Cost · Finance & Accounting
CIMA cost: full breakdown (2026)
What the CIMA actually costs once you add up the exam fee and everything around it - plus a realistic total, what a retake adds, and honest ways to keep the bill down. Fees change, so treat these as a planning guide and confirm the current amount on the official page before you pay.
Full cost breakdown
Every cost line we could confirm for CIMA. Optional items are marked - you do not need them all to pass.
Only the items above are confirmed from the provider. We do not list fees we cannot verify, so your real-world total may include extras (travel to a test centre, optional courses) that are personal to you.
What you will realistically spend
At minimum you pay the exam fee: GBP 104–GBP 382 (per CGMA PQ exam by country tier (2026): Objective Tests GBP 104-254, Case Studies GBP 192-382, plus GBP 99 registration and GBP 150 annual subscription. Cert BA papers GBP 89-123. Confirm your country's tier with AICPA & CIMA.). For most candidates the real outlay lands higher than the bare fee once you add the items below - how much higher depends on the choices you make, not on a fixed price.
Included in the figures above: the official exam fee only.
Not included (and easy to forget):
- Study materials or a prep course, if you choose paid ones over the free and official resources.
- Travel or a test-centre surcharge, if you sit in person rather than online.
- Renewal or recertification later - this credential is valid for Passed exams have no published expiry; candidate status is maintained through the annual subscription.
- A retake fee if you do not pass first time (see below).
If you have to retake it
A resit means paying the exam fee again. Sitting once and retaking once would cost roughly GBP 208–GBP 764 in exam fees alone - about double the single-sit cost, depending on per CGMA PQ exam by country tier (2026): Objective Tests GBP 104-254, Case Studies GBP 192-382, plus GBP 99 registration and GBP 150 annual subscription. Cert BA papers GBP 89-123. Confirm your country's tier with AICPA & CIMA..
Some providers run discounted or bundled resit pricing and may require a waiting period between attempts. Check the provider's retake policy before you book - the figure above assumes you simply pay full price twice.
How to spend less on CIMA
- Lean on free and official material first. The provider's own objectives and guides are free and are the most accurate source - paid courses are optional, not required to pass.
- Watch for early-bird or scheduled-discount windows. Some bodies discount fees at certain times of year or for first attempts; book when a legitimate discount is live rather than assuming the price is fixed.
- Do the membership maths. Where a membership lowers the exam fee, add the membership cost to the discounted fee and compare against the non-member fee - it only saves money if the total is lower.
- Self-study before you buy a course. Try the free resources first; only pay for structured training if you genuinely need the structure. That single decision is usually the biggest line on the bill.
- Pass the first time. The cheapest exam is the one you only sit once - the retake fee above is the easiest cost to avoid.
Free, no-cost resources for CIMA:
- AICPA & CIMA - official exam pass rates ↗
- CGMA Study Hub - free official study resources ↗
- CGMA syllabus and examination blueprints (free account needed) ↗
We keep this honest: there is no trick that removes the official exam fee. Real savings come from skipping paid extras you do not need and not paying for a retake.
Is it worth the money?
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.
For the roles, pay bands and job outlook this credential is linked to, see the salary and career value section on the CIMA overview. That is where the cost above turns into a return - or does not.
How the price compares
Exam fees for other Finance & Accounting certifications, for a sense of whether CIMA sits at the cheap or pricey end:
| Exam | Exam fee |
|---|---|
| CIMA (this page) | GBP 104–GBP 382 (per CGMA PQ exam by country tier (2026): Objective Tests GBP 104-254, Case Studies GBP 192-382, plus GBP 99 registration and GBP 150 annual subscription. Cert BA papers GBP 89-123. Confirm your country's tier with AICPA & CIMA.) |
| ACCA | GBP 100–GBP 300 (per exam, plus annual fees. Confirm current fees with ACCA.) |
| SIE | $100 (2026-2029 rate under FINRA's approved fee schedule (was $80 through 2025). The full fee applies again for each retake.) |
| CIA | $120–$445 (Application plus a fee per part; IIA members pay less than non-members. Confirm current fees with The IIA.) |
Fees shown for comparison only and change over time. Currencies may differ by provider; confirm each on its official page.
To see where CIMA sits across every field, see our 2026 certification cost report - all 65 exams ranked, with mandatory add-on fees and renewal costs compared.
CIMA cost: common questions
- How much does the CIMA exam cost?
- The official CIMA exam fee is GBP 104–GBP 382 (per CGMA PQ exam by country tier (2026): Objective Tests GBP 104-254, Case Studies GBP 192-382, plus GBP 99 registration and GBP 150 annual subscription. Cert BA papers GBP 89-123. Confirm your country's tier with AICPA & CIMA.). The range reflects per CGMA PQ exam by country tier (2026): Objective Tests GBP 104-254, Case Studies GBP 192-382, plus GBP 99 registration and GBP 150 annual subscription. Cert BA papers GBP 89-123. Confirm your country's tier with AICPA & CIMA.. That is the core cost, before any optional study materials or travel.
- What is the total cost of CIMA in 2026?
- At minimum you pay the exam fee (GBP 104–GBP 382 (per CGMA PQ exam by country tier (2026): Objective Tests GBP 104-254, Case Studies GBP 192-382, plus GBP 99 registration and GBP 150 annual subscription. Cert BA papers GBP 89-123. Confirm your country's tier with AICPA & CIMA.)). A realistic total usually lands higher once you add any paid study materials, test-centre or travel costs, and a possible retake. The breakdown on this page shows every confirmed line so you can build your own estimate.
- How much does it cost to retake the CIMA exam?
- A resit means paying the exam fee again. One sit plus one retake is roughly GBP 208–GBP 764 in exam fees, about double a single sit. Some providers offer discounted resit pricing or require a waiting period, so check the official retake policy.
- Are there ways to pay less for CIMA?
- Yes. Lean on the free and official study material before paid courses, watch for legitimate early-bird or scheduled discounts, do the membership maths where a membership lowers the fee, and pass the first time so you avoid a retake. There is no trick that removes the official exam fee itself.