case study exam cima

Exam timetable

View key dates to help you plan your studies. Plan your CIMA’s CGMA® exams. On-demand tests are available all year. There are four windows a year when you can sit the Case Study Exams (February, May, August, and November).

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Tips for mastering the CIMA Case Study Exams

The CIMA® Case Study exams are the final capstone exams of each level of the CIMA Professional Qualification, which students must pass to gain the CGMA® designation. We explore four tips to help you prepare for the exams.

1)     Understand the three Case Study levels.

Each Case Study exam lasts three hours, with multiple tasks of equal lengths. There is a natural progression to the levels — Operational, Management and Strategic — that simulate how work as a management accountant progresses. To reach the Case Study level, you will have already passed the Objective Tests, which focus on ensuring that you have acquired the knowledge and skills for each pillar.  Case Study exams are more about interpreting data and require practical answers to practical questions and simulate real-life business scenarios.

Operational Case Study (OCS)

• Focus — The short-term role of the finance officer and the implementation of decisions
• Skills you need to convey — How to work with others in the organisation and use appropriate data and technology to translate medium-term decisions into short-term actionable plans
• Stats — Three-hour exam containing four tasks related to the enterprise, performance, and financial pillars; allotted 45 minutes per task, each task has two to three sub-tasks

Management Case Study (MCS)

• Focus — The role of the finance manager involves translating long-term decisions into medium-term plans
• Skills you need to convey — How to use data and relevant technology to manage organisational and individual performance; allocate resources to implement decisions; monitor and report the implementation of decisions; prepare and interpret financial statements to show performance

Strategic Case Study (SCS)

• Focus — The role of the senior finance manager entails long-term strategic decision-making
• Skills you need to convey — How to support organisational leaders to craft strategy and evaluate and manage risks that might prevent the successful implementation of strategy, including sourcing financial resources; value the organisations
• Stats — Three-hour exam containing three tasks related to the enterprise, performance, and financial pillars; allotted 1-hour per task, each task has two to three sub-tasks

2)     Understand the Case Study exam cycle.

• Preseen — Released seven weeks before Exam 1
• Exam 1 — Exam cycle is May and August . The same three to four exam variants are offered both months.
• Results — Released seven weeks after the exam
• Preseen — Released seven weeks before Exam 2
• Exam 2 — Exam cycle is November and February . The same three to four exam variants are offered both months.

C opyright: BPP

3)     Understand the pre-seen materials.

Pre-seen materials — known as ‘preseens’ — are background information about the fictitious organisation featured in the Case Study exam. This information forms the basis of the tasks you can expect to see in the exam. The preseen tells the story of the company, including the industry and context in which it operates, its financial statements, management accounts, markets and competitors. Preseens are usually 26 – 30 pages long. Key tips include:

• Be ready — Familiarise yourself with the company, industry and current events.
• Analyse — Perform an analysis such as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) or political, economic, social and technological (PEST); review financial statements and reporting issues. The end of the preseen will contain live issues regarding what is happening in the industry. For instance, a new standard may have come out that will change reporting standards from the current year to the next and that the Case Study exam must address.
• Cross-reference with the blueprint — Being able to know what you can do is critical. Can you discuss finance options, dividend policy or evaluate digital strategies?

Tackling “I can” from each of the core activities in each of the sections is necessary for success. For instance:

• I can identify relevant costs and benefits.
• I can advise on the communication process.
• I can recommend a dividend policy.
• I can use appropriate technologies to gather data for costing purposes, from digital and other sources.

Have a broad syllabus knowledge and know your company intrinsically. You become the person when you role-play the exam. Avoid prefabricated answers, as the exam will have details not included in the preseens. Your answers have to be relevant to the question. 

4)     Plan your exam approach.

• Manage your time — If you can complete a section early, that time does not get applied to the next section. We suggest spending all of your allotted time within the section.
• Keep your answers real and relevant — Remember this is a role-based exam; identify one or more factors that might be relevant, then explain why that approach would be relevant. The more tangible details you provide, the higher you are likely to score. Do not offer irrelevant arguments for the sake of padding your answers. Aim for neat, discreet paragraphs.
• Understand the scoring — People mark the exams, and the pass rate is 60%. Even though a scale is scored 80 out of 150, 60% is the pass rate. The sub-tasks will be weighted differently. Each case will contain tasks from all five of the core activities:

Evaluate opportunities to add value.

