Aegis	Lance B, Riding B.
Sniper	+3	Bowfaire Bowrange +1	Hunter's Volley	Bow A.
Swordmaster	+3	Swordfaire Sword Crit +10	Astra	Sword A.
Warlock	+3 +2	Black Tomefaire Black Magic Uses x2	Bowbreaker	Reason A. Can use magic.
Warrior	+3	Axefaire Axe Crit +10	Wrath	Axe A.
Wyvern Rider	+2 +3 +3	Axefaire Canto	Seal Defense	Axe B, Flying C.

These classes all require a Master Seal to write the certification exam. They all need 200 class experience to master.

Class	Proficiency	Abilities	Mastery Abilities	Certification
Bow Knight	+3 +3 +3	Bowfaire Canto Bowrange +2	Defiant Spd	Lance C, Bow A, Riding A.
Dark Knight	+3 +3 +3	Black Tomefaire Dark Tomefaire Canto	Seal Resistance	Lance C, Reason B+, Riding A. Can use magic.
Falcon Knight	+3 +3 +3	Lancefaire Canto Avo +10	Defiant Avo	Sword C, Lance A, Flying B+. Female only.
Great Knight	+3 +3 +3	Lancefaire Axefaire Canto	Defiant Def	Axe B+, Heavy Armor A, Riding B+.
Gremory	+3 +3	Black Magic Uses x2 Dark Magic Uses x2 White Magic Uses x2	Defiant Mag	Reason A, Faith A. Female only. Can use magic.
Holy Knight	+3 +3 +3	White Tomefaire Terrain Resistance Canto	Defiant Res	Lance C, Faith B+, Riding A. Can use magic.
Mortal Savant	+3 +3	Swordfaire Black Tomefaire	Warding Blow	Sword A, Reason B+. Can use magic.
War Master	+3 +3	Axefaire Fistfaire Crit +20	Quick Riposte War Master's Strike	Axe A, Brawl A. Male only.
Wyvern Lord	+3 +3 +3	Axefaire Canto Avo +10	Defiant Crit	Lance C, Axe A, Flying A.

These classes are only available the house leaders, and are unlocked automatically when progressing through the story.

Class	Proficiency	Abilities	Mastery Abilities	Certification
Armored Lord	+3 +3 +3	Charm Axefaire	Pomp & Circumstance	Start of Chapter 13. Edelgard only.
Barbarossa	+3 +3 +3	Charm Bowfaire Canto	Wind God	Start of Chapter 17. Claude only.
Emperor	+3 +3 +3	Charm Axefaire	Flickering Flower	Start of Chapter 16. Edelgard only.
Great Lord	+3 +3 +3	Charm Lancefaire	Paraselene	Start of chapter 16. Dimitri only.
High Lord	+3 +3 +3	Charm Lancefaire	Pomp & Circumstance	Start of chapter 13. Dimitri only.
Lord	+2 +1 +2	Charm	Subdue Resistance +2	Sword D+, Authority C. House leaders only.
Wyvern Master	+3 +3 +3	Charm Bowfaire Canto	Pomp & Circumstance	Start of chapter 13. Claude only.

These classes do not require a certification exam. Commoner and Noble need 20 class experience to master, Dancer needs 150, Death Knight needs 200, and Enlightened One needs 100.

Class	Proficiency	Abilities	Mastery Abilities	Certification
Commoner	—	—	HP +5	Can use magic at half uses.
Noble	—	—	HP +5	Can use magic at half uses.
Dancer	+2 +2	Dance	Special Dance	Win the White Heron Cup. Can use magic.
Enlightened One	+3 +2 +3 +3	Swordfaire Terrain Resistance	Sacred Power	Start of chapter 11. Byleth only. Can use magic.
Archbishop	+3 +3 +3	Charm Commander Terrain Resistance	Sacred Power	Rhea only. Can use magic.
Death Knight	+3 +3 +3	Canto Lancefaire	Counterattack	None. Exclusive class to the Death Knight. Can use magic.

These classes were introduced in the Cindered Shadows DLC, and all require an Abyssian Exam Pass to write the certification exam.

Class	Proficiency	Abilities	Mastery Abilities	Certification
Dark Flier	+2 +3 +3	Canto Black Tomefaire Transmute	Transmute	Reason B+, Flying C. Can use magic. Female only.
Trickster	+3 +1 +2	Locktouch Stealth Lucky Seven	Duelist's Blow Foul Play	Sword B, Faith B, Thief certification. Can use magic at half uses.
Valkyrie	+3 +1 +3	Canto Black Magic Range +1 Dark Magic Range +1	Uncanny Blow	Reason B, Riding B. Can use magic. Female only.
War Cleric	+1 +3 +1	Fistfaire Unarmed Combat Heal	Brawl Avo +20 Pneuma Gale	Brawl B+, Faith C+. Can use magic at half uses. Female only.
War Monk	+1 +3 +1	Fistfaire Unarmed Combat Heal	Brawl Avo +20 Pneuma Gale	Brawl B+, Faith C+. Can use magic at half uses. Male only.