Quantum Computing Certifications
Every quantum credential we could actually verify — and which ones cost nothing. Most of the good material is free; the fee, where there is one, usually buys the paperwork rather than the teaching.
Working out what to study first? Start with the quantum computing learning path, browse the curated courses, and practise on a free quantum simulator before you pay for anything.
Read this before you pay for a certificate
Quantum computing has no equivalent of AWS Solutions Architect or CCNA. The field is young, the employer base is small and heavily research-oriented, and no certification has become a hiring filter. Anyone telling you a specific certificate is required is selling something.
In a field this small, demonstrated work outbids credentials consistently. A public repository implementing VQE or QAOA with your own error mitigation, or a written comparison of how a circuit behaved on real hardware versus simulation, tells a hiring manager more than any badge. Quantum hiring managers are usually practitioners and can read your code.
So: take the course, treat the certificate as optional. If your employer reimburses it or you need a formal record, a verified certificate is cheap and harmless. If you are choosing between a certificate fee and time spent building a portfolio project, build the project. The full certifications guide makes the longer argument.
Last verified: 2026-07-18 — prices and availability change; confirm with the provider before enrolling or booking an exam.
Qiskit Global Summer School
IBM Quantum
- You receive
- Certificate of participation / digital badge
- Cost
- Free — no fee to attend or to receive the certificate
Two-week virtual program (13–24 July 2026) with a beginners track and an advanced track. Certificates require watching roughly 80% of the core IBM Quantum lectures; the advanced track also requires the lab assignments. Registration opens once a year, so check the IBM Quantum blog for the next cohort.
IBM Quantum Learning course badges
IBM
- You receive
- Credly digital badge per course
- Cost
- Free — the courses and the badging exams carry no fee
Courses such as Basics of Quantum Information, Quantum Machine Learning and Practical Introduction to Quantum-Safe Cryptography are studied free on IBM Quantum Learning; you then take a short badging quiz on IBM Training (typically 20 questions, 80% to pass) and the badge is issued through Credly. These are the easiest genuine quantum credentials to obtain at zero cost.
Amazon Braket Digital Learning Plan
AWS
- You receive
- Credly digital badge
- Cost
- Free — AWS states the badge assessment is at no additional cost
Two short courses (roughly 60 and 90 minutes) covering Braket basics and quantum application development, followed by a 50-question assessment needing 80% to pass. Vendor-specific: it demonstrates familiarity with Braket rather than quantum theory depth.
Get started with Azure Quantum (learning path)
Microsoft Learn
- You receive
- Microsoft Learn module achievements / learning-path trophy
- Cost
- Free — Microsoft Learn training and its achievements cost nothing
Six self-paced modules covering Q#, superposition, entanglement and the resource estimator. Note this is a learning-path achievement, not a proctored Microsoft certification — there is no quantum exam in the Microsoft Certified track.
Quantum 101: Quantum Computing & Quantum Internet
DelftX (TU Delft) on edX
- You receive
- edX Professional Certificate
- Cost
- Free to audit the courses; paid for the professional certificate
A multi-course university program from one of the strongest quantum research groups in Europe. Individual courses can normally be audited free; the certificate is the paid part. A Quantum 201 follow-on program also exists. Check current pricing on edX — it varies by region and promotion.
University quantum courses on edX (audit vs verified certificate)
edX (multiple universities)
- You receive
- Verified certificate (optional)
- Cost
- Free to audit; verified certificates are paid and priced per course
Includes MITx's Quantum Information Science sequence and courses from Delft, Caltech and others. The teaching material is the same whether you audit or pay — the fee buys the graded record. If nobody is reimbursing you, auditing plus a public project is usually the better trade.
Quantum courses on Coursera (audit vs paid certificate)
Coursera (multiple universities and vendors)
- You receive
- Course certificate (optional)
- Cost
- Most courses audit free; certificates require payment or a subscription
Quality varies widely here — some excellent university courses sit alongside thin vendor marketing courses. Judge the syllabus and the instructor, not the certificate. Financial aid is available on many Coursera courses if you want the certificate without paying.
Qubit by Qubit programs
The Coding School
- You receive
- Program completion certificate
- Cost
- Free workshops and courses for K-12 schools and universities; flagship programs are paid, with scholarships available — confirm current terms with the provider
The best-known structured quantum program for students. The organisation advertises free workshops and courses for schools and universities, and participants reference scholarships for the longer programs; tuition for the flagship courses is not published on the homepage, so ask them directly rather than assuming a price.
QURECA quantum technology courses
QURECA
- You receive
- CPD-certified course certificate
- Cost
- Several courses are free; the rest are paid with prices not listed publicly
A commercial training provider aimed largely at enterprise and workforce development. Free items include 'Quantum Myths', 'Why is Quantum so special?' and a free sample of the business course. Paid course prices are not published on the catalogue page — request a quote rather than trusting third-party figures.
IBM Certified Quantum Computation using Qiskit v2.X Developer — Associate
IBM
- You receive
- Proctored exam certification + Credly badge
- Cost
- Paid exam — confirm the current fee with IBM Training before booking
The closest thing the field has to a formal vendor certification. A single exam (C1000-179, 'Fundamentals of Quantum Computing Using Qiskit v2.X Developer'). It replaces the older v0.2X exam, which IBM retired on 30 September 2025 — previously issued v0.2X credentials remain valid. IBM publishes free preparation material, so you can study at no cost and pay only for the exam.
What is not on this list
Plenty of organisations advertise "quantum certifications" that we could not confirm from a provider page, or whose pricing was only visible in third-party write-ups. We left those off rather than repeat a number we could not stand behind. We have also excluded retired credentials — IBM's older Qiskit v0.2X developer exam was retired on 30 September 2025, though badges already awarded remain valid. If a program you are considering is missing here, that is a reason to check its provider page carefully, not evidence that it is fake.
Where to go next
Credentials are the smallest part of getting good at this — the free material and the hands-on tools matter far more.
Certification questions
Honest answers about what quantum credentials are and are not worth.
Is there an official quantum computing certification?
There is no single industry-standard certification. IBM's Qiskit v2.X Developer — Associate exam is the closest thing to a formal vendor credential, and universities issue verified certificates through edX and Coursera, but nothing has become a universal hiring requirement the way cloud certifications have.
Which quantum certifications are completely free?
The Qiskit Global Summer School certificate, IBM Quantum Learning course badges on Credly, the Amazon Braket Digital Learning Plan badge, and Microsoft Learn's Azure Quantum learning path achievements are all free to earn. Together they cover Qiskit, Braket and Q# without any fee.
Are paid quantum certifications worth the money?
Usually only if someone else pays or you need a formal record. The course content is typically available free by auditing, and hiring managers in a small, technical field weigh demonstrated projects and code more heavily than certificates.
Did IBM retire its old Qiskit certification?
Yes. IBM Training retired the Qiskit v0.2X developer certification on 30 September 2025 and replaced it with the Qiskit v2.X Developer — Associate certification. Credentials already awarded under the old exam remain valid and do not expire.
What should I build instead of getting certified?
Implement a real algorithm end to end — Grover, VQE, or QAOA — run it on both a simulator and free real hardware, and write up the difference honestly including what error mitigation did or did not fix. Publish it. That single artifact demonstrates more than a certificate can.