Expiration Dates 

Learners will have access to all education products for one year from purchase (365 days). 

The expiration date will ‎appear prominently on our Dashboard below the product title.  ‎ 

Requesting Access Extensions 

All Access Extensions must be sent via email to info@nasf.org. 

Refunds 

Refund requests must be sent to info@nasf.org. No requests will be taken over the phone.  A refund, minus a $75 administrative fee will be granted under the following conditions: 

• Refund request is received within 10 business days of purchase and, 
• First module has not been started, or if started, no more than 15 minutes has been spent in the course. The time-in-course limit will be strictly adhered to. 

Self-Study Courses

The NASF Foundation Self-Study courses provide learners with materials they can complete at their own pace. Please Note: Beginning in April 2026, the Self-Study courses will no longer be available for purchase. Those who have already purchased a Self-Study course will retain access through the course’s standard expiration date.

Self-Study Courses include the following:

• PDF Lessons
• Formula Worksheet
• Glossary of Terms 
• Auto-graded Knowledge Checks

Curriculum for each course can be found on the course calendar. To register for a self-study course, navigate to the Catalog and select Register for the course you want to take.

After registering and completing the payment process, your course will be available on your Dashboard.

Course Access 

• All Learners registered for a Self-Study Course will have access to the online content for a full year (365 days). The expiration date will appear prominently on our Dashboard below the product title. 
• Learners have access to purchased courses 24/7 with a reliable internet connection. 
• Use a device of your choice desktop, laptop, tablet, or cell phone, with a reliable internet connection. Chrome is highly recommended. 
• Work at your own pace. There are no submission deadlines for module completion. Learners will have 12-months to work through and download all course materials 
• Work Tracking. The Learner will be able to log in and out of a course module at any time; the system recognizes work completed and allows the Learner to seamlessly continue working where they left off 

Digital Textbooks

The NASF Foundation Digital Textbooks provide learners with materials they can complete at their own pace. Please Note: Beginning in April 2026, the Digital Textbooks will replace Self-Study Courses. Self-Study courses will no longer be available for purchase. Those who have already purchased a Self-Study course will retain access through the course’s standard expiration date.

Digital Textbooks include the following:

• PDF Lessons
• Formula Worksheet
• Glossary of Terms 
• Auto-graded Knowledge Checks

Curriculum for each course can be found on the course calendar. To register for a self-study course, navigate to the Catalog and select Register for the course you want to take.

After registering and completing the payment process, your course will be available on your Dashboard.

Course Access 

• All Learners registered for a Digital Textbook will have access to the online content for a full year (365 days). The expiration date will appear prominently on our Dashboard below the product title. 
• Learners have access to purchased courses 24/7 with a reliable internet connection. 
• Use a device of your choice desktop, laptop, tablet, or cell phone, with a reliable internet connection. Chrome is highly recommended. 
• Work at your own pace. There are no submission deadlines for module completion. Learners will have 12-months to work through and download all course materials 
• Work Tracking. The Learner will be able to log in and out of a course module at any time; the system recognizes work completed and allows the Learner to seamlessly continue working where they left off 

Coming April 2026!

The NASF Foundation eLearning courses provide interactive training designed to support flexible, on-demand learning. Courses follow a structured, mandatory progression, guiding you through each section as you complete activities and assessments along the way. The content is designed to build on itself as you move through the series. Courses include narration, instructional videos, and interactive online activities

All eLearning courses include:

• eLearning course modules
• Instructor video lectures
• Digital textbook
• Built in assessments
• Glossary of Industry Terms
• Formula Worksheet

Course Prep & Time to Complete  

The time required to complete a course will vary by learner, depending on prior knowledge, experience, and training. If noted in the course description, it is strongly recommended that the Math Basics and/or Chemistry Refresher course be completed before beginning a Certification or Certificate course.

Certificates of Completion  

Once a learner completes a course and submits the required course survey, a Certificate of Completion will be made available for download and printing. 

Course Access 

All Learners registered for an eLearning course will have access to the content for a full year (365 days). The expiration date will appear prominently on our Dashboard below the product title. 

• Learners have access to purchased courses 24/7 with a reliable internet connection. 
• Use a device of your choice, desktop, laptop, tablet, or cell phone, with a reliable internet connection. Chrome is highly recommended. 
• Work at your own pace. There are no submission deadlines for module completion. Learners will have 12-months to work through, download, and complete all coursework and quizzes. 
• Work Tracking. The Learner will be able to log in and out of a course module at any time; the system recognizes work completed and allows the Learner to seamlessly continue working where they left off 

Live Webinars

NASF Instructors will provide live instruction on each of our course topics. Each 2-hour ‎webinar will hit the high points of each course, discuss the difficult topics to understand, and provide live Q&A with an experienced Instructor.

