Exam Details
Microsoft · SC-300
Secure enterprise access and master identity governance by becoming a Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator.
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Who is this for?
Level: Intermediate. This exam is engineered for security professionals tasked with managing enterprise identity and access solutions. While there are no strict formal prerequisites, Microsoft officially recommends having practical, hands-on experience with Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft 365, and Azure workloads. Familiarity with PowerShell and foundational security concepts (such as those covered in the SC-900) is highly beneficial. Are you ready? You are fully prepared if you can confidently configure multi-factor authentication, actively manage conditional access policies, implement identity governance workflows, and securely troubleshoot authentication issues in a complex hybrid environment. Validate your IAM expertise with our highly challenging, scenario-based practice quizzes!
Overview
Become the ultimate gatekeeper of enterprise security. The Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300) certification validates your profound technical ability to design, implement, and manage an organization’s identity and access management (IAM) systems using Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). In the modern IT environment, identity is the new security perimeter. With the rapid expansion of hybrid workforces and multi-cloud architectures, organizations face relentless identity-based attacks. They urgently require specialized IAM engineers who can enforce strict access controls without hindering user productivity. This highly sought-after certification rigorously tests your practical proficiency in implementing secure authentication, managing external identities, configuring conditional access policies, and automating identity governance and lifecycle management. By securing the SC-300 credential, you prove your capacity to operationalize Zero Trust principles, ensuring that the right people have the right access at the exact right time. Certified Identity Administrators are in massive demand globally, commanding premium compensation packages and enjoying rock-solid job security as they lead the charge in fortifying the most critical vulnerability point in any modern enterprise. Protect the digital front door and elevate your cybersecurity career.
FAQ
The SC-300 exam typically consists of 40–60 questions. You are allotted 120 minutes for the exam itself, with a total seat time of 140 minutes to include the NDA and instructions. The format includes multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and "hot area" questions. You should also expect Case Studies, which require you to analyze a complex organizational structure and recommend an identity strategy that meets specific security and compliance requirements.
You must achieve a scaled score of 700 out of 1000 to pass. Points are awarded for partially correct answers in multi-part questions, and there is no penalty for guessing. To ensure you are performing at this level, ExamOS offers scenario-based practice quizzes that simulate the troubleshooting and configuration logic used by Microsoft to determine competency.
The exam curriculum was recently rebalanced to reflect the importance of automated governance and machine identities. The current weightings are:
Yes. Microsoft has integrated the Microsoft Learn "Open Book" feature into the SC-300. During the exam, a button allows you to open the official documentation in a split-view window. This is highly beneficial for verifying specific YAML syntax for custom roles or checking the precise licensing requirements for Entra ID features. However, note that the exam timer does not stop while you browse, so speed is essential.
Success in 2026 requires a "hands-on first" approach:
The registration fee is $165 USD in the United States. Pricing varies by region and local taxes. If you are an employee of a Microsoft partner, check your eligibility for the Enterprise Skills Initiative (ESI), which often provides free vouchers. Students can also verify their status to receive a significant discount.
If you do not pass on your first attempt, you must wait 24 hours before rescheduling. If you are unsuccessful a second time (or more), a 14-day waiting period is mandatory between each subsequent try. You are limited to a maximum of five attempts within a 12-month period. Each attempt requires a full exam fee.
The Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate certification is valid for one year. To maintain your status, you must pass a free online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn during the six-month window before your certification expires. If you miss the deadline, your certification will lapse, and you will be required to retake the full SC-300 exam.
There are no formal prerequisites, but Microsoft recommends at least one year of hands-on experience managing Microsoft Entra ID. The target audience includes IAM Engineers, Security Operations Analysts, and IT Admins responsible for implementing Zero Trust security. You should be familiar with how identity acts as the new "security perimeter" in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Once you have mastered identity, you have two primary paths for advancement: