MSL Business School ACMA + CGMA FLP & the CA Accelerated Route
CIMA Tuition in Ghana: Pathways to ACMA + CGMA Membership
Whichever qualification you already hold, there is a route in. Degree and master’s holders take the CGMA Finance Leadership Programme; ICAG members take the CA Accelerated Route. Two routes, one global credential.
See the cohorts, fees and key dates belowRegistration is open for three case study cohorts:
Fees are MSL tuition in Ghana cedis; CIMA registration is paid separately. Register with MSL, or message us and we’ll confirm your route, your starting level and your fee.
Not sure where to start? Choose your path:
Cohorts, fees and key dates at a glance
Three case study cohorts are now enrolling. The essentials are here: start dates, exam windows, fees and what each fee covers. The rest of this page is the detail behind them.
| Cohort | Classes begin | Tuition & mock conclude | Exam window | Fee | Tuition covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCS · August 2026 | Sat 20 June 2026 | Week of 10 August | 19–21 August 2026 | GHS 1,350 | The August 2026 sitting (the final window on the May/Aug 2026 pre-seen) |
| MCS · November 2026 | Sat 15 August 2026 | Week of 2 November | 11–13 November 2026 | GHS 1,200 | November 2026 + February 2027 (one pre-seen) |
| SCS · November 2026 | Sat 22 August 2026 | Week of 9 November | 18–20 November 2026 | GHS 1,350 | November 2026 + February 2027 (one pre-seen) |
Exam windows are the official AICPA & CIMA dates. CIMA registration is paid separately to CIMA; the full cost of qualifying is in Fees & tuition below.
What each cohort includes
MSL coaches you for the part that decides your result: the case study. Each case study is built on a pre-seen document that CIMA shares across two paired exam windows, and our cohorts and fees follow that cycle. Live tuition is built for a first-attempt pass.
Strategic Case Study (SCS): August 2026 cohort
Our SCS programme is running. The next cohort begins Saturday 20 June 2026, preparing for the 19–21 August exam window; tuition and the marked mock conclude the week of 10 August. This is the final cohort on the current pre-seen (a new pre-seen begins in November). Tuition is fully virtual: live online classes via Google Meet with same-day recordings, plus everything on the MSL Business School App.
- Structured strategic theory revision across the integrated E3, P3 and F3 content
- Detailed pre-seen analysis: the case study company and industry, broken down
- The exclusive MSL SCS Pre-Seen Study Pack, developed for each cycle
- Marked mock examinations with expert tutor feedback
- Full MSL Business School App and AI study support
Covers the August 2026 sitting, the final exam window on the current pre-seen. In Ghana cedis, not pounds.
Management Case Study (MCS): November 2026 cohort, first intake
Our first Management Case Study cohort begins Saturday 15 August 2026, preparing for the 11–13 November exam window; tuition and the marked mock conclude the week of 2 November. The class follows the same model as the SCS programme, fully virtual on Google Meet and the MSL Business School App.
- Integrated E2, P2 and F2 revision for the Management Case Study
- Detailed pre-seen analysis and the MSL MCS Pre-Seen Study Pack
- Marked mock examinations with expert tutor feedback
- Full MSL Business School App and AI study support
- One fee covers the November 2026 and February 2027 sittings, which share one pre-seen
One fee covers both the November 2026 and February 2027 sittings (one pre-seen), with no second payment. In Ghana cedis, not pounds.
Strategic Case Study (SCS): November 2026 cohort
The November SCS cohort begins Saturday 22 August 2026, preparing for the 18–20 November exam window; tuition and the marked mock conclude the week of 9 November. A new SCS pre-seen begins with this window and carries through February 2027.
- Structured strategic theory revision across the integrated E3, P3 and F3 content
- Detailed pre-seen analysis: the case study company and industry, broken down
- The exclusive MSL SCS Pre-Seen Study Pack, developed for each cycle
- Marked mock examinations with expert tutor feedback
- Full MSL Business School App and AI study support
- One fee covers the November 2026 and February 2027 sittings, which share one pre-seen
One fee covers both the November 2026 and February 2027 sittings (one pre-seen), with no second payment. In Ghana cedis, not pounds.
