FAQ What is the CPGA?

CPGA stands for CIMA Professional Gateway Assessment and is the assessment that all qualified Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India (ICWAI) and Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP) members can take in order to be eligible to go straight to the strategic level exams with CIMA. What implication does the CPGA have for me as I am a fully qualified ICWAI or ICMAP member? ICWAI passed finalists and members and ICMAP qualified members who have successfully completed the Final Examination will be able to register for CIMA under the CPGA route. On passing the CPGA examination you will gain 11 exemptions from the CIMA professional qualification, and you will be awarded the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting. What are the deadline dates for taking up the CGPA opportunity? Existing CIMA students: If you have not sat any CIMA exams after November 2008 then you are still able to opt in to the CPGA route. To opt in, send an e-mail to cima.contact@cimaglobal.com. If you have sat operational or management level exams after November 2008 then the CPGA route is no longer open to you and you will continue via the normal CIMA route. New students to CIMA: You can register as a CIMA student at any time, but if you want to sit the CPGA exam in May you must register as a CIMA student by 31 January. If you wish to sit the CPGA exam in November you must register by 31 August. If I am already a CIMA student and decide to continue taking my exams and then subsequently change my mind later, can I then switch over to the CPGA? If you have sat operational or management level exams after November 2008 then you are no longer eligible for the CPGA route and should continue taking exams via the normal CIMA route. I am a CIMA student who wants to opt in to the CPGA but am concerned that, as I have failed some CIMA papers, my fails will prevent me from doing the CPGA? No, your fails with CIMA will not prevent you taking the CPGA paper but you do need to be aware that once you have switched over to take the CPGA paper, you will not be able to change back to continue taking the operational and /or management level papers should you fail the CPGA paper. You should also be aware that the CPGA is likely to test your knowledge in papers that you have failed. You are therefore advised to study and revise the CPGA syllabus thoroughly. I passed ICWAI or ICMAP exams over ten years ago and want to know if Im still eligible to take up the CPGA? As long as you are a current member of ICMAP or a ICWAI passed finalist or member you are eligible for CPGA, regardless of how long ago you passed the final paper.

How do I register as a student with CIMA? You should register as a CIMA student on our website at http://www.cimaglobal.com/studywith-us/register-as-a-student. As part of the registration process you will be asked to pay registration and subscription fees.). These can be paid online with a credit card or sent by bank draft/cheque. Details of where to send the payment will be available at the end of the registration process. What documentation do I need to provide in order to register as a student with CIMA? Please supply your ICWAI or ICMAP certificates and transcripts. These must include the Final stage certificate and transcripts as well as all Foundation and Intermediate levels. If you have a Bachelors degree, please also supply a copy of your graduation certificate and transcripts. Documents may be faxed or emailed to CIMA: F. + 44 (0)870 787 9408 E. student.admissions@cimaglobal.com Please include your CIMA contact ID number when submitting documentation. What is the syllabus for the CPGA examination? The CPGA paper covers key material at the management level (E2, F2 and P2). The syllabus is available as a PDF document at www.cimaglobal.com/cpga. When should I begin studying for the strategic level exams? Once you have successfully passed the CPGA paper, you can then begin to study for the strategic level. Where can I study for the CPGA? At the moment there are no tuition courses available specifically for this paper. It is expected that in the near future that tuition providers will respond to local demand by offering tuition or revision courses specific to the CPGA. Why is there no training available for the CPGA? The MOU between CIMA and the eligible institutes was signed in January 2009. We expect local trainers to respond to demand in the near future. How much preparation do I need to do for the CPGA? The CPGA examines across the syllabus of the higher tier of the management level (E2, F2 and P2). To increase your chances of passing the CPGA you need to be familiar with the content of all three syllabi. You can find the CPGA syllabus at www.cimaglobal.com/cpga. Where can I find a practice paper for the CPGA? The practice paper is available from the CIMA website www.cimaglobal.com/cpga. Where can I sit the CPGA exam? The CPGA will be available at all CIMA exam centres. What is the cost of the exam? The fee is 40.

How and when do I pay the 40 exam fee? You can pay by credit card online when you enter for exams. Alternatively you can choose post payment now and mail your payment. You should post full payment immediately to the London office or your local CIMA office, as postal services can be variable. You can find your local office at the following link: http://www.cimaglobal.com/Our-locations. Any bank drafts delivered to your local CIMA office will be forwarded to London. Your cheque/draft needs to be in Sterling and, if a cheque, drawn against a UK bank. We recommend that a form of recorded delivery is used as items can go missing when using normal postal services. If payment is not received by the registration deadline date of 31 January (for the May sitting) or 31 August (for the November sitting), we reserve the right to withdraw your exam entry and charge an administration fee of 58. Entries for which payment is delayed in the post will be withdrawn if payment is not with CIMA by that date. Please write your CIMA contact ID on the back of the bank draft. If you are registering as a new CIMA student you may combine your registration and exam fee in one bank draft. I am ICWAI or ICMAP qualified and I am thinking of joining CIMA. With the new CPGA agreement I am unsure as to whether or not I should take it up or follow the normal exemption route of all CBA and one or two managerial level exemptions. Can you advise? We recommend that you look closely at the syllabus for CIMA papers E2, F2 and P2 and also at the relevant past examination papers. If you feel confident that you have a good understanding of the syllabus areas, then the CPGA may be preferable for you. If you are in any doubt as to your competence in any of E2, F2 or P2, or if you experienced a number of fails in your ICWAI or ICMAP examinations, we would recommend that you take the normal exemption route. Ive changed my mind and no longer wish to pursue the CPGA. What do I need to do to revert back? Once you have chosen the CPGA route you cannot revert back I was not advised that once I chose either the CPGA or normal exemption route, I would not be able to change my mind. Why not? All students were advised of their options when deciding which route to take. The information was also available on the website alongside the CIMA ICWAI MOU announcement. Students were also advised to get in touch with CIMA Contact if they had any queries regarding this new arrangement. If I fail the CPGA, how many times can I re-attempt it? You can attempt the CPGA as many times as you need until you pass. Will I lose my exemptions if I fail the CPGA? Exemptions are only awarded upon successful completion of the CPGA. If I fail the CGPA paper, do I have the option of getting my paper remarked? No. As with all CIMA examinations, there is no remark option.

If I fail the CPGA paper, can I get feedback on my performance? Feedback on individual performance will not be available. A post examination guide detailing strengths and common causes of failure will be available shortly after the issue of results. You can also request an administrative review: www.cimaglobal.com/scriptreview. Will there be a post exam guide available for the exams? Yes, it is available from the CIMA website approximately 3 to 4 months after the exam. I paid for exemptions when I first registered. Can I have a refund for the money I spent on exemptions? No, because the CPGA only came into effect in January 2009. I am not a member of the ICWAI or ICMAP but I would like to sit the CPGA - is this possible? No, the alliance is only between CIMA and the ICWAI or ICMAP so the CPGA is only available to members of ICWAI or ICMAP.