The old MCP credential is retired. Here is how the modern Microsoft certification system actually works, what it costs from the Philippines, and the free preparation routes worth using.
Search for "Microsoft Certified Professional" and you'll find advice written for a certification that no longer exists. The MCP title, along with MCSA, MCSD, and MCSE, was retired by Microsoft on January 31, 2021. What replaced it is a cleaner system, and for Filipino professionals it is more accessible than the old one: the study materials are free and there are genuine free preparation routes, including a government-hosted course through e-TESDA.
This guide explains the modern system so you can pick the right certification instead of chasing a retired acronym.
Entry-level, no prerequisites, and they do not expire. These prove you understand the concepts of a technology area without requiring hands-on job experience. The ones most relevant to readers of this site:
Associate-level certifications mapped to jobs rather than products: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102), Azure Data Scientist Associate, Azure Administrator Associate, and many more. These assume working knowledge and are the tier employers usually mean when a job post asks for "Microsoft certified."
The top tier, such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert, typically requiring an associate certification as a prerequisite. Relevant if you are building a senior cloud or AI engineering career, not a first stop.
Unlike Fundamentals, role-based and Expert certifications are valid for one year, renewable at no cost through an online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn.
| Tier | Example | Exam fee | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals | AI-901 (replaced AI-900), AZ-900 | Not officially published; Microsoft's country price list is currently unavailable, so check at Pearson VUE checkout | Does not expire |
| Role-based (Associate) | AI-102, AZ-104 | Higher than Fundamentals; exact PH pricing shown at booking | 1 year, free online renewal |
| Expert | Azure Solutions Architect | Highest tier; PH pricing shown at booking | 1 year, free online renewal |
Exams are booked through Pearson VUE, with online proctored delivery or test centers available in the Philippines. Exact pricing appears during registration. We deliberately do not publish a figure here: Microsoft renders prices dynamically and its own country price list is currently unavailable, so any number we printed would be unverifiable. The study side can genuinely cost nothing: Microsoft Learn publishes the complete official learning path for every certification for free.
It depends on which tier and which career you're in:
One caution from our directory research: paid "MCP courses" are still marketed in the Philippines under the retired name. Before paying any prep provider, check that the course maps to a current exam code (AI-901, AZ-900, AI-102, and so on) on Microsoft's official certification pages. This matters right now: many Philippine listings still advertise AI-900 preparation for an exam that was retired on 30 June 2026.
No. Microsoft retired the old MCP, MCSA, MCSD, and MCSE credentials on January 31, 2021. The modern system uses Fundamentals, role-based, and Expert certifications instead, so "Microsoft Certified Professional" today informally means anyone holding a current Microsoft certification.
Microsoft does not currently publish a verifiable figure. It renders exam prices dynamically and its country price list is unavailable, stating only that pricing depends on where the exam is proctored and that local taxes may apply. Third-party sites commonly quote around USD 99 for Fundamentals exams, but that is not official. Check the price at the Pearson VUE checkout. Study materials on Microsoft Learn are free, and Filipino students can request academic pricing.
A Fundamentals exam. AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals) fits general cloud roles. For AI, the exam is now AI-901 after AI-900 was retired on 30 June 2026, and while it still has no formal prerequisites, its audience profile expects Python syntax and Azure familiarity, so it is a steeper start than AI-900 was.
Yes. Microsoft Learn publishes the full official AI-901 study paths at no cost. e-TESDA also hosts a free government Azure AI Fundamentals course under its ICT category, but it is AI-900 branded and we could not verify it has been updated for AI-901, so use Microsoft Learn as your primary source. You only pay for the exam itself.
Fundamentals certifications do not expire. Role-based and Expert certifications are valid for one year and can be renewed free through an online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn.