cima

System
System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
edited 10:10AM in AAT student discussion
How long does it normally take to complete the 5 parts of CIMA. I am currently doing my technician and have already passed Audit and cash management. I am aware that passing Technician level means that there should be exemptions from a part of CIMA. I am sure that i had previously read that CIMA usually takes 3 years but AAT Technician reduces that to 2 years. Is this right or will i have a further 3 years to go after next June's Technician exams?<BR><BR>

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  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    <BR>Like most qualifications, there is no specific time frame of how long it takes to complete it. It all depends on how much you want to learn and how quickly (and also how capable you are of learning).<BR><BR>Having passed AAT Techncian, you can apply for exemptions from CIMA Certificate level (5 papers). But you need to make sure you fully understand what is required of the syllabus to best prepare you for CIMA Managerial Level.<BR><BR>If you take exemptions, you will begin at CIMA Managerial Level. There are 6 papers, divided into 3 pillars and you can sit any combination and any amount at one sitting. Most people tend to go for 2/3 papers at a time, as the work load is quite intense. <BR><BR>Once Managerial Level is completed, you are awarded the 'Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting' (CIMA's own diploma) and can progress on to 'Strategic Level'.<BR><BR>At Strategic Level, there are 3 exams and you are requried to sit ALL 3 at the first sitting. Any exam(s) failed, can be re-sat, although you can sit them individually after the first sitting. <BR><BR>Once Strategic Level is completed, you then have to do something called TOPCIMA (Test Of Professional Competence), which is the final level and involves a case study/exam. <BR><BR>And thats it. <BR><BR>If an AAT Student is awarded exemptions and accepts them, it is possible to complete CIMA in 2 years (providing you sit 6 exams over 2 sittings on Managerial Level) if you pass first time.<BR><BR>These may be of use:<BR><BR>http://www.cimaglobal.com/cps/rde/xbcr/SID-0AAAC544-7AD5D4CB/live/Guide1_Overview_and_transition(1).pdf<BR><BR>http://www.cimaglobal.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-0AAAC544-7AD5D4CB/live/root.xsl/9441_9890.htm<BR><BR>Ben<BR&gt;
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    <BR><BR>Bear in mind that if you do not register as a CIMA student by mid -August or get AAT to forward your final AAT results to them, you cannot sit the CIMA November exams but have to wait until May.<BR><BR>In addition, you are charged £35 per paper you are exempt from (AAT NVQ 4 Technician Level should exempt ypu from all five at certificate level) that is a wapping £175. Plus £50 CIMA student registration fee + £78 subscription (+£95 AAT membership!)<BR><BR>CIMA textbooks are apx £30 each. If you cannot get your employer to sponsor you, there is a Career Development Loan scheme (CDL) which will give you a loan to pay all your costs and you do not have to start repaying until the course ends. Ring CDL on 0800 585 505 for a career development loan application pack.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    I was horrified when I came across the exemptions fees for cima but there does seem to be some confusion on the website. The 2005 fees list does state £35 per paper which amounts to £175 but the 2006 fees list simply states £37 for Cima Certificate in Business Accounting - which I have read as one payment of £37 rather than a new total of £185. <BR><BR>Hoping to have this clarified today but it seems a bit off that cima award these exemptions and then make you pay the equivalent of an exam fee for the privilege. The only real thing you are saving is time. <BR><BR>Also, the higher the level the more expensive the exams are so if you accept your exemptions for Certificate level you already have to pay an additional £20 per paper in exam fees at Managerial level of which there is a total of six. I'm sure someone will be able to justify all of this but it certainly stuck in my throat.<BR><BR>
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    I'm afraid I think you'll find it's the cost per paper. The old fee was £35 per paper now £37 per paper. Certainly this is what I had to pay (well it was a few pounds less 2 years ago!). Cima may try and justify it to you, but really it's money for old rope, it's not like they do anything for it except the admin of processing the exemption. But I think the other professional bodies are the same not just Cima. It does save loads of time though so it's worth it! And you're also right that the exam fees just go up and up - Topcima is £80 to sit!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    <BR>I've completed tuition for 2 units and have entered for the November exams. Spend so far is £1110 comprised as follows:<BR><BR>P1 Tuition/books: £380<BR>P4 Tuition/books: £320<BR>Registration/Sub: £125<BR>Exemptions (5): £175<BR>Exam Entry (2): £110<BR><BR>I hadn't thought about the costs until I worked it out. Quite hefty! I just hope I give my company some good return on their investment!<BR><BR>Ben
