CIMA to allow students take up exams from home

With the spread of COVID-19, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)’ has, for the first time, agreed to allow CIMA students to take their examination remotely at home from May 2020.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic many test centres have been closed, preventing the delivery of CIMA objective tests and case study examinations to students around the world.

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the unified voice of CIMA and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), has been working to come up with a testing solution since the beginning of the pandemic.

This move will enable students to continue to progress with their journeys to become Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation holders and increase the pool of management accountants.

Stephen Flatman, vice-president examinations – management accounting at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, said, “We are living in unprecedented times and over the past weeks we have seen, rightly so, the majority of test centres close around the world to ensure everyone’s safety and well-being.”

“As a result, our students have had their studies interrupted and were prevented from taking their exams. We are happy to share the good news today that CIMA students will be able to take their Objective Tests and Case Study examinations from their homes and with minimal disruption,” he said.

Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, Chief Executive, Management Accounting at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, said “This change of approach will help our students keep their careers moving and it will, despite the current uncertainty, benefit both the individuals and economy on the long-term.”

CIMA communicated the news to students preparing for the May Case Study examinations and will send further information to students planning to take their Objective Test exams on March 31.

CIMA will also send follow-up communications in the coming weeks to support students as they transition towards these new arrangements.

It said the format of the examination will not change and examinations will be delivered remotely using established testing software. The examination dates and information on how to schedule an examination will be confirmed after April 7, 2020.