Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) is an internationally recognized certification program designed to validate real, job-ready skills in Microsoft Office.
Overview
If you already know you “need an Office certificate” but aren’t sure what to do next, MOS is a clear and structured path—from learning and practice to a performance-based certification exam that reflects how you actually use Office in school and the workplace.
As the authorized distributor in Hong Kong, we help candidates and institutions understand the MOS options, choose the right exam level, and move smoothly through the process.
Why MOS
MOS is widely adopted by employers, academic institutions, and government organizations worldwide. It is officially supported by Microsoft and offered internationally (including multiple languages).
More importantly, MOS focuses on practical productivity skills—document creation, data handling, and presentation building—skills that remain essential even as AI tools (e.g., Copilot) become more common in the workplace.
Performance-based testing (LITA)
MOS exams are designed to measure what you can do, not just what you can remember. The program uses Live-in-the-Application (LITA) style testing—meaning candidates complete tasks in a Microsoft Office environment to demonstrate real-world proficiency.
Certification Pathway: Learn → Practice → Certify
We recommend following this simple pathway to reduce uncertainty and improve pass confidence:
1) Learn (Build skills with structured materials)
Start with learning resources aligned to the certification exam objectives—such as video courseware, interactive labs, study guides, and classroom-ready curriculum. This helps candidates build skills systematically and ensures training time is focused on the outcomes that matter.
2) Practice (Try exam-style tasks before the real exam)
Use exam-style practice activities or mock tests to prepare under realistic conditions. Practice helps candidates work at their own pace, become familiar with the testing interface and question style, build confidence, and identify weak areas early.
Practice tools typically include two modes
- Testing Mode: timed, exam-like experience
- Training Mode: step-by-step guidance and feedback
3) Certify (Take the official exam)
When ready, book and take the official certification exam through Compass CLOUD. The exam is delivered in a standardized environment to ensure consistency and fairness across candidates.
Available MOS Certifications (Microsoft 365 Apps track)
Depending on your goals, you can start with an Associate-level exam and progress to Expert-level mastery:
Excel Associate
Demonstrates competency in the fundamentals of creating and managing worksheets and workbooks, creating cells and ranges, creating tables, applying formulas and functions and creating charts and objects.
Excel Expert
Covers the ability to customize Excel environments to meet project needs and to enhance productivity. Expert workbook examples include custom business templates, multiple-axis financial charts, amortization tables, and inventory schedules.
Word Associate
Demonstrates competency in the correct application of the principle features of Word by creating and editing documents for a variety of purposes and situations. The exam covers the ability to create and maintain professional-looking reports, multicolumn newsletters, résumés, and business correspondence.
Word Expert
Validates the ability to customize Word environments to meet project needs, and to enhance productivity. Examples of expert-level documents include a business plan, a research paper, a book, a specialized brochure, and a mass mailing.
PowerPoint Associate
Proves the ability to create and manage presentations, insert and format shapes and slides, create slide content, apply transitions and animations and manage multiple presentations. Presentation examples include professional-grade sales presentations, employee training, instructional materials, and kiosk slideshows.
Interested in certifying in a different version?
Explore Microsoft Office 2019 and Microsoft Office 2016 certifications.
Advance with Stackable Certifications
Maximize your Microsoft Office proficiency with MOS Associate or Expert certifications, showcasing advanced skills through stacked credentials.
Earn MOS: Associate (Microsoft 365 Apps)
Pass three of the following exams:
- Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps)
- Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365 Apps)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps)
- Microsoft Word (Office 2019)
- Microsoft Excel (Office 2019)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2019)
- Microsoft Outlook (Office 2019)
Earn MOS: Expert (Microsoft 365 Apps)
Earn your Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate certification (outlined above) plus pass two of the following exams:
- Microsoft Word Expert (Microsoft 365 Apps)
- Microsoft Excel Expert (Microsoft 365 Apps)
- Microsoft Word Expert (Office 2019)
- Microsoft Excel Expert (Office 2019)
Important rule
All exams must be in different programs, and at least one exam must be a Microsoft 365 Apps exam.
Digital Badge & Certificate
After certification, you may receive a digital badge that can be shared online and verified. Digital badges can support your CV/LinkedIn profile and help employers quickly confirm your credential. (Digital badging platform: Credly.)
How to get started (Next steps)
- Choose your track and exam
- Plan your preparation (learning materials + practice tests if needed)
- Book your exam
- Take the exam & earn your credential
Need help choosing the right exam?
If you’re not sure which exam to take, we can help you choose the best option based on your goals and current level. Share the following with us:
- Your objective,
- Your target timeline,
- Any requirements you must meet.