-  Implement senior management decisions.

-  Manage performance and costs to aid value creation.

-  Measure performance.

-  Manage internal and external stakeholder.

• Scoring example

 “For a 12-mark answer, it might be possible to identify, say, four issues. A candidate who aims to write about four topics only has to score three marks for each to obtain full marks.” – MCS Examiner

You have all the tools you need to do well on the CIMA Case Study exams. From all of us at the Association, we wish you the very best for your next Case Study exam.

The content of this article is based on a Case Study Masterclass webinar delivered by CIMA and BPP in November 2020.

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The Certificate in Business Accounting is CIMA’s entry level accounting qualification for candidates with little or no accounting background. Find more information here »

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Preparing for the CIMA Feb24 Case Studies: Free Resources and Guides

In the lead up to the next CIMA Case Study exam, VIVA's experts share useful free resources and guides that put you in pole position for exam day.

With the CIMA February 2024 Case Study exams just around the corner , it's a good idea for those of you intending to sit the exam to start laying the groundwork for your studies right now. The February exam can catch a lot of students out - the temptation is always to postpone study until after the holidays .

This is a mistake!

With the pre-seen already available, and a tuition provider like VIVA with full on-demand courses already available for the February window, there is no good reason why you shouldn't maximise your chances and jumpstart your studies as soon as possible. With that in mind, we thought we'd share with you what VIVA can do to help put you in pole position ahead of exam day. Below are a variety of tips, free resources and guides for the CIMA Feb24 case studies to help get you started.

1. Get the CIMA Pre-seen Materials Here

Probably the most important "free" resource of all is the pre-seen document that CIMA releases in advance of the Operational, Management and Strategic case study exams! The pre-seen document should be the focal point of your studies. You need to know this document inside-out. Too many students assume that they can casually browse the document a few days before the exam, and that if their theoretical knowledge is good enough, they'll be fine.

This is another mistake. There's a reason CIMA releases the pre-seen well in advance. It's because they want you to know it like the back of your hand. You need to be able to very quickly recall info from the pre-seen on exam day; to know where to look to find information that will help you answer the question. To know all the threats, opportunities, weaknesses, challenges, processes of the company in question.

Below you can find the links to each of the pre-seen documents for the current exam window:

OCS Feb24 Pre-seen: click here

MCS Feb24 Pre-seen: click here

SCS Feb24 Pre-seen: click here

2. VIVA's Pre-course Work

All of VIVA's Case study courses include a "Foundational Materials" component. This includes around 7 hours of video lectures and quizzes that ensure you are in the right mindset as soon as the pre-seen is released. These materials can be accessed immediately if you have purchased access to the Feb24 Case Study courses (whether as part of our CIMA All Access membership, or as an individual course ). The Foundational Materials include video reviews of your Objective Test theories and syllabi, exam technique lectures, study focus sessions, and more. This is particularly useful for any Gateway students sitting the MCS exam. VIVA's foundational materials orient you by introducing you to the key topics and concepts from the Objective Test exams. From there, if you wish you can further unlock the full suite of video lectures from E2, P2 and F2 with the All Access membership - allowing you to do a deeper dive on theories that you might not be familiar with. Unlock VIVA's full courses (with around 40 hours of learning materials, video lectures, live webinars and mock exams per course) via the links below:

3. Free articles and guides

‍ Perhaps VIVA's best kept secret (though we try our best not to keep it a secret!) is our growing library of high-value free content - the Knoweldge Centre . Much of this content is highly practical and relevant to Case Study exam sitters. Below we include a selection of the best free case study materials and videos that you can start working through immediately in order to ensure you are well oriented and motivated come pre-seen release day: ‍ ‍

Free Articles:

CIMA Exam Dates

5 CIMA Study Tips to Keep You Motivated

How to Pass CIMA Case Study Exams: A Detailed Guide to Success

Working through your CIMA Case Study Course

6 Tips to Pass CIMA Fast

Handling CIMA Exam Day Nerves: Lessons from Public Speaking ‍

Free Videos:

How to pass the CIMA OCS exam

How to pass the CIMA MCS exam

How to pass the CIMA SCS exam

Planning your Answer in the CIMA OCS Exam

What goes into a Strong CIMA MCS Exam Answer?

