What CIMA is
CIMA (the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) is a management accounting body. Management accountants help organisations understand what the numbers mean, so leaders can decide what to do next. CIMA says that both CIMA and the AICPA can award the CGMA qualification, and that people in Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific study with CIMA.
How you can study
- CGMA Finance Leadership Program: learning materials and assessments on an online platform. You subscribe for one, two or three years, and CIMA says it can be completed in one to three years. Knowledge assessments run through each level, and each level ends with a case study exam.
- Self-Tailored Learning Pathway: you study in person or online with a tuition provider. Objective tests run through each level, and each level ends with a case study exam. You pay for learning materials and case study exams as you go. CIMA says it takes about four years on average.
- Apprenticeships: CIMA says its apprenticeships are open to anyone living in England aged 16 or over, at Level 4 (Professional Accounting Technician) or Level 7 (Accountancy Professional). From January 2026, CIMA says learners must start a Level 7 apprenticeship between the ages of 16 and 21. See apprenticeships.
What it costs
CIMA says new students pay a one-time registration fee of £99, which includes the first year's subscription to CIMA membership. It also says people with a lapsed CIMA membership pay a £99 re-registration fee from 1 January 2026.
We have not listed CIMA's exam and subscription fees. CIMA's own fee pages could not be read reliably when we checked, and we only publish figures we can verify from the body's own pages. Use CIMA's fees page for the latest costs. CIMA also says price points differ by learning pathway and location, and that exemptions could reduce what you need to take.
Is CIMA right for you?
- It suits you if business decision-making and management information appeal more than audit or tax.
- CIMA says employers may sponsor your professional development, so ask yours.
- If you already hold other qualifications or experience, CIMA offers an exemptions calculator that tells you which exams you might skip.
General information only, not professional or financial advice. This guide does not recommend any course, employer or product, and does not give tax, accounting or financial advice.
Sources
Every fee, pay or exam figure on this page comes from the pages below. We read each one on 13 November 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the body's own page before you pay or decide.
- CIMA: how to apply for the CGMA qualification, checked 13 November 2026.