What are the Eligibility Criteria for the PMP® Exam?

To be eligible for the PMP® credential, you must meet certain educational and professional experience requirements. All project management experience must have been accrued within the last eight consecutive years prior to your application submission.

The eligibility requirements depend upon your Education Background.

If you hold a High school diploma, associate's degree or global equivalent , then you need:

Project Management Experience : Minimum five years/60 months unique non-overlapping professional project management experience during which at least 7,500 hours were spent leading and directing project tasks.
Project Management Education : 35 contact hours of formal education (or PDUs)

If you hold a Bachelor's degree or global equivalent , then you need:

Project Management Experience : Minimum three years/36 months unique non-overlapping professional project management experience during which at least 4,500 hours were spent leading and directing project tasks.
Project Management Education : 35 contact hours of formal education (or PDUs)

How far back can I go for the Project Management experience on my PMP® application?

All project management experience must have been accrued within the

What is the format of PMP® Exam Questions?

All the questions on the PMP® Exam are multiple-choice questions . Each question has exactly 4 answer choices.

What are the fees for the PMP® Exam?

The examination fees vary depending upon whether you are a PMI member.

For PMI Members

Computer-based exam: USD 405
Paper-based exam: USD 250

For Non PMI Members

Computer-based exam: USD 555
Paper-based exam: USD 400

How many Questions are there in the PMP® Exam?

The PMP® Exam comprises of 200 questions. Of the 200 questions, 25 are considered pretest questions.

What are Pretest Questions?

A PMP® Exam consists of 25 Pretest questions.

Pretest Questions:

Tip : If you have studied the PMBOK well, referred to at least 2 exam guides (apart from the PMBOK Guide), attempted at least 1000 sample questions, reviewed other exam resources, and you still see a totally "out of the blue" question on the exam, there's a high probability that it may be one of those 25 Pretest questions.

What is the Passing Score for the PMP® Exam?

PMP® Handbook says: The passing score for all PMI credential examinations is determined by sound psychometric analysis. PMI uses subject matter experts from across the globe to help establish a point at which each candidate should pass the examination(s) and the examination point of difficulty. Data that shows how candidates actually performed is cross-referenced with the subject matter experts to ensure that the point of difficulty on each examination is healthy.

Is there any negative marking in the PMP® Exam?

No. There's no negative marking on the PMP® exam. If you don't answer a question correctly, you don't get any marks for it. You score only for the right answers.

How much time is allotted for the PMP® Exam?

The allotted time to complete the computer-based examination is four hours. The examination is preceded by a tutorial and followed by a survey, both of which are optional and both of which can take up to 15 minutes to complete. The time used to complete the tutorial and survey is not included in the examination time of four hours.

Tip : Exam takers usually take the 15-minute survey, which precedes the exam, to do brain dump of formulas, important terms, or anything else they want to get off their head. Some even take this time to relax or meditate.

Can I bookmark a question on the PMP® Exam and revisit it again?

Yes. You can mark a question for 'review' and revisit it anytime during the exam. You can use this feature to your advantage.

Tip : If you are not sure about the answer of a particular question, just go by your instincts or your best guess and select an answer. Mark this question for review. Complete the first pass of all the (200) questions and then revisit the questions marked for review, at the end.

Note: Don't forget to bookmark this page.

Are the answers to questions marked for review on the PMP® Exam counted?

Yes. As long as you've answered the question, it is counted at the end of the exam, irrespective of whether it's marked for review or not.

Do I need to use a calculator during the PMP® Exam?

Probably, yes. The exam is not a test of your math skills and if you can do primary school level calculations in your head, you don't need a calculator. However, people are known to stumble on '2+2=4'-type calculations also under intense pressure, and it won't hurt to verify your results on a calculator.

Nowadays, the PMP® Exam software has a calculator application built into it (as per PMP® Handbook). However, I wasn't aware of this when I took the exam and cannot say how well it works. I was given one of those dollar-store calculators with huge buttons and bold display. I wasn't even sure whether it was spitting out correct results. Fortunately, I passed the exam.

Normally, the test centers provide calculators and you are not allowed to carry your own calculator inside the test area. But you might also want to carry your own calculator to the test center, just in case. Most likely, you'll be asked to leave yours outside (in the locker).

Is there any official break during the PMP® Exam?

No. The PMP® Exam is for 4 continuous hours, without any official break. The clock doesn't stop once it starts ticking, until the end of the exam.

However, you are allowed to take breaks - nature, or regular - during the exam at your own expense (time). It's best to check with the Prometric test center, where you've scheduled your exam, about their policy on this matter.

What is the Domain-wise distribution of PMP® Exam Questions?

The PMP® examination is developed based on the PMP® examination blueprint contained in the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Examination Specification .The examination blueprint details the percentage of questions contained in each project management process group. The following represents the percentage of questions in each domain that are included in the examination.

Which edition of PMBOK Guide is the PMP® Exam based on?

From June 30, 2009 : PMBOK Guide Edition 4

Is there any change in PMP® Exam pattern from June 30, 2009?

Many PMP® aspirants are anxious to know whether there's any change in the exam pattern (such as number of questions, passing score, type of questions, difficulty level etc.) from June 30, 2009.

I specifically asked this question to PMI and their response was "No". There's no change in the exam pattern. The only difference is that the exam will be based on PMBOK Guide Fourth Edition.

If I have any updates, I'll post them on this page.

Which version of PMBOK will the exam be based on, if PMP® application is approved before Jun 30?

The exam doesn't depend upon the date your application is approved. No matter when your application is approved, if you take the exam on or after June 30, 2009, it will be based on PMBOK Guide Fourth Edition.

How much time does it take to prepare for the PMP® Exam?

There's no right answer for this. Preparation time varies by individual.

Most people take about 3 months for preparation. Some claim to do it within a month too, while others take as long as a year.

Tip : You can drastically cut down your preparation time if you know the right approach and get the right resources quickly. Read the following sections and you'll be cruising soon.

What is the difficulty level of the PMP® Exam?

The PMP® exam is generally considered difficult.

What is the difference between Contact Hours and PDUs?

Contact Hours are hours earned before becoming certified. Contact Hours can only be earned as traditional course time that focuses on project management.

PDUs are earned after one has become certified and there are many ways to earn PDUs.

There are 5 Categories which PDUs fall under.

Category 1:Formal Academic Education - courses taken in a degree granting program related to project management.

Category 2: Professional Activities - authoring articles in Journals, speaking or teaching PM related courses, developing a course related to PM, practicing project management and self directed learning activities.

Category 3:PMI REP - courses taken through registered education providers and chapter events such as meetings.

Category 4: Other Provider - courses or seminars taken through organizations not registered with PMI.

Category 5:Volunteer Services - services provided to your local chapter, other PM related organizations or charitable organizations.

PDU Calculations and documentation requirements can be found in the Handbook of your respective certification and does provide a more detailed description of each activity.

Do Contact Hours have an Expiry Date?

No. PMI does not mandate any expiry timeline for Contact Hours (CHs) earned to qualify for the PMP® Exam, as long as you retain the proof (certificate). For example, if you earned the Contact Hours in 2005, there's nothing stopping you from taking the exam in 2010.

I quote a message that I received from PMI on this matter:

"There is no deadline or expiry date for the PM education requirement, though the PM education must have been acquired before the submission of the PMP® application."