Many professionals need project management skills to excel in their careers. Getting a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is one way to demonstrate your ability to lead projects and strengthen your career opportunities. To qualify for the PMP exam, most candidates need 35 hours of project management training in addition to meeting PMI’s education and professional experience requirements.
Brain Sensei offers a self-paced online PMP exam prep course that provides all 35 contact hours required for PMP certification while preparing you for the current PMP exam. The course has been fully updated for the PMP exam launched globally on July 9, 2026 and includes interactive lessons, assessments, and extensive exam practice.
PMP Certification and Prep Course
Getting certified as a Project Management Professional is an investment in your future. The PMP is a globally recognized project management certification that demonstrates your ability to manage people, processes, and business priorities across predictive, agile, and hybrid environments.
These are a few of the benefits of getting the PMP credential:
- Stronger Earnings: According to PMI’s 2025 Salary Survey, respondents with a PMP certification reported a 17% higher median salary than non-certified peers across 21 countries. In the United States, PMP-certified respondents reported a median salary of $135,000, 24% higher than non-certified respondents.
- More Opportunities: PMP certification is widely recognized by employers and can help you demonstrate your project leadership knowledge and experience when applying for project management roles.
- Greater Career Credibility: Earning the PMP shows that you have met PMI’s education and professional experience requirements and successfully passed a rigorous certification exam.
- Potential Return on Investment: PMP certification requires an investment in training and the certification exam, but the salary data associated with PMP holders can make it a valuable professional credential for experienced project managers.
- Increased Networking: PMI reports more than 1.7 million PMP certification holders worldwide, creating a large global community of project professionals.
What Is the PMP Credential?
The PMP credential is awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI) to professionals who demonstrate their ability to lead and manage projects. PMI describes the certification as applicable across industries and across predictive, hybrid, and agile ways of working.
More than 1.7 million professionals currently hold PMP certification worldwide. The credential is recognized internationally and is designed to validate project leadership experience, training, and knowledge rather than expertise in one particular methodology or industry.
Certification is a valuable way to demonstrate knowledge and professional capability in a given field. Many professions have established credentials, such as the CPA for accounting. The PMP provides similar professional recognition for experienced project managers.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Before applying for the PMP exam, you need to meet one of PMI’s current education and professional experience pathways. Your qualifying project management experience must have been gained within the previous 10 years.
| Education | Project Management Experience |
|---|---|
| High school diploma, GED, or equivalent | 5 years managing projects |
| Associate degree or vocational/trade school diploma | 4 years managing projects |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 3 years managing projects |
| Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree from a PMI GAC-accredited program | 2 years managing projects |
In addition to the education and experience requirement, you need 35 hours of project management training. An active CAPM® certification can also satisfy PMI’s training requirement.
Self-paced, on-demand training continues to qualify when it meets PMI’s requirements. PMI has also announced that beginning December 1, 2026, live instructor-led PMP training will be subject to updated provider eligibility requirements.
How Many Formal Education Hours Are Required?
To be eligible for PMP certification, you generally need to complete 35 hours of project management training. These hours can be completed through eligible online, self-paced training such as Brain Sensei’s PMP exam prep course.
When evaluating a 35-hour PMP course, make sure it provides formal project management instruction aligned with the current PMP Exam Content Outline, clearly documents the number of training hours, includes an end-of-course assessment, and provides a completion record or certificate.
After you earn the PMP certification, the continuing education requirement is different. PMP holders must earn 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) during each three-year certification cycle to maintain the credential.
Certification Fee and Course Cost
Taking the certification exam requires an investment of both time and money. Your total PMP certification cost can include the exam fee, optional PMI membership, exam preparation, and any additional study resources you choose to use.
How Much Is the PMP Certification?
PMI currently lists the PMP exam fee at $405 for PMI members and $655 for non-members. You pay the exam fee after your PMP application has been accepted and you are ready to schedule the exam.
PMI membership is optional, so compare the membership cost and benefits with the exam-fee savings when deciding whether joining makes sense for you.
How Much Is the PMP Prep Course?
You can complete the full 35 hours of required project management training through Brain Sensei’s self-paced online PMP course.
At the time of this update, Brain Sensei is offering one year of access for $89 as a limited-time promotion, as well as a $29 monthly subscription. Pricing and promotions can change, so check the current PMP course page before enrolling.
The current course is considerably different from earlier versions of Brain Sensei’s PMP training. It has been completely rebuilt for the PMP exam launched July 9, 2026 and now includes:
- 35 contact hours required for PMP certification
- 26 interactive learning modules
- Coverage of the People, Process, and Business Environment domains
- Predictive, agile, and hybrid project management
- Three full-length static practice exams with 180 questions each
- An unlimited dynamically generated PMP exam simulator
- A bank of more than 2,200 realistic PMP practice questions
- Knowledge assessments to identify weak areas
- A Spaced Repetition System for retaining important concepts and terminology
- Study tips and reminders
- Customer support and community access
- A 100% pass guarantee under the published terms
- A 30-day refund guarantee under the published terms
The PMP course is now designed as a streamlined, interactive exam-preparation experience rather than the older Samurai story-based format.
Can I Take the PMP Course Online?
Yes. You can complete your 35 hours of project management training completely online with Brain Sensei.
The course is self-paced, which means you do not have to fit a fixed classroom schedule around your job or personal responsibilities. You can work through the lessons according to your own schedule and revisit material when you need additional review.
PMI currently recognizes eligible self-paced, on-demand training as one way to satisfy the 35-hour PMP training requirement.
