How to become a Microsoft Certified Power BI developer?

I recently cleared the Microsoft certification exam for Power BI and received many queries regarding the exam and the resources used to prepare for the exam on LinkedIn.

Hence, I’m writing this article to cover the FAQs regarding Microsoft certification for Power BI.

1)How to become Microsoft certified in Power BI?
You need to pass the PL-300 exam conducted by Microsoft to earn the ‘Microsoft certified Power BI Data Analyst Associate’ certificate.

2) How difficult is the PL-300 exam?
The exam is pretty difficult as you need to score 700/1000 to pass the exam. Intermediate to advanced-level Power BI users could find this exam bit easier.

3) How much does it cost to appear for the exam?
It costs Rs.4800 + taxes to appear for the exam in India. Please check if your current company provides you with the exam voucher or reimburses the exam fee.

4) How to apply for the exam?

• You can visit the Microsoft Learn page of the exam
• Create a Microsoft profile (Note - Ensure your profile name matches the name in the ID proof)
• Schedule an appointment for the exam from the PearsonVUE site (Note -The test can be taken online or from the nearest test center)
• Pay for the exam/Use voucher during checkout for scheduling the test appointment

5) How to prepare for the exam?
There are multiple preparation strategies available on the Internet. I’m sharing my preparation strategy along with relevant resources that I used below:

a) Microsoft Learn

• Microsoft provides a free and extensive learning path with all the content covered in the exam syllabus.
• The best part is that most modules contain a lab session at the end to practice your theory topics.
• It may take 1–2 months to complete the learning path, assuming you spend 8–10 hours per week, depending on your learning speed.

b) Maven Analytics — Udemy course

• I took the Maven Analytics Udemy course on the ‘DA-100 / PL-300 exam prep’ course taught by Aaron Perry.
• It provides a very good revision of everything you learned on Microsoft’s learning path and also contains the important topics that could be asked in the exam.
• The cherry on the cake is that they provide you with a mock exam at the end of the course.

c) Work experience

• This is a differentiating factor for those clearing the exam on the first attempt from those taking more than one attempt to clear the exam.
• I’d suggest you work for at least 3–6 months on Power BI (personal projects/real-world projects) to ensure that you get familiar with the user interface and workflow of Power BI.
• I had one year of work experience in Power BI while appearing for the exam, which clearly helped me crack it on the first attempt.
• Check out my previous article on practicing Power BI to get the resources required to work on Power BI for free.

I hope this article covered all the queries on becoming a Microsoft Certified Power BI data analyst associate.

All the best for your preparation!

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