Cima Requirements

CIMA requirements are simpler than most people expect: the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, now part of AICPA & CIMA, does not set a matric pass, APS score or degree as a condition for starting. Anyone can begin with the Certificate in Business Accounting. What changes with your background is where you start, because relevant degrees and qualifications can earn exemptions that let you enter higher up.

To finish, you must pass the three levels of the CGMA Professional Qualification and record at least three years of verified practical experience. The requirements for CIMA in South Africa are the same as everywhere else, because the qualification and its exams are global.

Entry Requirements at a Glance

No experience or accounting background: start with the Certificate in Business Accounting, which AICPA & CIMA describes as a formal entry route into the CGMA Professional Qualification.
Relevant degree or professional qualification: apply for exemptions, which may let you skip the Certificate and some Professional Qualification exams.
To qualify: pass the Operational, Management and Strategic levels (nine objective tests and three case study exams in total).
To become a CGMA member: a minimum of three years of verified practical experience in a relevant role.

Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements

CIMA itself has no minimum school result for the first step. The Certificate in Business Accounting is designed for people with no finance experience, so a school leaver, a career changer and a graduate in an unrelated field all start in the same place.

Academic requirements only come into play when you want to start higher. Under the CIMA exemptions policy:

your higher education qualification must have an overall mark of at least 50%;
it must be comparable to at least a UK level 4 certificate of higher education, or no exemption entry level is awarded;
Professional Qualification exemptions are not given for academic qualifications gained seven or more years ago (Certificate-level exemptions can still be considered);
exemptions are granted for completed qualifications and remain at CIMA’s discretion.

Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements

CIMA does not use an APS. An APS only matters if you take the university route and study a degree that CIMA recognises for exemptions; the university sets that APS and the school subjects, not CIMA.

The CIMA levels in South Africa and worldwide

Certificate in Business Accounting: four subjects (business economics, management accounting, financial accounting, and ethics, corporate governance and business law), each assessed by a two-hour computer-based objective test.
Operational level: short-term decision making. Passing it earns CIMA’s Diploma in Management Accounting.
Management level: medium-term planning.
Strategic level: long-term strategic decision making.

Each Professional Qualification level ends with a case study exam, and the case study exams are offered four times a year.

CIMA accredited universities in South Africa

Several South African universities have programmes that CIMA recognises for exemptions. For example, Nelson Mandela University says CIMA has recognised it as a Tier 1 university, and graduates of its BCom General Accounting, BCom Chartered Accountancy and BCom Accounting Science are exempt from the whole Certificate level and the Operational level objective tests. Exemptions attach to a specific named programme and graduation period, so check your exact degree in the AICPA & CIMA exemption calculator before you enrol.

Documents and Application Requirements

You register as a CIMA candidate online with AICPA & CIMA. Have the following ready:

your identity details for the candidate registration;
if you are claiming exemptions, your degree certificate and academic transcript showing the qualification is complete and your overall mark;
payment for the one-time registration fee.

CIMA warns that it is not liable for tuition fees you pay before your exemption entry level is confirmed, so get the exemption result first and then choose a course at the right level.

Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations

There is no selection round or annual intake for CIMA itself. You can register at any time and choose how to study:

Tuition provider: structured classes with a registered provider, which may have its own intake dates;
Self-study: you prepare on your own and book the exams;
CGMA Finance Leadership Program (FLP): an online route where objective tests are replaced by assessments built into the e-learning. Certificate in Business Accounting candidates cannot join the FLP, but can start it at Operational level once they have completed the Certificate.

For the CGMA designation, the three years of practical experience can partly or fully come from before you registered, and it must be confirmed by a supervisor with direct knowledge of your work. AICPA & CIMA estimates about one year for the Certificate and about four years for the three levels on the traditional route, or three to four years on the FLP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are CIMA fees in South Africa?

CIMA costs are made up of a one-time registration fee, an annual subscription and a fee for each exam, plus whatever your tuition provider charges. AICPA & CIMA says new registrants have their first-year subscription waived. Fees are set in foreign currency and change, so check the current amounts on the official AICPA & CIMA fees page rather than relying on a rand figure quoted elsewhere.

What are CIMA course fees?

Course fees are separate from CIMA’s own fees and are set by each tuition provider or university. Self-study avoids them; the FLP is sold as a subscription by AICPA & CIMA.

Do I need a degree to study CIMA?

No. A degree is only useful because it may earn exemptions. Without one, you start at the Certificate in Business Accounting.

Can I get exemptions from a South African degree?

Yes, if CIMA recognises the programme, you graduated with an overall mark of at least 50%, and (for Professional Qualification exemptions) you qualified less than seven years ago. Use the exemption calculator to see your entry level.

How long does the CIMA route take?

On AICPA & CIMA’s own estimates, about one year for the Certificate and about four years for the three Professional Qualification levels, with three years of practical experience needed before you can use the CGMA designation.

CIMA fees, exemption rules and exam arrangements change, so confirm the current position with AICPA & CIMA before you register.