‎Webinars include:

• Access to live event
• Access to recorded event after (On-Demand Webinar)‎

Webinar registration does NOT include access to the Digital Textbook, Self-Study or ‎eLearning Course. Those items will be need to be purchased separately.

For a full schedule of events, please visit the Catalyst Catalog

On-Demand Webinar Access

All Learners registered for an On-Demand Webinar will have access to the online content for a full year (365 days). The expiration date will appear prominently on our Dashboard below the product title. 

Learners have access to purchased courses 24/7 with a reliable internet connection. 

• Use a device of your choice desktop, laptop, tablet, or cell phone, with a reliable internet connection. Chrome is highly recommended. 
• Work Tracking. The Learner will be able to log in and out of a course module at any time; the system recognizes work completed and allows the Learner to seamlessly continue working where they left off 

A schedule of all webinars can be found on the course catalog.  

Plating Essentials

NASF offers a variety of Plating Essentials courses designed for individuals who are new to the industry or looking to strengthen their foundational knowledge. 

 All courses require a basic understanding of math and chemistry. To assess your readiness, we encourage you to complete our Math and Chemistry Challenges. If you need additional support, consider enrolling in our Chemistry Refesher or Math Basics courses before beginning. 

 NASF also offers Plating Essentials 101 and Plating Essentials 102, which provide a comprehensive introduction to equipment, chemistry, plating processes, and more. These courses are ideal for new hires, new supervisors, sales professionals who work with metal finishers, and managers seeking a practical, non-technical overview of the industry.

Why choose a private or custom course?

NASF Foundation Custom and Private Courses are the single most effective way to: 

• On-board new employees quickly and efficiently 
• Train existing workers in new skills or specialties 
• Update employee knowledge in operations areas such as pollution prevention and energy conservation 

Private/custom courses are a high-value opportunity for those who want to earn CEF, CAF, or MSF certification – the “gold standards” for finishing industry education worldwide. 

Foundation Customized Courses are developed to suit the sponsoring company or government entity and its objectives. You specify the location, the dates, and the attendees, and we do the rest. Our instructors are all experts in their field, with substantial experience in communications and training, and great enthusiasm for their subject specialties! 

Logistics 

Courses are 2-4 days in length and are crafted from a broad menu of subjects. Each module takes 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete; one day is typically 5-6 modules. Courses can be done virtually for groups under 20. 

Discover the efficient, convenient, and reasonable cost option of AESF/NASF Custom Courses. Whether your “student” population is 3 or 300, it is a proven, effective way to improve the knowledge, confidence, and productivity of workers at all levels of expertise. 

Contact NASF at (202) 591-2454 or info@nasf.org for Pricing

NASF offers 12 exams for students. Course exams can be taken at your location with a proctor. A proctor is a supervisor who already has a CEF, CAF or MSF designation or someone from human resources who can administer the exam and send the completed materials back to NASF/AESF Foundation for grading. 

All exams are taken online. Access will be provided via email after purchase. 

Students will be allowed to use a formula worksheet and a glossary of terms that will be provided with exam confirmation.  

The Gold Standard for Finishing Industry Education Worldwide Students can achieve multiple levels of certification through the education foundation.   

 NASF offers 4 Certifications:  

 Certified Aerospace Finisher (CAF) 

 Certified Electroplater-Finisher (CEF) 

 Certified Aluminum Finisher (CALF) 

 Master Surface Finisher (MSF)  

CAF, CEF, and CALF can be achieved by taking and passing the associated exams.   After passing the exam, a certificate will be sent via email, and your name will reflect your new title. Your name will also be listed on our website.

Students can progress to Master Surface Finisher (MSF) by passing the CAF or CEF exams and five of the additional exams listed below. As they pass exams, students will have a number assigned to their title to signify their progress. 

Primary: (Choose 1) 

• Airline & Aerospace Finishing (CAF) 
• Electroplating & Surface Finishing (CEF) 

Core: (Choose 3) 

• Aluminum Finishing 
• Chromium Plating for Engineering Purposes 
• Electroless Deposition 
• Precious Metals Plating 
• Zinc & Zinc Alloy Plating 

Secondary: (Choose 2) 

• Corrosion & Salt Spray 
• Pollution Prevention 
• Wastewater Treatment