Analysing and Understanding CIMA SCS Exam Questions ‍

4. Add mock exam marking at any time

For so many students, VIVA's professional marking has been the difference maker, the thing that pushed them over the line to a pass (see here for example).

Our student surveys have shown that VIVA students who had their mock exams marked by our team of experts, were 48% more likely to pass than students who had not had their mock exams marked. You don't have to get all your mocks marked, we understand that sometimes it's just not practical due to time or financial constraints. But the great thing with VIVA is that you can add any amount of mock marking to your course/membership at any time. You can purchase marking for anywhere from just 1 mock exam to 5 mock exams. You can purchase at the links below:

• marking for 1 x mock exam: purchase here  
• marking for 2 x mock exams: purchase here    
• marking for 3 x mock exams: purchase here    
• marking for 5 x mock exams: purchase here

We hope you find the above helpful as you gear up for the Feb24 round of CIMA Case Study exams.

Like to explore how VIVA can help you with your CIMA studies?

Be the first to find out when we release new CIMA resources.

Related resources

Other resources that may be of interest to you.

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CIMA Management Case Study Courses

Dedicated to helping you pass your case study exam

Ever since our first CIMA case study course over 14 years ago, Astranti has gained a reputation for offering the most comprehensive case study courses in the market. Our courses are dedicated to providing you with the best advice and support to help you pass your exams on the first attempt.

What’s more, our courses offer great value for money.

When compared to the Official CIMA Provider’s course, we provide a more in-depth analysis of the pre-seen, a wider range of exam guidance and study materials, and all at a lower cost.

In addition, our team of dedicated case study tutors, personal mentors, and renowned materials known for their clarity and simplicity, make our courses a favourite among students. With an average Trustpilot rating of around 4.8 from over 600 reviews, you can trust that our courses deliver exceptional quality.

And to give you peace of mind, we offer a double guarantee. You can try out our course and determine if it’s right for you without any obligation to continue. Plus, with our one-time payment, you’ll never have to worry about any additional costs.

Read on to discover more…

“I have used Astranti for all three case studies which in my view is integral to passing, with the most recent pass coming on the SCS exam. Astranti help you develop the correct exam writing style required to pass and gain the additional marks that could be the difference in passing or not. I can certainly say that by using Astranti I have gone into each exam confidently assured that I have given myself the best possible chance to pass.”

CIMA Case Study Student , October 2022

Focused on what it takes to pass

Our course is designed with one thing in mind…

Getting you through the exam

Plus a pass guarantee for peace of mind

Unrivalled support

Dedicated course mentor supporting you from start to finish

Assigned marker focused on giving you personal advice

Case study tutors are on hand to answer all your questions

Great value for money

The most comprehensive case study course

All for a great price!

With instalment options to help spread the payments

Course content

Our goal is to make the Astranti Premium Course the most comprehensive on the market.

Over more than 15 years of teaching CIMA case study we’ve considered exactly what students need to support you in order to give you everything you need to pass.

So what exactly do you get?

“Brilliant study material. I used Astranti throughout, sucked in by their free products at certificate level and I’m glad I was! The material provided is brilliant and the course tutors know exactly what it takes to get the pass at the case studies, if you use them and put the hours in you will pass! Couldn’t recommend enough, and achieved first time passes in all professional exams.”

CIMA Case Study Student , July 2022

Pre-seen pack

• Full analysis of the pre-seen , picking out the most important snippets of information so that you don’t miss a thing
• Strategic analysis that links the pre-seen to the key theories and models from the syllabus
• An analysis of the top 10 most likely issues to appear in the final exam according to our case study experts
• Our industry analysis provides an overview of the real-world industry that the pre-seen company belongs to, so you can apply this in the exam to score extra marks
• 30 pre-seen knowledge questions designed to cement your knowledge learned

5x Mock exams with debrief videos

• 7 fully timed computer-based mock exams , with challenging questions designed to replicate the real exam
• Detailed solutions so you understand where you went wrong quickly and easily and to enable you to learn how to approach a similar question in the real exam
• Debrief videos where our tutors walk you through the best approach to each mock
• 5x mock exams as standard
• 2x bonus mocks for the February and August exam sittings

