Certification discount

Enterprise Skills Initiative have changed Certification Exam Policy starting March 1, 2023. As Microsoft often reviews its programs and policies, based on a review, Microsoft made the decision to no longer offer free Microsoft Certification exams for ESI.

Under the new exam payment structure, candidates will be charged a cost upon registering for the exam that is equal to 50% of the exam provider's current pricing and the other 50% would be discounted as part of the Microsoft Enterprise Skills Initiative benefits. Each exam may cost differently depending on the country or location.

Hi Emma,

Thank you for contacting the Microsoft Community. 

Additionally, we have received an update coming from ESI that there is a new policy update came from ESI, effective March 1, 2023, the provider of Microsoft Certification exams will charge you a fee upon exam registration equal to 50 percent of the exam provider’s applicable price for non-ESI test-takers. The price for each exam may vary by country or region. For details regarding such payments, refer to the exam provider’s terms and conditions or contact the exam provider.

With that being said, I highly recommend contacting ESI support directly in terms of the new discount policy. please refer to the link below:

Absolutely. I agree with you. I had been studying for the exam too. and last week i just decided to schedule for two exams for about April and May period to give me some time to study more. I used the free vouchers, but since we can't take more two exams at a time, that's all I could do. Just to wake up and suddenly the policy changed drastically. At least there should have been a prior notice to this considering companies involved have partnered with Microsoft. Well, I was so lucky to have just scheduled two of the exams last week before this drastic change effected few days ago. Only means I must have to study hard and pass them and prepare to pay 50% on my next scheduling.

First things first, when did you attend the training? If its recently, then you have to wait for about 7 days more or slightly more or less for this discount to appear on your certification account. So be patient and keep an eye for it.

- The company discount which says the discount you get from being a company employee is totally different from that of the Virtual training voucher.

See the attached image to this comment.

- The ESI voucher you receive is always going to be there for any certification you want to take. The ESI voucher says for example (XYZ Employee). That is an ESI voucher.

What you attended is a virtual training which is a prerecorded session which you watch the video and learn at the scheduled time. The voucher you get from the Virtual Training is still 100%. NOT 50%.

NB: The ESI voucher Change policy does not include the Virtual Training voucher. (Maybe for now, because Microsoft could one morning change the policy like they did for this).

So, in summary,

1- You'll get the virtual training voucher on your account. It'll take some time to appear.

2- The ESI voucher Change policy does not include the Virtual Training voucher.

3- Anyone can attend the virtual training day and get the 100 vouchers for the exam (ESI employee's and regular people not working under a company that partners with Microsoft).

4- You only see the ESI employee voucher when you link your work email to your certification account or profile. That voucher would always be there.

5- The ESI employee voucher was 100% meaning free no exam payments for any exam you take. Now it's changed to payment of 50% of exams payment to be made. Meaning each time, you have to take a Microsoft cert, based on this new policy, you'll have 50% off.

6- Virtual Training Day Certification vouchers can only be used for fundamental certification exams. (That is 1-star certs like Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals - AZ-900, Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals - AI-900, Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals - SC-900 to name a few).

7- If you try to schedule a two-star cert like Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate- AZ-104, only the ESI exam voucher will be displayed on your dashboard to be claimed.

8- But if you try to schedule a fundamental certification exam as mentioned above, you'll both vouchers would be displayed on your dashboard to be claimed.

9- About the virtual exam voucher, the discount’s validity is 90 days from the date of the event and there is a cap limit with a total of eight (8) free exams which you can use.

I hope this has answered your preoccupation and given you more light to the process.

Thank you.

Hi Theodore,

Thank you for providing informations and your workarounds.

Best regards,

Hi Emma,

Since we have not received a response from you, we’ll proceed in closing and locking the case. Please note that once the case has been locked and closed, you cannot reply. If the resolution provided did not resolve the issue, please post a new question.

Best regards,