Microsoft Certified Trainer

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Become a Microsoft Certified Trainer

Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) are the premier technical and instructional experts in Microsoft technologies.

When you join this esteemed group of worldwide Microsoft training professionals, you’ll enjoy exclusive benefits including access to the complete library of official Microsoft training and certification products, substantial discounts on exams, books, and Microsoft products. You’ll have access to Microsoft readiness resources to help enhance your training career and engage with other MCT members in an online forum. You’ll also be invited to exclusive Microsoft and local MCT community events.

To become a Microsoft Certified Trainer, you’ll need to earn an approved Microsoft Certification validating your experience and knowledge for each course you deliver.

The Microsoft Certified Trainer program is an annual membership program. You must meet program requirements, complete an online application, and pay an annual fee to renew your training certification for the coming year.

Program benefits

Active MCTs receive access to tools, resources, discounts, and support teams designed to help them prepare for Microsoft course deliveries and enhance their instructional skills. Explore all the benefits available to MCTs.

MCT resources, events, and discussion forums are provided at MCT Lounge. To join this dedicated MCT community space, MCTs must first request access by following the MCT Lounge Access Request process.

Who can become an MCT?

The MCT program is for educators around the world who deliver training on Microsoft technologies. If you have a qualifying certification and are passionate about training others on Microsoft technologies, you’ll be a great MCT.

For detailed information regarding MCT program requirements, review the MCT Program Guide and MCT Program Agreement in the Application process section of this page.

MCT program entry requirements

  • Possess a current Microsoft Certification or qualification eligible for the MCT program. See below for list of qualifying certifications.
  • Provide verifiable proof of instructional skills by completing a course from one of the following approved providers:
Region Company Languages Supported
APAC Core Academy English; Urdu
APAC Fourth Dimension Arabic; Catalan; Danish; Dutch; English; French; German; Hebrew; Hungarian; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Norwegian; Polish; Portuguese; Romanian; Slovak; Spanish; Swedish; Turkish
APAC Leading Learning Partners Association (LLPA) Arabic; Bangla (India); Filipino; Hindi; Indonesian; Japanese; Kazakh; Korean; Malay; Persian; Punjabi (India); Thai; Turkish; Vietnamese
APAC Sinerji Eğitim Yönetim Danışmanlığı English; Turkish
APAC System Support, Inc. English; Japanese
APAC TechNet.pk English; Hindi; Urdu
APAC Trainocate Holdings Chinese; English; Filipino; Hindi; Indonesian; Japanese; Kannada; Malay; Tamil (India); Urdu
APAC Trainocate Japan LTD Japanese
EUROPE Altkom Akademia English; Polish
EUROPE Cellenza French
EUROPE Fourth Dimension Arabic; Catalan; Danish; Dutch; English; French; German; Hebrew; Hungarian; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Norwegian; Polish; Portuguese; Romanian; Slovak; Spanish; Swedish; Turkish
EUROPE IPM Institut für Personalentwicklung und Managementberatung German
EUROPE Leading Learning Partners Association (LLPA) Albanian; Arabic; Belarusian; Bosnian–Latinscript; Bulgarian; Catalan; Croatian; Czech; Danish; Dutch; English; Estonian; Finnish; French; Galician; German; Greek; Hebrew; Hungarian; Icelandic; Italian; Japanese; Kazakh; Latvian; Lithuanian; Luxembourgish; Macedonian (North Macedonia); Maltese; Norwegian; Polish; Portuguese; Romanian; Russian; Serbian; Slovak; Slovenian; Spanish; Swedish; Turkish; Ukrainian
EUROPE Marcom Deli, S.L. English; Spanish
EUROPE Nanfor Arabic; Catalan; English; Galician; German; Portuguese; Romanian; Spanish; Ukrainian; Urdu; Valencian
EUROPE New Horizons Hamburg English; German
EUROPE Niqué Consultancy BV Dutch; English
EUROPE ITTCERT By ORSYS - Groupe ORSYS FORMATION English; French
EUROPE QA Ltd English
EUROPE Skillsoft Global Knowledge Dutch; English; French
EUROPE Sulava Oy (The Digital Neighborhood company) Danish; Dutch; English; Finnish; German; Swedish
EUROPE ugolopez.it di Lopez Ugo English; Italian
LATAM Netec Spanish
LATAM Green Tecnologia Portuguese
LATAM Leading Learning Partners Association (LLPA) Portuguese; Spanish
LATAM TEDUCACIÓN English; Spanish
MEA Leading Learning Partners Association (LLPA) Afrikaans; Arabic; English; French; Portuguese
MEA Mudita Concepts (Pty) Ltd Afrikaans; English
MEA New Horizons Cairo Arabic; English
MEA Skillsoft Global Knowledge English
NORTH AMERICA Fast Lane Education and Consulting Services English; French; German; Japanese; Portuguese; Spanish
NORTH AMERICA Fourth Dimension Technologies, Inc. Arabic; Catalan; Danish; Dutch; English; French; German; Hebrew; Hungarian; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Norwegian; Polish; Portuguese; Romanian; Slovak; Spanish; Swedish; Turkish
NORTH AMERICA Friesen, Kaye and Associates (FKA) English; French; Spanish
NORTH AMERICA Leading Learning Partners Association (LLPA) English; Spanish
NORTH AMERICA MCT-ISC.com Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Japanese; Polish; Portuguese; Spanish
NORTH AMERICA pro•duhk•tiv English
NORTH AMERICA Skillsoft Global Knowledge English
NORTH AMERICA United Training English

