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PMP Eligibility Checker
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35 hours PM education
35 hours PM education
PMP Eligibility Requirements 2026 — Full Reference
PMI's eligibility requirements have been in place since 2021 and are unchanged for 2026. There are two paths depending on your highest level of education.
| Requirement | Path A — Four-Year Degree | Path B — Secondary Degree |
|---|---|---|
| Education |
Path A Four-year degree (bachelor's or equivalent). Recognised by the higher education system of the country in which it was awarded. |
Path B Secondary degree, high school diploma or associate's degree — or the global equivalent. |
| Experience | 36 months of project leadership experience within the last 8 years. Must be non-overlapping — concurrent projects count as one month, not two. | 60 months of project leadership experience within the last 8 years. Same non-overlapping rule applies. |
| Training | 35 hours of project management education or training — required for both paths. A valid CAPM certification also satisfies this requirement. | |
| Experience Type | Must be leading and directing projects — making decisions, managing teams or budgets, managing risks or coordinating deliverables. Participating as a team member does not count. | |
| Time Window | All experience must fall within the last 8 years from the date of your PMP application submission. | |
| Verification | PMI audits approximately 20–25% of applications. If audited, you must provide degree certificates, training certificates and employer confirmation of experience — signed by your manager. | |
| After Approval | Once approved, you have one year to pass the exam. You get 3 attempts within that year. The exam is 180 questions over 4 hours (230 minutes). | |
How to Apply for the PMP — Step by Step
Step 1 — Create a PMI Account
Go to pmi.org and create a free account. Consider joining PMI as a member ($139/year) before submitting your application — membership reduces the exam fee by $150 ($555 → $405), making membership cost-neutral in the first year.
Step 2 — Document Your Experience
For each project you list, PMI requires: project title, organisation name, your role/title, project objective, start and end date and the number of hours you led the project per month. You need enough non-overlapping months to reach 36 or 60 depending on your path. List your most recent projects first and work backwards within the 8-year window.
Step 3 — Document Your Training Hours
List each PM training course or programme with the provider name, course title and number of hours. The 35 hours can come from one source or multiple — a degree-level PM module, online courses (Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning), PMI's own courses, corporate training or a PMP prep course. Keep your certificates — you'll need them if audited.
Step 4 — Submit the Application
Submit through the PMI portal. Standard processing takes 5–10 business days. If selected for audit (random, roughly 1 in 4 applicants), you'll receive an email and have 90 days to submit supporting documents. The audit process typically adds 4–6 weeks.
Step 5 — Schedule and Sit the Exam
Once approved, you'll receive a notification to schedule your exam through Pearson VUE — either at a test centre or online proctored from home. You have one year from approval to pass, with up to three attempts. See our free PMP study guide → for a complete exam preparation plan.