Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification is a must-have qualification today to apply for Project Management roles in top organizations. PMP certification is widely recognized worldwide. Obtaining the PMP certification can be a challenging process. But once you have cleared the PMP exam, nothing like it. This certification will open great opportunities in your career. Project Management Institute (PMI) states that you will be able to earn 16 % more annual salary in the Project management field compared to your peers without PMP certification.

It would help if you devoted enough time and concentration to the PMP exam preparation. The pass percentage is estimated at 50-60%, making it one of the most demanding professional certification exams. PMI has authorized a few institutions to help aspirants prepare for the PMP exam, which also satisfies the contact hours criteria required to be eligible for the exam. You can sign up for the PMP Training to avail yourself of PMI-authorised training that will help you with PMP exam preparation.   

• Let’s see what are the requirements to qualify for the PMP exam 

• What should you do if you don’t meet the PMP requirements? 

• Conclusion 

Let’s see what are the requirements to qualify for the PMP exam 

You need the following qualification to apply for the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification. If not, you are considered disqualified by PMI from taking up this exam. It may seem stressful to understand the requirements, so we have simplified it here. 

There are three categories to meet the requirements: 

• Here is the first category: When you have a three-year education degree 

If you hold a secondary degree of three years, you need to have a minimum of 7500 hours of work experience in project management. You should have attained this experience in the last five years by applying for the PMP exam. You need to supplement these with 35 contact hours, or you must hold a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) credential. 

Contact Hours is professional training in managing or directing projects from a PMI-certified institute.  

• Here is the second category: When you have a four-year education degree 

If you don’t qualify in the first category, you should hold a four-year bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 4500 hours of project management work experience. You should also supplement these with 35 hours of project management training from a PMI-certified institute. You must hold a CAPM credential if you don’t have the required contact hours.   

• Here is the third category: When you have a master’s education degree 

This is probably for you if you do not come under any of the categories mentioned above. If you hold a master’s degree, you must have 24 months of project management work experience. You must supplement this experience with 35 Contact hours or a CAPM certificate.   

Wondering what to do if you don’t qualify for any of these requirements? Read the following section to resolve this confusion.   

What should you do if you don’t meet the PMP requirements? 

First, you don’t have to worry about not meeting these requirements. PMI allows you to retake the PMP exam once you have accomplished the required job experience and training. Meanwhile, on the one hand, you can get a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification and, on the other hand, gain the work experience required for PMP certification. At the same time, you take up the CAPM certification. 

Conclusion 

Once you ensure the PMP certification eligibility requirements, fill in the PMP exam application on the official PMI website. Once your application audit is completed, you will have about 12 months to prepare for the exam. Make sure that you devote handwork and dedication to Preparation, You can also refer to PMP exam Prep for detailed explanation on how and what to prepare .