PMI, or the Project Management Institute, is the world’s largest organization bringing together professionals specializing in project management. Since its creation in 1969, PMI has been dedicated to promoting best practices in this field. It is also a global leader in competency certification, with over 1.7 million certificates issued worldwide.
Although founded in the United States, PMI has branches across the globe. Outside of North America, its presence is particularly strong in Latin America, China, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. PMI’s number of memebers exceeds 700,000 individuals who contribute to the collective experience and continuous updating of project management best practices.
We, both individually and as pmexperts, are proud to be part of this global organization, granting us access to the latest standards and best practices in project management.
What is the CAPM® certificate?
The Project Management Institute has developed and promotes a set of certifications that validate both general and specialized competencies in project management. You can find the full list of certifications here. The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® is a certification designed for beginner project managers. It confirms knowledge of key concepts and the possession of fundamental project management skills.
These competencies enable individuals to successfully perform various roles within project teams, starting from project manager assistants, through project administrators and analysts, to coordinators or project managers. At the same time, earning the certification demonstrates readiness to engage in projects carried out in diverse environments.
Is it worth obtaining the CAPM® certificate?
In practice, the CAPM® is an ideal certification for those looking to start a career in project management. It doesn’t matter whether you are at the very beginning of your professional life or transitioning into project management from another field. No prior experience is required. You only need to have a high school diploma and complete 23 hours of training covering such project management knowledge areas as quality, scope, time, cost, resources, communication, risk, procurement, integration management, agile approaches, and business analysis.
Gaining this knowledge, along with learning how to apply basic tools that support project management, will allow you to:
- integrate into a professional project team,
- competently support a project manager,
- and even independently manage your first projects in a professional manner.
How to prepare for the CAPM® certification?
The ideal way to prepare for the CAPM® certification is by attending a 3-day preparation course conducted by an ATP (Authorized Training Partner). During this training, an experienced and well-prepared instructor will guide participants through ten key topics based on a program developed by experts from Project Management Institute .
The course begins with an overview of basic information about the certification, followed by an introduction to the theoretical foundations of project management. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of stakeholders and the various roles involved in project management. They will learn how to adapt management approaches to the specific nature of a project. The training also covers business analysis frameworks, the process of initiating a project, and both predictive and agile approaches to managing project tasks. Additionally, participants will explore strategies for executing project work. Finally, they will receive guidance on the next steps to take towards obtaining the certification.
To reinforce the learning process, participants solve exam-style questions under the instructor’s guidance, which helps to test their knowledge and build confidence for the certification exam.
Additional resources for CAPM® exam preparation
The official training materials prepared by PMI for 2024 are extensive and provide a comprehensive approach to exam preparation. Candidates can also benefit from a wide range of standards and guides published by PMI. Highly recommended resources for those pursuing the CAPM® certification include the PMBOK® Guide (7th Edition), Process Groups: A Practice Guide, Agile Practice Guide, and The PMI Guide to Business Analysis.
PMI membership can be a worthwhile investment, as it provides free access to publications in PDF format and offers a discount on the exam fee. In practice, the membership fee can pay for itself through these savings, even if you only take advantage of the access to materials and the practice test, which I strongly recommend. With these resources, you can prepare for the exam in just a few weeks.
However, it’s worth noting that studying theoretical materials may not be enough to fully master practical management tools. In such cases, I recommend participating in our competency trainings, which are part of the PM Academy and serve as an excellent complement to the preparation process.
CAPM® exam – in which languages is it available?
It’s worth addressing the language aspect of the CAPM® exam. The exam is available in eight languages: English, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. For Spanish, there is no distinction between Castilian and Latin American dialects. To date, neither the training materials nor the exam has been translated into Polish.
As an Authorized Training Partner, pmexperts currently offers CAPM® exam preparation in English. The official PMI materials provided to training participants, as mentioned above, are also available exclusively in English.
If you are interested in organizing training in other languages, we encourage you to reach out to us. We would be happy to explore the possibility of arranging such a course. Our trainers have extensive experience conducting training sessions in various languages – I would personally be delighted to lead sessions in German or Spanish.
What does the CAPM® exam look like?
