Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900): The Complete Student Guide
If you’re exploring cloud careers, the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certification (AZ-900) is one of the smartest first steps you can take. It validates essential cloud concepts, core Azure services, and governance basics—without requiring prior experience. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn what’s on the exam, how to prepare efficiently, what it costs, and how AZ-900 can boost your confidence and career options.
What Is Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)?
The Azure Fundamentals certification proves you understand key cloud ideas and the Azure platform at a foundational level. Microsoft’s official skills outline breaks the exam into three domains:
Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)
Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)
Microsoft updates the exam content periodically; the English version is updated first, with localized versions following. A refreshed outline is slated to take effect on October 30, 2025, and the study guide was last updated September 30, 2025. Actionable takeaway: Always check the latest “Study guide” before you finalize prep or sit the exam. [Microsoft AZ-900 Study Guide; Exam updates and skills split][1]
Pass/fail details:
The passing score is 700 (scaled from 1–1000).
There’s no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
Who Should Take AZ-900—and Why It’s Worth It
AZ-900 is designed for:
Students and career changers who want a recognized cloud credential.
Early-career technologists who need a broad overview before specializing.
Non-technical stakeholders (sales, PM, finance, ops) who work with cloud teams and want to speak the language.
Why it’s valuable:
It’s vendor-official and globally recognized.
It builds the vocabulary you’ll use in interviews and on cross-functional teams.
It sets you up for role-based Azure certifications (Administrator, Developer, Security, Data, AI) by giving you the “map” of Azure first.
Industry data backs the impact of certifications broadly. Pearson VUE’s 2025 report found that certifications increased candidates’ confidence, were associated with promotions and salary growth, and improved quality and productivity for organizations. Actionable takeaway: Use these insights to justify time and budget for your study plan with your manager or academic advisor.
Eligibility and Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites. Familiarity with basic IT and cloud terminology helps but isn’t required.
The exam is intentionally approachable for students and those in non-technical roles who need cloud literacy. Actionable takeaway: Don’t wait for “perfect” experience—start with AZ-900 to build momentum.
Exam Structure: Format, Time, Languages, and Delivery
Here’s what to expect:
Item types: Multiple choice, drag-and-drop, case studies, and more. You can practice the interface with Microsoft’s free Exam Sandbox.
Time: Fundamentals exams typically allow around 45 minutes of exam time (approximately 65 minutes seat time including tutorials and NDA).
Items: Many Microsoft exams range around 35–50 items (varies by delivery).
Languages: AZ-900 is offered in multiple languages, including English, Japanese, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Korean, Spanish, German, French, Indonesian, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), and Russian.
Delivery options:
Pearson VUE: Online proctored or test center.
Certiport: Student/educator proctoring route (often used by academic programs). Actionable takeaway: Choose delivery that minimizes stress (quiet home test vs. stable test center).
What’s On the Exam? (Skills You’ll Learn)
AZ-900 covers breadth over depth. You’ll be expected to:
Explain cloud models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), shared responsibility, and common scenarios for adopting cloud.
Identify core Azure architectural components: regions, availability zones, resource groups, subscriptions, and management groups.
Recognize major services: compute (VMs, App Service, AKS, Functions), storage (Blob, File, Disk), networking (VNets, peering, ExpressRoute), and databases (Azure SQL, Cosmos DB).
Describe identity, security, privacy, and compliance basics: Microsoft Entra ID, RBAC, MFA, Defender for Cloud, Security Center, Key Vault.
Explain governance and cost management tools: Azure Policy, Blueprints (where applicable), tags, Cost Management + Billing, and the Pricing Calculator.
Understand monitoring and reliability tools: Azure Monitor, Service Health, Advisor, and SLAs. Actionable takeaway: Map each skill to a hands-on task you can do in the portal or Cloud Shell.
How to Prepare: A Practical Study Plan
Use Microsoft’s free learning paths (they mirror the exam outline):
Azure Fundamentals: Describe cloud concepts
Azure Fundamentals: Describe Azure architecture and services
Azure Fundamentals: Describe Azure management and governance
Actionable plan (2–4 weeks):
Week 1:
Complete “Describe cloud concepts.”
Take the free practice assessment to baseline your strengths and gaps.
Week 2:
Complete “Describe Azure architecture and services.”
Build a mini-lab: create a resource group, deploy a storage account and a basic web app, spin up one VM, and assign RBAC roles at resource group scope.
Week 3:
Complete “Describe Azure management and governance.”
Use tags, define a simple Azure Policy, explore Cost Management + Billing and the Pricing Calculator, review Advisor recommendations and Service Health.
Re-take the practice assessment; focus on weak areas.
Week 4 (buffer, if needed):
Skim the instructor-led course outline (AZ-900T00-A) or a concise video course to consolidate.
Use the Exam Sandbox to get comfortable with question types and the UI. Actionable takeaway: Tie every concept to a portal task—memory sticks when you do, not just read.
