Applying for the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam from the Project Management Institute (PMI)® can seem complex, but the online process is short once you know where to click. This guide follows the application from the PMI login page to the last section of the form. It shows what each screen looks like and what to enter, so you can finish your application with confidence.

Step 1: How do you log in to your PMI account?

Go to pmi.org and log in with your PMI username and password.

If you are new to PMI, choose Create Your Free Account Now on the login page first. Use your full name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID, because it is checked again at the exam. Use an email address you check often, since PMI sends your approval and exam details there. Once you are logged in, look for the option to apply for the PMP exam.

Step 2: How do you select the PMP certification?

Open the Certifications menu on pmi.org, or use the search box, and select Project Management Professional (PMP).

This opens the PMP certification page, where PMI lists the certification details. If you want to read the requirements before you apply, the PMI Project Management Professional page has them, and our guide to PMP certification eligibility requirements explains them in plain language. Not a project manager by title? See whether you can still apply for the PMP exam.

Step 3: Where do you click Apply Now?

Click the Apply Now button on the PMP certification page to open the application form.

Step 4: How do you complete the PMP application form?

The application has 5 sections, shown as numbered steps in a panel on the left of the screen.

The panel shows the date you opened the application, your PMI ID number and the five sections. Ticks mark the sections you have finished, and the numbered circle shows where you are. A Check Eligibility Requirements link sits below the steps if you want to confirm the rules at any point.

You do not need to attach documents while you fill in these sections. PMI asks for supporting documents only if it selects your application for an audit.

Academic Education

Enter your country or region, your highest level of education, your start year and end year, and the name of the institution.

Project Management Experience

Add each project you led as a separate entry. Every field is required, and you press Save Experience to add the entry. A progress bar shows the months you have entered against the months required, for example 36/36.

PMI reminds you on this page that all experience must be leading projects, not just participating in them. Each experience must be non-overlapping and completed within the past 10 years. For example, leading two projects from January to March 2020 counts as 3 months only. To choose your projects and word the summary, read what projects count as PMP experience, our PMP project description example and format and PMP application professional experience: 2026 changes.

Project Professional Training

List the project management training you have already completed. The progress bar shows the hours you entered against the 35 hours required.

For each entry, add the course name, the training provider and the number of hours. Keep your course completion certificate in case PMI asks for it. If you train with 3FOLD, our illustrated guide to activating the official PMI PMP course materials shows how the course record is created.

Application Review

The Review Application Details page shows every section you completed. Read each one carefully, and use the Edit button beside a section to correct anything before you submit. PMI notes that accurate and complete information helps avoid delays in processing your certification.

Certification Profile Details

This is the last section. Select the country or region where you will take your exam and your country of citizenship, then check your identification details.

• Enter your name and address exactly as they appear on your government-issued ID, because PMI verifies this information during the exam.
• Use English characters only, since non-English characters are not currently supported by PMI exam delivery providers.
• Your middle name is optional. Your date of birth and your full address, with state or province, city or district and postal code, are required.
• If you need to update anything later, PMI Customer Care can help.

Step 5: What happens after you submit the application?

PMI reviews your application, and after approval you pay the exam fee and schedule your exam.

The PMI Certification Handbook describes the audit timing. If your application is selected, our PMP exam application audit guide explains what to prepare. For the next steps, read PMP exam fees and PMI membership cost by country, the total cost of PMP certification, when and where to take the PMP exam and how many attempts you get to pass the PMP exam. For the whole journey, see how to get PMP certification.

Frequently asked questions

Where 3FOLD fits

3FOLD Training is licensed by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai and is a PMI Authorized Training Partner. Our PMP certification training is delivered as Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) with 35 contact hours, one-year Learning Management System (LMS) access, HD recordings, full-length mock exams and exam application support, plus one year of free retraining on the same exam version. We prepare you; PMI reviews your application, sets the exam and awards the certification. Have a question about your application? Send it through the course inquiry form, or check the upcoming batches on the course page.