AZ-900 training and courses: what Microsoft offers and how to choose

The official Microsoft Azure Fundamentals course: AZ-900T00

Microsoft’s instructor-led Microsoft Azure Fundamentals course is called AZ-900T00-A: Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure. Microsoft lists it as a one-day course at beginner level that “combines lecture, demonstrations, and hands-on labs”, mainly in the Azure portal and command-line interface, with no scripting skills required.

Microsoft describes the audience as IT personnel who are just beginning to work with Azure and says the course “will also help prepare someone for the AZ-900 exam”. You book a date through a training provider, which the course page lets you search for; Microsoft does not publish a single price for the classroom version.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Course AZ-900T00-A: Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure. Checked 9 October 2026.

Free AZ-900 training on Microsoft Learn

The self-paced version of the same AZ-900 training is free. Microsoft’s training FAQ states: “Microsoft Learn training is free and available to anyone who has an interest to learn about Microsoft products.”

Microsoft calls the series Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure — “a four-part series that teaches you basic cloud concepts, provides a streamlined overview of many Azure services, and guides you with hands-on exercises” — and advises completing all of the learning paths in it if you are preparing for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. The first path, Describe cloud concepts, has three modules: cloud computing, the benefits of cloud services, and cloud service types.

One practical detail: Microsoft states that Learn sandboxes are no longer available, so the hands-on exercises need your own Azure subscription, either a free 30-day trial or pay-as-you-go. Completing modules earns you achievements on your Learn profile, not the certification.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Training FAQ. Checked 9 October 2026.

Is the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification free?

The training is free; the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification is not. Microsoft’s training FAQ separates the two clearly: modules earn achievements, while credentials are earned by passing an assessment or exam. For AZ-900 that means the paid exam, which Microsoft lists at $99 USD with the price based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored.

What is free on top of the learning paths is Microsoft’s practice assessment for AZ-900, which Microsoft says is available at no cost and can be attempted as many times as you like.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Practice assessments for Microsoft Certifications. Checked 9 October 2026.

How to choose an Azure Fundamentals certification course

Whichever Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification course you look at — Microsoft’s own or one from a training provider — compare it with Microsoft’s study guide, not with its own marketing. Microsoft revised the AZ-900 skills on 20 July 2026, and the guide is the only official list of what the exam covers.

Four checks are worth making before you pay for an AZ-900 certification course:

• Coverage: does it teach all three skill areas — cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, and Azure management and governance — with roughly the weighting Microsoft gives them?
• Currency: does it use current names such as Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Purview, which the July 2026 outline uses?
• Hands-on time: does it include exercises in the Azure portal, and does it provide an Azure subscription for them, now that Learn sandboxes are gone?
• Exam fee: is the exam included, or is it booked and paid separately with Microsoft’s exam provider?

Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. Checked 9 October 2026.

Self-paced or instructor-led: which AZ-900 course format fits?

A one-day classroom course suits people who learn best with an instructor and want to finish quickly. The free learning paths suit people who prefer to study in short sessions or already know some cloud basics and want to skip familiar parts.

Either way, a Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals course gives you the concepts; it does not tell you whether you are ready. That is the job of practice questions taken under exam-like conditions after the course.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Course AZ-900T00-A: Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure. Checked 9 October 2026.

After the course: checking your readiness

Certsqill’s AZ-900 practice questions are expert-developed against the three skill areas in Microsoft’s study guide. Every question comes with an explanation for each answer option, and your results build a readiness score per domain, so you can see which part of the course needs another look. Access comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.

AZ-900 training & courses: questions people ask

Is there a free AZ-900 course?

Yes. Microsoft’s self-paced Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure learning paths on Microsoft Learn are free, and Microsoft recommends completing all of them if you are preparing for AZ-900. Checked 9 October 2026.

How long is the official Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 course?

Microsoft lists the instructor-led course AZ-900T00-A: Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure as one day. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 9 October 2026.

Do I need AZ-900 training before I can take the exam?

No. Microsoft names no prerequisites for Azure Fundamentals, so a course is optional. Checked 9 October 2026.

Does completing Azure Fundamentals courses give me the certification?

No. Completing Microsoft Learn modules earns achievements; the certification is earned only by passing the AZ-900 exam. Source: Microsoft Learn training FAQ, checked 9 October 2026.

Do I need an Azure subscription for the course exercises?

For Microsoft Learn’s hands-on exercises, yes. Microsoft states that sandboxes are no longer available and points to a free 30-day trial or a pay-as-you-go subscription. Checked 9 October 2026.