Studying

Studying CIMA will power up your career and ensure you’re amongst the most able, sought after and valued employees in the world. To become a CGMA, requires hard work and dedication – but remember, you’re not alone.

Overview

We’ll do our absolute best to support you through the qualification and help you pass your exams first time. You can purchase quality, CIMA-endorsed study products and resources, including revision cards, exam kits, mock exams, revision classes and, of course, the official CIMA study text. You can even study online and take interactive tests with CIMAstudy.com.

You’ll also have free, exclusive access to CIMA connect, the online study platform and community for CIMA students. You can start or join study groups, and attend ‘Ask an Expert’ sessions online, covering topics like time management in Objective Tests and analysis of pre-seen material for upcoming Case Study exams.

Thanks to the CIMA Global Learning Scheme, it’s easy to find a top-quality, accredited tuition provider near you that meets our global standards.

As you can probably tell, there are a wide range of study options to suit everyone’s needs, so read on to find out which one works best for you.

Study options

You can study in a variety of ways for the CIMA qualification. Take a look here and choose how you are going to study, choose the option that will suit you and the way you learn best!

Courses with a tuition provider

You can attend a course with one of the many global course providers that teach CIMA. This is a good option if you enjoy or prefer to study with others and have the benefits of a tutor on hand to ask any questions. Lessons will be planned to cover the full course and offer revision prior to sitting your exam.

It’s easy to find a top-quality, accredited tuition provider near you that meets our global standards by using the CIMA Global Learning Scheme tuition provider search.

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Distance learning with CIMAstudy.com

If you want to choose when and where you study, but would also benefit from some tutor support, then distance learning may be the right choice for you.

The official CIMA online resource is CIMAstudy.com. It’s ideal if you live in an area where there is little or no tuition provision, or just if you prefer to self-study at your own pace. Courses are now available for Certificate, Operational, Management and Strategic level subjects. For more information, visit https://www.cimastudy.com.

CIMAstudy.com

Study with official CIMA textbooks and study materials

Looking for a cost-effective method to study the CIMA qualification? Study with the only CIMA faculty reviewed and endorsed Study Texts and materials – your only costs will be the texts, materials and exam fee. Home study does require high levels of discipline and self-motivation. The official CIMA textbooks can be purchased at www.cimapublishing.com.

CIMA Publishing

Combining study methods with blended learning

You can combine your study methods and get the effectiveness of face-to-face tuition together with the flexibility of distance learning. An example of this would be a distance learning course, followed by a taught revision course. To find tuition providers that offer distance learning courses, use the CIMA Global Learning Scheme tuition provider search.

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Resources

Power up your studies with our study support resources

CIMA connect

CIMA connect is your online study platform and community, available 24/7! You can start or join study groups and attend ‘Ask an Expert’ sessions online, which cover handy topics, such as time management in Objective Tests and analysis of pre-seen material for upcoming Case Study exams. You can also download free study resources and articles written and recommended by CIMA’s Learning Support experts, and engage with your fellow CIMA students.

What resources are available?

CIMA connect offers a library of resources for all subjects, as well as more general study support resources, to help you plan your studies and prepare for your assessments. Resources include:

Exam practice
Past paper questions and answers
Study guides
Magazine articles
Videos
Blogs
Reading lists
Maths tables

How do I get started?

No additional registration is required. Just log in with your CIMA contact ID or email address and password. Easy!

Exam practice resources

There are two types of exams you will want to practise for: the Objective Tests for each subject (Cert BA and Professional Qualification), and the Case Study exams for each level of the professional qualification.

To help you become familiar with the exams, we have three sets of resources available.

Free exam tutorial
Allows you to gain familiarity with the technology used to deliver the exam.
Free question tutorial
Allows you to gain familiarity with the types of questions encountered in the exam.
Exam practice through CIMA Aptitude
Affordable practice questions available through CIMAstudy.com. Practice at your own pace or test out your knowledge in timed-assessment mode!

Find out more

Other useful tools

FM Magazine

CIMA's official magazine keeps students and members up to date with the latest in the world of business and finance. It covers industry news, analysis, and technical updates, as well as study notes specifically for CIMA students.

Available to view on the website

Student success stories

Finding it hard to stay motivated or schedule your first exam? Hundreds of thousands of students have sat CIMA exams and passed – and you can too. Read a few of their stories and gain tips and advice on how to succeed in your first exam by reading our student success stories.

View student success stories

The Study Planner

Achieve your study goals with the free Study Planner - use it on desktop, tablet or mobile and create a personalised study plan which fits into your busy schedule. Tick off your progress as you go and keep your studies on track!

The Study Planner

Top 10 study tips

1 Plan your time

Make a realistic study plan and stick to it (as much as possible). Think about how much time you want to spend and what you want to get from each session. Don’t forget, you’ll also need time to revise for your exams, so create a separate revision plan.

2 Be realistic

Set targets and make sure you have time to cover everything. When you set goals, remember to keep work, your social life, and any other commitments in mind.
(And don’t forget sleep!)

3 Find your perfect study spot

Try to study somewhere you’ll have no interruptions. If you’re too tempted to turn on the TV at home, try the library, your workplace, or another spot where you can keep your focus.

4 Keep a record of your progress

Be proud of your achievements and honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Avoid concentrating your studies on the areas you’re good at and spend time tackling the areas you find a bit more difficult.

5 Mix it up

Use a variety of study materials and methods. Once you’ve worked through a chapter of your textbook, switch to some practice tests, or download the CIMA FM app and read a few articles on your morning commute. Whatever you do, change it up a bit. It’ll keep you interested and on your toes.

6 Use our study resources

Take advantage of the free study resources and approved paid resources available to you. Visit cimaglobal.com/study-shop

7 Practice makes perfect

Knowing what to expect on exam day will help you feel prepared. So use our exam preparation materials and get as much experience as possible on our computer-based assessments. That way, when the real exam comes around you’ll be ready to go. Visit cimaglobal.com/examprep
You can also test yourself under exam style conditions with CIMA Aptitude cimastudy.com/cima-levels/aptitude

8 Use a learning partner to learn and prepare

In our experience, students who follow structured tuition are more likely to ace exams. Find an accredited learning partner with the CIMA Global Learning scheme cimaglobal.com/GLS
You can use official CIMA study materials at CIMAstudy.com, or online classes offered by learning partners.

9 Revise material for exams you’re exempt from

If you’re exempt from any exams, read the syllabus and learning outcomes for each so you can be sure you’re comfortable with the subject.

10 Talk with your boss

If you have a job, let your employer know when you’re sitting exams. They may be able to offer you study leave or other support.

Most importantly

Stay motivated and stick to your study plan, but also find time to relax and take your mind off your studies.

Want more advice about keeping calm and perfecting your exam technique? Log in to CIMA connect and get advice from your fellow students.