Scheduling and Costs
Price: Microsoft charges by country/region at checkout. As of the official price list effective Nov 1, 2024, Fundamentals exams are $99 USD in the United States. Your price may differ; always confirm during scheduling. [Microsoft exam pricing (official PDF)][10]; [Announcement blog][11]
Where to schedule:
Pearson VUE (online or test center).
Certiport (student/educator route).
Payments, rescheduling, cancellations:
Reschedule or cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment to avoid forfeiting the fee. Actionable takeaway: Book early, but set a reminder 48 hours before exam day in case you need to reschedule.
Policies You Should Know (Score, Retakes, Expiration)
Passing score: 700/1000 (scaled). There’s no penalty for guessing—answer every question. [Exam scoring & reports][2]
Retake policy: If you fail, you must wait 24 hours before your first retake; for additional retakes, a 14-day waiting period applies; maximum five attempts per year. Each attempt requires payment unless covered by a promo or retake offer. [Microsoft retake policy reference][13]
Expiration: Fundamentals certifications (including AZ-900) do not expire. Actionable takeaway: Once you earn it, you own it; focus your renewals on role-based or specialty certifications later.
Career Value and Next Steps
How AZ-900 helps:
You’ll speak cloud “fluently”—a huge advantage in interviews and internships.
You’ll be ready to choose a role-based path (e.g., Administrator AZ-104, Developer AZ-204, Security AZ-500, or data/AI options).
Certifications correlate with promotions, salary growth, and better work outcomes. Actionable takeaway: Add AZ-900 to your resume headline and LinkedIn “Licenses & Certifications,” then pair it with a role-based learning path.
Real-World Application of AZ-900 Skills
By the time you’re exam-ready, you should be able to:
Explain to classmates or stakeholders the difference between IaaS/PaaS/SaaS and when to use each.
Choose an appropriate compute option (VM vs. App Service vs. Functions vs. containers) for a simple web scenario.
Estimate costs using the Azure Pricing Calculator and apply tags plus Policy to keep spending under control.
Sketch an access model using Microsoft Entra ID, RBAC, and MFA, and describe where Defender for Cloud and Azure Monitor fit for security and observability. Actionable takeaway: Practice giving a five-minute “cloud overview” to a friend—teaching others reveals your remaining knowledge gaps.
A 2–4 Week Study Timeline (Student-Friendly)
Week 1:
Cloud concepts learning path + practice assessment.
Create your free Microsoft Learn account and start bookmarking modules.
Week 2:
Azure architecture/services learning path + lab activities (Storage, App Service, VM).
Take screenshots and notes for your study journal.
Week 3:
Management/governance learning path + hands-on with Policy, Cost Management, Advisor, Service Health.
Re-take the practice assessment; use the skills outline to pinpoint weak topics.
Week 4 (optional buffer):
Skim AZ-900T00-A outline or watch a short video bootcamp.
Do two blocks of timed practice; use the Exam Sandbox to reduce test anxiety. Actionable takeaway: Treat your study journal like a mini portfolio—recruiters love seeing structured learning with screenshots and reflections.
How to Book Your Exam (Step by Step)
Sign in to Microsoft Learn with a personal Microsoft account (so your certs stay with you if you change schools or jobs).
Go to the Azure Fundamentals certification page and click Schedule exam.
Choose Pearson VUE (online or test center) or Certiport (student/educator).
Select your country/region to see the price (US: $99 USD as per the official price list, but verify at checkout).
Pick your date/time, agree to policies, and pay.
Add a 48-hour reminder for rescheduling if needed.
Actionable takeaway: For online proctoring, run the system test early and clear your desk area to avoid delays.
FAQs
Q1: Does AZ-900 expire?
A1: No. Fundamentals certifications do not expire, so AZ-900 is a one-time milestone.
Q2: What is the passing score and how is scoring handled?
A2: The passing score is 700 on a 1–1000 scale. There is no penalty for guessing—answer every question.
Q3: What if I fail—what’s the retake policy?
A3: Wait 24 hours before your first retake; 14 days for each subsequent retake; maximum five attempts per year. Each attempt is paid unless covered by a retake promo.
Q4: How long is the exam, and how many questions are there?
A4: Fundamentals exams typically provide ~45 minutes of exam time (about 65 minutes seat time). Many Microsoft exams run about 35–50 questions; check “What to expect” and try the Exam Sandbox.
Q5: Which languages and delivery options are available?
A5: AZ-900 is offered in multiple languages (e.g., English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, German, French, Indonesian, Arabic [Saudi Arabia], Italian, Portuguese [Brazil], Russian). You can take it online or at a test center via Pearson VUE; students/educators can schedule via Certiport.
Conclusion:
If you’re just starting your cloud journey, AZ-900 gives you a clear, confidence-building foundation. With Microsoft’s free learning paths, hands-on practice, and a focused 2–4 week plan, you can pass the exam and speak the language of Azure—opening doors to role-based certifications and early-career opportunities. Ready to start? Block two hours today, complete the first learning path module, and book your exam date to lock in your momentum.
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