By Quick answer: Which certifications can I get with no experience?
- Google career certificates — IT, data, PM, marketing.
- Security — ISC2 CC.
- Cloud — AWS CCP, AZ-900.
- Free — HubSpot, Kaggle.
Key takeaways
- All ten require no experience.
- Pick one field and finish one certification.
- Projects turn certificates into interviews.
Every career starts somewhere. These ten certifications require no experience and lead to real entry-level roles in IT, data, projects, marketing, security and cloud.
Ten no-experience certifications
Ranked for this reader. Costs and formats come from each issuer's own page, checked on 3 November 2026; prices change, so confirm before you book.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google IT Support Professional CertificateGoogle / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan1 | 3–6 months at about 10 hours a week | Free test |
| 2 | Google Data Analytics Professional CertificateGoogle / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan2 | 6 months at 10 hours a week | Free test |
| 3 | Google Project Management Professional CertificateGoogle / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan3 | 6 months at 10 hours a week | Free test |
| 4 | Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce CertificateGoogle / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan4 | 6 months at 10 hours a week | Free test |
| 5 | ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)ISC2 | See ISC2 page5 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 6 | AWS Certified Cloud PractitionerAmazon Web Services | $1006 | 90 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
| 7 | Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)Microsoft | Exam priced by country7 | 45 minutes | Free test |
| 8 | HubSpot Inbound Marketing CertificationHubSpot Academy | Free8 | Self-paced | Free test |
| 9 | Kaggle Learn Micro-Courses (ML, Python, SQL)Kaggle (Google) | Free9 | Short micro-courses, a few hours each | Free test |
| 10 | Google AI EssentialsGoogle / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan10 | Under 10 hours (per course page) | Free test |
Prove it free before you pay for an exam
Take the free test first. Pay for an exam only when you pass.
Every pick above has a matching free practice test on Science of Apps, one of the world's largest libraries of free certification tests (1,200+). Check your level before you pay for an exam, or add a verifiable credential to LinkedIn while you study. (Disclosure: we publish these tests; the certifications above earn us nothing.)
- IT Support and Troubleshooting CertificationPractise for Google IT Support Professional Certificate before you pay.Start free test →
- Statistics for Data Analysts CertificationPractise for Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate before you pay.Start free test →
- Project Management Fundamentals CertificationPractise for Google Project Management Professional Certificate before you pay.Start free test →
- Digital Marketing Fundamentals CertificationPractise for Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificate before you pay.Start free test →
Each certification, and the entry role it leads to
- CourseraGoogle IT Support Professional CertificateIT support$49/mo Coursera plan
- CourseraGoogle Data Analytics Professional CertificateData$49/mo Coursera plan
- CourseraGoogle Project Management Professional CertificateProjects$49/mo Coursera plan
Google IT Support Professional Certificate
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan1
- Time
- 3–6 months at about 10 hours a week
IT support from zero, three to six months. Google's professional certificate covers troubleshooting, networking, operating systems, system administration and security for complete beginners. It takes three to six months at about ten hours a week, with financial aid on Coursera.
Best forIT support
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan2
- Time
- 6 months at 10 hours a week
Analyst toolkit from zero, about six months. Google's professional certificate teaches spreadsheets, SQL, Tableau and R through case studies and ends with a portfolio capstone. It's designed for beginners, takes about six months at ten hours a week and offers financial aid on Coursera.
Best fordata
Google Project Management Professional Certificate
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan3
- Time
- 6 months at 10 hours a week
Project basics from zero, about six months. Google's professional certificate teaches traditional and agile project management for beginners, about six months at ten hours a week. It can meet CAPM's 23-hour education requirement, and financial aid is available.
Best forprojects
Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificate
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan4
- Time
- 6 months at 10 hours a week
Marketing basics from zero, about six months. Google's professional certificate covers SEO, search and social advertising, email, analytics and e-commerce with portfolio projects. It takes about six months at ten hours a week, and financial aid is available.
Best formarketing
ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
- Cost
- See ISC2 page5
- Entry
- No work experience required
No-experience security credential. ISC2's entry credential covers security principles, access control, networks and operations, with no work experience required. It's ANAB-accredited, and ISC2 has run promotions offering free training and exams.
Best forsecurity
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Cost
- $1006
- Format
- 90 minutes, 65 questions
$100 cloud basics. AWS's entry exam covers cloud concepts, core services, security and billing. It's 90 minutes with 65 questions and costs $100, so it's the usual first cloud exam for beginners and non-technical staff.
Best forAWS cloud
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country7
- Format
- 45 minutes
Azure basics; free training. Microsoft's Azure fundamentals exam covers cloud concepts, core Azure services, pricing and governance in 45 minutes. Training is free on Microsoft Learn, the exam is priced by country and it doesn't expire.
Best forAzure cloud
HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification
- Cost
- Free8
Free inbound marketing. HubSpot Academy's free Inbound Marketing certification teaches attracting, engaging and delighting customers. It takes a few hours and is respected in B2B and inbound marketing roles.
Best formarketing, free
Kaggle Learn Micro-Courses (ML, Python, SQL)
- Cost
- Free9
- Time
- Short micro-courses, a few hours each
Free Python and SQL. Kaggle's free micro-courses cover Python, pandas, SQL, data visualisation and machine learning, each in a few hours with hands-on notebooks and a free certificate. They're ideal practice alongside a structured course.
Best fordata, free
Google AI Essentials
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan10
- Time
- Under 10 hours (per course page)
Practical AI, under ten hours. Google's short course teaches practical generative AI for everyday work: drafting, research, analysis and using AI responsibly. It needs no technical background and takes under ten hours, so it suits almost any professional who wants to use AI tools with more confidence.
Best forAI
Pick a field
| If you like… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Fixing things | Google IT Support |
| Numbers | Google Data Analytics |
| Organising | Google Project Management |
| Persuading | Google Digital Marketing |
Table: Choosing a beginner field
How we ranked these picks
We chose certifications with no experience requirement that lead to entry roles. Fees come from official pages, checked 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What certification can I get with no experience?
Any Google career certificate, ISC2 CC or a cloud fundamentals exam.
What's the easiest certification?
Google AI Essentials and cloud fundamentals exams are the quickest.
Can I get a job with no experience and a certification?
Yes for many entry roles, with a project.
Are any free?
HubSpot, Kaggle and freeCodeCamp are free.
Is there a free test?
Yes. Science of Apps offers 1,200+ free certification tests.
Sources
- Google — Google IT Support Professional Certificate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google — Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google — Google Project Management Professional Certificate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google — Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- ISC2 — ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- HubSpot Academy — HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Kaggle (Google) — Kaggle Learn Micro-Courses (ML, Python, SQL), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google — Google AI Essentials, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Checked November 4, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
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