Last updated May 12, 2021 @ 8:19 AM

Competition details

Welcome to the 2021 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship

Prove your skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and you could win an invitation to compete in the U.S. National Championship finals in Orlando, Florida!

The Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship is a national competition that tests students’ skills on Microsoft Office applications. Participating in this competition provides an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills, have some fun, impress student colleagues, and gain recognition.

How Do Students Compete in the MOS U.S. National Championship?

The process is simple! To receive an invitation to the MOS U.S. National Championship (June 21-23, 2021), students between the ages of 13 and 22 (as of June 15, 2021) must earn the highest score in their state in one of the following categories:

  • Microsoft Word (Office 2016)
  • Microsoft Excel (Office 2016)
  • Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2016)
  • Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps and Office 2019)
  • Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365 Apps and Office 2019)
  • Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps and Office 2019)

There are two qualifying periods to enter: the Fall Qualifier (ending December 11, 2020) and the Spring Qualifier (ending May 14, 2021). At the end of each competition qualifying round, Certiport will issue invites to the students with the top scores in their exam category, for a total of twelve students from each state possible. For example, at the end of the Fall Qualifier, six invitations will be issued to students with the highest exam score per track in the state of Idaho. At the end of the Spring Qualifier, six invitations will be issued to students with the highest exam score per track in the state of Idaho.

In the case that two or more students submit the same high score, the exam time will be used as a tie-breaker (the exam taken in the least amount of time will win). Students can and are encouraged to retake their MOS exam(s) to improve their score and time. There is no limit to the number of times a student may take an eligible MOS exam, regardless of the pass/fail outcome, as long as the student is not in violation of the exam retake policy.

Previous participants of the MOS U.S. National Championship round can compete in this year’s championship ONLY if they are competing in a different exam. For example, if a student competed at a prior U.S. National Championship round in Microsoft Word (Office 2016) or Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps and Office 2019), they can participate this year in any Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint exam but they cannot participate in any Microsoft Word exam.

Students can enter their exam scores in one of two ways:

  1. Enter an Exam at the Time of Testing: While sitting for a qualifying MOS exam, you will be prompted to participate in the Championship. Before the exam begins, a screen will appear with competition information and an opt-in checkbox. To submit your exam into the Championship, check the box and then select the OK button. If you pass, your exam will automatically be submitted into the Championship. If you do not want to submit your exam, then you can opt out of the competition by not checking the checkbox.
  2. Enter an Exam You’ve Already Completed: Did you complete and pass a qualifying exam but did not select to enter it into the Championship? You can still enter your exam for a chance to be the next U.S. National Champion! Simply follow these steps:
    1. Login to your Candidate Home Page
    2. Click on the Championship link
    3. Select the exam you would like to enter into the Championship
    4. Select ‘Register Selected Exams’ button

Check the leaderboards below to see how your school stacks up! Don’t see your state listed? Email MOSChampionship@pearson.com for a list of the top schools in your state.

If you have any questions about the 2021 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship, please speak with your instructor or email us at MOSchampionship@pearson.com.

How Can I Promote the MOS State Championship?

We have created some resources to help you promote the competition within your school, to your students, and to the guidance counselors and parents. Click on the links below to view and save the resources.

Posters, Flyers, and Banners:

Computer Wallpaper:

For additional information about the MOS U.S. National Championship, please visit us.MOSchampionship.com.

Questions? Please contact your Certification Deployment Specialist or email us at moschampionship@pearson.com.

Where Does My School Rank?

Find your state below to see which schools are in the running for the MOS U.S. National Championship Spring Qualifier! The rankings below are specific to the Spring Qualifier. The winners of the Spring Qualifier will receive a certificate stating that they are a state winner.

Please note that due to the continued difficulties and concerns with the ongoing pandemic, the 2021 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship is canceled this year. This announcement was made on March 11, 2021. Please see the statement on the Home Page.

On March 12, 2021, Certiport announced a new competition that COVID can’t cancel – The 2021 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Online Championship. This competition has new rules, follows a new format, and still has great opportunities and prizes to win. Visit https://gocertiport.pearsonvue.com/MOSNationalOnlineChampionship to learn all the details.