CertifyDeckSC-300 is passed with 700 points out of 1,000 and measures four Microsoft Entra domains: user identities, authentication and access, workload identities and identity governance. The fastest way to prepare is not to study isolated features but to practise whole decisions: who gets access, to which resource, under what condition and how it is reviewed afterwards.
Prioritize by weight and by dependency
Microsoft's official guide splits the exam into user identities, authentication and access, workload identities and governance. Start with the tenant, users, groups, roles and administrative units; continue with MFA, authentication methods and Conditional Access; then tackle applications, service principals and managed identities. You can follow the blocks in the SC-300 study guide.
Leave PIM, access reviews, entitlement management and monitoring for the last block, but do not skip them: they connect governance, least privilege and auditing, and they appear mixed with everything else in scenario questions.
The lab that clears up the most questions
In a test tenant create two groups, register an application, configure a Conditional Access policy in report-only mode and review the sign-in logs. Add an eligible assignment in PIM and an access review if your lab license allows it.
For each change write down the goal, the scope and the risk. SC-300 often pits similar tools against each other: knowing when to use Azure RBAC, Entra roles, dynamic groups or a Conditional Access policy means you do not depend on literal memory.
A four-week preparation plan
Week one: identities and roles. Week two: authentication and Conditional Access. Week three: applications and workload identities. Week four: governance, logs and mock exams. If you do not work with Entra, extend the plan and practise before booking.
Review each mistake against the official documentation and make flashcards only for limits or behaviours you genuinely confuse. The rest is learned better by solving new scenarios than by rereading notes.
How to practise SC-300 on CertifyDeck
Practice by category on the SC-300 page lets you isolate Conditional Access, applications or governance without mixing everything from day one; the SC-300 cheat sheet summarizes the limits and the differences between tools asked about most.
Each explanation turns the percentage into actions: which concept to review and why an alternative does not satisfy the scenario. The aim is to solve a new case even when the context changes, not to recognize questions you have seen.
Frequently asked questions
What is the passing score for SC-300?
700 points out of 1,000, the same as every other Microsoft certification exam.
Do I need AZ-104 or SC-900 before SC-300?
There are no formal prerequisites. SC-900 helps if you are starting from scratch in identity, but if you already administer Microsoft Entra you can go straight to SC-300.
How long does it take to prepare for SC-300?
With daily experience in Entra ID, about four weeks; without it, six to eight, spending part of that time in a test tenant.
Does SC-300 change in 2026?
Yes. The English version is updated on 28 October 2026. Microsoft's change log marks minor changes in user authentication, Global Secure Access and privileged access; localized versions follow about eight weeks later.
What happens if I fail?
You can retake SC-300 24 hours after the first failed attempt; after a second fail, Microsoft applies longer waits.