Approved providers for MSFT internal only:

  • Microsoft Customer Service & Support (CSS) Trainer Certification
  • Advance Modern Presentation Skills (AMPS)
  • Essential Educate Trainer 

Microsoft does not accept digital copies of Instructional Skills Certificates (ISC) submitted by MCT candidates. Your ISC Provider will verify your completion of their program by submitting your ISC information directly to the MCT Program Team. In your MCT application, you will provide the name of the approved provider issuing your ISC. The MCT Program will verify your ISC based on the information submitted by that organization. ISC information submitted by Instructional Skills Certificate Providers may take up to 30 days to process and become available for MCT application review.

Note

  1. Some Instructional Skills Certification programs are not available globally, review the options above and contact instructional skills providers directly for any inquiries regarding course schedules and offerings.
  2. To renew your MCT status, you must meet the MCT program renewal requirements by your anniversary date. (Renewal requirements are subject to change.)

Are you interested in being an Instructional Skills Provider?

Please note, the application to become an Instructional Skills Provider (ISCP) is currently not open but to review the requirements and certification criteria for terms of membership, visit: Instructional Skills Provider requirements.

MCT Application process

If you’re interested in becoming an MCT, we’d love to have you. Please review the MCT program guide and the MCT Program Agreement for terms of membership.

The online application is available in the MCT enrollment tool. You’ll log in to the MCT enrollment tool with your personal Microsoft account associated with your Microsoft Certification ID (MCID).

Use the MCT enrollment tool to:

  • Review the MCT program requirements and sign the MCT Program Guide and Agreement. Your electronic signature validates your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions of the MCT Agreement.
  • Provide your employment status.
  • Select the name of the Instructional Skills Certificate (ISC) Provider issuing your required certificate. (Note: ISC information submitted to Microsoft from approved providers may take up to 30 days to process. Please apply to be an MCT 30 days after completion of your ISC program to ensure your certificate information is available for verification.)
  • Make any required payment associated with the MCT Program (Note: The MCT annual fee was temporarily waived in May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This payment waiver is still in effect.)
  • Submit your MCT application for review. (Note: If your Instructional Skills Certificate is not yet available, your application will be rejected and you will be required to reapply at a later date.)

Requirements to renew MCT status

Current eligible Microsoft Certifications and qualifications for the MCT program

Microsoft Certifications

Note: Microsoft Certifications and qualifications eligible for the MCT program are subject to change. All new role-based certification will become eligible for the MCT Program once released. Retired certifications will be eligible for the MCT program up to 6 months following the retirement date. To learn more about retiring certifications, visit: Certification retirement.

MCT Alumni program

For more than two decades, MCTs have been at the forefront of Microsoft technology training and adoption. In recognition of their significant contributions, we offer the MCT Alumni program. This program is for all MCTs in good standing with Microsoft who no longer train as part of the MCT program but wish to maintain their relationship with the MCT community.

Requirements for the MCT Alumni program:

  • Current or prior participation in the MCT program
  • In good standing with Microsoft

Program fees vary by country/region and employment status. To find the MCT and MCT Alumni membership fees for your country/region, use the lookup tool at the end of the page.

MCTs may choose to discontinue their active MCT Program membership and switch to the MCT Alumni Program. The MCT Alumni program will never require an annual fee, and it allow members to stay connected to 2 important MCT Program benefits:

  • Access to MCT Lounge so you can stay connected to MCT Program activities and announcements
  • A discount on exams to help keep your certifications current and facilitate re-entry into the MCT program

If you’re interested in becoming a member of the MCT Alumni Program, please review the MCT Alumni Program Agreement to understand the terms of membership.

Apply for MCT Alumni membership through the MCT enrollment tool.

Rejoining MCT

MCT Alumni are welcome to rejoin the MCT program when they return to active training.

To return as an MCT:

  • Be sure that you meet the MCT program requirements described in the Requirements section of this page. Check your transcript against the current Microsoft Certifications and qualifications eligible for the MCT program.
  • Apply for entry to the MCT program. MCT Alumni can follow the instructions for MCT program entry.

MCT and MCT Alumni program fees

The annual MCT Program fee for active MCT members is currently being waived for all new and renewing MCTs as a result of program changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MCT Alumni Program membership does not and has never required an annual program fee.

MCT support

For assistance with your MCT application, payment, benefits, or if you have a general question about the MCT program, find support in our moderated forum for MCTs. For detailed information, visit: Certification support.