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Future-proof yourcareer

Future-proof your career with the CGMA® qualification

A rewarding, future-ready career is within reach with CIMA and the CGMA qualification.

A future-proof career with the CGMA® qualification

As a university student or recent graduate, you’ve worked hard to earn your degree. Now it’s time to turn your ambition into a career that’s built to last.

The CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant®) qualification is a powerful next step.

With CIMA, you’ll be part of a global community of dedicated finance professionals. The CGMA Professional Qualification offers you a clear, practical road map, equipping you with technical skills, financial know-how, and confidence to succeed and pursue a job role at any organisation. From working at a startup to a global enterprise, a typical career path for a CGMA professional can include roles such as management accountant, business analyst, finance business partner, and, one day, even CFO.

Whether you’ve studied finance, business, engineering, or any other field, the CGMA qualification opens the door to a world of opportunities.

Studying with CIMA means you receive ongoing support, mentorship, and access to resources, so you grow and adapt confidently, ready to lead anywhere you choose.

Equipped with finance skills for the new knowledge economy, you’ll learn to:

  • Problem-solve
  • Think critically
  • Move past assumptions
  • Make strategic recommendations
  • Inform decisions

Learning to think strategically means you have a long-term perspective. The world of work is changing fast. With CIMA, you will be ready for what’s next.

Finance career paths and earning potential

Understand the difference the CGMA qualification can make, from your first role to senior leadership.

Enhance your salary potential

Finance professionals with professional qualifications earn more, according to research.

Learn more

Fast-tracking your career: Fatima Baig’s story

Fatima discovered how the CGMA qualification accelerated her move into management and opened new career opportunities.

Read Fatima’s story

Hear from students

First-hand experiences on what exams are really like, directly from a student’s perspective.

Watch ‘CIMA exams: A student’s perspective’

Resources for your next steps: Get career-ready with CIMA

Ready to move from university to the workplace? The CGMA Professional Qualification is created to equip and support you for success.

  • How to apply: Everything you need to know about starting your CIMA journey. Applying is easy and takes about 20 minutes.
  • Exemptions: You may be eligible for exemptions based on your previous qualifications and work experience. You may be closer to the CGMA qualification than you think.

Resources are also available to guide you, from your first CV to your first promotion. Explore career resources:

Have a quick question? Here are quick answers.

If you’re considering how to advance your career and wondering where to begin, perhaps these FAQs will help. A staff member is ready to answer any additional questions you may have through the chat function or by phone. Contact us.

CIMA’s Apprenticeships are available to anyone residing in England aged 16 or over. Apprentices enrol in either a Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician Apprenticeship or a Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship, depending on their employer. From January 2026, learners must start a Level 7 apprenticeship between the ages of 16 and 21. Upon completion, apprentices progress to CIMA’s CGMA Professional Qualification (CGMA PQ) at the appropriate level.

CIMA students have access to benefits such as study materials, learning communities, career insights, and professional development tools.

Becoming a CIMA student is an important first step, giving you access to the professional network, support, and skills that set you up for success. Once you’ve become CGMA qualified, you’ll be eligible to use the CGMA qualification and enjoy the full suite of member benefits.

Price points differ based on the learning pathway and location.

  • The CGMA FLP is subscription based: Skills Core is a 12-month term; Skills Plus and Skills Premium are a 12-, 24-, or 36-month term.
  • For the Self-Tailored Learning Pathway, the CIMA student pays for materials as they go.

CIMA students pay via self-funding, governmental funding (CIMA’s Apprenticeships), or employer funding. Your current employer may sponsor your professional development. It’s worth asking. Some tuition providers may also offer a payment plan for the CGMA FLP.

And remember that you could be exempt from specific exams due to your previous qualifications or experience.

For example, a person may join the CGMA syllabus at the Management Level or Strategic Level, rather than at the Operational Level, thereby reducing costs.

Yes. Having the letters CGMA after your surname and CIMA membership on your LinkedIn profile and CV will get noticed by hiring managers.