Study guide for Exam SC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator

Purpose of this document

This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.

Useful links Description
Review the skills measured as of July 30, 2024 This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided. Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date.
Review the skills measured prior to July 30, 2024 Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date provided.
Change log You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the changes that will be made on the date provided.
How to earn the certification Some certifications only require passing one exam, while others require passing multiple exams.
Certification renewal Microsoft associate, expert, and specialty certifications expire annually. You can renew by passing a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn.
Your Microsoft Learn profile Connecting your certification profile to Microsoft Learn allows you to schedule and renew exams and share and print certificates.
Exam scoring and score reports A score of 700 or greater is required to pass.
Exam sandbox You can explore the exam environment by visiting our exam sandbox.
Request accommodations If you use assistive devices, require extra time, or need modification to any part of the exam experience, you can request an accommodation.
Take a free Practice Assessment Test your skills with practice questions to help you prepare for the exam.

Updates to the exam

Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.

We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. Although Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.

Note

The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.

Note

Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.

Skills measured as of July 30, 2024

Audience profile

As a Microsoft identity and access administrator, you design, implement, and operate an organization’s identity and access management by using Microsoft Entra. You configure and manage identities throughout their lifecycles for users, devices, Microsoft Azure resources, and applications.​ You are responsible for ensuring the application of Zero Trust principles for identity and access solutions.

As an identity and access administrator, you provide seamless experiences and self-service management capabilities for users. You plan and implement identity, authentication, and authorization to enable access across applications and resources. You’re also responsible for troubleshooting, monitoring, and reporting on identity and access. ​

You collaborate with many other roles in the organization to drive strategic identity projects, modernize identity solutions, implement hybrid identity solutions, and implement identity governance.​

You should be familiar with Azure, Microsoft 365 services and workloads, and Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). You should also be familiar with PowerShell and Kusto Query Language (KQL).

Skills at a glance

  • Implement and manage user identities (20–25%)

  • Implement authentication and access management (25–30%)

  • Plan and implement workload identities (20–25%)

  • Plan and automate identity governance (25–30%)

Implement and manage user identities (20–25%)

Configure and manage a Microsoft Entra tenant

  • Configure and manage built-in and custom Microsoft Entra roles

  • Recommend when to use administrative units

  • Configure and manage administrative units

  • Evaluate effective permissions for Microsoft Entra roles

  • Configure and manage domains in Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft 365

  • Configure Company branding settings

  • Configure tenant properties, user settings, group settings, and device settings

Create, configure, and manage Microsoft Entra identities

  • Create, configure, and manage users

  • Create, configure, and manage groups

  • Manage custom security attributes

  • Automate bulk operations by using the Microsoft Entra admin center and PowerShell

  • Manage device join and device registration in Microsoft Entra ID

  • Assign, modify, and report on licenses

Implement and manage identities for external users and tenants

  • Manage External collaboration settings in Microsoft Entra ID

  • Invite external users, individually or in bulk

  • Manage external user accounts in Microsoft Entra ID

  • Implement Cross-tenant access settings

  • Implement and manage cross-tenant synchronization

  • Configure external identity providers, including protocols such as SAML and WS-Fed

Implement and manage hybrid identity

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Connect Sync

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync

  • Implement and manage password hash synchronization

  • Implement and manage pass-through authentication

  • Implement and manage seamless single sign-on (SSO)

  • Migrate from AD FS to other authentication and authorization mechanisms

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Connect Health

Implement authentication and access management (25–30%)

Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra user authentication

  • Plan for authentication

  • Implement and manage authentication methods, including certificate-based, temporary access pass, OAUTH tokens, Microsoft Authenticator, and FIDO2

  • Implement and manage tenant-wide Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) settings

  • Configure and deploy self-service password reset (SSPR)

  • Implement and manage Windows Hello for Business

  • Disable accounts and revoke user sessions

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Entra password protection

  • Enable Microsoft Entra Kerberos authentication for hybrid identities

Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra Conditional Access

  • Plan Conditional Access policies

  • Implement Conditional Access policy assignments

  • Implement Conditional Access policy controls

  • Test and troubleshoot Conditional Access policies

  • Implement session management

  • Implement device-enforced restrictions

  • Implement continuous access evaluation

  • Configure authentication context

  • Implement protected actions

  • Create a Conditional Access policy from a template

Manage risk by using Microsoft Entra ID Protection

  • Implement and manage user risk by using Identity Protection or Conditional Access policies

  • Implement and manage sign-in risk by using Identity Protection or Conditional Access policies

