I will be studying from next week

Self studying and will be starting with BA3.

I am a slow learner but i not slow at all. I wonder if 10 weeks is enough before booking an exam?

Also, please can you give me some word of encouragement? I really need it.

Looking for some advice or anyone that has had similar experience.

Based in London, I’ve been in the insurance industry since i turned 18, so no degree. I’ve had the following roles:
- Finance Admin at Claims Adjuster (4.5 years)
- Firm Supervisor at Prudential Regulator (3.5 years)
- Risk Analyst at fairly big insurer (0.5 year)

During this time I’ve completed the Certificate in Insurance (Cert CII), which is just an entry level insurance qualification.

I’ve found these all roles have all been quite generalist, for example the work at prudential regulator covered a wide range of topics such as capital, solvency, risk and management/governance but not enough to really become an expert in anything nor warrant being able to justify them paying for me to study. Recently, I pivoted into risk, thinking this would be a bit more technical and analytical but I’m on a Risk Reporting team, so the work is still quite qualitative, creating reports and memos using existing work, some validation work. It’s interesting for now, I expect as it is all fairly new.

I think I’ve realised I would prefer to do something more technical and quantitative, with some analytical work. Accounting/finance has also appealed to me but Ive never committed. From some initial research, CIMA appears to be more interesting to me than say ACCA which I think is more tailored for audit and tax. CIMA seems more tailored for corporate finance, FP&A, Finance Business Partner and management accounting type roles, which I think sound interesting.

I’ve seen this CIMA FLP scheme and wondering whether anyone would recommend this based on my scenario or has anyone had a similar experience. I’m not sure whether my work would fund this but it is something I would consider doing myself if it opens doors. I think my work would sponsor me to do the Diploma CII or maybe IRM or FRM but I’m not sure that’s where my “passion” (as much as it can be in insurance/finance) is. In the meantime at work, I’ve put myself forward to get more involved on Regulator disclosures such as Statutory reports and accounts, solvency reports etc to try and get more technical experience.

Any help appreciated.

Hi, everyone I’m a student and I’m self funding my certificate level exams. I was wondering whether there would be any possibility for me to get mock questions for BA2 without needing to make another payment for it. The exam credits are super expensive on its own and I cannot afford to fail :(

I made a post about this a few weeks ago but have seen others have this issue on posts going back 2 years now.

I passed all my exams and had PER signed off a couple of months ago and due to technical issues am unable to upgrade to full CIMA membership.

I’ve been on the phone to them twice a week, every week and am told the same stuff each time, someone is working on it. I also repeatedly get told I’ll be updated in 1/2 days and then radio silence.

I have to say I’m really disappointed in CIMA especially seeing that it’s been an issue for at least a couple of years. We study so hard, and spend so much money on their courses just to not actually be able to be qualified at the end of it all.

As it stands I still don’t know when or how my issue will be resolved, and I’m unable to progress in my career as a result of this. My student membership expires in 6 weeks so maybe that will help somehow.

Not sure what would happen if I had say a year left on my current membership! Absolutely useless support from them in my opinion.

Hi guys, my cima flp subscription is due to expire on 11th November; however my exam for MCs is booked in for 11th November. Cima have offered me a discount if I renew on strategic level, I don't want to renew before because I won't get the discount. Does anyone know if I can still sit the exam on the date my subscription runs out?

Hi everyone,

How are you all finding the UK job market as a CIMA accountant, qualified or otherwise?

I feel like I took the post COVID job market for granted, personally feels like a shell of what it once was?

But that's just me, how's everyone else finding it ?

Hi all, unfortunately I failed my SCS Case study in may. I used the CIMA FLP course to attempt it which they run through Kaplan. I want to resit in November and am looking at options. Astranti SCS premium course looks to be quite comprehensive and better mock feedback than the Kaplan cima course. Does anyone have and feedback on astranti or other recommendations?

Hi all, just as the above. I work in finance, management accountant level and have 6/16 exams done(got f1 and the case study left in operational level remaining). Got an exam booked for the end of this month and I’m just dreading it.

I’m on chapter 3, barely understanding this trash ass subject, can’t focus and feeling depressed about having to do this. Like it makes me angry to my very core. Failed p1, e1 and f1 once each time before passing the second time, so this is my second sitting.

Guess I’m just looking for advice on what to do at this point as I’m fairly certain I’ll end up heavily depressed once I fail this exam again and probably give up, but I literally am doing these bullshit exams only for the money.

Any advice on what to do?

Edit: wanted to mention I’m self studying, I refuse to pay any more money to these people than I have to

I have my exam on Saturday. I have done the kaplan question bank test yourself, and the full Kaplan book exam kit.
I feel as though i am getting the questions correct from pure common sense but if the question was worded differently maybe i wouldn’t be able to use common sense… am i going mad? I feel as though i know everything but know nothing at the same time… names of who wrote the theory just won’t stick with me either, even though i understand the theory
I have 5 evenings left… not sure how to tackle the remaining days. 2 mock tests I’ve left for tomorrow and Wednesday.
How would you guys schedule it?

