PMI Audit : its purpose and process

What is PMI Audit?

The certification programs by the Project Management Institute (PMI) are globally coveted for a reason. These certifications are exclusive, lucrative and in-demand because they are conferred only to the best of the management industry. PMP certification remains a Gold Standard in project management and PMI audit plays a critical role in ensuring that only the most adept professionals apply for the examination, thus keeping the high standards and exclusivity of the certifications intact.

The PMP Audit: its purpose

The PMP Audit is conducted to screen the applicants and verify their Project Management Experience, training, and formal education. The PMI maintains its globally premium standard by ensuring that the examinees have valid academic and professional prerequisites mandatory to take the PMI-PMP exam.

The PMI Audit Process and required documents

The submission of application for any of the PMI certification implies that you agree to undergo and comply with the PMI audit process. Although all applications are subject to an audit, only a specific percentage of the applications are selected for the process.

One must bear in mind that the PMI audit process is random and the Project Management Institute (PMI) has the right to conduct an audit at any chosen time, including the time after the applicant has received the PMI certification.

Documents required for the PMI-Audit.

During the PMI Audit, the applicant will be asked to provide the following documents.

If you possess a four-year degree:

Signatures from the supervisors, colleagues, or managers of the projects that you have provided in the Project Management experience section of your PMI-PMP application. To be eligible to apply for the PMP exam, you must have at least 36 months’ or 3 years’ experience in leading projects. The supervisors, managers, or colleagues must have an immediate knowledge of your management experience. They must review, complete and submit the Project Management Experience Audit Report placed in an envelope, through postal mail or in person.
Substantiate your 35 hours of project management professional training. Applicants must demonstrate the completion of every course they submit to meet the 35 hours of project management professional training and education. Documents such as course certificates, transcripts, letter of attendance from an authorized school, institution or Registered Education Provider (R.E.P) must be provided during the PMI audit.

If you posses a high school diploma:

Substantiate your diploma: Document your high school diploma by providing official transcripts, certificates from the school where you earned your diploma or degree.
Substantiate your 60 months or 5 years of project management experience: signatures of colleagues, managers or supervisors who have had first-hand knowledge of your project leading experience is required for the PMI Audit.
35 hours of professional training: As mentioned for the applicants with a 4-year diploma, you will be asked to demonstrate 35 hours of management training through your course certificates, letter of attendance and transcripts.

After PMP Exam Audit

You will get a 90 days window to submit all the above documents as a proof of your eligibility to appear for the PMP exam. Once you submit complete and accurate paperwork, the PMP Exam audit will be concluded within 5 to 7 working days. Once you successfully undergo the PMI Audit, your 1-year PMP exam eligibility period will commence.

Please note: in case you are incapable of providing complete paperwork and fail to comply with the PMI Audit, it would cause an audit failure. Consequently, you would be prohibited to apply for any of the PMI certification program for a period of 1 year.

Tips to breeze through the PMP Application Audit

To seamlessly pass through your PMP application Audit, your PMP exam application must be impeccable. While submitting your PMP application, you must be mindful of a few pointers given below.

Your project entries must not include your personal projects such as a personal wedding project, home project, etc. Your project leading experience will matter only if it is incurred in professional projects.
List all your projects separately and refrain form clubbing multiple projects as one entry.
Do not provide your designation in the project as the project’s title field. You are required to provide the title of the project or the general description of the project’s aim and purpose.
The given description of the project must effectively state its aim and goal. Moreover, it must also emphasise on the final delivered outcomes of the project.
Do not mention administrative tasks or routine tasks’ responsibilities in project entries.
Accurately provide the number of team members who participated in the project that was led by you.
State the precise budget of the Project.
Ensure all your claims regarding your professional training, education and experience is substantiable in case of a PMI Audit.

The PMI audits are conducted to maintain the highest level of quality in the PMP certification process. They help the PMI in continually improving their PMP certification process, thereby simplifying the experience for PMP course participants. Being a PMI Authorised Training Partner (ATP), Education Edge is well versed with all PMI guidelines and effectively suggests professional applicants in the writing of their PMI-PMP exam application.