The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is awarded by PMI, and it is well known in the field of project management. Suppose you are interested in this certification and want to take the PMP exam. In that case, you can make sure if you meet the eligibility requirements for the PMP (Refer to Do I Need to Take the PMP Exam? for information about requirements for PMP certification).
Once you are eligible to apply for it and meet all the requirements, you’ll need to complete an application form so that the Project Management Institute (PMI) can verify your experience and education as a project manager. The application process can be overwhelming, so we’ve created a guide that delves into each step and includes helpful tips to help you understand the process and fill out the form with ease. You can also refer to SPOTO for more information, including the latest PMP exam news, PMP exam tips, 100% real updated PMP exam dumps, practice tests, online training, etc.
Create a PMI.org Account
Before you start applying for the PMP exam, you need to create an account at PMI.org. You do not have to be a PMI member to apply for the exam, but it is a good idea. The exam cost is $405 for members and $555 for non-members. PMI membership is $129/year, so the discount makes up for the membership fee. Membership gives you free electronic access to the PMBOK® Guide, Salary Report, and other guides and standards published by PMI, all of which will help you prepare for your PMP exam. Joining your local chapter requires a small additional annual fee. However, you can become a PMI Global member without joining your local branch.
Fill out the Application Form
The PMP application form is available online and in printable PDF format on the PMI website. For the offline version, you will be sent via courier after completing the form. However, the online version is instant. Here we will explain the process for the online version.
The application form has three sections: The first asks for general information, the second asks for project management experience, and the third asks you to detail your 35 contact hours training program.
If you don’t have enough time to complete it all at once, you can save your progress and continue later. However, please note that you must complete and submit it within 90 days once you start filling it out. While PMI will send you some reminders during this time, it is your responsibility to complete the process. Here are the main sections you need to complete:
Education Section
In this section, you’ll first need to provide information about your academic, including:
- Highest level of education achieved
- Name of Institution
- Field of Study
- Country of Institution
- Years Attended
In addition, you will need to enter your professional education information to demonstrate that you have met the required 35 hours of project management training. You will need to list the following for each course that counts toward the 35-hour requirement:
- Course Title
- Provider Name
- Course Dates
- Qualifying Hours
Experience Section
This section will need to list your project experience, starting with your most recent project. PMI will calculate the total months from the start date to the end date to ensure no overlap. For each project, you will need to provide the following content:
- Project Title
- Organization
- Job Title
- Functional Reporting Area
- Organization Primary Focus (i.e., Industry)
- Approach/Methodology (e.g., Traditional, Agile, or Hybrid)
- Project Team Size
- Project Budget
- Project Date (including whether the project is in progress or not)
- Project Description (200-500 words)
Your project description needs to summarize your experience on the project, including the project goals, outcomes, your role on the project, and your responsibilities or deliverables. It is best to focus your description on your work on the project (your project management experience) versus the scope of the project itself. Ensure that the responsibilities you list are generally consistent with those of a project manager, as described in the exam content outline.
Exam Details
This section will fill in some basic contact information about yourself, including how you would like your name to appear on your PMP® certificate, where you plan to take this exam and any exam accommodations you may need.
Ensure that you submit accurate and correct information, as it will be difficult to change it later. Take the time to review all the information twice to make sure it is correct and then submit it.
You must read and agree with the PMI Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct and the Certification Agreement/Renewal Agreement before submitting the application form.
Application Completeness Review
It may take 5-7 working days for PMI to verify that your application is complete and provide approval for you to pay for and schedule your exam. In addition, you may receive notification that you have been audited during the same period. If this happens, please see the next step PMP Audit.
PMP Audit
The audit process is selected after you submit your application. You will know immediately whether you have been selected or not. The audit is mainly random. If you are not audited, you can move on to the next step. If you are selected for an audit, you will be notified by email before paying the certification fee. During the audit process, you will be asked to submit supporting documentation, such as
- A copy of your diploma (or global equivalent)
- Your supervisor’s or manager’s signature for the project as documented in the experience section
- Copies of certificates and/or letters from training institutions for each course documented in the application to meet the required contact hours of project management education
There are 90 days for you to send your audit materials. PMI will process these materials within 5-7 days once received. If they are not satisfied with your documents or need additional information, they will notify you. As long as you follow the instructions provided by PMI, you should not have any problems.
After reviewing your documents, if PMI is satisfied, they will approve your application. After that, you can make your payment.
Fee Payment
After your application has been reviewed and accepted, PMI will send you a confirmation email with a payment request.
If you are a PMI member, you will only need to pay $405. Otherwise, you will pay $555.
Schedule the Exam
Upon receipt of payment, PMI will send you an email with a unique eligibility code, which will also offer you instructions for scheduling your exam appointment. You can schedule your PMP exam through the Pearson VUE website with this unique code. You will have one year from the date you receive the code to pass the exam. The maximum number of attempts is three.
Conclusion
The PMP® exam can be taken online or at an exam location near you. The exam is a 200-question and multiple-choice exam. No matter how much experience you have, it would be best to prepare rigorously for the exam. Successful candidates typically use a variety of study materials, including courses and study groups. SPOTO offers PMP online training, 100% valid exam dumps covering real exam questions, the latest practice tests, etc. You can also join our PMP Study Group for a complete package of study stuff.
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