What Is a Microsoft Copilot Certification?

Key takeaways

• Microsoft certifications that introduce you to Copilot include Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals and Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate.

• Microsoft Copilot certifications validate your expertise in using the artificial intelligence (AI) powered tool, which is accessible through all Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.

• To become a Microsoft certified professional, research available credentials and their requirements and consider taking online courses through Microsoft to learn how to use Microsoft Copilot’s AI features.

Learn more about Microsoft Copilot and related certifications that can expand how you use the tool. If you’re ready to learn more about incorporating Copilot into your work, consider enrolling in Vanderbilt University’s Microsoft 365 Copilot for Leaders Specialization. In as little as four weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to use Copilot for task management and improved efficiency.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is an AI productivity tool that uses large language models (LLMs) to understand, summarize, predict, and generate content with input from user prompts.

Microsoft Copilot works with Microsoft 365 to help you with everyday work in apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft-powered apps. You can use Copilot to help you generate text in Word documents and emails in Outlook, create PowerPoint presentations, or obtain suggestions about formulas or insights about your data in Excel.

You might encounter Copilot when using Microsoft products in a personal or professional setting to support your work, so earning a Microsoft certification may be a good option. You can list it on your resume to boost your skills and experience for potential employers.

All computer-related positions, including those that involve working with Microsoft Copilot, are expected to increase by 12 percent between 2024 and 2034 [1]. This compares with an increase of 3 percent for all other occupations across the country over the same period [1].

Popular Microsoft certifications and credentials that use Copilot

Microsoft launched Copilot in November 2023, so it’s relatively newer than other programs that can provide you with certifications in these computer-related fields. While Microsoft doesn’t offer certifications specifically for Copilot, you can earn Microsoft certifications for Microsoft products that use Copilot to obtain a better understanding of Copilot’s integration into Microsoft products.

Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administrator Fundamentals

Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administrator Fundamentals is a beginner-level certification that can help you build a good understanding of Microsoft 365. The certification covers topics such as Microsoft 365 apps and services, data protection for Microsoft 365 and Copilot, and Copilot administrative tasks.

Requirements: None, but having some knowledge of Microsoft 365, Microsoft Copilot, and the admin centers used to access Microsoft 365 workloads may be beneficial.

Cost (US): $99 [2]

Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate

The Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate certification is for administrators who manage and maintain collaborations and communications using Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams utilizes Copilot to summarize chats for up to 30 days, answer questions using real-time meeting transcripts for users, or capture key points from Teams calls, among other options.

Requirements: None, but it’s recommended that you have working knowledge of Microsoft 365 services, including how Teams integrates into Microsoft 365 services.

Cost (US): $165 [3]

Microsoft Applied Skills: Prepare security and compliance to support Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft Applied Skills: Prepare security and compliance to support Microsoft 365 Copilot is an applied skills credential that demonstrates your ability to prepare Microsoft 365 security and compliance for Microsoft Copilot. You can learn how to configure identity governance and device management, as well as manage compliance settings and access to information, for Copilot.

Requirements: None, but you should be familiar with Microsoft 365 services such as Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Entra, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Purview.*

Cost (US): $0

*Microsoft is retiring this credential as of June 30, 2026

Get started with Microsoft 365 Copilot.

This Microsoft introductory course on Microsoft 365 Copilot isn’t a certification, but could be a good introduction if you’re considering a Microsoft Copilot certification. The beginner-level course is built for administrators and business users who want to learn the basics of Microsoft 365 Copilot and how it can help them across different Microsoft 365 apps.

Requirements: None

Cost: $0

How long is the Copilot course?

Various Microsoft Copilot certifications and courses are available, including several courses that take just one-and-a-half to three hours to complete.

How to become a Microsoft-certified professional

Follow these steps to determine if a Microsoft certification is something you should pursue to boost your professional journey.

1. Choose your certification.

Microsoft offers a wide variety of certifications, including some that can enhance your knowledge of Copilot, so it’s important to review the different certifications available to you. You may decide to pursue a certification that includes Copilot information or perhaps go in another direction.

2. Meet prerequisites.

Some certifications have no prerequisites, while others may require previous experience. It’s important to review all prerequisites before proceeding and plan to meet requirements so you can qualify for a certification.

3. Create a study plan.

As with exams you may have taken in high school or college, creating a study plan for certification exams is essential. Consider creating a study plan that considers how much time you can give to studying, when you can study, and your own learning style.

Microsoft may also provide independent study guides depending on the certification, so it might be a good idea to include time in your study plan to review these guides.

Read more: 11 Good Study Habits to Develop

4. Enroll in courses.

Courses can help you learn what you need to know to pass a certification exam, so consider enrolling in different courses according to the certification you decide to pursue. Microsoft has several options for you to choose from, covering topics such as Microsoft Copilot or Microsoft 365. You can also review third-party options on Coursera to learn more about Microsoft 365 and how Copilot works with its apps.

5. Schedule your exam.

Certifications will require you to pass an exam, so go online to find out how to schedule a certification exam. Review how much the exam will cost, when, and where you can take it. 

Microsoft also includes information about the length of each exam, so factor that in when scheduling your exam.

Explore free AI resources for your career

Subscribe to Career Chat on LinkedIn, where you can stay up-to-date on emerging industry trends. You can also check out the following free resources to learn about certifications, AI, and more:

• Read our Career Chat issue: What Should You Earn: A Certificate or a Degree? 

• Bookmark this page: Artificial Intelligence Glossary: Learn AI Vocabulary 

• Watch on YouTube: Using Excel Search, Help, and Community Tools

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