FANUC Training Courses: Prices, Formats and the CERT School Route

Short answer: Unlike most PLC vendors, FANUC America publishes its prices in its online FANUC Academy catalog. On October 25, 2026, the standard entry course was HandlingTool Operation & Programming:

• $2,340 for 4 days (32 hours), in a classroom or as a virtual class
• classroom locations including Auburn Hills (Michigan), Mississauga (Ontario), Houston, Lake Forest (California) and Bessemer (Alabama)

FANUC also sells eLearning with 6- or 12-month access, starting at $220. For students, the cheaper route to a FANUC credential is often a school in FANUC's CERT programme, which FANUC says runs at over 1,700 schools across the Americas.

Researched October 25, 2026 from the FANUC Academy catalog and FANUC America's CERT pages (sources at the end). Course schedules and prices change, so confirm in the catalog before you book. We did not take a FANUC course.

Ownership disclosure: PLC Programming and PLC Simulation Software are run by the same team. Our robot simulator appears in the alternatives section, with its limits stated.

FANUC America course prices

The HandlingTool course includes a pre-test and post-test, and the catalog showed 24 classes scheduled for November and December 2026. Other catalog categories cover cobots, vision, welding, paint, maintenance and web-based learning.

eLearning

eLearning is cheaper, but it doesn't replace time on a real teach pendant. Most people who need FANUC skills for a job take the instructor-led HandlingTool class, usually paid for by the employer.

The CERT programme and FANUC certifications

CERT (Certified Education Robot Training) is FANUC America's programme for schools. FANUC describes it as "Certified Education Training Programs that lead to FANUC certification" at over 1,700 universities, colleges, technical schools and high schools. Its school search filters by material handling, arc welding, collaborative robots, DCS, vision, iRPickTool and introductory robotics.

FANUC lists national certifications built with NOCTI:

• FANUC Certified Robot Operator: FCR-O1 and FCR-O2
• FANUC Certified Technician: FCR-T1 and FCR-T2

For a student, finding a CERT school near you is usually the most affordable way to earn one of these. The training is bundled into a college or high-school programme instead of paid course by course. Ask the school which exams it offers and what the exam fee is. FANUC's CERT catalog has the details of instructor requirements and school equipment packages.

If you're comparing NOCTI-based credentials, see our NOCTI test prep guide.

Is FANUC training worth it?

• Worth it: if you work on, or are being hired onto, FANUC robot cells. The official course teaches the actual controller, menus and pendant workflow you'll use, and employers recognise it.
• Worth it through a school: if you're a student. A CERT school can give you pendant time and a FANUC certification within a programme you're already taking.
• Not the first step: if you haven't yet learned basic robot concepts such as joint and linear moves, frames, the tool centre point and I/O handshakes. Learning those first makes a $2,340 class far more productive.

Cheaper ways to prepare

Many robot cells are run by a PLC, so PLC basics help too. See the PLC training programs compared hub.

Frequently asked questions

How much does FANUC training cost?

On October 25, 2026, FANUC America listed HandlingTool Operation & Programming at $2,340 for 4 days, ArcTool and Advanced Teach Pendant Programming at $3,310 for 5 days, and eLearning from $220 for 6 months of access. Check the FANUC Academy catalog for current prices and dates.

Does FANUC offer online training?

Yes. HandlingTool and ArcTool are offered as virtual classes, and FANUC sells eLearning courses such as HandlingPRO and 2D iRVision with 6- or 12-month access.

How do I get FANUC certified?

FANUC lists Certified Robot Operator (FCR-O1, FCR-O2) and Certified Technician (FCR-T1, FCR-T2) credentials developed with NOCTI. These are usually earned through a school in FANUC's CERT programme, so search FANUC's CERT school finder for a site near you.

Can I learn FANUC robot programming without a robot?

You can learn the concepts and the TP program structure without one, and FANUC's ROBOGUIDE simulates FANUC robots offline. For a job, you'll still want pendant time on a real robot, which an official course or a CERT school provides.

Sources

• FANUC Academy catalog (FANUC America)
• FANUC Academy: HandlingTool Operation & Programming
• FANUC America: CERT schools and CERT programme

Related reading

• Industrial robot programming guide
• PLC training programs compared
• Rockwell Automation training cost