CIMA for ICAG Members in Ghana: The CA Accelerated Route (One Paper)
If you are a qualified ICAG member, you do not start CIMA from scratch. The CA Accelerated Route gives you 15 exemptions and takes you straight to the Strategic level, where you sit a single paper, the Strategic Case Study, on the way to the ACMA and CGMA designation.
As a fully qualified Chartered Accountant with ICAG, you are exempt from the Certificate, Operational and Management levels of CIMA, which is 15 exemptions. You enter at the Strategic level and sit only the Strategic Case Study (SCS). There are no other exams. With focused preparation most candidates complete the route in roughly three to six months, and you need a Letter of Good Standing from ICAG to register.
For a Ghana Chartered Accountant, this is the fastest recognised path to a second, globally portable qualification. It adds the Chartered Global Management Accountant designation to your ICAG membership, a combination that signals exceptional credentials in any finance market. This guide explains exactly how the route works, the one exam you sit, what it costs, and how to prepare for a first-attempt pass.
Published by MSL Business School. Route structure follows the official AICPA & CIMA exemption agreement for ICAG members.
What the CA Accelerated Route is
CIMA is the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, and together with the American Institute of CPAs it forms AICPA & CIMA, one of the largest bodies of finance professionals in the world. The CGMA designation it awards is recognised across more than 180 countries and territories.
Because a Ghana Chartered Accountant has already proven mastery across financial reporting, audit, taxation and management accounting, CIMA recognises that learning rather than asking you to repeat it. Through the exemption agreement for ICAG members, you are credited for the entire lower part of the qualification and enter directly at the Strategic level. The only assessment standing between you and membership is the Strategic Case Study.
One qualification, two letters. Complete the route and you hold both your ICAG Chartered Accountant qualification and the international CGMA designation, a pairing that travels well across borders and across finance and non-finance roles alike.
The 15 exemptions you receive
As a fully qualified ICAG member you are exempt from three of CIMA’s four levels. That is the Certificate, Operational and Management levels in full, including their subject exams and their case studies. CIMA does not charge separately for exemptions; they are part of your single registration.
| CIMA level | For an ICAG member | What you sit |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate (BA1–BA4) | Exempt | Nothing |
| Operational (E1, P1, F1, OCS) | Exempt | Nothing |
| Management (E2, P2, F2, MCS) | Exempt | Nothing |
| Strategic (E3, P3, F3, SCS) | Your entry point | The Strategic Case Study only |
In practice this means you skip every objective test and both the Operational and Management Case Studies. Your exemptions are also recognised in perpetuity, so even if you ever needed to resit the Strategic Case Study, you would never repeat the registration fee or lose your exempt status.
The Strategic Case Study, your single exam
The Strategic Case Study is a computer-based business simulation rather than a traditional written paper. You take on the role of a senior finance manager advising the Board of a fictional but realistic company, and you respond to scenarios by writing structured reports, emails and memos. There is no separate calculation paper; the test is whether you can think and write like a finance leader.
The case integrates the three Strategic-level subjects, Strategic Management (E3), Risk Management (P3) and Financial Strategy (F3), inside one simulation. Every sitting is built around a pre-seen document, a detailed profile of the company and its industry, released several weeks before the exam so that on the day you can focus on analysis and judgement rather than reading.
- Computer-based, sat at a Pearson VUE centre or online from home where remote proctoring is available
- Built on advance pre-seen material plus unseen information provided on the day
- Marked on the quality of your analysis, recommendations and professional writing, not on memorised theory
- Run in four fixed windows a year: February, May, August and November
The pre-seen is where the work is won. Deep, structured pre-seen analysis is the single biggest difference between a pass and a fail at this level. Begin the moment your pre-seen is released, not the week before the exam. The full timetable is on the CIMA case study exam dates page.
How long the route takes
Because there is only one exam, the CA Accelerated Route is short. Most ICAG members complete it in roughly three to six months, depending on how quickly they want to sit and which exam window they target. The case study windows are the only fixed milestones; how you pace your preparation between now and your chosen window is up to you.
A sensible plan is to pick your target window, note its booking deadline, and begin structured preparation as soon as the pre-seen for that window is released. Pairing your sitting with a single, well-run tuition cohort keeps your preparation tight and your timing on track.
What the route costs in Ghana
There are two payments to plan for, and it helps to keep them separate. The first is registration paid to CIMA, a single discounted fee for Ghana Chartered Accountants that covers your registration, all 15 exemptions and one Strategic Case Study attempt. The second is tuition paid to MSL for coaching on that one exam, where preparation makes the difference between a pass and a resit.
The CIMA registration fee is a one-off covering registration, all 15 exemptions and one SCS attempt. A resit, if ever needed, is the exam-only fee, never the registration fee, because your exemptions are recognised in perpetuity. Other fees may apply, such as the annual CIMA subscription that keeps your registration active. Your exact rate is confirmed by the AICPA & CIMA office when you register.Fees current as of . Live cohort dates and the full fee detail are on the MSL CIMA page.
Live cohorts on one page. The current SCS cohort dates and the complete fee detail are kept on the MSL CIMA page so they are always accurate. Send your details through and the office will confirm your exact rate before you register.
