Need to get AWS certified fast? This 2-week speed run guide is for motivated learners ready to put in focused effort.
Is 2 Weeks Actually Possible?
Yes, but only if:
- You can dedicate 3-4 hours daily
- You have basic IT/tech understanding
- You use a gap-based learning approach
- You focus only on what you don't know
This isn't for you if:
- You have zero tech background (try 4 weeks instead)
- You can only study 1 hour daily
- You want to deeply learn AWS (this is exam-focused)
The 2-Week Speed Run
Days 1-3: Foundation Blitz
Day 1: Assessment & Overview (4 hours)
- Morning: Take a gap assessment
- Afternoon: Read exam guide, understand domains
- Evening: Overview of AWS services (high-level only)
Day 2: Cloud Concepts (4 hours)
- Benefits of cloud computing
- Cloud deployment models
- AWS global infrastructure
- Well-Architected Framework (basics)
Day 3: Core Services Overview (4 hours)
- EC2 (just what it is, instance types overview)
- S3 (storage classes, use cases)
- RDS and DynamoDB (when to use each)
- Lambda (serverless concept)
- VPC (basic networking)
Days 4-7: Domain Deep Dives
Day 4: Security & Compliance (4 hours)
- Shared responsibility model (critical!)
- IAM (users, groups, roles, policies)
- Security services overview (GuardDuty, Inspector)
- Compliance programs (brief)
Day 5: Cloud Technology (4 hours)
- Compute services comparison
- Storage services comparison
- Database services comparison
- Networking basics
Day 6: Billing & Pricing (3 hours)
- Pricing models (On-Demand, Reserved, Spot, Savings Plans)
- AWS Free Tier
- Cost management tools
- Support plans (know all 4!)
Day 7: Review & First Practice Exam (4 hours)
- Morning: Review weakest areas
- Afternoon: Full practice exam (timed)
- Evening: Analyze results, note weak spots
Days 8-10: Gap Filling
Day 8: Address Weak Areas (4 hours)
- Focus only on topics you got wrong
- Re-study those specific services
- Take targeted practice questions
Day 9: More Practice Questions (4 hours)
- 100+ practice questions
- Focus on understanding WHY answers are correct
- Note patterns in questions
Day 10: Second Practice Exam (4 hours)
- Full timed practice exam
- Should score 75%+ by now
- If not, extend study by 2-3 days
Days 11-14: Final Prep & Exam
Day 11: Final Review (3 hours)
- Quick review of all domains
- Focus on memorization items
- Review support plans (commonly tested)
Day 12: Third Practice Exam (3 hours)
- Final full practice exam
- Target: 80%+
- If below 75%, delay exam by a few days
Day 13: Light Review (2 hours)
- Review any remaining weak spots
- Go through flashcards
- Rest and don't cram
Day 14: Exam Day
- Light morning review
- Take the exam (schedule early)
- Pass!
Critical Topics for Speed Runners
Must Know Cold (High Frequency)
Shared Responsibility Model
- AWS responsibility: Security OF the cloud
- Customer responsibility: Security IN the cloud
- Know examples for each
Support Plans
| Plan | Price | Response Time | TAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free | No support | No |
| Developer | $29+ | 12-24 hours | No |
| Business | $100+ | 1-4 hours | No |
| Enterprise | $15,000+ | 15 min critical | Yes |
Service Categories
- Compute: EC2, Lambda, ECS, Elastic Beanstalk
- Storage: S3, EBS, EFS, Glacier
- Database: RDS, DynamoDB, Aurora, Redshift
- Networking: VPC, CloudFront, Route 53
Pricing Models
- On-Demand: Pay by hour/second, no commitment
- Reserved: 1-3 year commitment, up to 72% savings
- Spot: Up to 90% savings, can be interrupted
- Savings Plans: Flexible commitment pricing
Commonly Tested But Often Missed
- AWS Organizations - Consolidated billing, SCPs
- AWS Budgets vs Cost Explorer - Know the difference
- CloudTrail vs CloudWatch - Audit vs Monitoring
- Security Group vs NACL - Stateful vs Stateless
- AWS Artifact - Compliance reports
Speed Run Resources
Minimum Viable Resources (Free)
- AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials (watch at 1.5x)
- AWS sample questions
- Gap assessment tool
Recommended Stack
- Gap assessment (know what to skip)
- AI-adaptive practice questions
- Flashcards for memorization
Skip These (Time Wasters for CCP)
- Hands-on labs (not needed for CCP)
- Deep service documentation
- 40+ hour video courses
Speed Run Tips
Time Management
- Study in focused 90-minute blocks
- Take 10-minute breaks between blocks
- Don't study more than 5 hours/day (diminishing returns)
Learning Efficiency
- Skip topics you already know
- Focus on understanding, not memorizing everything
- Use practice questions as learning tools
Exam Strategy
- 65 questions, 90 minutes = 83 seconds per question
- Flag difficult questions, move on
- Use elimination strategy
- Don't overthink - CCP tests breadth, not depth
What If I'm Not Ready?
Signs you need more time:
- Scoring below 70% on practice exams
- Entire domains feel unfamiliar
- Can't explain core services simply
If you need more time:
- Extend to 3-4 weeks
- Focus on weak domains
- Don't rush into the exam
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really pass in 2 weeks with no AWS experience?
If you have general IT knowledge, yes. If you're completely new to tech, 4 weeks is more realistic.
What score do I need on practice exams before taking the real exam?
For a 2-week speed run, aim for 80%+ on practice exams. The real exam may have questions you haven't seen.
Should I skip Cloud Practitioner and go straight to Solutions Architect?
Not recommended for speed running. CCP takes 2 weeks; SAA takes 6+ weeks. CCP also gives you a 50% discount for SAA.
Start Your 2-Week Speed Run
The fastest way to start is knowing exactly what you need to learn. Every hour matters when you're on a 2-week timeline.
StudyTech was built for speed runs like this:
- AI gap assessment identifies your weak areas in 10 minutes - not days
- Personalized study plan maximizes every hour of study time
- AI-generated practice questions target exactly what you don't know
- Real-time readiness score tells you when to book with confidence
Over 1,000 learners are using StudyTech to pass AWS certifications fast.
2 weeks from now, you could be AWS Cloud Practitioner certified. Start now.