How Long to Study for Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
A complete week-by-week study plan for the Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) (Easy difficulty, Not published pass rate).
8
Weeks
6
Hrs/Week
51
Total Hours
Not published
Pass Rate
5-6 hours this week
- Read the AZ-900 study guide in full and note every bullet you cannot explain out loud
- Complete the Microsoft Learn module on describing cloud computing
- Write your own one-line definition of IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS and who patches the operating system in each
- Draw the shared responsibility model as a table with three columns and mark each row
- Create a free Azure account so the portal is available from week 2
5-6 hours this week
- Complete the Microsoft Learn module on the benefits of using cloud services
- Write down the difference between high availability, scalability, elasticity, and reliability in one sentence each
- Compare capital expenditure and operating expenditure with a worked example of a server purchase
- Read the Azure Functions overview page and note what makes a service serverless
- Take the free Practice Assessment once for a baseline score and record which areas failed
6 hours this week
- Learn regions, region pairs, sovereign regions, and availability zones and what each protects against
- Create two resource groups in the portal and move a resource between them
- Draw the hierarchy from management group to subscription to resource group to resource
- Read the Azure geographies page and find which regions pair with each other
- Answer ten practice questions on architecture only and review every wrong answer
6-7 hours this week
- Deploy a small Linux virtual machine, then delete it and check the leftover disk and network interface
- Compare virtual machines, containers, and Azure Functions on cost, control, and scaling
- Read the documentation for Virtual Machine Scale Sets and availability sets
- Note when Azure Virtual Desktop is the right answer and when App Service is
- List the resources a virtual machine requires before it can start
6-7 hours this week
- Create a virtual network with two subnets and peer it with a second virtual network
- Learn the difference between VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute and when each is chosen
- Read the Azure DNS overview and note what it does and does not resolve
- Explain a public endpoint against a private endpoint in two sentences
- Answer fifteen networking practice questions and review the explanations
7 hours this week
- Create a storage account and upload a blob, then change its access tier
- Memorise LRS, ZRS, GRS, and GZRS by number of copies and failure survived
- Read the Microsoft Entra ID overview and list three authentication methods
- Learn Conditional Access, RBAC, Zero Trust, and defence in depth as four separate ideas
- Note what Microsoft Defender for Cloud reports and what it does not do
6-7 hours this week
- Price a two-virtual-machine workload in the Azure pricing calculator
- Create a budget and a cost alert in Microsoft Cost Management
- Apply a CanNotDelete lock to a resource group and try to delete a resource inside it
- Assign a built-in Azure Policy that restricts allowed regions and read the compliance result
- Open Cloud Shell and run one Azure CLI and one Azure PowerShell command
7-8 hours this week
- Open Azure Advisor and read one recommendation from each of its categories
- Compare Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, and Service Health in a single table
- Run the exam sandbox at aka.ms/examdemo and practise every interactive question type
- Take the Practice Assessment twice more and aim for 85 percent or higher on both
- Re-read the study guide and confirm you can speak to every bullet, then book the exam
Duration: 12 weeks
Hours/week: 4 hours
Daily: ~1 hours on weeknights
Weekends: 3-4 hours Saturday + Sunday
Study during lunch breaks and commute time. Use weekends for deeper study sessions and practice tests.
Duration: 16 weeks
Hours/week: 3 hours
Saturday: 4-5 hours of focused study
Sunday: 3-4 hours of practice tests
Longer timeline but sustainable. Review flashcards on weeknights for 15-20 minutes to maintain retention.
How long does it take to study for the Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)?
Plan for 8 weeks of dedicated study at 6 hours per week (51 total hours). If studying while working full-time, extend to 12 weeks.
Can I pass the Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) in 2 weeks?
Possibly, if you have prior experience. Most candidates need at least 8 weeks, but experienced professionals may pass with intensive 2-week preparation.
How many hours a day should I study for Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)?
Aim for 1-2 hours per day on weekdays. Quality matters more than quantity, use active recall and practice tests rather than passive reading.
Is Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) hard to pass?
The Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) is rated "Easy" difficulty with a pass rate of Not published. With proper study, most candidates pass on their first attempt.
Ready to start your Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) journey?
Get the complete exam guide with tips, resources, and practice questions.
View Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Guide