  • Implement and manage Multifactor authentication registration policies

  • Monitor, investigate and remediate risky users and risky sign-ins

  • Monitor, investigate, and remediate risky workload identities

Implement access management for Azure resources by using Azure roles

  • Create custom Azure roles, including both control plane and data plane permissions

  • Assign built-in and custom Azure roles

  • Evaluate effective permissions for a set of Azure roles

  • Assign Azure roles to enable Microsoft Entra ID login to Azure virtual machines

  • Configure Azure Key Vault role-based access control (RBAC) and access policies

Implement Global Secure Access

  • Deploy Global Secure Access clients

  • Deploy Private Access

  • Deploy Internet Access

  • Deploy Internet Access for Microsoft 365

Plan and implement workload identities (20–25%)

Plan and implement identities for applications and Azure workloads

  • Select appropriate identities for applications and Azure workloads, including managed identities, service principals, user accounts, and managed service accounts

  • Create managed identities

  • Assign a managed identity to an Azure resource

  • Use a managed identity assigned to an Azure resource to access other Azure resources

Plan, implement, and monitor the integration of enterprise applications

  • Plan and implement settings for enterprise applications, including application-level and tenant-level settings

  • Assign appropriate Microsoft Entra roles to users to manage enterprise applications

  • Design and implement integration for on-premises apps by using Microsoft Entra Application Proxy

  • Design and implement integration for software as a service (SaaS) apps

  • Assign, classify, and manage users, groups, and app roles for enterprise applications

  • Configure and manage user and admin consent

  • Create and manage application collections

Plan and implement app registrations

  • Plan for app registrations

  • Create app registrations

  • Configure app authentication

  • Configure API permissions

  • Create app roles

Manage and monitor app access by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

  • Configure and analyze cloud discovery results by using Defender for Cloud Apps

  • Configure connected apps

  • Implement application-enforced restrictions

  • Configure Conditional Access app control

  • Create access and session policies in Defender for Cloud Apps

  • Implement and manage policies for OAuth apps

  • Manage the Cloud app catalog

Plan and automate identity governance (25–30%)

Plan and implement entitlement management in Microsoft Entra

  • Plan entitlements

  • Create and configure catalogs

  • Create and configure access packages

  • Manage access requests

  • Implement and manage terms of use (ToU)

  • Manage the lifecycle of external users

  • Configure and manage connected organizations

Plan, implement, and manage access reviews in Microsoft Entra

  • Plan for access reviews

  • Create and configure access reviews

  • Monitor access review activity

  • Manually respond to access review activity

Plan and implement privileged access

  • Plan and manage Microsoft Entra roles in Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM), including settings and assignments

  • Plan and manage Azure resources in PIM, including settings and assignments

  • Plan and configure groups managed by PIM

  • Manage the PIM request and approval process

  • Analyze PIM audit history and reports

  • Create and manage break-glass accounts

Monitor identity activity by using logs, workbooks, and reports

  • Review and analyze sign-in, audit, and provisioning logs by using the Microsoft Entra admin center

  • Configure diagnostic settings, including configuring destinations such as Log Analytics workspaces, storage accounts, and event hubs

  • Monitor Microsoft Entra ID by using KQL queries in Log Analytics

  • Analyze Microsoft Entra ID by using workbooks and reporting

  • Monitor and improve the security posture by using Identity Secure Score

Plan and implement Microsoft Entra Permissions Management

  • Onboard Azure subscriptions to Permissions Management

  • Evaluate and remediate risks relating to Azure identities, resources, and tasks

  • Evaluate and remediate risks relating to Azure highly privileged roles

  • Evaluate and remediate risks relating to Permissions Creep Index (PCI) in Azure

  • Configure activity alerts and triggers for Azure subscriptions

Study resources

We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.

Study resources Links to learning and documentation
Get trained Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an instructor-led course
Find documentation Microsoft Entra ID documentation
Azure Identity Management and access control security best practices
Microsoft Entra External Identities documentation
Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication overview
Microsoft Defender for Cloud documentation
What is Microsoft Entra ID Governance?
What is Privileged Identity Management?
What is Azure Active Directory monitoring and health?
Microsoft security documentation
Ask a question Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs
Get community support Security, compliance, and identity community hub
Follow Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community
Find a video Exam Readiness Zone
Browse other Microsoft Learn shows

Change log

Key to understanding the table: The topic groups (also known as functional groups) are in bold typeface followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the two versions of the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.