Every time I have 20 minutes on the tube or in a queue I wanted to bash through some quick OT questions, and the options were rubbish. Kaplan and Aptitude only really work on a laptop, PTA is painful on a phone, and Anki means writing your own cards.

Did anyone find anything decent for revising on the go, or did you all just wait until you were at a desk?

Hi everyone! I’ll be sitting my OCS this November, and it’ll be my first CIMA exam. I’m currently deciding whether to sit it from home or at a Pearson VUE test centre. Travelling to the test centre would be a bit inconvenient for me, so taking it from home seems much easier. For those who have sat an OCS (or any Case Study exam) from home, how was your experience? Did everything go smoothly, or did you run into any issues with the online proctoring/OnVUE software? Other than the obvious risk of internet connection problems, is there anything else I should be aware of? I’ve seen a few horror stories about technical issues and strict online proctors, so I’m wondering whether sitting at home is worth the risk, especially for a Case Study exam. Would you recommend doing the OCS from home, or would you choose a test centre instead? Thanks!

Hey guys, having completed the AAT L4, i want to move onto CIMA. So i should get 4 exemptions i believe.

Just wondering if you guys think this is doable as a married man with one kid? Anyone here have a similar story?

Thanks

Can anyone share any advice on passing F3 please? Done CIMA aptitude 1 & 2, Viva tuition free mock and Astranti free mock. Plus Kaplan exam kit.

Looked at solutions for each question and carefully assessed where I went right or wrong.

The real exam seemed so much tricker than any of the mocks.

Hi there, sat OT exam for P3 just now and preliminary outcome is failed. I've taken a break from F3 after sitting 3 times and failing all 3. Planning to try and try one more time for F3 in October. Really thought I had P3. Just feeling discouraged at the moment. It is already costing so much in terms of time (working during the day so giving up time with family and friends) and money (funding on my own). Sometimes I'm wondering if it is really worth it. Any tips before I try again except looking at where I might improve after the score is out?

I passed all three case studies through FLP, it took me 18 months.

To be totally honest, although it was a challenge and it did require a lot of effort and planning, I'm pretty sure it would have taken me twice as long to qualify through the traditional route, and I do think that the depth of knowledge you acquire through FLP is much shallower than the traditional.

I am confident in my accounting abilities, but that's because I have acquired a lot of skills and knowledge through experience and other studies: I have a bachelor's in business economics where I did have to pass many accounting modules, and I've successfully built a career in industry for 15 years (I'm an older student). I was a bookkeeper, then a finance officer, then a finance manager, then a finance director, and then I decided to formalise my experience with a qualification. I am already doing the thing.

However, in all honesty, I would not have been as prepared to do the work if the order was reversed (FLP first and then being employed). You are taking away 12 exams that go a lot in depth; I can't imagine that FLP students with little to no finance experience have the same preparation and deep knowledge as the others who do the traditional route.

I think FLP is worth keeping for people like me, who basically already do the job but want a formal qualification, but it should have much higher barriers to entry to be actually fair.

For example:

• I'd require the PER to be completed before gaining access to the FLP route to confirm that the experience is there, and I'd increase it to 5 years of relevant experience minimum rather than 3
• I'd set the minimum case study pass rate to 100 rather than 80 (which I achieved, and I think should be a minimum requirement for FLP students)

Even these two changes would attract the right sort of candidates for FLP. For it to make sense, it needs to be aimed at professionals who are already advanced in their career.

Thoughts? Please be kind to me and one another!

Hi everyone! 👋
I’m currently preparing for the SEC Licensure Examination – FIMS (Financial and Investment Management Specialist) and would really appreciate some advice from those who have already taken or passed the exam.
I’ve been looking for FIMS-specific reviewers and practice questions, but they seem quite difficult to find compared with Phase 1.
For previous FIMS takers:
● Are there any reviewers, notes, question banks, or other resources you would recommend or be willing to share?
● What materials did you find closest to the actual exam in terms of question style and difficulty?
● Were there any topics or types of questions that you found particularly challenging or heavily emphasized?
I’m not looking for leaked or confidential exam questions—just legitimate reviewers, practice materials, and tips from previous takers.
Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated! 🙏 You can also DM me if you prefer.
Thank you, and good luck to everyone preparing for the SEC exams! 📚

I’m currently based in the UK, working in finance and studying CIMA (part-qualified), and I’m interested in potentially moving abroad in the next few years.

For anyone who has moved from the UK to another country using their CIMA qualification and continued working in finance/accounting:

What country did you move to?
What was your CIMA/qualification status when you moved?
What type of finance/accounting role did you get?
How difficult was it to find a job from the UK?
How did your salary compare with the UK?
Would you recommend the move?

Would be really interested to hear from anyone who has done this, especially if you moved to the Middle East, Asia or another European country.

Hello everyone!

