Confused about NSE 4 / FCP path — should I continue FortiOS 7.6 or wait for 7.8?

Hey everyone,

I really need a bit of guidance. I’m working on the FortiOS 7.6 Administrator Self‑Paced course right now because I’m planning to take the NSE 4 FortiGate Administrator exam and get my FCP – Secure Networking certification.

But I just saw a notice that says this 7.6 course and its exam will be retired on December 31 2025, and there’s a new FortiOS 7.8 Administrator course coming out on October 15 2025.

Now I’m confused — should I finish the 7.6 course and take the exam before it retires, or stop and wait for the 7.8 version instead?
If I pass the 7.6 exam, will it still count toward the FCP – Secure Networking certification after the new version comes out?

My plan is:
:keycap_1: Finish NSE 4 (FortiGate Administrator).
:keycap_2: Then do one NSE 5 (likely FortiManager Admin) so I can complete the full FCP – Secure Networking.

Can someone please confirm the best path to follow?
Thanks in advance for helping me sort out the right way forward!

— Irshad Ansari
(Network & Security Engineer )