How To Navigate The CAPM/PMP Certification Application Process

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an entry-level project management Certification for early-career individuals in project management.

The Project Management Professional (PMP) is a level above the CAPM because it requires more experience and/or more educational requirements to qualify to sit for the test. It is more challenging to pass than the CAPM certification.

1. Submit an application online. 

I personally like this method because it is fast and easy. You can fill the application in stages, save your progress, log out of the application to come back another time from where you left off till you are able to complete the application. The application however should be submitted no later than 90 days from the date it was started. The paper-based application used to be available but applications are now 100% online.

2. PMI Account creation

Create an account on the PMI website. You can register as a member for $129 per year to have access to member benefits like discounts on the PMP exam fee, PMI publications, and access to a suite of PMI resources. There is also an initial $10 application fee charge.

PMI members pay $225 for CAPM certification compared to $300 for non-members. Also, PM members pay $405 for PMP certification compared to $555 for non-members. Resits are discounted for members as well.

3. Training / Contact Hours

Before you sit for the certification exam, you must be able to prove that you meet the project management education requirements. The hours of project management education are also called contact hours. There are PMI Registered education providers that can help you achieve these contact hours. When this is complete, you will receive a certificate of completion from your training or education provider. The certificate of completion should include all the information you need to complete the contact hour section of the online application form.

CAPM Requirements

23 Contact hours must be achieved before you can sit for the exam

PMP Requirements

35 Contact hours or CAPM Certification must be achieved by the time you sit for the exam

4. Educational requirement

Some level of formal education is required to qualify for the CAPM or PMP certification. You must be able to show that you have certificates and/or transcripts to prove that you meet the educational requirements. Copies of these have to be sent to PMI headquarters in case of an audit.

CAPM Requirements

To qualify you must have completed a Secondary Degree (High School Diploma, Associate Degree, or a Global Equivalent)

PMP Requirements

To qualify for the PMP, you must either have completed a 4-year degree Degree with 4,500 hours in 36 non-overlapping months of leading projects within the last 8 year period OR completed a Secondary Degree (High School Diploma, Associate Degree, or a global equivalent)with 7,500 hours in 60 non-overlapping months of leading projects within the last 8 year period.

5. Domain Experience requirement

To qualify for these certifications, candidates must have a certain number of verifiable months and hours of non-overlapping experience working on project teams depending on their level of education. As a candidate, you will need to enter details of your project management experience on the application form to satisfy the requirements. You must also be ready and able to provide proof of your work experience(s) should your application be selected for audit.

CAPM Requirements

No special experience required. Project Management training / Contact hours and a minimum of Secondary Degree are however compulsory.

PMP Requirements

• 4-year degree – 4,500 hours in 36 non-overlapping months of leading projects within the last 8 year period 

• Secondary Degree (High School Diploma, Associate Degree, or a global equivalent) – 7,500 hours in 60 non-overlapping months of leading projects within the last 8 year period.

6. Submit and Possible Audit

Once all the required parts of the application are complete, you should submit the application and await a response via email from PMI. Your application may be accepted upon review or randomly selected for audit. You will receive instructions on how to complete the audit process in the mail if you are selected.

7. Payment

You will receive an email when you are approved to sit for the examination. At this point, you can proceed to pay the stipulated exam of choice. At the time of writing this, the CAPM examination fee is $225 for PMI members and $300 for non-members while the PMP exam fee is $405 for PMI members and $555 for non-members.

If you need to retake the examination, members are required to pay $150 and non-members $200 for the CAPM while members pay $275 and non-members pay $375 for the PMP certification.

8. Scheduling test date and venue

When your payments have been verified, you will be informed that you can now schedule your test. You will be required to schedule your test via a proctor website. You will have the option of selecting the mode for your testing – either online or onsite, the date and time of testing.