Skill area prior to July 30, 2024 Skill area as of July 30, 2024 Change
Audience profile Major
Implement and manage user identities Implement and manage user identities No change
Configure and manage a Microsoft Entra tenant Configure and manage a Microsoft Entra tenant Minor
Create, configure, and manage Microsoft Entra identities Create, configure, and manage Microsoft Entra identities Minor
Implement and manage identities for external users and tenants Implement and manage identities for external users and tenants Minor
Implement and manage hybrid identity Implement and manage hybrid identity Minor
Implement authentication and access management Implement authentication and access management No change
Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra user authentication Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra user authentication Minor
Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra Conditional Access Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra Conditional Access Major
Manage risk by using Microsoft Entra ID Protection Manage risk by using Microsoft Entra ID Protection Minor
Implement access management for Azure resources by using Azure roles Implement access management for Azure resources by using Azure roles Minor
Implement Global Secure Access New
Plan and implement workload identities Plan and implement workload identities No change
Plan and implement identities for applications and Azure workloads Plan and implement identities for applications and Azure workloads No change
Plan, implement, and monitor the integration of enterprise applications Plan, implement, and monitor the integration of enterprise applications No change
Plan and implement application registrations Plan and implement app registrations Minor
Manage and monitor app access by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Manage and monitor app access by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps No change
Plan and implement identity governance Plan and automate identity governance % of the exam increased
Plan and implement entitlement management in Microsoft Entra Plan and implement entitlement management in Microsoft Entra No change
Plan, implement, and manage access reviews in Microsoft Entra Plan, implement, and manage access reviews in Microsoft Entra No change
Plan and implement privileged access Plan and implement privileged access No change
Monitor identity activity by using logs, workbooks, and reports Monitor identity activity by using logs, workbooks, and reports Minor
Plan and implement Microsoft Entra Permissions Management Plan and implement Microsoft Entra Permissions Management No change

Skills measured prior to July 30, 2024

Audience profile

As a Microsoft identity and access administrator, you design, implement, and operate an organization’s identity and access management by using Microsoft Entra ID. You configure and manage the full cycle of identities for:

  • Users

  • Devices

  • Microsoft Azure resources

  • Applications

As an identity and access administrator, you provide seamless experiences and self-service management capabilities for users. You plan and implement identity, authorization, and access to connect applications and resources in Azure. You’re also responsible for troubleshooting, monitoring, and reporting on identity and access. You collaborate with many other roles in the organization to:

  • Drive strategic identity projects.

  • Modernize identity solutions.

  • Implement hybrid identity solutions.

  • Implement identity governance.

You should be familiar with Azure, Microsoft 365 services and workloads, and Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). You should have experience:

  • Automating the management of Microsoft Entra ID using PowerShell.

  • Analyzing events using Kusto Query Language (KQL).

Skills at a glance

  • Implement and manage user identities (20–25%)

  • Implement authentication and access management (25–30%)

  • Plan and implement workload identities (20–25%)

  • Plan and implement identity governance (20–25%)

Implement and manage user identities (20–25%)

Configure and manage a Microsoft Entra tenant

  • Configure and manage built-in and custom Microsoft Entra roles

  • Recommend when to use administrative units

  • Configure and manage administrative units

  • Evaluate effective permissions for Microsoft Entra roles

  • Configure and manage custom domains

  • Configure Company branding settings

  • Configure tenant properties, user settings, group settings, and device settings

Create, configure, and manage Microsoft Entra identities

  • Create, configure, and manage users

  • Create, configure, and manage groups

  • Manage custom security attributes

  • Automate the management of users and groups by using PowerShell

  • Assign, modify, and report on licenses

Implement and manage identities for external users and tenants

  • Manage External collaboration settings in Microsoft Entra ID

  • Invite external users, individually or in bulk

  • Manage external user accounts in Microsoft Entra ID

  • Implement Cross-tenant access settings

  • Implement and manage cross-tenant synchronization

  • Configure identity providers, including SAML and WS-Fed

  • Create and manage a Microsoft Entra B2C tenant (Microsoft Entra External ID)

Implement and manage hybrid identity

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Connect

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Connect cloud sync

  • Implement and manage password hash synchronization

  • Implement and manage pass-through authentication

  • Implement and manage seamless single sign-on (SSO)

  • Implement and manage federation, excluding manual Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) deployments

  • Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Connect Health

  • Troubleshoot synchronization errors

Implement authentication and access management (25–30%)

Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra user authentication

  • Plan for authentication

  • Implement and manage authentication methods

  • Implement and manage tenant-wide Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) settings

