PMP eligibility
PMP 35 contact hours explained
PMI requires qualifying project management education as part of PMP eligibility. For most candidates, this means documenting at least 35 hours of relevant training. An active CAPM certification also satisfies the training requirement, while the separate education and project-experience requirements still apply.
This guide explains what the hours represent, what evidence to retain, and how to choose a suitable course.
What counts as a contact hour
A contact hour represents an hour of qualifying instruction. The training must cover relevant project management learning objectives aligned with the PMP Exam Content Outline.
For a course covering several subjects, only the qualifying project management instruction should be counted. Time spent reading a book or completing practice exams independently does not, on its own, establish qualifying formal training.
PMI counts one hour of classroom instruction as one training hour. Its own example: a university or college course meeting three hours a week for fifteen weeks records forty-five training hours.
The providers PMI accepts
This is the accepted-provider list from PMI's Examination Content Outline, in PMI's order and PMI's words, including PMI's asterisks.
PMI's list
- PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP)*
- A provider PMI has authorized and lists in its own directory. Education Edge identifies its number as 4456.
- China Registered Education Provider (REP)*
- PMI's equivalent register for mainland China.
- PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC)*
- A degree programme PMI's own accreditation centre has accredited.
- Project Management course(s) from Accredited Higher Education Institution*
- A university or college course, from an accredited institution.
- Employer/company-sponsored programs
- Training delivered by your own employer. It carries no asterisk, so from 1 December 2026 a live in-house class stands in the same position as a commercial trainer's.
- Training companies or consultants (e.g., training schools)
- A commercial trainer. Also unmarked, so this row covers live courses until 1 December 2026 and self-paced courses after it.
- Self-paced on-demand training courses including an end-of-course assessment
- On-demand training counts, and PMI requires the assessment at the end of it. PMI's footnote restricts live instructor-led training only, so this row is not affected by the December date.
*Effective December 1, 2026, live instructor-led training will only be accepted when provided by these education providers.
Choosing a qualifying course
Before booking, ask the provider:
- How many qualifying training hours does the course provide?
- Does the curriculum align with the current PMP Exam Content Outline?
- Is the delivery live, self-paced, or a combination?
- What completion requirements apply?
- What certificate or other evidence will I receive?
Keep the course title, provider name, completion dates, and certificate together. PMI may request documentation during an application audit.
Already hold CAPM or relevant academic training
An active CAPM can satisfy the PMP training requirement. You still need the education level and project leadership experience required for your application route.
Relevant coursework from a PMI GAC-accredited degree program may also count toward the training hours. Check the coursework and documentation rather than assuming any degree automatically provides the full requirement.
The planned change from 1 December 2026
PMI has announced a change to eligible providers for live PMP training from 1 December 2026. Live courses must be delivered through an ATP, a China Registered Education Provider, or an eligible accredited academic program.
PMI's notice leaves self-paced provider options broader and preserves eligibility for training completed before that date under the existing requirements. The course must still meet the applicable training standards.
Read our December 2026 training update and check PMI's current notice before booking.
Training hours and PDUs are different
Training hours help establish eligibility before certification. Professional Development Units, or PDUs, are used to maintain PMI certifications after they have been earned. Check the stated purpose of a course before using its hours in an application or renewal record.
Prepare with Education Edge
Our PMP certification course combines live teaching, guided practice, and application support. Check the course page for the current teaching hours, schedule, tuition, and completion requirements.
Education Edge Global and Education Edge Canada are websites of the same training business.
Common questions
- Do 35 training hours make me eligible on their own?
- No. You must also satisfy the applicable education and project-experience requirements.
- Should I complete training before applying?
- Completing it first gives you the documentation needed to describe your training accurately. PMI's exam content outline and the FAQ on its PMP certification page word the completion deadline differently, so confirm the current requirement with PMI. Follow PMI's current application instructions for your route.
- Is a training certificate the PMP certification?
- No. A course completion document records training. PMI awards PMP after its certification requirements are met.
Live teaching, guided practice and application support. The course page carries the current teaching hours, schedule, tuition and completion requirements.
See the PMP courseAsk about the PMP course · Check PMP eligibility
Sources
This page describes PMI's published requirements. The training requirement, the accepted-provider list and its footnote, the hour conversion, the CAPM credit and the GAC credit come from PMI's Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Exam Content Outline for the July 2026 exam update, and from PMI's PMP certification pages.
Certification requirements change, and PMI describes the 1 December 2026 provider change as a planned update. Check PMI's current requirements before making a decision based on this page.