How the two-sitting cover works. Pass at the November window and you are done; the February cover is simply no longer needed. If you do sit the February 2027 window, you retake the full class for that sitting at no extra tuition.
What CIMA and the CGMA actually are
CIMA is the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. The CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) is the designation it awards to qualified members.
CIMA has trained finance professionals for over a century. In 2015 it joined forces with the American Institute of CPAs to form the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, which is why you now see the qualification branded AICPA & CIMA. Together they support a global community of more than 700,000 members, candidates and registrants, with members recognised across more than 180 countries and territories.
Where traditional accounting disciplines emphasise historical reporting, CIMA is built around management accounting: strategic leadership, enterprise risk and forward-looking decision-making. The qualification develops five competencies the case studies test directly:
- Technical: core accounting and finance skills, taught to the highest level
- Business: the commercial acumen to operate inside a real business
- People: the interpersonal skill to deliver strategy through others
- Leadership: the ability to lead, not merely to report
- Digital: the digital fluency modern finance now takes as a given
Why it matters. A truly global qualification, easily recognised by other professional bodies and a strong foundation if you later pursue the US CPA or local membership elsewhere. CGMAs operate across both finance and non-finance roles.
Two routes into CIMA: choose the one that fits you
The syllabus, the competency framework and the level of rigour are identical on both routes. Only the method of assessment differs.
Route A · Degree & master’s holders
The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme
- Open to first-degree holders, master’s graduates and MBAs
- Learn at your own pace, 5–7 study hours a week
- One fee covers every level, on-platform exams and the case studies
- Major discounts for graduates of partner Ghanaian universities
Route B · Qualified Chartered Accountants
The CA Accelerated Route
- 15 exemptions: you enter directly at the Strategic level
- One examination: the Strategic Case Study (SCS)
- Typically completed in roughly three to six months
- Requires an ICAG Letter of Good Standing
Both routes lead to the same destination: the ACMA + CGMA designation. The traditional self-study pathway (buying texts and sitting every objective paper at an exam centre) also remains available, but the FLP is more flexible and the one most MSL students choose.
Where you start depends on your background
CIMA assesses your existing qualifications and grants exemptions accordingly, and does not charge separately for exemptions. The level you enter at is set by what you already hold.
| Your background | Where you start | What you sit |
|---|---|---|
| Finance or accounting degree | Management level | Exempt from Foundation and Operational. Sit the Management and Strategic case studies: an exam centre only twice. |
| MBA or master’s in accounting / finance | Management level | Same entry point as a finance degree: two case studies at an exam centre. |
| Non-finance degree | Assessed individually | You may start at a lower level. CIMA confirms your entry point once your qualification is reviewed. |
| Non-business master’s | Foundation level | No exemptions: you build the knowledge from the ground up. |
| Fully qualified ICAG member | Strategic level | The CA Accelerated Route. One paper: the Strategic Case Study. A Letter of Good Standing from ICAG is required. |
A note on eligibility. The Ghana university discount and these exemption mappings are administered by the AICPA & CIMA office for the markets it covers. CITG alone does not carry CIMA exemptions, and degrees from outside the covered markets are assessed separately. Send us your details and we will confirm your exact starting point and any discount you qualify for.
The full cost of qualifying from Ghana
Two kinds of payment: tuition paid to MSL (the cohort fees at the top of this page), and registration paid directly to CIMA, below. There is nothing else to buy: no textbooks, no separate exam fees.
The CIMA rates below are the Ghana rates arranged through the AICPA & CIMA country office, quoted in pounds and inclusive of VAT. Each CIMA package is a single fee covering registration, every exemption, all on-platform assessments and the case study exams. CIMA sets its pricing by region, so fees in other parts of the world will differ; your exact rate is confirmed by the office when you register.
CIMA registration: FLP route (Ghana rates)
| Who you are | CIMA FLP fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate of a partner Ghanaian university, within the last 5 years | GBP 720 | One year of full FLP access. The deeply discounted rate negotiated for partner-university graduates. |
| Graduate of a partner university, more than 5 years ago | GBP 2,400 | One year of full FLP access at the partner rate for earlier graduates. |
| Other applicants, or no partner-university discount | Confirmed by the office | CIMA’s standard rates vary by region and route. The AICPA & CIMA country office confirms your exact fee before you register. |
The partner-university discount is only applied when you register through the AICPA & CIMA office, not by registering yourself online. Send us your details and we will route them to the office so the discount is placed on your account before you register. Two- and three-year FLP options are also available at a further discount.
