PMP Certification Eligibility in 2024 [A Complete Checklist]

To achieve Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, ticking all the PMP exam eligibility criteria boxes is a big step. As someone who has been through the complicated process of becoming eligible for PMP certification, I know how important it is to have a complete list of requirements to follow.  

In this article, I will talk about the PMP certification eligibility requirements from my own experience and give you a detailed PMP certification eligibility checklist to help you through the process. You can use this article to learn what you need to do to obtain the PMP Course certification, whether you're still considering it or have already started the journey.

PMP Certification Overview

The PMP certification is a leading accreditation with more than 1,400,000 PMP certification holders worldwide. The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is one of the truly global certifications, as it is accepted worldwide by top organizations for leading their projects. The PMP certification covers an extensive range of skills that help complete projects more efficiently and enable one to work in any industry.

To pass this exam, we need to understand the PMP exam eligibility criteria. Getting the PMP certification not only made my resume look great, it also gave me more confidence in my ability to handle challenging tasks. It's a great investment in the best Project Management training that helps improve our project management skills and job opportunities.

The PMP Eligibility Requirements

A salary survey conducted by the Project Management Institute (PMI) shows that PMP® certified project managers tend to earn more compared to their non-certified counterparts. PMP® certification warrants a certain level of knowledge in the project management area. The reason that companies and organizations give high credit to PMP® certification compared to other certificates in the industry is because PMI has a very strict application and audit process for relevant education and experience requirements that one needs to meet PMP certification eligibility and be certified.

As the employer has high regard for the certification, once you show a PMP® certification in your resume he or she will that you have met the strict PMP® certification requirements which proves a certain level of practice and knowledge on project management. It is not easy for someone to sit and pass the PMP® certification exam.

If you are wondering where can you check for these requirements then you will find all the criteria set by PMI for taking the PMP®  exam in the PMP® Credential Handbook. You can download the free version of this handbook from PMI's Website. It will help you to know everything about PMP® certification, who is eligible to apply, and how to go about applying. The eligibility requirements for taking the exam are as follows:

• You should hold a bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent with at least three years of project management experience. The three years of experience is expected to be comprised of 4,500 hours which you have spent directing and leading projects and 35 hours of project management education.
• In case, you don’t have a four-year degree, you need to have a secondary diploma (high school or global equivalent) with at least project management experience of 5 years. The five years of experience should comprise of 7,500 hours which you have spent directing and leading projects and project management education of around 5 hours.

Get to know more about agile vs traditional project management.

Need more clarity on the eligibility criteria? Then the following chart will surely help you to clarify your doubts.

Eligibility Requirement	Four-year degree or global equivalent	Secondary degree or global equivalent
Years of Project Management Experience	3 Years (36 months)	5 Years (60 months)
Hours Leading & Directing Projects	4,500 Hours	7,500 Hours
Hours of Project Management Education	35 Hours	35 Hours

Education Requirement for PMP Certification Exam

You need to match one of the PMP certification eligibility requirements, which is essential for you to appear for your PMP® certification exam. But it is also important for you to complete 35 hours of Project Management Education in order to fulfill the eligibility requirement to sit for the PMP® exam.

You must be wondering how can you earn the 35 hours of Project Management education requirement. You can enroll in PMP certification training to earn the same. This training also helps you to prepare for your PMP® exam and get proper support from the experts to clear your PMP® exam in one shot.

Acceptable Experiences to be Eligible for the PMP® Exam

The experiences mentioned by you in your application should cover all the five processes mentioned in the PMBOK® Guide. But you should keep in mind that it is not necessary for all of these processes to be in one single project. You can find a full list of acceptable tasks, knowledge, and skills in PMI’s PMP Certification Eligibility.

A few of the tasks that you might be performing and which would be acceptable are as follows:

• You should define the high-level scope of the project based on the requirements of business and compliance to meet the customer project expectations.
• Obtain approval to execute the project by presenting the project plan to the key stakeholders (if required).
• Achieve the project deliverable within the schedule and budget by executing the tasks as defined in the project plan.
• Get feedback from the stakeholders by communicating the project status to ensure that the business needs are aligned to the project alignment.
• Work with the customer and the sponsor to obtain final acceptance of the project deliverable to confirm that project deliverables and scope were met.

Ways to Gather the Required Experience for PMP

You need to meet the PMP® experience required to be eligible in order to gain PMP® certification. But how can you gather enough experience? As discussed, you need to earn experience of 4,500 to 7,500 hours of directing and leading projects depending on your educational qualification.

The following ideas can help you to overcome this obstacle:

1. As Full-time Project Managers

If you are working as a Project Manager or in a similar position that gives you a full-time opportunity to lead and direct projects, then it’s easy. If you don’t have enough hours then you can go ahead with what you are doing and with time you will gather the required number of hours.

