How to apply for the exam?

In this post, we shall talk about the procedure to be followed in order to apply for the exam. Please note that you need to put in time and effort in order to collect all the required information and fill in the application form. (I have also discussed this procedure briefly in the section on the audit process).

Here is a list of the major steps to be followed in order to apply for the exam:

(a) Apply for PMI membership (This is an optional step but is beneficial financially as well as otherwise).

(b) Register on the PMI website. Always specify your PMI membership ID while registering, if you have already paid for membership and obtained it. This way, you will be charged only the discounted examination fees.

Note: You may be charged full examination fees if you apply for the exam after logging in using an ID, with which you did not associate your PMI membership ID.

(c) Apply for the certification exam by filling in the online application form. (Becoming a PMI member after applying for examination is not helpful, so always ensure that you apply for the exam after obtaining PMI membership).

(d) Your application will be reviewed for accuracy and completeness, and you will receive an e-mail within 5 working days of your having submitted the application, advising you to go ahead with submission of examination fees.

(e) Submit the examination fees online.

Note: PMI accepts the fees only in US Dollars. Applicants from other countries may pay using credit cards. Also, if you plan on getting your examination fees re-imbursed from your employer, it is advisable to save a copy of your credit card statement, which lists the exact amount charged to your card in your local currency.

(f) You will receive an e-mail within a couple of minutes advising you of your candidate ID (for the exam).

(g) Use this candidate ID in order to register for the exam at a date, time and Prometric center convenient to you, by visiting the Prometric website (http://www.2test.com/).

Note: You may sometimes find that no slots for taking the examination are available for the next couple of weeks, or even, months. So, always plan ahead and reserve a spot for yourself. You can always re-schedule the exam if you feel that you are not prepared well enough to take the exam, a week or 2 before the scheduled exam date.

(h) You will receive a confirmation e-mail from Prometric containing the date, time and venue for the exam selected by you.

(i) Check out the route to the examination center from your home before the actual exam date, and be aware of any obstacles that you may encounter on the way.

(j) On the day of the examination, be cool and confident. Go to your center and appear in the exam, concentrating on each question.


Tips:

(1) One of the options available to the applicants is to apply for the exam as well as PMI membership simultaneously. In this case, the applicants are supposed to be charged the discounted examination fees (applicable to members). However, I would advise you to play safe and obtain PMI membership before you apply for the exam.

(2) It is always beneficial to collect all required information before you start filling in the examination form online.

(3) If you still do not have all the information required to fill in the application form available with you (when you start), you can always save whatever information you have filled in, and complete your application at a later time.

(4) It is always better to check with the managers and supervisors of the projects, which you are documenting in your application form, and inform them beforehand that you are specifying their names in your application form. This is especially helpful when the original manager has left the organization and you are putting in the name of the current manager with whom you have not worked on the documented project.

(5) Sometimes, you may not get an e-mail advising you of your candidate ID immediately after you pay the examination fees. Instead, your application might get selected for an audit. Refer to the section on audit process for information on how to proceed in this case.