Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate credential artwork

Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300) Exam Guide

Validates skills in administering Microsoft Entra identities, including hybrid identities, authentication, Conditional Access, workload identities and identity governance.

SC-300 tests whether you can configure Microsoft Entra to meet a requirement. Learn each feature in a test tenant, then practise scenario questions that ask which setting, role or policy fits with the least privilege.

Understand the exam

Syllabus

Implement and manage user identities20–25%
  1. Configure and manage a Microsoft Entra tenant
  2. Create, configure, and manage Microsoft Entra identities
  3. Implement and manage identities for external users and tenants
  4. Implement and manage hybrid identity

Example scenario: Helpdesk staff in one country should reset passwords only for users in that country. How would you scope their role?

Implement authentication and access management25–30%
  1. Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra user authentication
  2. Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra Conditional Access
  3. Manage risk by using Microsoft Entra ID Protection
  4. Implement Global Secure Access

Example scenario: Users must complete MFA when signing in from outside the office, but not from the office network. What would the Conditional Access policy include?

Plan and implement workload identities20–25%
  1. Plan and implement identities for applications and Azure workloads
  2. Plan, implement, and monitor the integration of enterprise applications
  3. Plan and implement app registrations
  4. Manage and monitor app access by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Example scenario: An Azure function must read secrets from Key Vault without stored credentials. Which identity would you give it?

Plan and automate identity governance20–25%
  1. Plan and implement entitlement management in Microsoft Entra
  2. Plan, implement, and manage access reviews in Microsoft Entra
  3. Plan and implement privileged access
  4. Monitor identity activity by using logs, workbooks, and reports

Example scenario: Guest users from a partner company should lose access automatically unless their sponsor confirms it every quarter. Which governance features would you combine?

Official SC-300 study guide · Skills measured as of October 28, 2026

Format

Questions
40–60
Duration
100 min
Passing score
700 / 1000
Delivery
Test centre or online
Languages
English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional)

Question types

Choose the best answer from the options, or the stated number of answers when a question asks for more than one.

CertUp example

Users must complete MFA when signing in from outside the office but not from the office network. What should you create?

  1. A Conditional Access policy that excludes the trusted office location
  2. A per-user MFA setting for every user
  3. An access review
  4. A password protection list
Show answer

A. Conditional Access can require MFA and exclude a named trusted location. Per-user MFA applies everywhere.

Eligibility and booking

Sign in to Microsoft Learn with a personal Microsoft account, then schedule SC-300 with Pearson VUE from the exam page.

SC-300 exam pageExam sandbox

Make a study plan

Read the skills list and take the free practice assessment, then work through one course while building each feature in a test tenant.

Most candidates spend 40–100 hours. Plan for the low end if you already administer Microsoft Entra; add time if Entra is new to you, including areas such as Global Secure Access.

7 weeksto be ready
  1. 1Understand the examRead the syllabus and format, check you’re eligible and pick a target date.3 h
  2. 3Learn the core conceptsWork through one main course or book, topic by topic.39 h
  3. 4Practice with mock examsTake timed practice tests and review every mistake.20 h
  4. 5Prepare for exam dayBook the exam and check the ID and delivery rules.3 h

Learn the core concepts

Use one course for coverage and do the labs yourself. Most questions describe a requirement and ask for the exact setting.

Best overallSC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access AdministratorChristopher Nett · $20 · lifetime accessBest free courseSC-300 course on Microsoft LearnMicrosoft · FreeBest hands-on labsSC-300 lab exercisesMicrosoft Learning · Free · tenant and licences separate
See all 5 SC-300 courses →

Practise in a tenant. Governance and PIM labs need Microsoft Entra ID P2 licences. Use a trial tenant and delete what you no longer need.

Practice with mock exams

Take Microsoft's free practice assessment first, then a fuller question bank. Look up the Learn page for each miss so you can find it quickly in the exam.

SC-300 practice assessmentMicrosoft · Free · Microsoft sign-in · unlimited retakesSC-300 Official Practice TestMeasureUp · $99 list, often discounted · free demo · subscriptions from $21SC-300 Practice ExamsTutorials Dojo · $14.99 · 1 year
See all 4 SC-300 practice tests →

Are you ready?

  • You can pick the least-privilege Entra role for a task.
  • You can design a Conditional Access policy and explain how it applies to a given sign-in.
  • You can choose between managed identities, service principals and app registrations for a workload.

Prepare for exam day

Choose the checklist for your test-centre or online appointment.

Before going to the test centre

  • Bring a current government-issued ID whose name matches your certification profile.
  • Arrive about 15 minutes early for check-in.
  • Store your belongings as instructed.
  • Use Microsoft Learn in the exam to confirm a detail, not to learn a whole topic. The clock keeps running.
  • Breaks are allowed, but you cannot go back to questions you saw before the break.
Pearson VUE for Microsoft

Exam duration and experience

Advice from exam takers