PMP Eligibility & Requirements

To sit the PMP exam you must meet one of two experience routes and complete 35 contact hours of project management education. The route you use depends on your level of formal education, and both require documented project management experience.

The two qualifying routes

Route one: a four-year degree (bachelor's or global equivalent) with 36 months of project management experience. Route two: a secondary diploma (high-school or global equivalent) with 60 months of experience. You only need to satisfy one route.

The 35 contact hours

Both routes require 35 contact hours of formal project management education, completed before you apply. PMCOE's live, instructor-led PMP course provides these hours. If you already hold the CAPM, that education requirement is treated as met.

The application and audit

You document your education and experience in a PMI application. PMI may select applications for an audit, where you confirm the details, so keep accurate records of your projects, dates and hours.

If you do not yet qualify

If you cannot yet evidence the required experience, the CAPM has no experience requirement — a secondary diploma and 23 contact hours qualify you — and it can be upgraded to the PMP later.