Please note the following important points for CIMA exemptions:
- CIMA is not able to confirm your eligibility for exemptions until you have fully registered as a CIMA student
- Copies of transcripts/marksheets for all years, together with a graduation certificate/recent letter confirming completion must be provided; failure to submit both sets of documents will delay your registration and any applicable exemptions being awarded.
- If your documents were not issued in English, then certified translations of all documents will be required along with copies of the original language documents.
- Any documents which have been translated into English are required to be certified as an 'accurate translation of the original language documents' by someone who is fluent in both languages and to whom you are not related.
- CIMA reserves the right to contact the awarding institution to verify students' qualifications.
- Please do not send in original documents as CIMA cannot guarantee their safe return.
- Exemptions are a concession and are only awarded at the discretion of CIMA; there is no automatic entitlement to exemptions.
- To be eligible for exemptions based on a degree programme the course must be fully completed.
- Exemptions awarded to a CIMA accredited programme apply solely to students who have completed the named programme and degree modules listed, graduated within the specified dates and meet any other requirements listed in the notes section.
- You must have achieved a mark of at least 40% and passed each module listed to qualify for the exemption. If you failed the university module, you will not be eligible for the exemption.
- You must have completed the final two academic years of a bachelor degree / final two stages of a professional qualification to be eligible for an accredited decision based on that award.
- Professional level exemptions are not available to academic qualifications gained seven or more years ago; however, Certificate in Business Accounting level exemptions will be considered under the appropriate accelerated route.
- CIMA does not award exemptions to professional bodies' qualifications, unless they are accredited by CIMA.
- CIMA awards exemptions for professional experience that closely matches the CIMA practical experience requirements (PER).
- CIMA does not award exemptions for exemptions; if you have been given credit for prior learning/exemptions, CIMA requires copies of the educational documents relating to your previous qualification(s).
- CIMA will not be liable for any fees incurred as a result of signing up for a CGMA study course prior to receiving written confirmation of any exemptions awarded, therefore please ensure courses are only booked once you have received written confirmation of relevant exemptions.
- In order to receive CIMA's intermediate awards (Certificate in Business Accounting, diploma in management accounting and advanced diploma in management accounting), students must pass at least one applicable exam, eg to receive the diploma in management accounting or advanced diploma in management accounting students must pass the applicable case study exam.
- If you do not accept an exemption and then fail the relevant exams, you can not re-claim the original exemption.
- CIMA will not award an exemption where a student has previously failed that exam, unless a further qualification was undertaken after that exam was failed.
- Where CIMA is unfamiliar with an international qualification or the awarding institution, the advice of UK NARIC will be sought.
- Where UK NARIC is unable to comment on an institution, CIMA reserves the right not to award exemptions on the basis of that qualification.
- All qualifications must be comparable to at least a UK standard certificate of higher education to be considered for any exemptions; where a qualification does not reach that standard, no exemptions will be awarded.
- Where a qualification has been assessed under a previous CGMA syllabus, the qualification will not be re-assessed under the current syllabus.