3x Marking and feedback

• Comprehensive marking and feedback for 3 mock exams from your assigned expert tutor
• Commentary on each script on a section by section basis, tellilng you what’s great and what needs to be improved
• A 7 page summary analysis of each script, guiding you on what you need to do to improve

'How to pass the case study' course

• Get to grips with the case study exam and find out exactly what it takes to pass
• Perfect your exam planning and writing technique
• Find out how to maximise the marks that you score in your final exam
• Learn how to provide the best answers written down in the right way, within the time given in the exam
• Hear exactly what the examiners say about how to pass the case study exam and the mistakes that past students made

Theory revision series

• Designed to refresh all of your syllabus knowledge relevant to the case study exams. We take the most commonly examined theory from E2, F2 and P2 and summarise that for you so you can review theory quickly and easily
• Take the study text with you wherever you are, with both the online and printable versions
• Watch the tuition videos for an even more detailed analysis of the key theory , including worked examples throughout to help with your understanding

Ethics and Questions packs

• Ethics is   the most commonly examined topic at management case study . As such it’s the most important topic for you to revise
• Our   ethics video   shows you how to pass ethics questions in the exam
• Our   20 practice ethics questions   enable you to master a range of ethical questions and practice the specific method that is proven to enable you to pass these questions
• Our   questions pack  contains 60 case study exam-style questions , helping you to  prepare for your exam.

3x Live online masterclasses

• Attend 3  LIVE  online masterclass days and get instant answers to your questions from our experienced MCS tutor using our interactive chat box throughout each session

Tutor expertise and Discussion hub

• Ask our tutors further questions and join the student/tutor conversation on our discussion hub
• Tailored support from your personally assigned exam marker , with all of the experience you could need to give you the best advice needed to ensure you pass the exam

Personal course mentor

• Support from your assigned mentor from the first day of the course to the last
• They’ll help you work your way through the course at a good pace, keeping up with your desired schedule and hitting the course deadlines as you go with regular catch up emails, video calls, or a combination of the two – whatever works for you!
• On hand to answer your questions or guide you in the direction you need

Exclusive to the course

Tutor & Mentor support

There are so many benefits to studying online, like flexibility, cost savings and the ability to study at your own pace.

However, there are often some challenges too, such as a lack of study structure, lots of distractions, limited accountability and a general feeling of isolation, which can all lead to reduced motivation and momentum!

For this reason, our premium courses give you exclusive access to our tutors and course mentors .

Use our course discussion hubs to contact our expert CIMA tutors whenever you need help with a tricky piece of theory.

And, have regular check-ins with your own personal course mentor via email, video call or a combination of the two, to get help staying focused, hitting your deadlines and ensuring you have everything you need to pass your exam.

How our premium course compares

Giving students value for money is important to us . Why not check out the table below to see how our premium course compares to that of the official CIMA publisher?

Free ACCA & CIMA online courses from OpenTuition

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Cima case study, take a look at our short video on the integrated case studies explaining their structure and suggesting how to make use of the pre-seen materials..

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The CGMA Finance Leadership Program

The CGMA FLP has everything you need to study the CGMA Professional Qualification: all your learning, assessment and Case Study exam preparation takes place within the platform, and your subscription includes your CIMA registration and membership, exam entry, and a full Case Study Review Course.

You’ll work through three levels, with your knowledge put to the test via continuous assessment rather than sitting Objective tests. It means there are fewer exams on the CGMA FLP compared with other pathways.

At the end of each level, you’ll sit the same Case Study exam as all other CGMA candidates to test your mastery of business concepts and ability to apply your knowledge and skills in real-world scenarios.

CGMA Finance Leadership Program Overview

The CGMA Finance Leadership Program (CGMA FLP) is an online, fully digital way to study for CIMA’s CGMA® Professional Qualification and get CGMA designation.

On-demand webinar

Gain the skills and mindset to succeed in today's business world

The CGMA® Finance Leadership Program is your digital-first, self-directed and forward-thinking passport to transformation. Watch our exclusive webinar to learn more.

