PMP & ITIL Study Guide

Summary:
What eligibility requirements must I meet in order to complete the PMP Certification process?

The Project Management Professional (PMP) program is the formal Certification of Project Managers. This program helps to ensure the highest professional and ethical standards within the community of practicing
Project Management Professionals.

Eligibility Criteria
To complete the PMP Certification process, candidates must satisfy all requirements in one of two categories.

Category 1: With a baccalaureate degree
PMP candidates must:
1.Document at least three calendar years experience in project management (during the past six years), including at least 4,500 hours experience within the five recognized project management process groups.
2. Document at least 35 contact hours of formal training in project management.
3. Pass the PMP Certification Exam.

Category 2: Without a baccalaureate degree PMP candidates must:
1. Document at least five calendar years experience in project management (within the past eight years), including at least 7,500 hours experience within the five recognized project management process groups.
2. Document at least 35 contact hours of formal training in project management.
3. Pass the PMP Certification Exam.

Applying
The PMP Application can be completed either online (at www.pmi.org) or with paper forms.

The Application consists of three sections:

1. PMP Certification Examination Application Form
This section consists of three pages and includes all of your general information: name, address, contact information, educational background. This section can be completed quickly.

2. Project Management Education Form
This section is a one-page form that asks you to document your 35 contact hours in project management training. This section can be completed quickly.

3. Project Management Experience Verification Form
This section uses a two-page form to document each of your projects during your experience period. This is the most time-consuming portion of the Application. It involves doing some spadework gathering all the information necessary to complete this section. Summarize your project management experience, include the project names, and companies for whom you did the projects.

Your Certification Fee must accompany your application (credit card only if online). The fee is $405 for PMI members, $555 for non-members.

PMI takes around 10 to 14 working days to process your Application.
Once your Application is approved, you will receive an eligibility letter with identification code and detailed testing information. You must take your exam within six months. Application Forms are available for review and/or download anytime at www.pmi.org.

Caution: Be thorough, accurate and honest with your Application information. To help maintain quality and integrity in the PMP Certification Program, PMI audits a significant percentage of accepted Certification Applications. It's best to assume that your application will be one of them. The audit process involves formal verification by your employer(s) and schools. It is best not to exaggerate any of your application information. If invalid information is found during the audit process, you will be stripped of your Certification. If you do not quite meet any of the eligibility criteria, it is best to wait until you can honestly satisfy the criteria before applying.