Microsoft study plan
AI-901 study plan
A step-by-step AI-901 study plan: the exact order to study in, how long to spend on each stage, and when to start practice questions. Follow it top to bottom.
The real AI-901 is Typically 40 to 60 questions questions in 45 minutes, pass mark 700 / 1000. For the full domain-by-domain breakdown behind each stage, read the AI-901 study guide.
Your step-by-step plan
Confirm you are studying AI-901, not AI-900
Day 1Read the current Microsoft AI-901 study guide and note the skills-measured date. AI-900 retired on 30 June 2026, so discard AI-900 notes and courses. Book a provisional exam date now: a fixed date turns open-ended study into a plan.
Lock the responsible-AI principles and core concepts
Week 1Learn the six responsible-AI principles as concern-to-principle mappings, drilling transparency versus accountability. Get the generative-model basics solid: tokens, next-token prediction, model selection by capability, and the effect of parameters such as temperature.
Master the AI workloads
Week 1Practise placing scenarios into exactly one workload: generative, agentic, text analysis, speech, computer vision, or information extraction. Keep the text-analysis techniques distinct and treat agentic AI as separate from generative.
Go deep on Microsoft Foundry (the larger domain)
Weeks 2-3Spend the most time here. Learn the Foundry portal versus SDK split, single-agent solutions, text and speech with Azure Speech, vision versus image generation, and information extraction with Azure Content Understanding. Use current names only.
Practise on scenarios with every option explained
Week 3Move to full practice sets and read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right. The exam tests single-best judgement between plausible options, so understanding why each distractor is wrong is where the marks are.
Find and close your weak areas
Week 4Use your per-domain accuracy to drill whichever domain is dragging you down rather than re-reading what you already know. Repeat until both domains clear the pass line with margin on unseen questions.
Sit a timed mock and review it
Week 4Take at least one full timed mock to rehearse pacing and flag-and-return. Treat the score as a per-domain readiness signal, then review every missed question before booking or sitting.
Ready to start stage one?
Free AI-901 questions, with every answer explained. No sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How long does this AI-901 study plan take?
It is 7 stages, paced by how much time you can give it each week - most candidates work through it in 2 to 6 weeks. Each stage below has a suggested duration; slow down on any stage where the recall checks in the study guide are not landing before moving on.
What order should I study AI-901 in?
Follow the stages in order below. They are sequenced deliberately: foundational material first, then the domains weighted heaviest on the exam, then timed practice, with review passes built in rather than left to the end.
Do I need practice questions as part of this plan?
Yes. Reading alone does not surface what you have not actually learned. This plan builds in graded practice, and the full 300-question bank is free to use as you work through each stage.
Is this plan enough on its own, or do I need the full study guide too?
This page is the plan: what to do and in what order. The study guide adds the domain-by-domain breakdown, easy-to-confuse traps, and worked examples behind each stage - read it alongside this plan, not instead of it.
Examworthy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft. This study plan is original material based on the public exam blueprint. We never reproduce live exam items. AI-901 and related marks belong to their respective owners.