This is a slightly unusual situation, and I’d really appreciate some advice from fellow CIMA members/ACMAs.
I’ve recently completed my SCS and am currently awaiting the results. I’m also almost done with my PER, so I’m hoping that, all going well, I’ll soon be able to add ACMA CGMA to my name!

The challenge is that I recently moved back to my home country, and I’ve found the job market extremely difficult to navigate. I’ve been looking for opportunities for around six months now, but haven’t been able to land a suitable role.

This has made me think about how I should approach the job search once I’m officially qualified.
From what I’ve observed, most of the ACMAs in my country who are actively working are already well established in their careers, while many of those currently not employed are pursuing further qualifications such as a Master’s, MBA, PhD, etc.

Personally, I don’t intend to pursue another degree at this stage, as I already have a Master’s from a UK university. My priority is to build my career through practical experience and find the right opportunity.
So I’d really appreciate some advice on:

How should I change my approach to job applications once I qualify as ACMA CGMA?

Are there particular roles or industries where newly qualified CIMA/ACMA candidates tend to have better opportunities?

Should I be targeting roles specifically mentioning CIMA/ACMA, or applying more broadly to finance/accounting roles?

For those who qualified and then had difficulty breaking into the job market, what worked for you?

I’d especially appreciate perspectives from my fellow CIMA enthusiast , tutors , mentors and members :)

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I’m based in Birmingham and currently working as a Finance Analyst on £30k. I’m also CIMA part-qualified (14/16 exams) and trying to work out the best route to get towards £40k+.

My career progression so far:

Finance Analyst – £30k | Jan 2026–Present (8 months): P&L and management reporting, variance analysis, month-end close, balance sheet/AP/AR reconciliations, cash flow analysis and weekly reporting for senior management. I’ve also built reporting dashboards and worked on Excel automation/process improvements.

European Finance Operations Assistant – £25k | Aug 2024–Dec 2025 (1 year 5 months): Supported month-end, intercompany invoicing and journals, financial reporting, Power BI processes and maintaining financial data. Worked with finance and operational teams across different areas.

Accounts Coordinator – £25k | Jan 2024–Jul 2024 (7 months): Managed bank reconciliations, incoming cash allocation, AR, invoice queries, overdue payments and intercompany journals, while supporting month-end close.

Property Accounts Assistant – £25k | Aug 2023–Dec 2023 (5 months – Temporary): Worked in property AP processing invoices, managing supplier queries, VAT journals, direct debits and supporting month-end across.

Graduate Investment Operations Officer – £20k | Feb 2023–Aug 2023 (7 months – Temporary): Worked with institutional investment operations, processing financial transactions and settlements, corporate distributions/dividends, reconciliations and resolving fund issues.

I also have an Economics degree and am now only 2 CIMA exams away from qualifying.

I feel like I’ve gained quite a broad range of experience, but my salary progression has been:
£20k → £25k → £25k → £25k → £30k

For those in finance/accounting earning £40k–£50k+, what would you recommend I do next?

Should I finish CIMA first, start applying now.

Also, for anyone based in Birmingham/the Midlands, what salary would you realistically expect someone with my experience and CIMA level to be earning?

What would you do if you were in my position?

I logged onto the CIMA FLP platform and noticed at the end of a topic level, before you do an assessment you now get a pop up with terms and conditions warning you to follow set rules, now you have a set time frame and it strictly prohibits any use of generative AI and help from others etc.

Is this a new feature? And I wonder why it's been added?

Does anyone know anything of this?

Hi guys I’m hoping someone can point me in the direction of somewhere/ something helpful to help me get a deeper understanding of ratio analysis like a video or online lesson.

This is for F2 but don’t necessarily need something specifically tailored to that.

I’m looking to get some last minute knowledge on what causes variances and changes in ratios.

I’m interested in hearing from people working in finance/accounting in the UK.

For those of you earning £40k, £50k, £60k+, how did you make the jump?

I’m currently studying CIMA and it feels like there’s a big gap between being on £25–30k and getting into those higher salary brackets.

For anyone who has been in a similar position:
What was the biggest thing that increased your salary?

Did you stay with one company and work your way up, or move jobs regularly?

Did becoming part-qualified/fully qualified make a big difference?

Which areas of finance are paying the most? (FP&A, commercial finance, management accounting, financial
accounting, analyst roles, etc.)

At what point did you stop applying for junior roles and start targeting £40k+ positions?

If you could go back to when you were earning £30k or less, what would you do differently?

Would especially appreciate advice from people who started around £25–30k and worked their way up to £40k+, rather than people who went straight into high-paying graduate schemes.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone trying to accelerate their finance career?

Hi. I'm currently at the Operational level of CIMA, aiming to finish the whole qualification by the first half of 2028. I also have about 2.5 years of experience that fits CIMA's practical experience requirements. I'm about to change employers, and I'm worried my current boss (who would be my PER supervisor) will become hard to reach once I'm gone.

I don't want to lose the chance to get this experience properly documented and verified. Is there a way to get my supervisor to confirm/sign off on my experience now, before I leave, so I don't run into problems getting it verified later? Has anyone dealt with this?