PMI-licensed course content is the training material PMI develops and licenses only to its Authorized Training Partners (ATPs). An ATP PMP student receives a PMI-developed student kit with a workbook, learner handouts, and a knowledge check, taught live by an instructor trained through PMI. The content follows the PMP Examination Content Outline (ECO), not the PMBOK Guide.
That separation matters in 2026. Beginning 1 December 2026, live instructor-led PMP training counts toward the 35-hour requirement only when an ATP or an eligible accredited academic program delivers it. The licensed content is what makes an ATP class an ATP class. For the full program definition, read PMI Authorized Training Partner (PMI-ATP) Since 2003.
What Is PMI-Licensed Course Content?
PMI-licensed course content is PMI-developed instructional material that PMI licenses only to ATPs. It includes an instructor kit, a student kit, and a knowledge check. ATPs must use it as the core of their courses. It is not optional.
PMI states that only ATPs use PMI official course content. PMI’s partner resources go further: PMI-licensed material is not optional, and every learner in an ATP specialty course needs a purchased student kit.
Non-ATP providers build their own content instead. The differences are laid out in PMI ATP vs Non-ATP Training: 8 Differences That Affect PMP Preparation.
ATPs obtain kits through PMI’s ATP Hub. The ATP program tier sets the allotment. Access-tier partners receive 5 student and instructor kits, Foundational partners receive 15, and Professional and Premier partners receive unlimited kits.
What Does an ATP Student Receive?
An ATP PMP student receives 4 items: a PMI-developed student kit, live instruction from a PMI-trained instructor, a knowledge check at the end of the course, and a completion record. The course runs 35 training hours aligned to the exam content outline.
- Student kit. PMI describes it as PMI-approved content that reinforces key concepts and includes the knowledge check. The PMP Student Workbook and Learner Handouts reached Version 4.1 on 4 August 2026.
- Live instruction. The instructor teaches from a separate instructor kit that holds slide decks and instructor materials. Each instructor holds an individual kit, not a shared master kit.
- Knowledge check. Learners complete it at the end of the course to receive a completion record. As of 17 September 2026, PMI no longer requires a passing score.
- Completion record. Keep it. PMI requests proof of training if your application is selected for audit.
ATP courses are designed to satisfy the 35-hour requirement. PMI’s updated PMP course uses a 9-lesson structure.
Which Formats and Languages Does PMI-Licensed Content Cover?
PMI licenses content in 5 formats: instructor-led training with instructor and student kits, on-demand eLearning, course and exam bundles, PMI Study Hall, and printed books. The instructor-led PMP course ships in 10 core languages.
The 10 core PMP languages are English, Arabic, Spanish (Latin America), French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, German, and Korean.
PMI licenses content beyond the PMP. ATP resource pages list licensed content for CAPM, CAPM to PMP, PMI-ACP, PMI-CP, PMI-RMP, PMI-PMOCP, PMI-CPMAI, and Disciplined Agile. Kits are credential-specific, so confirm that the provider’s kit matches your credential.
Who May Use PMI-Licensed Content?
Only ATPs and their affiliated instructors may use PMI-licensed content. Instructors must complete PMI’s Train the Trainer program for each course, keep their PMI certifications active, and teach only for their ATP. ATPs may not license ATP-only courseware to third parties.
PMI sets 5 enforceable rules:
- Affiliate every instructor with the ATP before they teach its classes.
- Train the instructor through the Train the Trainer program for each course.
- Block freelance delivery. Instructors cannot deliver PMI-licensed courseware for a non-ATP.
- Restrict sublicensing. An ATP cannot license courseware that contains ATP-only PMI material to any third party.
- Stop logo use at inactivation. An inactive ATP removes the PMI and ATP marks and loses access to instructor materials.
PMI enforces these. An ATP notified of a violation has 10 business days to respond. Without a response, it faces at least a 30-day suspension, which includes removal from the directory, removal of its courses, and inactivation of its Credly badge.
The practical result for you: a provider that claims PMI-licensed content without ATP status has no license behind the claim. The check that exposes it sits in How to Verify a PMI Authorized Training Partner in the Official ATP Directory.
How Often Does PMI Update ATP Course Content?
PMI updates ATP content whenever the exam content outline changes and issues smaller revisions between. The 2026 PMP course launched for ATPs on 14 April 2026, received weekly updates from 18 May 2026, and reached Version 4.1 on 4 August 2026.
The timeline for the 2026 PMP update:
| Date | Event |
| 14 April 2026 | Updated student materials and course launch for ATPs |
| 18 May 2026 | Weekly Friday updates begin; completion expected mid-June |
| 9 July 2026 | New PMP exam launches |
| 4 August 2026 | Student Workbook and Learner Handouts reach Version 4.1 |
| 10 November 2026 | Non-English courses move from 12 lessons to 9 |
Existing kits update automatically. PMI keeps earlier versions in its learning system.
PMI bases licensed content on the exam content outline, not the PMBOK Guide. PMI states that the PMBOK Guide Eighth Edition has no impact on PMI-provided ATP course material. A course that cites the PMBOK Guide edition as proof of currency tells you less than a course that cites the 2026 ECO and its weights: People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%.
What Sits Outside the PMI-Licensed Kit?
The exam fee, PMI membership, and PMI’s separate practice products sit outside the kit. PMI sells the PMP Practice Exam and PMI Study Hall as distinct products. ATPs add their own extras around the PMI core, and extras vary by provider.
Ask any ATP 5 questions about what surrounds the kit:
- Which practice exams does the fee include, and are they PMI’s or the provider’s?
- Does the fee include PMI Study Hall access, and for how long?
- What application support does the provider offer?
- How long does post-course support last?
- Which materials come from PMI, and which come from the provider?
PMI names these as the questions to ask beyond the core curriculum. The answers separate the PMI-licensed core from the provider’s own additions.
How Do You Confirm Your Course Uses PMI-Licensed Content?
Confirm the ATP in PMI’s directory, then ask 4 things in writing: the kit you receive, its version, the instructor’s name, and the knowledge check and completion record. A genuine ATP answers all 4 immediately.
- Verify the provider in the PMI ATP directory.
- Request a description of the student kit and its version.
- Ask for the instructor’s name and ATP instructor badge.
- Confirm the course ends with a knowledge check and a completion record.
A provider that cannot describe the kit has no PMI content behind its ATP claim. The red flags that follow sit in PMI ATP Red Flags: 7 Signs a Provider Misuses the ATP Name.
What Do You Receive When You Train With PMTI?
Training with a PMI Premier Authorized Training Partner delivers the PMI-licensed PMP kit and live instruction from an ATP-affiliated instructor. Verify Project Management Training Institute in the directory, then ask for the kit version and instructor badge before you enroll.
PMTI presents itself as a PMI Premier Authorized Training Partner in Dallas, TX. Run the 4 checks above on PMTI as you would on any provider. When the listing matches, compare live class dates and delivery formats on PMP Certification Training — PMI Authorized Training Partner.
