SC-300 exam format: questions, score and cost
SC-300 gives you 100 minutes, requires a scaled score of 700 out of 1000 to pass, and is priced per country at the booking step. Microsoft does not publish the number of questions. Here is everything else it publishes, and what it means for your preparation.
| Exam title | Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator |
| Certification | Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate |
| Level | Intermediate (associate) |
| Duration | 100 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 on a scale of 1–1000 |
| Number of questions | Not published by Microsoft |
| Languages | English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional) |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE, proctored |
| Price | Set per country or region; shown at booking |
| Renewal | Every 12 months, free, on Microsoft Learn |
| Prerequisite certification | None listed |
| Outline | Skills measured as of October 28, 2026 (English) |
The four domains
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Implement and manage user identities | 20–25% |
| Implement authentication and access management | 25–30% |
| Plan and implement workload identities | 20–25% |
| Plan and automate identity governance | 20–25% |
Microsoft’s study guide lists the authentication weight as 25–30% in its summary but 20–25% in the section heading, so treat it as the largest area, possibly by only a few points. Authentication and access management can be nearly a third of the exam. It holds the topics that candidates fear most: Conditional Access policy design and troubleshooting, authentication methods and ID Protection. Do not neglect the other three, though. User identities (hybrid sync, external users, administrative units), workload identities (app registrations, enterprise apps, managed identities, Defender for Cloud Apps) and governance (access packages, access reviews, PIM, logs) each carry about a fifth.
The October 28, 2026 update
Microsoft’s study guide carries a change log for the update that takes effect on October 28, 2026. It marks the audience profile and the domain structure as unchanged, and flags three sub-areas as minor changes: user authentication (the methods now name certificate-based authentication, Temporary Access Pass, Microsoft Authenticator and passkeys), Global Secure Access, and privileged access. If you book a date before October 28, check which outline applies to you in the study guide. The two versions are close, so the same preparation works for both.
The English version is always updated first. Localised versions follow roughly eight weeks later, so in another language you may sit the previous outline for a while.
Free practice assessment and sandbox
SC-300 has a free official practice assessment on Microsoft Learn. Use it once early, to find your weakest domain, and once late. The exam sandbox shows the interface and the question types without testing content.
Question types
Expect the usual Microsoft mix:
- Single-answer and multiple-answer multiple choice
- Drag-and-drop ordering, such as the steps to configure an access package
- Dropdown completion, including KQL or PowerShell snippets
- Yes/no statement series about one scenario, where you usually cannot go back
- Case studies with several questions sharing one scenario: a company with an on-premises forest, a few SaaS apps and a list of requirements
The exam may have interactive components. Microsoft’s audience profile names PowerShell and KQL, so expect to read a query and say what it returns.
The passing score is scaled
700 of 1000 is not 70% correct. Microsoft scales scores and does not publish the conversion. Aim for a consistent 80% or more on realistic practice material.
Preview features
Microsoft states that most questions cover generally available features, and that preview features may appear if they are commonly used. Entra changes quickly, so use current documentation, and treat anything that still says Azure Active Directory as dated.
Languages and extra time
If the exam is not offered in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes. Arrange this before you book.
Retakes and renewal
If you fail, you can retake after 24 hours; later attempts need 14 days between them, with at most five attempts in 12 months, under Microsoft’s retake policy. The certification is valid for 12 months and renews through a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn. See the certification costs page for the wider picture and the exam day guide for the day itself.