2. If you are not a full-time Project Manager

Don’t have enough hours to meet the required PMP certification eligibility? It even gets trickier when you are not in a role that gives you an opportunity to direct or lead projects. If you are not managing projects at all or managing projects part-time, you are collecting hours of experience at a slower rate compared to a full-time project manager. To ensure you're on the right path, consider conducting a PMP eligibility check to evaluate your current progress and identify gaps in your qualifications. You can increase the rate of accumulating experience in the following ways:

• By changing your role - You can increase the amount of time spent on managing projects using the most effective solution, i.e. by changing your role. You can go for a wider discussion about your career development with your employer by stating clearly that you would like to provide more value to your employer by directing and leading projects. If you get an opportunity to become a full-time project manager then you are on your way to collect the required hours as soon as possible.
• By changing your company - In case you are not getting an opportunity to shift to a different kind of responsibility in your current company then you should change the company you are working for. You might find a suitable opportunity to negotiate better terms and conditions than you are having in your current company. This will surely allow you to speed up the process of earning the required hours of experience in order to meet the PMI eligibility requirement.
• Volunteering - You can always check for volunteering opportunities with your local PMI chapter which would also expose you to additional benefits. This will also provide you with more and better networking opportunities at the same time. You can earn the required experience hours through volunteering.

What Should I Do If I Cannot Meet PMP Certification Exam Requirements?

If you are unable to meet the PMP exam eligibility requirements, the following are the steps to address the situation: 

1. If you fall short on the required education level: If a four-year degree is a prerequisite and you fall short, consider pursuing additional education. You can accomplish this by upgrading your education through authorized educational institutions or online courses. 

2. Lack of Project management experience: If you don’t have sufficient project management experience, push yourself within your organization to leadership roles. Participating in as many projects as possible allows you to accumulate the required hours of experience. 

3. Not meeting the requirement of project management education contact hours: Enroll in a PMI-approved KnowledgeHut Project Management Professional preparation course that offers the required 35 contact hours of education. You can get the educational hours you need from this course, which is meant to cover the most essential aspects of project management. Also, you can get a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification, equivalent to the required 35 PMP qualifying hours of education. 

4. Lack of project managing / leading hours: To get the project management hours you need, you should actively seek out professional development chances, take workshops, and work on important projects.

Is PMI Membership Mandatory for me to get PMP®  certified?

This is another question that you tend to ask while beginning your PMP® journey. You don’t have to be a PMI member in order to appear for your PMP® certification exam. But there are surely a few benefits that you can reap from your PMI membership. The benefits are as follows:

• As a PMI member, you can receive a significant discount on your PMP® exam application fee. Once you become a PMI member, you will realize that the cost of membership is comparatively lesser than the discounts which you get.
• You get access to a free PDF copy of the PMBOK Guide as a PMI member which is an important resource to prepare and pass your exam.
• Moreover, many local PMI chapters offer discounts on their PMP® exam preparation workshops to PMI members.

PMP Certification Cost

Apart from the above-mentioned information about the PMP certification eligibility requirements, there are certain costs related to the PMP® exam. We can divide the cost of PMP® certification into the cost of PMP® certification training and the PMP® exam fee. But there is another hidden cost related to it which you should be aware of. This is the cost of the time that you will spend while studying for the PMP® certification exam. Let’s try to understand these costs in detail.

1. Cost of 35 hours of Project Management Training

You are expected to meet certain PMP course eligibility criteria before appearing for the PMP Certification exam. Apart from other eligibilities, it is necessary for you to attend at least 35 hours of project management course. So, the major question which arises here is how much these certification courses cost.

The cost of PMP® certification training varies based on the type of training which you are willing to take. Mostly, you need to make a choice between PMP® certification classroom training and online PMP® certification training. Also, the cost of your training depends on the country you are located. Usually, the cost of PMP® certification training ranges between $500 to $2,000.  

The following chart will give you a clear idea about the cost of PMP® certification classroom training across other countries:

Countries	Price of classroom training
America, Canada, Australia	$1,500
South America (Brazil, Chile, etc.)	$600
China, India	$500
European Countries	$1,200
Arabian Countries	$2,000

2. Exam Preparation Time

As a busy professional, the time you spend on your project management education might cost you your precious leisure time. But you can save your time by opting for a self-paced online PMP certification training cost. 

For instance, you can plan to spend 5 to 6 hours a week studying in order to pass your PMP® exam. The duration of your training will certainly depend on your dedication, professional experiences, and your background in project management.  

3. PMP®  Exam Fee

Once you are done with your 35 hours of project management education, you need to take your PMP® exam at a Prometric test center. You need to schedule your exam date in the nearest Prometric test center after PMI accepts your application. The PMP® certification exam fee can be brought down by becoming a PMI member.

You can also get a free copy of PMBOK® by becoming a PMI member. Other than that, there are numerous other benefits that you can reap from your PMI membership.

To sum up, the cost of PMP® certification depends on the course you decide to take. Your total PMP® certification cost will be nearly $750 if you choose to get your project management education through an online course. You can also continue preparing with a PMP® certification classroom training by spending around $1,700 including the exam fee.

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Conclusion

I have given my complete journey here with key insights into the educational and experiential prerequisites required for PMP certification eligibility. Apart from the above-mentioned criteria, I have allotted focused time to prepare for the PMP exam syllabus. I have also enhanced my project management skills with workshops, courses, and real-time experiences.

I never hesitated to get suggestions from experienced PMP holders for guidance and insights. So always stay connected with experienced PMPs. If you don't meet PMP exam qualifications, you should get more education, obtain the project management skills you need, or look into other certifications like the CAPM.

Also, be updated with the official PMI website to know of any changes in PMP certification eligibility criteria. By strictly following the given PMP exam checklist, you can succeed in becoming a PMP certification holder. All the best for your PMP journey.