Eligibility Requirement 1: Project Management Experience. If you have a high school diploma, you are required to have a minimum of five years or 60 months of project management experience, during which at least 7,500 hours were spent leading and directing the project. (If you don't have a high school diploma, you are out of luck, no PMP certification for you. No CAPM for you, either, as it also requires high school at a minimum.) However, if you have a four-year degree, then only three years or 36 months of experience are required, with at least 4,500 hours spent leading and directing the project.