Saint Petersburg — 2026-11-20
The 2026 autumn sitting of tea academy examinations, conducted under the Teamotea credentialing framework, concluded on 24 October 2026 with 847 candidates sitting examinations across four tiers: Foundation, Specialist, Master, and the newly introduced Educator credential. This marks the largest single-sitting candidate cohort since the launch of the independent credentialing programme, and the first global sitting to include the Educator track, designed for those who train and mentor tea professionals.
Overall pass rates reflect the rigorous calibration maintained by the examining board. The Foundation tier recorded a pass rate of 78% (431 of 553 candidates). The Specialist tier, which demands deeper sensory analysis and knowledge of production regions, saw 63% pass (205 of 325 candidates). The Master tier, requiring a defended thesis and a panel viva, achieved 41% (79 of 192 candidates). The inaugural Educator tier, which tests pedagogical skill alongside advanced tea theory, recorded a pass rate of 35% (26 of 75 candidates). The weighted aggregate pass rate across all tiers was 57%.
Candidate geography continued its eastward expansion. While strong representation from China, Japan, and Korea persisted — collectively accounting for 38% of all candidates — the autumn sitting saw a notable surge from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Candidates from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan comprised 22% of the total, up from 14% in the spring 2026 sitting. North American participation remained stable at approximately 12%.
Evgeniy Smoley, chief executive officer of tea academy, commented: “The autumn sitting confirms that serious tea credentials are no longer a niche interest. We are seeing demand from hotel groups, restaurant chains, and independent sommeliers who understand that a Teamotea-issued tea credential carries the same weight as a wine certification. The introduction of the Educator tier reflects the market reality — more trainers need verifiable authority, and we intend to provide it.”
Among the standout performances, a Specialist candidate from Buryatia recorded a perfect score on both the written and blind-tasting components, a rare achievement under the strict GB/T 23776–2018 sensory evaluation rubric. A Master thesis examining the controlled ageing of Shēng Pǔ’ěr (生普洱) under Northern climate conditions — submitted by a candidate from Saint Petersburg and defended remotely before a panel in Kunming — received the highest aggregate marks of the sitting, and will be published on the teamotea.com research archive in December.
Candidates who did not meet the pass threshold are eligible for a single re-sit within twelve months; 11% of autumn candidates were retaking an earlier examination, a figure consistent with prior sittings. The exam board has announced that the spring 2027 sitting will introduce a digital badging pilot, allowing credential holders to display verified tea.academy badges on platforms such as LinkedIn, with the badges linking to the tea academy credential verification page.
Prospective candidates and training partners can explore full syllabi, sample questions, and preparation resources at tea.school, the official learning platform of the Teamotea constellation. For those interested in pu-erh specifics examined at the Specialist and Master levels, the dedicated resource puerh.app offers curated production region data and ageing guides. Tea academy remains committed to transparent, standardised credentialing that empowers professionals across the global tea community.
Media contact
Evgeniy Smoley