Brain Sensei’s PMP Course
The Project Management Professional exam tests your ability to apply project management knowledge and judgment as a project leader. Preparing for the exam is about more than meeting the 35-hour eligibility requirement. You also need to understand how project management concepts apply to realistic situations.
Brain Sensei’s current PMP course combines the required training with tools designed specifically for exam preparation:
- 26 interactive modules covering the current exam domains
- 35 total hours of project management training
- Current content aligned with the PMP exam launched July 9, 2026
- People, Process, and Business Environment coverage
- Predictive, agile, and hybrid project management concepts
- Knowledge assessments to help identify blind spots
- Spaced repetition for retaining key concepts
- Three static 180-question practice exams
- Unlimited dynamically generated practice exams
- More than 2,200 realistic PMP practice questions
- Detailed exam preparation and practice
- Follow-up study emails with tips and reminders
- Customer support and access to the Brain Sensei community
The course is entirely online and self-paced. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about fitting a rigid class schedule into your busy life. You also don’t have to worry about a class moving too quickly or too slowly for your needs. Instead, you can proceed at the pace that works best for you during your active access period.
The current course uses interactive learning rather than relying only on video lectures. It is structured to help you understand project management concepts, apply them to exam-style situations, and identify areas that need more study.
Throughout the course, assessments help test your knowledge and reveal blind spots so that you can focus your study time more effectively.
Brain Sensei was created after founders John Estrella and Chris Stafford earned their PMP certifications and saw an opportunity to make exam preparation more engaging and effective. The current course continues that focus while using a more streamlined approach built specifically for today’s PMP exam.
Does It Meet the Required Educational Hours?
Yes. Brain Sensei’s self-paced PMP Exam Prep Course includes 35 contact hours, satisfying the PMP project management training requirement for candidates who complete the course.
Keep your course completion documentation after finishing your training. PMI does not generally require you to upload the certificate when initially submitting your application, but you may need supporting documentation if your application is selected for an audit.
How Many PMP Practice Questions Are There?
Brain Sensei’s current PMP course and simulator provide access to more than 2,200 realistic PMP practice questions.
The course includes:
- Three static full-length exams with 180 questions each
- An unlimited exam mode that dynamically generates different exams from the 2,200+ question bank
- Knowledge assessments throughout the course
- Answer explanations and tools to help identify weak areas
Practice questions are especially important because the current PMP exam is heavily scenario-based. Rather than only memorizing definitions, you need to practice applying project management concepts to situations involving people, processes, business priorities, predictive approaches, agile environments, and hybrid projects.
Can I Take the PMP Exam Near Me?
Yes. After PMI approves your application and you pay the exam fee, you can schedule the PMP exam.
The current PMP exam contains 180 questions and provides 240 minutes to complete them. It also includes two 10-minute breaks.
You currently have two main delivery options:
- In person: Take the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center.
- Online: Take the exam securely through PMI’s online-proctored testing option if your setup meets the technical and testing-space requirements.
The current exam launched globally on July 9, 2026. Its domain weighting is:
- People: 33%
- Process: 41%
- Business Environment: 26%
The updated exam also gives greater attention to areas such as value delivery, outcomes, stakeholder engagement, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and business impact.
Sign Up for the Brain Sensei PMP Course Today
Are you ready to take the next step toward PMP certification? Brain Sensei’s online PMP course provides the required 35 hours of project management training while helping you prepare for the current PMP exam.
You receive self-paced online access, interactive lessons, knowledge assessments, spaced repetition, and more than 2,200 practice questions through the included PMP exam simulator.
You can also start a free trial with no credit card required to explore Brain Sensei’s courses and exam simulators before purchasing.
Conclusion
A PMP course with 35 hours of online education offers several benefits for aspiring PMP candidates. It can satisfy PMI’s project management training requirement while giving you a structured way to prepare for the certification exam.
Online, self-paced training also provides flexibility for working professionals who need to fit PMP preparation around their existing responsibilities.
Brain Sensei’s current PMP Exam Prep Course combines the required 35 contact hours with 26 interactive modules, current 2026 PMP exam content, knowledge assessments, spaced repetition, and an exam simulator containing more than 2,200 practice questions.
By choosing training that meets PMI’s current requirements and aligns with the current PMP Exam Content Outline, you can complete the education requirement while building the knowledge and exam-taking experience needed for certification.
Frequently Asked Questions About the PMP 35-Hour Course Requirement
Do you need 35 hours of training to take the PMP exam?
Yes, most PMP candidates need 35 hours of project management training in addition to meeting PMI’s education and professional experience requirements. An active CAPM certification can also satisfy the training requirement.
Can the 35 PMP training hours be completed online?
Yes. PMI accepts eligible self-paced, on-demand project management training. Brain Sensei’s online PMP course provides all 35 required contact hours.
Do the 35 contact hours expire?
PMI’s current requirements do not impose an expiration date on qualifying project management training hours, but the coursework must meet the applicable PMP training requirements and should be documented in case your application is audited.
Is a PMP exam simulator enough to satisfy the 35-hour requirement?
No. Practice questions and an exam simulator can help you prepare, but practice alone does not replace the required formal project management training. Brain Sensei’s full PMP course includes both the 35 hours of training and the PMP exam simulator.
What should a 35-hour PMP course include?
Look for formal project management instruction aligned with the current PMP Exam Content Outline, a clearly documented number of training hours, an end-of-course assessment, and proof of completion. For exam preparation, realistic scenario-based questions and full-length simulations are also valuable.
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