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How to do PMP certification?

Updated: Oct 28

The PMP Certification Process is quite simple, but there’s no one-stop shop to get all the required details. Here, I am summarizing all the details needed to take your PMP Exam.

PMP Certification Steps

There are six stages:

1. Confirm whether you are qualified to take this certification.

2. Complete 35 hours of formal project management training.

3. Submit and get approval for your PMP application.

4. Schedule the exam.

5. Prepare for the PMP exam.

6. Take the exam.

Let's see each of these stages in detail and what we need to do to complete each stage.


Stage 1: Confirm Whether You Are Qualified to Take This Certification


PMI allows us to take this exam only if we have the right education and experience. To take the PMP certification, you should fulfill one of the following criteria:


Education & Experience Combo


• A 3-year Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma (e.g., BBA, BCA, or Diploma in Engineering) and you must have a minimum of 5 years (60 months) of project management experience.


• A 4-year Bachelor’s Degree (e.g., BE/B. Tech) and you must have a minimum of 3 years (36 months) of project management experience.


• Post-Graduate Degree (e.g., MBA, MCA, M. Tech) and you must have a minimum of 2 years (24 months) of project management experience.


In addition to experience and education, you should also complete a minimum of 35 hours of formal project management training, or you should be an active PMI-CAPM certification holder.


Details about the 35 hours of formal project management training will be covered later in "Stage 2".


We need to provide the above details in the PMP application during the application submission process. This is also covered in detail later in this post.


You can refer to the PMP exam content outline for more details.


Stage 2: Taking 35 Hours of Formal Project Management Training


It is mandatory to complete a minimum of 35 hours of formal project management training. This can be done in different formats:


1. Online Self-Learning Courses:


You can take a course on platforms like Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, etc. Any course on project management totaling 35 hours of learning will suffice, but the most relevant and useful courses are those designed for PMP Exam preparation. This is the most economical option if you are someone who can study independently without needing a coach or in-person training.


2. Classroom and Online-Classroom Training:


Enroll in live classes conducted for PMP Exam preparation. This is very effective as you will work with an expert who has coached many PMP Exam aspirants. This method expedites your learning process and provides support until you pass the exam. However, this method is a bit expensive, typically costing between 12,000 INR to 25,000 INR. Remember, costly training doesn’t necessarily mean quality training. The quality of the training depends more on how good your trainer is rather than the training company. Check reviews, LinkedIn posts of learners who tagged the trainer in their PMP Exam success posts, and attend demo classes to assess the quality of the training. Also, check the Learning Management System for features like practice questions, mock exam simulators, session recordings, and post-training support.


If you are looking for the best and most affordable PMP Certification Online Training in India, then you must enroll in Gantt Scholar’s PMP Training. 50 Hours of Live interactive Sessions and the best part is you can attend the first 10 hours of the Training at NO COST to evaluate the quality of the Training by yourself.



To learn more about Gantt Scholar Training, visit my website: PMP Certification Online Training | Enroll Now


3. MBA Coursework:


If you’re pursuing an MBA and have any syllabus related to project management covered in previous semesters, it can be claimed for the 35 hours of project management training.


Stage 3: Submitting and Approval of Your PMP Application


The PMP application is a document that we submit to PMI with all the required information to qualify us to take the PMP Exam. Follow these steps to submit your application:


1. Go to http://PMI.org and create a new account through the registration process. (No cost involved.)


2. Search for the PMP application in the search bar within your PMI portal.


3. Click the link to open the PMP Application Form and fill in your Project Management Experience, Education, and 35 Hours of Project Management Training (referred to as Contact Hours in the Form). One hour of formal Project Management Training equals one Contact hour. One hour of formal Project Management Training equals one Contact hour.


To learn more about the PMP Exam Application Process, kindly refer to this Blog:https://www.ganttscholar.com/post/how-to-submit-pmp-application

PMP Application Form snippet

4. If you decide to take any live classroom or online training, the trainer or training company should help you review your application. You can also ask a friend or colleague who recently completed PMP to review your application. If you want me to review your application, you can download and share your application draft to services@ganttsholar.com.


5. Once your application is submitted, it will be approved within 5 working days by PMI. Sometimes, PMI will reach out for additional details. Don’t panic. Just provide the requested details.


6. Once your application is approved, you can pay the exam fee and schedule your exam. You have a 365-day window to do this. After this time, your application validity will expire, and you must resubmit your application with recent information.


7. Refer to this link to learn more about the PMP Exam Application: https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp/earn-the-pmp/how-to-apply



Stage 4: Scheduling the Exam


To schedule your exam, you need to do two things:


1. Pay the exam fee to PMI. If you’re from India, the PMP exam fee is 23,800 INR for PMI members and 45,510 INR for non-PMI members. Anyone can become a PMI member; however, it is not free. For Indians, the PMI membership fee is 9,840 INR and is valid for 1 year. By taking PMI membership and paying the fee, you can save 12,382 INR.

Additionally, you can download PMBOK7, Process Group: Practice Guide, Agile Practice Guide from http://PMI.org for free, which are standard reference materials for PMP exam preparation. Remember, all prices mentioned are exclusive of GST 😊. Be prepared to pay an 18% GST. If you’re from the US/Canada, the fee for PMI members is $405 and for non-PMI members is $555. Membership costs $139 per year, saving you $11 by taking PMI membership.


If you are looking for the best and most affordable PMP Certification Online Training in India, then you must enroll in Gantt Scholar’s PMP Training. 50 Hours of Live interactive Sessions and the best part is you can attend the first 10 hours of the Training at NO COST to evaluate the quality of the Training by yourself.


