CIMA Qualification
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
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Average salary
£66k
No formal entry requirements
No formal entry requirements
Average time to complete
3 years
Members worldwide
Over 690,000

The first step to becoming a certified management accountant
The CIMA Qualification is a globally recognised qualification that arms you with the skills, knowledge and confidence you need for a career in management accountancy.
The qualification is structured around three learning pillars: Enterprise, Performance and Financial. As you progress through each of the levels, you’ll learn more about the role that finance plays in an organisation and how to manage data and information in the digital world. Once completed, you’ll have a sound knowledge of strategic decision-making, cyber risks and business valuation.
Who is it for?
CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting:
- The Certificate in Business Accounting is for those with no accounting experience who want to go on to study the CIMA Professional Qualification.
CIMA Professional Qualification:
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Graduates with a relevant degree in business or finance looking to kickstart their management accountancy career.
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Postgraduates with a relevant Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance or an MBA (Accounting Major).
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Ambitious, open-minded learners that want the freedom and flexibility that comes with studying part-time.
What are the requirements?
- There are no formal entry requirements for the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting
- The Operational Level is the first stage of the CIMA Professional Qualification. To start studying for these exams, you must have completed the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting or have relevant exemptions.
- Visit the CIMA website to check whether you are exempt from any of the exams.
What does the CIMA syllabus cover?
The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting qualification consists of four papers, which typically take 12 months to complete. The CIMA Professional Qualification is divided into three achievement levels: Operational, Management and Strategic. For each level, you’ll need to complete four computer-based exams – three objective test exams and one written case study exam.
Upon completion of the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, you can progress onto the Operational level of the CIMA Professional Qualification.
- BA1 Fundamentals of Business Economics
- BA2 Fundamentals of Management Accounting
- BA3 Fundamentals of Financial Accounting
- BA4 Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance
This level focuses on short-term decision-making. You’ll learn how to implement actionable plans and report on performance. Once you pass this level, you’ll be awarded with a CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting (CIMA Dip MA) and will be able to progress to the Management Level.
- E1 Managing Finance in a Digital World
- P1 Management Accounting
- F1 Financial Reporting
- Operational Level Case Study
This level is all about how to translate long-term decisions into medium-term plans. You’ll understand how to manage individual and organisational performance and gain a deeper understanding of how to monitor
and report on decision-making. Pass this level and you’ll receive the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting (CIMA Adv Dip MA).
- E2 Managing Performance
- P2 Advanced Management Accounting
- F2 Advanced Financial Reporting
- Management Level Case Study
The final level is centred around strategic, long-term decision-making. Once you pass this level, you’ll be granted the Associate Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designations, and will be able to advise organisational leaders around strategy, risk management and business valuations.
- E3 Strategic Management
- P3 Risk Management
- F2 Financial Strategy
- Strategic Level Case Study
What does the CIMA subscription include?
100% syllabus coverage
Gain access all CIMA levels as part of your subscription - providing all the learning content you need to pass your exams.
BPP learning resources
Approved BPP learning resources, videos, study notes and reading materials.
BPP's Achievement Ladder
Access to BPP’s Achievement Ladder to progress you to exam success.
No financial tie-ins
Ultimate flexibility around your timescales; stop and restart at any time.
No upfront costs or contracts - just a simple monthly subscription
Our subscription-led pricing means you can study at a pace that suits you. Sign up, get started, and hit pause whenever you need to.
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Prepaid plan
12-months access£400one-off payment
12-months accessPay up front and access all your learning materials for 12 months.
A one-off payment of £400 will be taken from your confirmed payment details and you will have access to your learning materials for 12 months.
Please note that you will need to select the monthly subscription if you want to access the free 14-day trial. -
Monthly subscription
Free 14-day trial£40billed monthly
Free 14-day trialSubscribe now to access your 14-day free trial. You can cancel at any point before the end of the 14 days without being charged.
Once the trial period is over, a recurring monthly payment of £40 will be taken from your confirmed payment details every 30 days until you cancel your subscription.
Frequently asked questions
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You can choose between our monthly subscription, or the one-off payment option which gives you access to the same content for a period of 12 months.
If your employer is funding your course, you can download an invoice from your account. -
Our monthly subscription cost includes access to the BPP learning resources you need to prepare for your exams, but you w ill need to book your exams separately. The
cost of each CIMA exam varies, but they currently start from £105. For more information, please visit the CIMA website. -
It can take, on average, around 3 years to complete your CIMA qualification. However, you may study at a pace that’s faster or slower than this. And you may need to resit some of your exams if you don’t pass first time. You will also need 3 years relevant work experience.
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The entire CIMA Professional Qualification is exam-based. Each level includes three objective test exams (which are 90 minutes long) as well as a 3-hour case study exam.
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Both the objective tests and case study exams are available to sit throughout the year. You can
choose to take your exams in over 5,000 Pearson VUE assessment centres worldwide or at home via remote invigilation.
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