What you need to register
Registration on the CA Accelerated Route is straightforward, but two documents matter. You confirm your standing as a Chartered Accountant, and you provide identification, and the AICPA & CIMA office does the rest.
- An ICAG Letter of Good Standing, confirming you are a member in good standing
- Your Ghana Card for identification
- Your professional details, so the office can place the correct rate and your exemptions on your account before you register
Send these to MSL and we route them to the AICPA & CIMA office, so your exemptions and the discounted Ghana rate are set up correctly from the start. You do not need to navigate the international sign-up on your own.
From your one pass to ACMA and CGMA
Passing the Strategic Case Study completes the examination requirement. Full membership takes one further step: submission of your Practical Experience Requirement, three years of relevant finance experience in approved roles. As an established Chartered Accountant, you will very likely have satisfied this already through your career.
Once CIMA verifies your experience, you are admitted to membership and entitled to use the letters ACMA, CGMA after your name. CIMA Ghana holds a graduation ceremony for new members, and your certificate is sent to the Ghana office for collection. You then hold both the Ghana Chartered Accountant qualification and international CIMA membership, recognised across more than 180 countries and territories.
Prepare for the Strategic Case Study with MSL
Pass your one paper with Ghana’s most awarded professional education provider
MSL Business School students have won 46 national awards across ICAG, CITG and CIMA. Our Strategic Case Study tuition is built for a first-attempt pass: structured revision of the integrated E3, P3 and F3 content, detailed pre-seen analysis, the exclusive MSL SCS Pre-Seen Study Pack and marked mock examinations with expert tutor feedback, taught live and online and supported by the MSL Business School App.
As Ghana’s clear technology leader in professional education, and the first and only provider with multimodal AI for professional exam students, MSL pairs that coaching with AI study tools built for exam preparation: instant explanations, pre-seen and question walk-throughs, automated quizzes, flashcards and lesson summaries, with text, voice and image input. The app is free to download on Android, iOS and Windows. When you are ready, you can see the current SCS cohorts, fees and registration on our CIMA page, or read how degree holders reach membership in our FLP guide.
CIMA for ICAG members: frequently asked questions
How many CIMA papers does an ICAG member sit?
One. As a fully qualified ICAG member you receive 15 exemptions across the Certificate, Operational and Management levels, and you sit only the Strategic Case Study at the Strategic level. There are no other exams.
What is the CA Accelerated Route?
It is the exemption-based pathway through which a qualified Ghana Chartered Accountant enters CIMA directly at the Strategic level and sits only the Strategic Case Study to earn the ACMA and CGMA designation. It is the fastest recognised route from ICAG membership to CIMA membership.
How many exemptions do ICAG members get from CIMA?
Fifteen. A fully qualified ICAG member is exempt from the Certificate, Operational and Management levels in full, including their subject exams and the Operational and Management Case Studies. CIMA does not charge separately for exemptions, and they are recognised in perpetuity.
What is the Strategic Case Study?
It is a computer-based business simulation in which you advise the Board of a fictional company, integrating the Strategic-level subjects E3, P3 and F3. You respond to scenarios by writing reports, emails and memos, working from pre-seen material released before the exam plus unseen information on the day. There is no separate calculation paper.
How long does the CA Accelerated Route take?
Most ICAG members complete it in roughly three to six months, since there is only one exam to prepare for. The case study runs in four windows a year, in February, May, August and November, and these windows are the only fixed milestones.
How much does the CA Accelerated Route cost in Ghana?
CIMA registration for Ghana Chartered Accountants is GBP 850, a one-off covering registration, all 15 exemptions and one Strategic Case Study attempt. MSL tuition for the Strategic Case Study is GHS 1,350. A resit, if ever needed, is the exam-only fee of about GBP 303, never the registration fee. Other fees, such as the annual CIMA subscription, may apply, and your exact rate is confirmed by the AICPA and CIMA office at registration. Live cohort dates are on the MSL CIMA page.
What do I need to register?
You need an ICAG Letter of Good Standing confirming you are a member in good standing, and your Ghana Card for identification. Send your details to MSL and we route them to the AICPA and CIMA office so your exemptions and the discounted Ghana rate are placed on your account before you register.
What happens if I do not pass the Strategic Case Study?
You resit only the case study, at the exam-only fee of about GBP 303, never the registration fee, because your 15 exemptions are recognised in perpetuity. When you join an MSL cohort at the first window of a pre-seen pair, your tuition already covers the paired backup window, so you can prepare for the resit at no extra tuition cost.
Do I become a full CIMA member as soon as I pass?
Passing the Strategic Case Study completes the exam requirement. Full ACMA and CGMA membership also requires three years of relevant finance experience in approved roles, which most established Chartered Accountants will already have. Once CIMA verifies your experience, you are admitted to membership and use the letters ACMA, CGMA.
Can I prepare for the Strategic Case Study online from Ghana?
Yes. MSL Business School delivers Strategic Case Study tuition fully online, with live classes, recordings, structured pre-seen analysis, marked mock exams and the MSL multimodal AI study app. You can prepare from anywhere in Ghana and across West Africa.
