TOPIC: Need Help Understanding PMP Certification Requirements

Hi everyone! I'm an IT professional who's excited about the opportunities PMP could give me. I've done my homework, but I'm still scratching my head over the requirements to qualify for the exam.

From what I understand, there are different eligibility paths depending on your education and experience, but I'm not sure which one applies to me. I also read something about needing 35 hours of project management education or training—does anyone have recos for where to get this?

If you've gone through the process, I'd love to hear your advice on how to get started and navigate the application. Any tips, resources, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

"Hey! Great to hear you're exploring the PMP with your IT background.

Quick breakdown on the requirements:

> If you’ve got a 4-year degree, you’ll need 36 months of project experience and 35 hours of PM education.

> For the 35 hours, I’d recommend:
- Google’s PMP course on Coursera
- Udemy (Joseph Phillips’ course is a fave)
- Or an official PMI training partner if you want something more formal.

As for experience, IT projects like deployments, migrations, or system rollouts often count—just frame your role around planning, leading, and delivering.

Happy to help if you want to talk through what experience qualifies. You're closer than you think!"

Hey! I’m in IT, too, and I completed the PMP journey, so I understand where you’re at.

You’re right that there are different eligibility paths based on your education. If you have a four-year degree, PMI requires 36 months of project experience; without it, they want 60 months.
Either way, 35 contact hours of project management education are required.

For that part, I highly recommend the PMPrepCast. That’s what I used, and it checked all the boxes—it was PMI-approved, super comprehensive, and self-paced, so it fit easily into my schedule.
It also prepares you well for the exam, not just the hours.
This month, there is a nice Discount Offer on the EILTE Version of the PRepCast, which means that the Exam Simulator (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED) is already included.
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Regarding the application, I found it helpful to use PMI’s terminology (taken from the PMP Exam Content Outline ) and keep descriptions short but focused. Their PMP handbook also clearly outlines what they’re looking for.

If you have any other questions as you go, I'm happy to help. Do not hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn.

You’ve got this!