<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-06-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000070415</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GP STRATEGIES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GPX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001448795</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Friedberg Dan</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SAGARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>325 GREENWICH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-06-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>900</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2881243</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents a portion of the quarterly Director fees for the Reporting Person for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 which were paid in shares of the Issuer's Common Stock directly to Sagard Capital Partners, L.P. (&quot;Sagard Capital&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The amount shown represents transactions in, and beneficial ownership of, the Issuer's securities by Sagard Capital. Sagard Capital Partners Management Corporation(Sagard Management) is the investment manager of Sagard Capital. The Reporting Person is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sagard Management. The Reporting Person is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sagard Capital Partners GP, Inc., the general partner of Sagard Capital. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities(except to the extent of his pecuniary interest in such securities), and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kenneth L. Crawford for Daniel M. Friedberg</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-07-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