CGMA Finance Leadership Programme structure

Ten subjects organised into three pillars  at the professional level and four levels (one foundational and three professional)

Assessments

Your knowledge is assessed at the end of each topic within the digital platform throughout your learning journey

Case Studies

Each of the three professional levels has a three-hour Case Study exam that you can take during four windows per year. There is no Case Study at the Foundational level.

Completion time

Depending on which level you start at, one to four years

The four pillars:

The Foundational Level is designed as a preparatory stage to equip students with the key necessary learning to progress successfully to Operational Level of the CGMA® qualification.

On successful completion of all the modules of the Foundational Level below, you will earn the Skills Certificate in Business & Finance Essentials.

• Introduction to Business and Finance
• Introduction to Financial Accounting
• Introduction to Management Accounting

You’ll learn:

• How a business functions and the wider business environment.
• How to describe the financial accounting process and how financial statements are prepared.
• How to explain the role of management accounting and how it supports relevant decision-making.

The Operational Level focuses on short-term decision-making. You’ll be able to work with others in your organisation and use appropriate data and technology to translate medium-term decisions into short-term actionable plans.

On successful completion of all the modules of the Operational Level below, you will earn the CIMA® Diploma in Management Accounting.

• Finance Function Transformation
• Finance Business Partnering
• Data Analytics
• How the finance function is transforming in the digital age.
• How the finance function works cross-functionally to achieve strategic objectives.
• How to recognise the importance of a digital mindset and ways to leverage technology.
• How businesses are organised, how they function and how finance business partnering supports performance.
• How the finance function uses data.

The Management Level focuses on translating long-term decisions into medium-term plans. You’ll be able to use data and relevant technology to manage organisational and individual performance, allocate resources to implement decisions; monitor and report the implementation of decisions; and prepare and interpret financial statements to highlight business performance.

On successful completion of all the modules of the Management Level below, you will earn the CIMA® Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting.

This subject focuses on the following competency areas:

• Project Management
• Business Models
• How to apply project management tools and skills.
• How to manage change and resistance to change.
• Explain and analyse operating environments.
• How to identify and apply a business model framework.
• How to develop and manage teams and their culture.

The Strategic Level focuses on long-term strategic decision-making. Candidates can support organisational leaders to craft strategy; evaluate and manage risks that might prevent organisations from successfully implementing strategy; value organisations; and source financial resources required to implement strategy.

• Competitive Advantage
• Digital Strategy
• Strategy Formulation
• Strategy Implementation
• How to advise on the formulation of vision, mission and objectives.
• How to choose and apply tools to collect and interpret data for different scenarios.
• How to devise, implement and measure digital transformation strategies.
• How to develop and manage strategic options.
• How to communicate, enable, support and manage the implementation of strategy.

Assessment of practical experience requirements (PER)

Once you complete the Strategic Level, your last step before earning the CGMA® designation and becoming a CIMA member is to demonstrate that you have a minimum of three years of relevant work experience (this can be accumulated before, during and after your studies). Your experience is assessed through the  practical experience requirements (PER) application.

Award: 

The Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation and membership of The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (ACMA or FCMA).

Flexible Learning Packages to Suit all Goals and Schedules

How much does the cgma finance leadership programme cost.

The only cost for the CGMA FLP is your subscription fee, which includes your CIMA registration, learning, exam preparation courses, assessments and Case Study exams. Price quoted does not include any local or country VAT / Taxes which will be calculated at checkout

Why choose CGMA FLP?

✔ Ideal if you prefer continuous assessment over sitting exams

✔ Fully remote learning experience: go at your pace

✔ All-inclusive: all the resources, tutorials, exams and assessments you need to get your Professional Qualification 

✔ Easy-to-manage subscription model: choose one, two or three years to study the Skills Plus or Skills Premium options.

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Which learning and assessment route should I take?

Shape your studies how you want, using a tuition provider or opting to self-study, or enrol on the CGMA Finance Leadership Programme for a fully guided study experience.

Am I eligible for exemptions? 

If you have a degree or a qualification, you might be exempt from certain Certificate in Business Accounting or CGMA Professional Qualification exams. That means you could qualify sooner than you think.

Register for the CGMA Finance Leadership Programme

Before you choose your registration route, make sure you have the following to hand:

• Your contact details, including address, phone and email.
• Your current employment details (if you are working).
• Details of your tuition provider (if you are studying).

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