  • Manage per-user MFA settings

  • Configure and deploy self-service password reset (SSPR)

  • Implement and manage Windows Hello for Business

  • Disable accounts and revoke user sessions

  • Implement and manage password protection and smart lockout

  • Enable Microsoft Entra Kerberos authentication for hybrid identities

  • Implement certificate-based authentication in Microsoft Entra

Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra Conditional Access

  • Plan Conditional Access policies

  • Implement Conditional Access policy assignments

  • Implement Conditional Access policy controls

  • Test and troubleshoot Conditional Access policies

  • Implement session management

  • Implement device-enforced restrictions

  • Implement continuous access evaluation

  • Create a Conditional Access policy from a template

Manage risk by using Microsoft Entra ID Protection

  • Implement and manage user risk policies

  • Implement and manage sign-in risk policies

  • Implement and manage MFA registration policies

  • Monitor, investigate and remediate risky users

  • Monitor, investigate, and remediate risky workload identities

Implement access management for Azure resources by using Azure roles

  • Create custom Azure roles, including both control plane and data plane permissions

  • Assign built-in and custom Azure roles

  • Evaluate effective permissions for a set of Azure roles

  • Assign Azure roles to enable Microsoft Entra ID login to Azure virtual machines

  • Configure Azure Key Vault role-based access control (RBAC) and access policies

Plan and implement workload identities (20–25%)

Plan and implement identities for applications and Azure workloads

  • Select appropriate identities for applications and Azure workloads, including managed identities, service principals, user accounts, and managed service accounts

  • Create managed identities

  • Assign a managed identity to an Azure resource

  • Use a managed identity assigned to an Azure resource to access other Azure resources

Plan, implement, and monitor the integration of enterprise applications

  • Configure and manage user and admin consent

  • Discover apps by using AD FS application activity reports

  • Plan and implement settings for enterprise applications, including application-level and tenant-level settings

  • Assign appropriate Microsoft Entra roles to users to manage enterprise applications

  • Monitor and audit activity in enterprise applications

  • Design and implement integration for on-premises apps by using Microsoft Entra Application Proxy

  • Design and implement integration for software as a service (SaaS) apps

  • Assign, classify, and manage users, groups, and app roles for enterprise applications

  • Create and manage application collections

Plan and implement app registrations

  • Plan for app registrations

  • Create app registrations

  • Configure app authentication

  • Configure API permissions

  • Create app roles

Manage and monitor app access by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

  • Configure and analyze cloud discovery results by using Defender for Cloud Apps

  • Configure connected apps

  • Implement application-enforced restrictions

  • Configure Conditional Access app control

  • Create access and session policies in Defender for Cloud Apps

  • Implement and manage policies for OAuth apps

  • Manage the Cloud app catalog

Plan and implement identity governance (20–25%)

Plan and implement entitlement management in Microsoft Entra

  • Plan entitlements

  • Create and configure catalogs

  • Create and configure access packages

  • Manage access requests

  • Implement and manage terms of use (ToU)

  • Manage the lifecycle of external users

  • Configure and manage connected organizations

Plan, implement, and manage access reviews in Microsoft Entra

  • Plan for access reviews

  • Create and configure access reviews

  • Monitor access review activity

  • Manually respond to access review activity

Plan and implement privileged access

  • Plan and manage Azure roles in Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM), including settings and assignments

  • Plan and manage Azure resources in PIM, including settings and assignments

  • Plan and configure privileged access groups

  • Manage the PIM request and approval process

  • Analyze PIM audit history and reports

  • Create and manage break-glass accounts

Monitor identity activity by using logs, workbooks, and reports

  • Design a strategy for monitoring Microsoft Entra

  • Review and analyze sign-in, audit, and provisioning logs by using the Microsoft Entra admin center

  • Configure diagnostic settings, including configuring destinations such as Log Analytics workspaces, storage accounts, and event hubs

  • Monitor Microsoft Entra by using KQL queries in Log Analytics

  • Analyze Microsoft Entra by using workbooks and reporting

  • Monitor and improve the security posture by using Identity Secure Score

Plan and implement Microsoft Entra Permissions Management

  • Onboard Azure subscriptions to Permissions Management

  • Evaluate and remediate risks relating to Azure identities, resources, and tasks

  • Evaluate and remediate risks relating to Azure highly privileged roles

  • Evaluate and remediate risks relating to Permissions Creep Index (PCI) in Azure

  • Configure activity alerts and triggers for Azure subscriptions