How To Earn 60 PDUs For Free And Maintain Your PMP®Certification

After every three years, Project Management Professional (PMP)® certified professional needs to renew their credentials. PMP® certified professionals need to have earned sixty PDUs during these three years.

I often get several queries related to PDUs for PMP® certification, how do we earn sixty PMP® PDUs? And is it an expensive affair and so on.
After Dec 2015 CCR changes, the ways of earning PMP® PDUs became easy and flexible. And you can choose them as per your interest and needs of your profession.

If you are looking to know the ways of earning PDUs, you may refer to this blog – “Ways to earn PDUs for PMIs certification”
In the current blog, I am focusing on simple ways to How to get 60 PDUs for PMP renewal and continue your PMP® certificate.

Here are a few key points you should understand about the PMI PDU process-

• According to the PMI’s CCR, you need to earn at least 35 PDUs under Education category.
• The good news is that you can choose to earn all your sixty PDUs from any one of the Education categories.
• Here key points to remember that PDUs earned under the education category mapped with the three dimensions of the Talent Triangle. These are the skills that are important to be successful in project management.

• If your learning activities for the PDUs belong to Team Development helps in achieving the project goal. You need to map them in the “Leadership” category.
• If these belong to the process, tools & techniques in aligning the project with the strategic goal, you need to map them in the “Strategic” category.
• In case, your learning activities belong to the PMP® exam content outline’s tasks, map them in the “Technical” category.

Now come to the easy and popular ways to earn your sixty PDUs:

• Read Books:   Books are my good friends, and Read is my favorite category.  I earned all my sixty PDUs by reading books. If you like learning to take skills to the next level, you can make a reading list in the areas of project management, leadership, and strategic business management. Blogs on earning Technical, Strategic, and Leadership PDUs will help you to get a few ideas of books to assist in earning PMI PDUs.
• Watch Videos: The next option is to watch videos in the areas of Talent Triangle. I have listed my playlist in Technical Strategic, and Leadership categories in their respective blogs.
• Courses from REPs: You can earn PDUs also by attending programs organized by REPs. or by taking enrolling to online courses. It is preferred when you are planning your next certificate. After PMP® certification, if you are planning PMI-ACP® or PMI-PBA®  certification these could be the right opportunities to earn PDUs as well. Other programs that offer PDUs are CSM, CSPO, SAFe Agilist, etc.

Here I am listing some courses for the breakup of PDUs according to Talent Triangle, these programs are listed at the official website of PMI

When people call me for PDUs and I explain all these rules, many times they get confused and ask me simple questions like, ‘tell me what I can do to get PDUs fast and preferably free?’ In the following section, I am dividing this advice into two categories –
PDU Tips for people not in a Hurry.
Most of you will fall into this category, and I believe this category people should not spend money just to get PDUs, they can attend training to learn but not for PDUs

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Watch videos on Project Management and get PDUs under Category Online or Digital Media.
• Since you are not in a hurry, you will also get eight PDUs of Category ‘Work as a Practitioner’ for three years working as Project Manager
• Attend our periodic Webinars and earn PDUs under Category ‘Online and Digital Media.’
• Write a blog for a community (consider writing for us too) and claim PDUs under Category ‘Create Content’.
• Attend Chapter events or other conferences. Event organizers will give you an Activity code which you can use to claim PDUs under ‘Course or Training.’
• Read books relevant to project management and claim PDUs under Category ‘Read.’

PDU tips for people already in the suspension period
This section of advice is for the people who have not renewed the PMP® certification after finishing off three years cycle.  And, undergoing one year of the suspension period. Usually, the realization dawns upon late when already near to the suspension. So, keep a tab on the following:

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Watch videos on Project Management and fill PDUs under Category ‘Online or Digital Media’. I am sure you will make most of the PDUs from our Youtube channel.
• You most probably working as a busy project manager, that is why I forgot to renew PMP® certification, so claim eight PDUs of Category ‘Work as a Practitioner’ for three years working as the Project manager.
• If you still lack some PDUs, think about the last three years, have you attended some project management training if yes claim it in ‘Course or Training.’ REPs do not necessarily organize all training programs. If a third party organizes these programs, still by providing the course description and name you can claim your PDUs.

iZenBridge PMP Forum: You can join the discussion on the same in our Forum

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are PDUs? What is the meaning of PDU?

Answer: PDUs (Professional Development Units) is evidence of your constant professional development. PMI encourages that you upgrade your skills by applying, using, and increasing project management concepts. And in this journey, you earn PDUs.
There are many ways to enhance your skills.  PMI identified ways and grouped them in different PDUs categories. Also, PMI mandated these categories as part of the Continuing Certification Requirements for maintaining PMI credential. By earning and reporting 60 PMP® PDUs within a three-year cycle, you can keep the active status for your PMI credential.

When should I start earning PDUs?

Answer: You can start as soon as you get your PMP® certificate. There are many ways and start using them for your professional development. For more details of  quick and different ways of earning PDUs, refer to following the blog – Way To Earn PDUs For PMIs Certification.

How much does it cost to renew my PMP® certification?

Answer: The renewal fee for PMI’s member is USD 60, and if you are not a member, PMI charges you USD 150.

Can I transfer PDUs to my next cycle?

Answer:  Yes. Why not. If you have earned more than required 60 PDUs, you can claim them for your next 3-year cycle. But, PDUs earned during the first two years of the 3-year cycle cannot be applied to the next cycle.

When reporting PDU activities, is any supporting documentation required?

Answer: No, these are not required. While reporting PDUs, PMI asks all specific information related to the PDU activity.
But PMI recommends you to maintain all PDU related records for at least 18 months after your CCR cycle has ended. In case you are selected for an audit, you will need to provide this documentation.

How to get 60 PDUs for PMP renewal free?

Answer:  You can earn many PDUs free by subscribing to our YouTube channel and enroll in our Free (PMP®, PMI-ACP®, PMI-PBA®) Certification programs.

How many PDUs can you claim as a practitioner?

Answer:  You can claim eight PDUs with ‘Work as a Practitioner’ category for three years working as a Project manager.

How many PDUs Can I claim for reading a book?

Answer: You can claim all 60 PDUs using the ‘Read’ category. This is a favorite category for those who love to enhance skills by reading books.

How to claim PDUs in PMI?

Answer: You can report PDUs, log in to PMI CCRS, Go to your dashboard and then select Report PDUs. Now ‘Report PDUs’ screen will appear. Here you need to select the appropriate PDU category and then PMI will ask necessary information related to that PDU activity.

I hope this blog has sufficiently answered your all queries related to ‘How to earn 60 PDUs and maintain your PMP® Certification during your professional career without spending much. If you have follow-up questions, post them in the comment box provided we would be more than happy to assist you.

What is PMP® Renewal fee? Is the PMP® Certification Renewal fee in India different from other countries?

Answer: The renewal fee for PMI’s member is USD 60, and if you are not a member, PMI charges you USD 150. The fee is same for all the countries.

What is the validity of Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certificate?

Answer: The validity of PMP® Certificate is three years, you need to renew the certificate after every three years.