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    That does sound hefty per paper. I will just need to bite the bullet and console myself with the fact that my tuition fees for P1, P4 & P7 amount to £350 in total. My cima study systems were £33 per unit and all other costs will be the same except I will need to pay the increased exam fees as I am not due to sit them until May.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    <BR>I've opted not to do the revision course, as I think that will be another £200 - £300 per paper. Although I think my company will pay for it, I want some room for maneouvre when discussing my salary at the end of my next review, so dont want to keep asking them to pay for everything.<BR><BR>How are you finding P1? P4 seems ok, quite passable, but I'm finding it tough going with some of the examples/practice questions for P1. It's really interesting though, but I need to start to sit down and do 2-3 hours a day to get a firm grip of it. Exams in 2 months!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    You sound much further on than me - only had two days at college so far - our centre is taking the managerial level over two years so haven't even considered a revision course at this point. Only due to sit the three papers in May. Are you sitting two in November and the rest of this level in May? I would have preferred to tackle this level in one year but once the study systems arrived and I saw the volume of text I think I would have had some sort of breakdown if all six had come at once.<BR><BR>P1 has not revealed anything new to us so far but P4 I got the impression it was taken for granted that we already knew a lot about the technical side of computer systems, etc. Have an advanced vocational qualification in ICT but don't really know a lot (if anything) about the technical side of hardware and software - although essential that side doesn't interest me at all and can feel my eyes glaze over when someone starts talking about technical specs. Our first lesson consisted of a group discussion of a revision question which left me wondering where on earth the tuition and learning had gone to enable the revision! Haven't really looked at the whole study system for this but realise the exam won't revolve around this topic alone so not too worried at this stage. P7 has not revealed much new either except that all the layouts and terminology are now different for the international standards. I expect this unit will move at a fair pace as we are about to start on the taxation principles very shortly and there is loads of stuff to cover here and obviously we have no grounding for this section.<BR><BR>Anyway good luck with the exams and I hope you won't mind if later contact you to pick your brains for my exams. Perhaps we could help each other out for P7 as we will both be at the same stage then.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    <BR>I wanted to do 3 papers this November, then 3 next May. I think 2 papers (for me, per sitting) is plenty to get to grips with. Where as with AAT, I studied far more than I needed to, I am not doing no where near enough for CIMA. I keep saying to myself, "right, go home, cook dinner, sit in study for 2/3 hours". Easier said than done! But my motivation IS increasing and I'm starting to get back into the rhythm. BPP Reading want 2 mock tests in shortly, so need to get working!<BR><BR>Sure, definitely get in contact re. P7. I imagine I'll be studying for that around Jan/Feb and would definitely like to swap study ideas etc. <BR><BR>Best of luck<BR>Ben <BR><BR>
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    hi,<BR><BR>i am also doing technician level and i want to know if u have done AAT and still u dont have any work experience can u do cima, as i dont have any work experience is it possible i can get admission in cima and do it or is it nessary to have a work experience.<BR><BR>another thing is if i dont have any work experience can i still apply for full membership of AAT and after doing technician level can i get that award they give every year to successful students i am not sure if i am right can some one tell me any thing about it.<BR><BR>thanks<BR>haania
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    cima

    Reply to Haania - You can go on to Cima without work experience, but you do need 3 years relevant experience in order to apply for membership once you've passed all the exams. It is probably fine to start Cima but really to put in the time and committment needed to get through it, it might not be worthwhile if you're never going to work in accounting. If it's just that you're trying to get your first job then I would start and hope that attracts employers!<BR><BR>Re AAT membership you need one year's relevant work experience in order to apply to be a member so no you can't apply without it. You will still have the AAT qualification though which is an achievement in its own right - not everyone who gets AAT then applys to be an MAAT, whereas with Cima pretty much everyone would apply to be an ACMA once they are eligible.

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