Become a Fellow

You must be able to demonstrate a minimum of three years' experience at a strategic level in one of the following areas:

Strategic leadership: for the purposes of an FCMA application 'strategic/strategy' means contributing to original strategic decisions that are adopted by the organisation and which affect its future direction and success. Strategic experience is not the implementation or updating of processes that result from strategic decision-making by others or long service in a management accounting role.

Technical leadership: experience of successfully developing technical thought leadership within an organisation and being accountable for providing advice on technical issues and matters at board level, or to directors/managers who themselves are at board level.

Operational/functional leadership: experience of successfully leading and developing significant operational/functional areas within an organisation and being accountable for achieving business objectives at board level, or to directors/managers who are themselves at board level.

Your application should include the experience you have gained while participating in the formulation or control of strategic management and financial plans. This might include:

• Direct participation in the formulation or review of management and financial policies and procedures
• Planning the provision of management information services and/or systems to monitor strategic decisions
• Planning, contributing to, appraising and monitoring major projects
• Analysing, interpreting and presenting reports - to board level - on the current and likely future performance of your organisation.

It is also useful to include:

• Experience of directing and motivating staff
• Continuing professional development, including any activities or courses you have attended to keep yourself up to date with technical developments in the profession.

Please refer to the fellowship guidelines (PDF 30KB) for more information.

Your application should include the following documents, which must all cover the required three years:

• Fellowship application form (PDF 297KB) including current employment details, signed and dated
• Employment summary (Word 52KB)
• Senior experience profile describing the relevant work undertaken
• Two or more written references
• One or more signed organisation charts
• The application fee

Send your application with the appropriate fee to:

Membership Applications
CIMA
The Helicon
One South Place
London
EC2M 2RB
UK

We will acknowledge receipt of your application, and then write to you, within six to eight weeks, with the decision. Please keep a copy of your application for reference. 

Your application will be assessed by two CIMA fellows. They will review your experience and award fellowship if they believe you have gained the necessary experience. If the assessors are unable to agree fellowship, they will give you a reason for their decision and advise you if additional information or experience is needed.