Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$99
Provider
Microsoft
Validity
Does not expire
Available
Global
Education
No formal education requirement
Experience
Recommended but not required
Specific Requirements
- No formal prerequisite exam, degree, or work experience is required to book AI-901.
- Microsoft's audience profile expects conceptual knowledge of AI solutions in Azure and the foundational technical skills to work with them.
- Knowledge of Python coding syntax and programming techniques is listed by Microsoft as a requirement for this exam.
- Familiarity with Azure resources is expected, including core cloud concepts such as cloud storage, cloud compute, and cloud-based authentication and authorisation.
- Familiarity with REST APIs, SDKs, and CLIs is stated on the exam page.
- A Microsoft Learn profile registered with a personal Microsoft account, plus a government-issued ID whose name matches that profile exactly.
- An Azure subscription is not required to sit the exam but is needed to complete the hands-on Foundry work the exam assumes.
Number of Questions
42 to 46 questions, per Certiport's published exam length list; Microsoft states most of its certification exams contain 40 to 60 questions and does not publish a fixed count for AI-901
Duration
45 minutes of exam time, 65 minutes of seat time
Question Format
Multiple choice, Multiple response, Drag and drop, Build list, Hot area, Active screen
Passing Requirement
700
How It Is Delivered
Pearson VUE test centre or OnVUE online proctored exam; Certiport delivers the exam for students and educators
Languages Offered
English, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish
Rules specific to this exam
- Microsoft builds five minutes of break time into the exam clock and removes questions to make room for it. The clock keeps running while you are on break.
- Once you start a break you cannot return to any question you have already seen, including questions left unanswered or marked for review.
- Access to Microsoft Learn during the exam is available on associate and expert role-based exams only. Fundamentals exams do not have it.
- Microsoft does not identify which question types appear on a given exam in advance. The free exam sandbox at aka.ms/examdemo lets you interact with every question type in the real interface.
- Some questions on every Microsoft exam are unscored trial items used to gather psychometric data. They are not marked, so answer every question.
- Non-native English speakers taking the exam in English can request an additional 30 minutes.
Create a Microsoft Learn profile
Navigate to the exam page and click 'Schedule exam'
Choose Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring
Pay the exam fee and confirm your appointment
Score Scale
1 to 1,000
Score You Need
700
How It Is Calculated
Microsoft awards one point for each correctly answered component, so multi-part questions can earn all, some, or none of their points. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer. Raw points are converted to a scaled score so that forms of differing difficulty are equated: an easier set of questions requires more raw points to reach 700, a harder set requires fewer.
When You Get Results
Within minutes of finishing for exams without labs; the score also appears in your Microsoft Learn profile within 24 hours
In raw terms: Not published. Microsoft states directly that 700 is a scaled score and may not equal 70 percent of the points, and that the section bar chart cannot be used to calculate how many questions you answered correctly.
- The score report gives one overall numeric score, a pass or fail status, and a bar chart of performance per skill area. It does not give a numeric score per section.
- Scoring zero in one skill area is possible and not an error. Some areas carry only a few questions.
- Unscored trial questions are mixed in and are not identified, so treat every item as if it counts.
- Microsoft will not disclose which questions you answered incorrectly, on either a pass or a fail.
- Identical scores across repeat attempts are normal and Microsoft treats them as evidence of exam reliability rather than a fault.
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation
- For online: clean workspace, webcam, microphone
What are the prerequisites for the Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901)?
No formal prerequisite exam, degree, or work experience is required to book AI-901.. Microsoft's audience profile expects conceptual knowledge of AI solutions in Azure and the foundational technical skills to work with them.. Knowledge of Python coding syntax and programming techniques is listed by Microsoft as a requirement for this exam.. Familiarity with Azure resources is expected, including core cloud concepts such as cloud storage, cloud compute, and cloud-based authentication and authorisation.. Familiarity with REST APIs, SDKs, and CLIs is stated on the exam page.. A Microsoft Learn profile registered with a personal Microsoft account, plus a government-issued ID whose name matches that profile exactly.. An Azure subscription is not required to sit the exam but is needed to complete the hands-on Foundry work the exam assumes..
How much does the Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) cost?
The Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) exam costs $99. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901)?
Create a Microsoft Learn profile → Navigate to the exam page and click 'Schedule exam' → Choose Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring → Pay the exam fee and confirm your appointment
What should I bring to the Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation. For online: clean workspace, webcam, microphone.
Ready to prepare for Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901)?
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