Finance & Accounting
CIMA (CGMA Professional Qualification)
CIMA CGMA Professional Qualification
Free CIMA practice questions 45 questions with full answer explanations. No sign-up. Start practice →Overview
CIMA's CGMA Professional Qualification is the chartered route for management accounting: the finance work done inside organisations, from budgeting and performance management to financial strategy. It is awarded by AICPA & CIMA, and finishing it plus three years of verified experience leads to CIMA membership and the ACMA, CGMA designation.
It is a qualification framework rather than a single exam. Newcomers start with the four-paper Certificate in Business Accounting, then work through three levels (Operational, Management, Strategic). Each level has three 90-minute Objective Tests, one per pillar (Enterprise, Performance, Financial), capped by a 3-hour Case Study exam that integrates all three. Objective Tests are on-demand and machine-marked; Case Studies run in four windows a year and are human-marked. A 2026 syllabus update applies to Objective Tests from January 2026 and to Case Studies from the May 2026 window.
✓ Who it is for
- People building a career in management accounting - budgeting, performance analysis, decision support - inside organisations
- Finance professionals who want a chartered designation (ACMA, CGMA) focused on business rather than audit
- School leavers and career changers, since the Cert BA entry route requires no degree
- Candidates who want on-demand exams they can pace around a full-time job
✕ Who it is not for
- People heading for statutory audit or public practice - ACCA or a national CPA licence is the right tool there.
- Anyone wanting a fast credential: twelve exams beyond entry plus three years of verified experience typically spans three to five years.
- Investment-management careers - the CFA charter is the more direct route.
Exam structure
| Certificate in Business Accounting (entry) | Four 2-hour Objective Tests: BA1 business economics, BA2 management accounting, BA3 financial accounting, BA4 ethics, governance and law (60-85 questions each) |
|---|---|
| Operational level | E1 Managing Finance in a Digital World, P1 Management Accounting, F1 Financial Reporting, then the Operational Case Study. Award: CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting |
| Management level | E2 Managing Performance, P2 Advanced Management Accounting, F2 Advanced Financial Reporting, then the Management Case Study. Award: CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting |
| Strategic level | E3 Strategic Management, P3 Risk Management, F3 Financial Strategy, then the Strategic Case Study |
| Experience requirement (PER) | Three years of verified relevant experience - gained before, during or after the exams - completes membership and the ACMA, CGMA designation |
Realistic study time
- Certificate in Business Accounting ~6 months on average (official figure)
- Full CGMA Professional Qualification Officially costed over ~3 years (about 5 years including Cert BA)
Bars show relative effort, not a guarantee. Your time depends on background and study method.
Turn this into a week-by-week schedule with the Study Plan Generator.
What it really costs
Fees change and vary by region. Confirm the current amount on the official site before you register.
Want your full out-of-pocket figure? Try the Cost Calculator.
Salary & career value
Indicative ranges for orientation only - not surveyed data, and not financial or career advice. Sources and date below.
Pass rate: Officially published. Objective Tests (sittings Nov 2024-Nov 2025): E1 82%, E2 81%, E3 76%, F1 76%, F2 49%, F3 56%, P1 54%, P2 46%, P3 63%. Case Studies by window roughly 55-73%; Cert BA papers 54-73%. P2 and F2 are the lowest - see CIMA's pass-rates page for current figures.
Jobs that often ask for it:
- Management Accountant
- Finance Business Partner
- Financial Analyst
- Finance Manager
- Financial Controller
Is it worth it?
Worth it if your career is management accounting or finance business partnering inside organisations: it is the specialist chartered route for that work, needs no degree to start, and ends in the globally recognised CGMA designation. If you want statutory audit or public practice, ACCA or a national CPA licence fits better; if you already have a degree and want a faster corporate-finance credential, compare the two-part CMA (IMA) before committing to CIMA's twelve exams.
Not sure this is the right exam for you? Compare your options with the Exam Finder.
Compare CIMA with other exams
Independent, like-for-like comparisons to help you choose the right one.
What to do next
If you are choosing between chartered routes, weigh CIMA (management accounting in business) against ACCA (broader, audit-capable) and the CMA from IMA (faster, two-part, US-anchored).
