How to Get PMP Certification? Guide to PMP Certification Process

The PMP certification process includes the candidate fulfilling the eligibility or the required criteria before appearing for the examination. It further comprises three steps viz, filling up the application form, preparing, and sitting for the exam sequentially.

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Introduction

The process of getting the PMP Certification consists of fulfilling the eligibility criteria, clearing the exam and then maintaining the certification. The certification validates your skills as a project manager and helps you boost your resume in the job market. Let us see how you can get your PMP Certification:

Also Read: Associate Project Manager Salary

How to Get PMP Certification: Requirements and Process

Getting the PMP Certification is a collective process of meeting the eligibility criteria, submitting the application and then cracking the exam. Let us see in detail the whole process:

Eligibility criteria for PMP Certification
The eligibility for the PMP Examination is based on these three factors:
- Educational background
- Project related work experience
- Formal project management education
Project management educational background and project related work experience are interlinked.

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Educational Background	Project related work exp
If you have secondary degree (high school diploma or associate degree)	You require minimum five years/60 months non-overlapping experience in project management
If you have four year degree (bachelors or global equivalent)	You require three years/36 months non-overlapping experience in project management
If you have post graduate degree from GAC accredited program	You require 2 years/24 months non-overlapping experience in project management

Moreover, to give the exam you need to pass the eligibility criteria with 35 hours of PMP Training from a recognised institution. This will count as formal education in project management.

Also Read: Google Project Management Certificate vs PMP

Fill the application
After you have met the eligibility for PMP certification, you are required to submit your application for it. Make an account with PMI and get started. You will be required to fill in details like your educational background, your work experience. Once it is approved, you are required to pay the examination fee and schedule your exam.

The examination fee for PMI members is: $405 and for non-members it is: $405

Although, if you take training like StarAgile’s PMP training, the examination fee will be included in the training cost.

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Prepare
Now you are required to prepare for the exam and also earn hours in formal education in PMP. You have two methods to prepare for the exam: self-learning and training programs.
You can prepare for the PMP exam by yourself but you still are required to fulfil the 35-hours formal education criteria by undergoing any training program.

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The second option is opting for any formal training program directly which will help you obtain the 35 hours education requirement and prepare you for the exam as well.

Also Read: CPM vs PMP

Give the exam
You can give your PMP Exam online or offline as well. The online exam is proctored in collaboration with Pearson Vue and for the offline exam, you need to visit the exam centre. The exam will be four hours comprising 200 questions. Out of 200 questions, 25 are not scored.

Also Read: Is PMP Exam Hard?

Download the certificate
Once you have cleared the PMP Exam, you can download your PMP Certificate in a few simple steps.
- Visit the pmi.org website
- Log in with your account
- Navigate to the certificate page
- Download the certificate you gained from PMI
Also Read: PMP Study Books

Moreover, you will get a digital badge too, within two weeks after gaining your PMP Certification. You will get an email with your badge, you can accept it and download it to share on different social media platforms.

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Validity and maintenance of PMP Certificate
The PMP certificate is valid for three years. You are required to gain 60 PDUs within this span in order to maintain your certification.