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Get detailed information, important instructions, and helpful study resources to head into your CIMA® examination with confidence.
Understand the exam format, CIMA® curriculum topics the comprehensive exam will cover, and how the topics are weighted.
What to expectLearn the rigorous, standards-based process that goes into developing a reliable, valid CIMA® certification exam.
Learn how the exam is developed and scoredAs you set out to understand and study what you need to know for the CIMA® exam, you’ll find information and insights in many of the resources here.
But no one source has all the information for every exam topic. The most successful candidates use a variety of resources—from these lists and from additional industry sources—to ensure they are proficient with the course content.
The following independent providers offer examination review, tutoring, and overview services to CIMA® candidates and interested individuals.
Yes, you can use an accepted financial calculator when taking the CIMA® exam.
Policy for calculator use
You are required to clear your financial calculator's memory before the exam.
You are not allowed to bring any notes, including manually programmed formulas, into the testing area. If your calculator has notes, formulas, or other printed information, remove them or cover them with solid color tape. Calculators are subject to inspection by test center staff.
Acceptable calculator models
New and older models of the following calculators are allowed.
• Hewlett Packard: HP 10b, HP 10bII, HP 10bII Plus, HP 12C, HP 12C Platinum, HP 17B, HP 17BII, and HP 17BII Plus
• Texas Instruments: BA II Plus, BA II Plus Professional, and BA II Plus Business Analyst
How to use them
Get independent guidance for using non-programmable calculators at:
• Calculator Tutorial Index (free)
• eLearnAbout (paid subscription)
Looking for a deeper understanding of the curriculum and topics in the CIMA® Detailed Content Outline? This list—organized by topic—includes well-known and respected texts that may help prepare for the exam.
These are suggestions only, and the list is not all-inclusive. In order to meet the Institute's impartiality standards, we neither recommend nor require any specific text.
A text on investments
Bodie, Kane, and Marcus, Essentials of Investments
Gitman, Joehnk, and Smart, Fundamentals of Investing
A text on behavioral finance
Nofsinger, The Psychology of Investing
A text on asset allocation
Gibson, Asset Allocation
Marston, Portfolio Design: A Modern Approach to Asset Allocation (Wiley Finance)
A text on investment management consulting
A text or chapters on investment policy development
Boone and Lubitz, Creating an Investment Policy Statement
Burroughs, Investment Policy Guidebook for Trustees
Readings or textbook chapters on regulations
Haas and Howard, Adviser Regulation in a Nutshell
Hallman and Rosenbloom, Private Wealth Management
The Institute's Code of Professional Responsibility
A text or chapters on manager search and selection
A text or chapters on performance measurement
Lawton and Jankowski, Investment Performance Measurement: Evaluating and Presenting Results
Have a complaint or concern about Investments & Wealth Institute certification policy, practice, or decisions?
Send your complaint in writing—by email, mail, or fax—to IWI.
Your complaint will be reviewed by an Investments & Wealth Institute management team including its Chief Executive Officer. After review, complaints are forwarded to the appropriate team:
Requests to change certification policies go to the volunteer body that has governing authority over the policy in question.
Complaints about all other certification activities go to the certification department management team.
Complaints unrelated to certification activities go to the Senior Director of Administration and Chief Executive Officer for review and resolution.