To learn more about Gantt Scholar Training, visit my website: PMP Certification Online Training | Enroll Now


Check TrustPilot Reviews for Gantt Scholar Training: Gantt Scholar is rated "Excellent" with 4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot


2. Determine how many days you tentatively need for preparation. The preparation time required depends on whether the person has taken live classroom training or used self-learning videos to complete the 35 hours of formal project management education. People who have taken live classroom training typically need around 6 to 8 weeks of preparation, assuming they study a minimum of 2 hours per day for 6 days a week. Those who have used self-learning courses generally require a minimum of 4 months, assuming they study for 2 hours per day for 6 days a week. The reason for the longer duration with self-learning is that those trained by a good PMP coach often gain tacit knowledge needed to pass the exam more effectively, whereas self-learners acquire this knowledge through mistakes and experimentation.


You can access a step-by-step PMP exam preparation study plan here: PMP Chapter Test | Gantt Scholar Click on the "Download PMP Study Plan" button to get your copy.


To find the nearby exam centres, you can use this link: Project Management Institute Test Center Locator Redirect


To know more details about how to schedule your PMP exam, kindly use this link: https://www.pmi.org/update-center/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/certifications/exam-schedule-pearson-vue.pdf


Stage 5: PMP Exam Preparation


This stage is crucial in your PMP exam journey. A good exam preparation is based on a solid study plan. Having trained more than 9000 students for the PMP exam, I will never recommend skipping reading books. You must read books to pass the PMP exam on your first attempt. Many training companies claim they can help you pass the exam without reading any books, but this is primarily a marketing strategy, so don't be deceived. PMP certification is based on hard work and perseverance, so there are no shortcuts to success in this mission.


What books do you need to read? In what order should you read them? Which pages from each book should you focus on? The list of topics to cover is summarized in the study plan.


Download it from here: PMP Chapter Test | Gantt Scholar




You must use high-quality practice questions, which are integral to your PMP exam preparation process. There are two types of practice questions. First, chapter test questions help you assess your understanding of the concepts covered in each topic or knowledge area. Second, mock exam simulators help you experience and use the functionalities and features you'll encounter in the real exam, such as mark for review and the exam timer. Mock exam simulators also teach you how to manage time during the exam.


Here's a video I've made on PMP exam time management and the importance of the PMP mock exam simulator: Video Link: PMP Exam Time Management. Key Tips and Techniques to Complete All the Questions within 230 min



You can access a Free Mock Exam Simulator with 180 questions here: PMP Mock Exam Simulator


In your exam preparation, focus on mastering the Project Management Concepts, developing a PMP Mindset, and learning Tips and Tricks to Solve Scenario-based Questions.


Learn about the different types of PMP questions and how to solve them here: PMP Exam Questions Types and Techniques to Solve Them


After taking every mock exam, review your incorrect answers and identify your areas of weakness. Work on these areas before taking the next mock exam.


You should take 5 Mock Exams before attempting the actual exam. If your average score is 75% or above in the 5 Mock Exams, you are likely to pass the real exam with scores above target in the 3 domains (Process, People, and Business)—this is the best exam score you can achieve.


Stage 6: The Exam


If you have opted to take the exam at an exam center, you will sit for the exam on the scheduled date according to your appointment. If you have decided to take it from home, log into your system and start your PMP exam session. You will receive instructions from PMI after scheduling the exam on how to proceed. Kindly follow these instructions.

The PMP exam consists of 180 scenario-based questions. Approximately 160 questions will be multiple-choice questions. Additionally, there will be around 15 multiple correct answer type questions, as well as some drag-and-drop, hotspot, and fill-in-the-blank type questions.


You will encounter 90 questions based on predictive development approaches and the remaining 90 questions will be from agile development approaches.


Out of these 180 questions, 90 will be from the Process domain, 74 from the People domain, and the remaining 16 from the Business domain.


PMP Exam Question Split up

Once you finish your exam, the provisional exam result will be immediately shared. Within a few days, the detailed score sheet will be sent to your registered email ID.

Your exam performance will be evaluated across the Process, People, and Business domains. Instead of a numerical score, you will receive grades. There are 4 possible grades: Above Proficiency, On Proficiency, Below Proficiency, and Needs Improvement. To pass the exam, you need to achieve Above Proficiency or On Proficiency in all 3 domains.


Here is a sample score sheet for your reference.


PMP Exam Score Sheet sample


If you are looking for the best and most affordable PMP Certification Online Training in India, then you must enroll in Gantt Scholar’s PMP Training. 50 Hours of Live interactive Sessions and the best part is you can attend the first 10 hours of the Training at NO COST to evaluate the quality of the Training by yourself.


To learn more about Gantt Scholar Training, visit my website: PMP Certification Online Training | Enroll Now


Check Trustpilot Reviews for Gantt Scholar Training: Gantt Scholar is rated "Excellent" with 4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot


Contact me for more information.

Phone / WhatsApp: +91 9035859915, Email: services@ganttscholar.com


If you have any questions and need clarification, please let us know in the comments.


Thanks for reading. Our Best Wishes for your PMP Journey.


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Disclaimer

The views, facts, and opinions expressed in this blog are based on the author's professional experience, beliefs, and facts collected from reference materials mentioned under References and citations. We did our best to ensure the content's correctness to make it reliable. Learnings from this blog help the learners, in general; however, we neither guarantee this blog will make the learners clear any project management certification exam nor its correctness. We are not liable for any consequence of applying this blog's learnings and advise readers to do things at their discretion.

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