Scholar Achievement Guide

For a complete list of all Codex entries and how to get them, see Codex Entry Guide.

The Scholar achievement is one of the easiest achievements to unlock. However it does require you to question characters that become unavailable later in the game.

To complete the achievement you will need to find the following subjects:

Aliens: Council Races

• Asari
  • Automatically unlocked after meeting the Council.
  • Alternately, talk to Saphyria, the Embassy Receptionist, before meeting the Council.
• Salarians
  • Automatically unlocked after meeting the Council.
• Turians
  • Automatically unlocked after first conversation in game.

Aliens: Extinct Races

• Prothean
  • Beginning of game on the SSV Normandy before Eden Prime during the briefing with Nihlus. (During the briefing with Captain Anderson and Nihlus, when the 'Investigate' options becomes available choose that, followed by the Prothean option.)
• Rachni
  • Presidium, Avina Terminal III (Financial District, by the Krogan Monument). Ask about the Rachni Wars.
  • Also Noveria, Han Olar the volus and Yaroslev Tartakovsky. Ask about the rachni.

Aliens: Non-Council Races

• Batarians
  • After you become a Spectre, ask Anderson about his past mission with Saren upon acquiring the Normandy, or speak to him once you return to the Citadel (he's in the ambassador's office). If your character has the Spacer or Colonist background, the specialised missions also give background on the batarians. The Bring Down The Sky DLC will automatically unlock it as well.
• Elcor
  • Presidium, Embassies, volus and elcor offices, talk to elcor ambassador Calyn, or -
  • Noveria, Rift Station. Talk to Petozi.
• Geth
  • Ask Ashley Williams about the geth when you first meet her, or -
  • After Eden Prime, ask Captain Anderson during the debrief.
• Hanar
  • Presidium, Emporium, talk to either Delan or the Preaching Hanar.
• Keepers
  • Avina Terminal II (Near the Citadel Tower Elevator on the Presidium, next to the keeper) - ask about the keepers, or
  • Talk to Chorban while obtaining his assignment Citadel: Scan the Keepers.
• Krogan
  • Presidium, Do the mission to obtain Wrex.
• Quarians
  • Do the mission to get Tali.
• Volus
  • Presidium, Embassies, volus and elcor offices, talk to volus ambassador Din Korlack, or Avina at the same place.

Full credit to Armando Castillo for his guide available from GameFAQ's

Notification Glitch

In some cases for 360 players, the Scholar achievement doesn't register as a pop-up when achieved. Check your Achievements list if you believe you've discovered all the required Codex entries.

It has also been reported that some players haven't received the Scholar achievement despite getting all the entries.

Scholar Walkthrough

On the Normandy

Prothean → Talk to Nihlus during your conversation with him and Captain Anderson aboard the ship just before Eden Prime.

On Eden Prime

Geth → Talk to Ashley when you first meet her.

On Citadel

Volus → As soon as you are on the Citadel go to the Presidium. In the Embassies, find the volus and elcor office and talk to ambassador Din Korlack.

Elcor → Talk to Ambassador Calyn

Rachni → Talk to Avina, next to the krogan statue. This completes the Aliens: Extinct Races.

Hanar → Talk to Delan, the hanar shopkeeper in the Emporium.

Keepers → Talk to Avina next to the keeper.

Use Citadel Rapid Transport to go to the Citadel Tower

Salarians → Go to the hearing.

Turians → Go to the hearing.

Asari → Go to the hearing. This Completes the Aliens: Council Races in the Codex.

Krogan → Do the mission to get Wrex into your crew.

Quarians → Talk to Wrex in C-sec.

Become a Spectre.

Batarians → Talk to Captain Anderson about past mission with Saren.

Scholar achievement unlocked.