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Microsoft · Cybersecurity

Microsoft SC-900

Security, compliance and identity concepts, with an introduction to Microsoft's related services.

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Understand the subject

Security, compliance and identity concepts, with an introduction to Microsoft's related services.

Apply it to the work

Useful when you need to understand a Microsoft security discussion and distinguish an identity problem from a data-protection or detection problem.

Build practical evidence

Get familiar with Microsoft 365 and Azure at a basic level. Follow a user signing in and accessing a document, then identify the controls involved.

Level
Beginner

What you will learn to do

Understand the subject

Security, compliance and identity concepts, with an introduction to Microsoft's related services.

Apply it to the work

Useful when you need to understand a Microsoft security discussion and distinguish an identity problem from a data-protection or detection problem.

Build practical evidence

Get familiar with Microsoft 365 and Azure at a basic level. Follow a user signing in and accessing a document, then identify the controls involved.

Certification essentials

Requirements, costs and keeping it current.

Check the vendor record and ongoing commitment alongside the career guidance.

Pricing view
Market

Vendor record

Live

Live. One 45-minute exam, no prerequisites. Microsoft states the certification was last updated on 28 July 2026.

Current name
Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals
Exam code
SC-900
Vendor-stated experience
Microsoft aims it at business stakeholders, new or existing IT professionals and students, and expects familiarity with Azure and Microsoft 365.

Source: Microsoft Learn · Read 17 September 2026

Sourced fields only; this does not mean every exam detail has been verified. Pricing and renewal policies have their own sources and check dates. Confirm the currency, tax and final booking total with the vendor.

Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Microsoft exam pricing

Role-fit guidance is TechWaymark editorial interpretation. It is separate from the recorded vendor facts and does not measure hiring outcomes.

Costs and renewal

Exam cost
Check current vendor pricing
Exam format
Exam format not yet verified — check the vendor's exam page
Keeping it current

Microsoft Fundamentals certifications do not expire and do not require annual renewal.

Renewal sources & exceptions

Renewal policy checked 2026-09-28. Check the linked provider policy for current fees and eligibility.

No verified quote held for this market. Check booking currency, taxes, membership, training and renewal fees with the vendor; no currency conversion is assumed. Check the vendor record before booking.

Current vendor pricing source ↗
Preparation and practical skills
Practitioner take

Use SC-900 when you need a first framework for Microsoft security and identity concepts. Follow it with a practical task relevant to your intended role if you want to demonstrate applied skill. Watch for: presenting foundational awareness as evidence of security engineering.

Editorial opinion about role fit. It is not a measured estimate of hiring success; vendor facts and prices are sourced separately.

Recommended prior knowledge

  • None

Common misconceptions

  • Microsoft SC-900 may meet a named requirement; it does not guarantee shortlisting or replace documented work.

What this cert does NOT guarantee

  • Guaranteed interviews, a salary increase or proof of production experience.
Alternatives and related certifications

Where this fits

Prerequisites
  • None required
This cert
Microsoft SC-900
Stronger / next
  • Top of this lane

Alternative routes

No single right path. These adjacent options reach similar roles.

  • SC-200
    Common follow-on or adjacent credential, see the graph for full lineage.
  • SC-300
    Common follow-on or adjacent credential, see the graph for full lineage.
  • SC-400
    Common follow-on or adjacent credential, see the graph for full lineage.

Adjacent & overlapping

Adjacent
  • SC-200
  • SC-300
  • SC-400
Career outcomes and limitations

Realistic first roles

Microsoft security, compliance and identity foundations

How people actually get here

    Real-world career variations

    Timeline expectations

    1. Months 0–2Foundation reading, concepts, vocabulary.
    2. Months 2–4Hands-on labs, documented home projects.
    3. Months 4–6Practice exams, weak-area drills, exam.
    4. Post-examUse target vacancies to guide applications and projects. There is no guaranteed time to a first role.

    Study resources

    Study options

    Choose the right mix for your goals and experience. Links below go to official and third-party resources.

    Guided study

    Structured resources from established providers can help build knowledge and skills.

    Compare study options →

    Third-party providers. Commercial terms, pricing and availability apply.

    Practice environments

    Explore suitable environments for practical work. Check the tools, features and access you need.

    Compare practice resources →

    External resources. Check current costs and access requirements.

    Resources are selected for relevance. Compare access, syllabus coverage and total cost; a listing does not imply a commercial partnership.

    Compare the resources for Microsoft SC-900
    Learning pathProvider source

    Microsoft Learn. SC-900 free path

    Reading + interactive

    Free resource; confirm current access terms
    View resource
    PracticeProvider source

    Microsoft Official Practice Assessment

    Quiz

    Free resource; confirm current access terms
    View resource

    Check the current syllabus, access terms and total cost before choosing. Resource inclusion does not guarantee exam success.

    Optional home projects

    Build something you can explain.

    Ideas to explore after choosing a certification, using your own tools and keeping evidence of your work.

    Example project evidence
    Project evidence map (example)
    Annotated employee information flowScope and inputs
    Plain-English control glossary with examplesDecisions and reasoning
    Evidence record (example)
    EvidenceWhat to capture
    Annotated employee information flowShow the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. Signing in successfully is not confused with permission to read every document.
    Plain-English control glossary with examplesInclude the evidence supporting your conclusion. Security detection and compliance retention have separate purposes.

    Explain identity, security and compliance in one workflow

    A new employee needs access to a confidential document and later leaves the company. A manager wants to understand which controls do what.

    Design project Your own tools Evidence guidance
    View project guide
    Track this certification

    What this is based on

    Editorial route and career guidance. No separate external evidence review is recorded for this assessment.

    Editorial evidence review: pending · UK market. Vendor facts and prices elsewhere on this page have their own sources and check dates.