The CAPM® exam consists of 150 questions, of which 135 are scored. The remaining 15 are unscored trial questions used to evaluate their potential for future exams. Since it’s impossible to know which questions are unscored, you must answer all of them. If you encounter a question that seems unusual or unclear, select the most logical answer and move on without spending too much time on it — it might be one of the trial questions.
The format and scope of the exam were significantly updated in 2023 with the release of the new Examination Content Outline (ECO). You can find detailed information here.
The exam questions come in various formats:
- Multiple-choice questions – the number of answers to select is clearly indicated, e.g., “choose 2 out of 5.”
- Drag-and-drop tasks – for example, arranging elements in the correct order.
- Visual tasks – questions that require analyzing animations or comics depicting a project scenario to choose the correct answer.
The questions are divided into four main domains:
- Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts,
- Predictive, Plan-Based Methodologies
- Agile Frameworks/Methodologies
- Business Analysis Frameworks.
The ECO provide a detailed description of the knowledge required for each domain. The purpose of the exam is to validate a broad theoretical understanding of project management. Comprehensive preparation across all the outlined topics is essential to pass the exam without difficulty.
What is the CAPM® certification process?
If you’ve completed a CAPM® preparation course but haven’t yet purchased a PMI membership, now is the perfect time to create an account on the PMI portal. Through the portal, you’ll need to complete an exam application, providing your personal information, including specific details about your education and training. The verification process is usually a formality, and shortly after your application is approved, you’ll receive an email confirmation.
From the date of the approval, you have one year to take the exam. Once you’ve paid the exam fee, you can choose from numerous available dates, either to take the exam online from home or at an accredited testing center. While taking the exam from home may be more convenient, it requires meeting certain conditions. Your exam environment must be tidy and free of distractions, ensuring that the PMI proctor overseeing the test has no doubts about rule compliance. Additionally, make sure to connect your computer to the internet via an internet cable and close all background applications.
How long does the CAPM® certification process take?
Since prior project management experience is not required, the process of preparing for the exam and obtaining the certification can be exceptionally fast. Within just 1–2 weeks, you can complete the required 3-day training, consolidate your knowledge, and assess your skills using a practice test. The exam application process is simple and intuitive, allowing you to complete it almost instantly.
By choosing to take the exam online from home, you can schedule a convenient date almost immediately, even as soon as the next day. Upon successfully passing the exam, your electronic certificate will be available right away, enabling you to quickly showcase your achievement.
Recommended steps to take the CAPM® exam:
- You have a high school diploma.
- You completed a 3-day CAPM® preparation course organized by pmexperts.
- You created an account on the PMI portal (pmi.org).
- You filled out and submitted the CAPM® exam application for verification.
- After your application was approved, you purchased a PMI membership.
- You paid for the exam, taking advantage of the PMI member discount.
- You reinforced your knowledge by reviewing the training materials and PMI publications.
- You tested your readiness using an additional practice test.
- If necessary, you repeated steps 7 and 8.
- You selected the time and location (or online option) for the exam.
- You ensured proper rest before the exam and felt prepared.
- You passed the exam! Congratulations! 🎉
What if I don’t pass the CAPM® exam?
By actively participating in the training and following the preparation tips provided, your chances of success significantly increase. However, if you don’t pass the exam, remember that you can take it up to three times within a year. Each attempt requires a separate fee. If you are unsuccessful after three attempts, you will need to wait a full year before trying again.
CAPM® certification in 2025
In summary, the updated CAPM® certification introduced by PMI in 2023 remains in effect, with no further updates planned in the near future. The CAPM® certification is one of the best project management training programs for beginners. If you’re looking to validate key project management competencies that are highly valued by employers, the CAPM® program might be the perfect choice for you. It offers an excellent pathway to entering the job market or transitioning into a career in supporting and managing projects. Confirmation of this perspective can be found, for instance, in this article.
Additional recommended resources:
Do you have any questions? Not sure if the CAPM® training is right for you? Do you have questions about the certification process or exam preparation? Contact us!
E-mail: training@pmexperts.com
Phone: +48 721 540 545
Author of the article:
Maciej Krupa
Project Manager, Senior Consultant-Partner
PMP®, PRINCE2®, AgilePM® Accredited Trainer
