Earn CIMA® Faster; Pathway Exemption

Applicants with MBA/ Master’s or specialized professional qualifications/ certifications in Accounting, Finance or any related area or discipline get exemptions in exams and discounts on CIMA® standard fee.

The CIMA® pathway tracks were introduced in August 2021 after considering numerous suggestions and requests from various stakeholders, customers and associates around the world to create a model that reduces duplication of efforts for applicants who already have a reliable and proven knowledge of management accounting and exposure to international business.

Under the CIMA® pathway tracks, in addition to a special fee, selective exam-exemptions on standard CIMA® modules are also offered to candidates who have completed/ pursuing Master’s qualifications like MBA/ MS from accredited institutions or those holding specialized professional certifications in areas related to finance, business and accounting.

The pathway programs aim to speed up the CIMA® qualification journey for highly and relevantly qualified applicants by cutting down needless repetition of study of topics they already have a proof of having undergone earlier. Equally importantly, the pathway program also serves very well our intent to constantly enrich the CIMA® alumni quality. Since pre-oriented, laterally entering, pathway candidates come with vast knowledge in disciplines collateral to management accounting, the global CIMA® community stands to gain from the expertise and experience of such alumni.

  • Master’s Pathway track

    The CIMA® Master’s Pathway track is instituted for applicants holding/ pursuing a Master’s/ graduate level qualification like MBA/ MS/ M.Sc. from CIMA® Ace institutions - nationally/ internationally recognized institutions, or from business schools accredited by international agencies like the AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS and the like, in disciplines like business management, corporate finance, accounting, international business, taxation, business law, International finance or related areas. While the standard CIMA® track has 20 modules and two exams, the CIMA® Master’s Pathway track holds a single Master’s Pathway exam covering only 15 of the 20 standard modules. A special lower fee is charged from Master’s Pathway program applicants.

    List of CIMA® Ace Institutions

  • Professional Pathway track

    The CIMA® Professional Pathway track recognizes prior knowledge, and speeds up the CIMA® program journey for applicants who hold specialist, higher-level professional diplomas, or chartered qualifications in finance, accountancy, corporate law; management accountancy; company secretaryship, cost accountancy or public accountancy and similar or related areas from nationally or internationally recognized bodies or institutions. While the standard CIMA® track has 20 modules – 10 each across two levels - and two exams; the CIMA® Professional Pathway track holds a single Professional Pathway exam, covering only 13 of the 20 standard modules. A specially lower CIMA® program fee is charged for Professional Pathway applicants.

    List of Accounting Bodies on CIMA® Accord Network

Click this button to check if you can join the CIMA® Master’s or Professional Pathway and speed up your CIMA® program journey through exemptions. You also get to register on special fee if you qualify for a CIMA® Pathway track. Also, Pathway track candidates obtain exemptions from several modules, and have to qualify a single, special Pathway exam.

Pathway Check

How CIMA® Pathway Tracks Work

The CIMA® Master’s and Professional pathways require fewer modules to be studied and complete in a single, unified exam. Candidates holding higher-level qualifications in CIMA® approved categories stand to earn the advantage of their prior orientation and exposure to finance and accounting to earn CIMA® qualification faster and cost-effectively. The CIMA® Master’s Pathway track is available for applicants holding/ pursuing an MBA or a Master’s qualification from any of the CIMA® Ace institutions.

CIMA® Professional Pathway is available for applicants holding a specialist or chartered national/ regional or global qualification or certification in management accounting, finance, company secretaryship or similar/ related disciplines. In some countries, a special professional pathway track is also open until October 30, 2021 for individuals who have a bachelor’s qualification, but have not been able to complete their professional certification/ qualification program in management accounting, chartered accountancy, public accountancy, cost & works accounting or company secretaryship due to Covid-effected exam delays.

Besides offering candidates CIMA® at a special fee which is lower than the standard fee, CIMA® Pathways help candidates accelerate their CIMA® earning journey. This is achieved by reducing the effort of studies because of exemptions in 7 of the 20 themes in Professional Pathway, and 5 of the 20 themes in Master’s Pathway, and by unifying the two standard exams into a single CIMA® Pathway exam. To summarize, Master’s and Professional pathway candidates take only one, single unified exam, and prepare for this exam by studying up fewer modules instead of 20.

If an applicant qualifies for both, the Master’s and Professional Pathways, the CIMA® Pathways policy automatically accepts the applicant for the more comprehensive Professional Pathway track by default.

Approval Under the Pathway Program

Candidates desirous of applying for exemptions can check their eligibility for Master’s or Professional pathway track here. In fact, the CIMA® program application form automatically evaluates the prima facie Pathway eligibility when applicants fill out the CIMA® program application form. Though in some cases, an application may be referred to a especially empowered pathway committee, which analyses and approves all such applications once every week and instructs applicants individually on the next course of action.

For more details write to us at [email protected].

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