On exam day
Objective Tests: 90 minutes at a Pearson VUE centre or online via OnVUE, bookable on demand year-round, with a provisional result on screen and confirmation within about 48 hours. Case Studies: 3 hours in four annual windows (February, May, August, November), built on a pre-seen case released in advance; human-marked results follow in roughly 6-8 weeks. You must pass all three Objective Tests of a level (or hold exemptions or FLP equivalence) before sitting its Case Study - otherwise a booked Case Study is cancelled and refunded.
Keeping your certification
Passed exams have no published expiry, but staying an active candidate requires the annual subscription, and using part-qualified designations such as CIMA Dip MA depends on keeping it current. Membership - the ACMA, CGMA designation - follows once you complete all exams plus three years of verified experience (PER, GBP 199 assessment).
FAQ
- What is the difference between CIMA and CGMA?
- CIMA is the institute - the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, which now operates jointly with the American Institute of CPAs as AICPA & CIMA. The qualification it awards is the CGMA Professional Qualification, and CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) is the designation you may use once you complete the exams, meet the three-year experience requirement and become a member. Members put ACMA, CGMA after their name.
- CIMA or ACCA?
- CIMA specialises in management accounting: finance inside a business, from costing to strategy. ACCA is broader and covers the statutory side - audit, financial reporting and public practice. If you want to work in industry as a finance business partner, controller or FP&A lead, CIMA is purpose-built for that. If you want audit rights or the widest range of accounting roles, ACCA is the safer generalist choice.
- CIMA or CMA (IMA)?
- Both target management accounting. The CMA from IMA is two exams, typically finished within a year, US-anchored and degree-required. CIMA is twelve exams beyond entry level, takes years, needs no degree to start, and leads to a chartered designation (ACMA, CGMA) with deep UK and Commonwealth recognition. Choose CMA for speed with a degree in hand; choose CIMA for the fuller chartered route.
- Do I need a degree for CIMA?
- No. The Certificate in Business Accounting is the open entry route and assumes no finance background. When you register, your education and experience determine your starting point, and relevant degrees or professional qualifications can earn exemptions from Cert BA or later papers. Exemptions are free of charge.
- How long does CIMA take?
- The Certificate in Business Accounting takes candidates about six months on average, per CIMA's own figure. For the full CGMA Professional Qualification, CIMA's official cost scenarios assume about three years, or five years including Cert BA. Objective Tests are on-demand, so your pace depends on study time; the Case Studies anchor you to four exam windows a year.
- How much does CIMA cost in total?
- Fees are tiered by country since 2026, so totals vary. Per exam: Objective Tests GBP 104-254 and Case Studies GBP 192-382 at the PQ levels, Cert BA papers GBP 89-123. Add one-off registration (GBP 99), the annual subscription (GBP 150, over several years), the PER assessment (GBP 199) and study materials. Budget for a multi-year commitment of well over a thousand pounds even in the cheapest tier.
- Which CIMA exams are hardest?
- Going by CIMA's official pass rates for recent sittings, the Performance and Financial pillars at Management level are the toughest: P2 Advanced Management Accounting at 46% and F2 Advanced Financial Reporting at 49%. The Enterprise pillar is the most passed (E1 82%, E2 81%). Case Study pass rates typically land between the mid-50s and low 70s per window.
- What is the CGMA Finance Leadership Program (FLP)?
- The FLP is a subscription-based alternative route. Instead of sitting the nine Objective Tests, you work through guided online learning with assessments, then sit the same three Case Study exams as everyone else. It suits people who prefer structured continuous study over discrete exam events. The exam-based route in this page remains the standard path.
- When did the CIMA syllabus last change?
- An updated CGMA syllabus applies to Objective Tests taken from January 2026 and to Case Studies from the May 2026 window, with the syllabus and examination blueprints published in May 2025. The structure, number and type of exams did not change; the update strengthens finance business partnering and adds outcomes on technology and sustainability. Check that any study materials target the 2026-2027 blueprints.
Related exams
- ACCA Qualification - ACCA
- CMA (IMA) - IMA (Institute of Management Accountants)
- US CPA (AICPA) - AICPA & CIMA (NASBA)
- CFA Level I (CFA Institute) - CFA Institute
Free study resources
- AICPA & CIMA - official exam pass rates ↗
- CGMA Study Hub - free official study resources ↗
- CGMA syllabus and examination blueprints (free account needed) ↗