CIMA Exam Dates – Plan for Your 2026 Exams!

CIMA's CGMA Professional Qualification uses two different kinds of exam, and they're scheduled in two completely different ways. Getting your head around this is the key to planning your studies: the Objective Tests run on demand all year, while the Case Study exams only run in four fixed windows. This guide explains how the CIMA exam calendar works, when each type is available, and where to find the exact 2026 dates. If you're studying towards the qualification, our CIMA courses are built around this structure.

The two types of CIMA exam

The CGMA Professional Qualification has three professional levels — Operational, Management and Strategic. Each level contains three Objective Tests (OTs) and is completed with one Case Study exam. The two exam types are booked and scheduled very differently, which is why your planning has to treat them separately.

Objective Tests: available on demand, all year

The Objective Tests are on-demand computer-based exams. There are no fixed sitting windows — you book a test whenever you feel ready and sit it at a Pearson VUE test centre or, where available, online. You receive a provisional result shortly after finishing, with confirmation following from CIMA. Because OTs are on demand, you control the pace: most students work through the three OTs at a level one at a time, then move on to that level's Case Study once all three are passed.

Case Study exams: four windows a year

The Case Study exams are different. They run in four fixed windows a year — February, May, August and November. Within each window the exam is available across three days, from Wednesday to Friday. There's one Case Study at each professional level (Operational, Management and Strategic), and it integrates the knowledge from all three OTs at that level into a single realistic business scenario. You book into a window in advance, and results are released on a scheduled date several weeks after the window closes. Because the windows are fixed and a few months apart, missing one means a meaningful wait — so plan your OTs to finish in good time before the window you're aiming for.

Where to find the exact 2026 dates

CIMA sets the precise dates for each Case Study window — along with the booking and registration deadlines that fall before each one — and publishes them on its official exam timetable. Because these dates and deadlines are updated by CIMA and can vary, always confirm the current schedule on the official AICPA & CIMA exam timetable before you book, rather than relying on a date copied elsewhere. Note in particular the booking deadline for your chosen window: it falls well before the exam itself, and missing it pushes you to the next window.

The 2026 qualification update

CIMA has upgraded the CGMA Professional Qualification, with syllabus (blueprint) changes phasing in across 2026 and into 2027. If you're sitting in 2026, check which blueprint version applies to your exam window, as the content and case-study scenarios can differ between the outgoing and updated versions. The official timetable and exam blueprints pages set out exactly which changes apply from which window.

How to plan around the calendar

A sensible approach is to treat the Case Study windows as your fixed targets and the OTs as the flexible work you fit around them. Pick the window you're aiming for, work backwards to clear all three OTs at that level with time to spare, then dedicate your final weeks to integrated Case Study practice. Building your study plan around a structured CIMA course keeps the OTs and the Case Study aligned so you arrive at the window ready rather than rushing.

Frequently asked questions

How often can I sit CIMA Objective Tests?

OTs are on demand, so you can book and sit them at any time of year once you're ready — there are no fixed windows. If you don't pass, you can rebook after a short waiting period.

When are the CIMA Case Study exams held?

In four windows a year — February, May, August and November — with each window running Wednesday to Friday. The exact dates for each window are on the official AICPA & CIMA exam timetable.

When will I get my Case Study result?

Case Study results are released on a scheduled date several weeks after the exam window closes; the official timetable confirms the result date for each window.

Can I sit CIMA exams online?

Objective Tests can be taken at a Pearson VUE centre or, where available in your region, via online proctoring. Case Study exams are sat at test centres. Check the options for your location when you book.

Where do I find the official CIMA exam dates?

On the AICPA & CIMA exam timetable page, which carries the current Case Study window dates and the booking deadlines that precede them.

Study for CIMA with Learnsignal

The hardest part of CIMA planning is keeping the on-demand OTs and the fixed Case Study windows in sync. Learnsignal's tutor-led CIMA courses map your study to both, with expert teaching and exam practice for every level, so you hit each window prepared.