Frequently asked questions

Q. What is Certiport’s Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship?

A. The 2026 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship presented by Certiport, Inc. is a national competition that tests students' skills in Microsoft Office Word, Excel® and PowerPoint®. Top students are invited to represent their respective states at the U.S. National Championship in Nashville, Tennessee on June 15 – 17, 2026. At the MOS U.S. National Championship, each student competes to be the champion in their category: Microsoft Word (Office 2019), Microsoft Excel (Office 2019), Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2019), Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps), Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365 Apps), or Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps).

Q. Who can participate?

A. Anyone may participate in the qualification round of testing, but to participate in the MOS U.S. National Championship, candidates must be students that are enrolled in an approved, degree-seeking academic institution recognized by the state in which it operates. Candidates must also be 13 years of age or older when they took the qualifying exam and 22 years of age or younger before July 1 of the competition year. Individuals participating in the MOS U.S. National Championship must be able to provide proof of age and student status upon request.

Previous competition participants are eligible to compete; however, they cannot compete in the exam they previously competed in during a MOS U.S. National Championship round. For example, a candidate who competed in Microsoft Word (Office 2016), Microsoft Word (Office 2019) or Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps) during a previous MOS U.S. National Championship round, can compete in Microsoft Excel® or PowerPoint® in the qualifying round and the U.S. National Championship Round of this year’s competition.

Q. What versions of MOS certifications will the MOS U.S. National Championship include?

A. The MOS U.S. National Championship will include the following six (6) tracks: Microsoft Word (Office 2019), Microsoft Excel® (Office 2019), Microsoft PowerPoint® (Office 2019), Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps), Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft 365 Apps) and Microsoft PowerPoint® (Microsoft 365 Apps).

Q. Where can I take an eligible exam?

A. Eligible exams can be taken at any Certiport Authorized Testing Center.

Q. How many times can I take an eligible exam?

A. It’s recommended that candidates regularly check the qualifier rankings and retest as needed to secure their seat at the competition. There is no limit to the number of times a candidate may test in any eligible exam track if they are not in violation of the Microsoft Office Specialist exam retake policy. Candidates who fail to abide by the retake policy will be immediately disqualified from the Championship. We retain the right to disqualify candidates for appropriate cause.

Q. How many different types of eligible exams can I submit to the competition?

A. During the qualifying round, a candidate can participate in multiple exam tracks. For example, they can submit a Microsoft Office Specialist Excel (Office 2019) exam and Microsoft Office Specialist Excel (Microsoft 365 Apps) exam. However, if they qualify to participate in the MOS U.S. National Championship, they can only compete in only one exam track at the event.

Q. How are the champions in Microsoft Word, Excel®, and PowerPoint® selected?

A. State Champions are announced at the end of the Qualifiers. The 2026 Fall Qualifiers is June 15, 2025 - December 19, 2025, and the 2026 Spring Qualifier is December 20, 2025 - May 1, 2026. Shortly after the Qualifiers end, state champions and their proctors will be notified. All state champions will be invited to the MOS U.S. National Championship to compete for the title of the U.S. Champion in Microsoft Word (Office 2019), Microsoft Excel® (Office 2019), Microsoft PowerPoint® (Office 2019), Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps), Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft 365 Apps), or Microsoft PowerPoint® (Microsoft 365 Apps). During the MOS U.S. National Championship event, all state champions will be tested in a proctored lab in their respective exam tracks. All participants in the MOS U.S. National Championship are responsible for preparing themselves to compete in their respective exams.

Q. How does Certiport select the winning score?

A. If two competitors at the MOS U.S. National Championship event have the same high exam score on the unique comprehensive exams, the finalist who completed the exam in the least amount of time will be the winner. Decisions of judges are final. Winners will be notified during the awards ceremony.

Q. How many days after the deadline do you wait to invite competitors to the MOS U.S. National Championship?

A. Invitations are usually sent about one to two weeks following the last day of the Qualifier. Emails will be sent directly to the email address listed on the candidate’s Certiport account.

Q. How much does it cost to attend the MOS U.S. National Championship?

A. For each competitor and their one sponsored chaperone, there is no registration fee. If competitors choose to bring additional guests, there is an additional fee. Competitors are also required to cover their own hotel and airfare to arrive at the event. The hotel cost is around $334 per night plus resort fees.

Q. What kind of exam do competitors take at the competition? Is it the same as the certification exam?

A. No, competitors will be taking a completely new exam. Like the certification exam, this will be project-based. However, since the competition tests the most advanced students from around the country, candidates are encouraged to study and prepare for topics outside the certification exam. A great way to prepare is to take the Microsoft Office Specialist Expert exams.

Q. What scholarships are awarded?

A. The first-place champion receives $3,000, a medal of achievement, a trophy, a certificate, a gift from Microsoft, and an invitation to compete at the MOS World Championship. The invitation will include that the winner and one chaperone will  receive an invitation to the MOS World Championship, along with travel support of up to $1500 total. The second-place winner receives $2,000 along with a medal of achievement and certificate. The third-place winner receives $1,000, a medal of achievement, and a certificate.

Q. How many days after the deadline do you wait to invite students to the MOS U.S. National Championship?

A. Reports are run the following Monday, after the closing deadline. After the winners are determined, invitations will be sent out to the email provided on the student’s Certiport profile as well as the exam proctor. Invitations are usually sent about one week following the qualification deadline. Be sure the email address listed on the Certiport profile is correct and frequently checked.

Q. I just received an invitation to compete in the MOS U.S. National Championship. What do I do now?

A. Congratulations! If you’re interested in competing, you will need to complete the online registration and book your travel and hotel. These items were linked in your invitation, but if you have additional questions, please reach out to MOSChampionship@pearson.com.

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