PMP 35-Hour Education Requirement: What Counts in 2026
What the requirement actually is, which training qualifies, what must be on the certificate, and PMI's late-2026 rule change on live training.
Every PMP® application must show 35 hours of project-management education — what PMI's forms call contact hours. It is the easiest requirement to satisfy and the easiest to get wrong on paper, especially with PMI's training rules changing in late 2026.
What the requirement is
Unless you hold an active CAPM® certification (which PMI accepts in place of the education hours), your application documents 35 hours of formal instruction covering project-management topics — planning, scope, schedule, cost, risk, quality, stakeholders and so on. Formal is the key word: structured courses with defined learning objectives and a completion record. Reading books, listening to podcasts, or attending PMI chapter meetings does not count under PMI's published rules.
| Source | Counts? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| University / college project-management courses | Yes | Including as part of a degree program |
| Employer-run training programs | Yes | Internal PM training with defined hours |
| Training companies & e-learning (incl. self-paced online) | Yes | The most common route; keep the completion certificate |
| PMI chapter courses & events with instruction | Yes | Courses, not member meetings |
| Self-study: books, podcasts, videos without a course structure | No | No formal structure or completion record |
| PMI chapter meetings | No | Networking, not formal instruction |
The late-2026 rule change on live training
PMI has announced that starting in late 2026 (PMI will publish the exact effective date), live instructor-led training — in-person or virtual — will only count toward the education hours if delivered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner, a China REP (PMI's education-provider program for mainland China), or an eligible academic program. Two important things stay unchanged per PMI's announcement:
- Self-paced, on-demand training from any provider remains eligible.
- Training completed before the effective date stays valid for applications.
If you are choosing between formats in 2026, a self-paced course is the future-proof option; if you prefer a live cohort, confirm the provider's status against PMI's current rules before paying.
What must be on the completion certificate
If you are audited, the education line on your application is verified against a completion certificate. Per PMI's documentation expectations it should show:
- your name,
- the course title,
- the completion date(s),
- the number of instructional hours, and
- the training provider's name.
Keep the certificate (and the course outline, if you have it) until well after certification — it is the single document the audit asks for that candidates most often cannot find.
- 35 hours of formal project-management education (PMI's forms call these contact hours) — or an active CAPM® certification instead.
- Universities, employers, training companies, e-learning and PMI chapter courses count; books, podcasts and chapter meetings do not.
- From late 2026, live instructor-led training must come from an ATP or academic program — self-paced courses from any provider remain eligible.
- Keep a certificate showing name, course title, dates, hours and provider — the audit checks exactly that.
- PMI decides what qualifies — verify on pmi.org before applying.
Frequently asked questions
Do the 35 education hours have to come from a PMI Authorized Training Partner?
Not today, and — per PMI's announcement — not for self-paced on-demand courses even after the late-2026 change. The new restriction applies to live instructor-led training, which will need to come from an ATP, China REP, or eligible academic program once the rule takes effect.
Does a self-paced online course count toward the requirement?
Yes — formal self-paced e-learning with defined hours and a completion certificate is a qualifying source under PMI's published rules, and PMI has stated self-paced training remains eligible after the late-2026 change.
Can old training count, or do the hours expire?
PMI's published eligibility rules do not put an expiry date on the education hours — unlike the experience months, which must fall within the past eight years. Confirm the current handbook wording on pmi.org.
Does the CAPM certification really replace the 35 hours?
Yes — PMI's eligibility rules accept an active CAPM certification in place of the education-hours entry.
Do university courses from my degree count?
Project-management coursework from a university or college program is a qualifying source under PMI's rules — document the course title, institution, dates and instructional hours like any other entry.
PMI, PMP, CAPM and PMBOK are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc. Job Tests Portal is an independent exam-prep platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an Authorized Training Partner of PMI. Certification requirements, fees, and policies are set by PMI and can change — always verify current details on pmi.org before applying.