CIMA registration: CA Accelerated Route
| Item | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| CIMA registration (CA route) | GBP 850 | The discounted rate for Ghana Chartered Accountants: registration, all exemptions and one Strategic Case Study attempt. |
| SCS resit, if required | ≈ GBP 303 | Exam-only fee. Your exemptions are recognised in perpetuity, so a resit never repeats the registration fee. |
MSL tuition for the current SCS and MCS cohorts, with dates and what each fee covers, is at the top of this page.
Operational Case Study (OCS) and FLP study support
We have not yet opened a scheduled OCS class, but if you need support on the OCS, or help working through any FLP level (especially if you are coming in without an accounting background), reach out and we will arrange the right support for you.
A modest annual CIMA subscription (in the region of GBP 150) keeps your registration active while you study. To register, you submit the CIMA form with an ICAG Letter of Good Standing where applicable, your certificates or transcripts, and your Ghana Card.
Estimate your route, cost and timeline
Tell us what you hold and see your CIMA entry point, the case studies you sit, the Ghana fees and an estimated timeline, in two taps.
What do you currently hold?
Turn on JavaScript for the interactive estimate, or see all fees & tuition and compare the routes.
The CIMA qualification, level by level
The qualification has four levels. At each level you study a set of subjects and then complete a case study; each milestone carries its own certificate, and the final one carries the designation.
- ·Introduction to Business and Finance
- ·Introduction to Financial Accounting
- ·Introduction to Management Accounting
On completion: the Business and Finance Essentials certificate.
- E1Managing finance in a digital world
- P1Management Accounting
- F1Financial Reporting
- OCSOperational Case Study
On completion: the CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting.
- E2Managing performance
- P2Advanced Management Accounting
- F2Advanced Financial Reporting
- MCSManagement Case Study
On completion: the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting.
- E3Strategic Management
- P3Risk Management
- F3Financial Strategy
- SCSStrategic Case Study (the final exam)
On completion: the route to the ACMA + CGMA designation, once your experience is verified.
How the Finance Leadership Programme works
Same syllabus, same standard: a different way of being examined.
On the FLP you study and complete your assessments inside one digital platform, travelling to an exam centre only for the case studies, not for every subject. The contrast with the traditional route:
| FLP (digital) | Traditional | |
|---|---|---|
| Subject assessments | On the online platform, at your own pace | At an exam centre, one paper at a time |
| Exam-centre visits from scratch | Three (case studies only) | Around fifteen |
| Pace | Continuous, self-directed | Fixed exam sittings |
| Case studies | At an exam centre, same as everyone | At an exam centre |
How you are assessed on the platform
Learning and assessment sit together. As you work through each topic, the system sets knowledge checks to confirm you have understood it. At the end of each topic there are assessments you must pass before moving on, with unlimited attempts. At the end of each competency, a business simulation assignment applies what you have learned to a realistic scenario. By the time you reach a full case study, you have already worked through many smaller simulations.
These on-platform assessments are not high-pressure, timed exams. The single formal, invigilated component at each level is the case study. Everything is scenario-based, because the workplace does not hand you definitions: it hands you problems to solve.
The case studies: where competence is proven
Each level ends with a case study: the Operational, Management and Strategic Case Studies. These are computer-based business simulations, not traditional examinations.
You take on a finance role inside a fictional but realistic company and respond to scenarios by writing structured reports, emails and memos. Every case is built around a pre-seen document released several weeks before the exam: a detailed profile of the company and its industry. CIMA considers passing the case study the ultimate proof of competence: pass it, and you have shown you can apply the knowledge on the job.
What the Strategic Case Study tests
The SCS asks you to integrate the three Strategic-level papers, Strategic Management (E3), Risk Management (P3) and Financial Strategy (F3), within a single business simulation. You assume the role of a senior finance manager advising the Board. There is no separate calculation paper; the test is whether you can think and write like a finance leader. The Management Case Study tests the same skill at the management level, drawing on E2, P2 and F2. MSL’s tuition is built around developing exactly this integrated, applied capability.
The case studies can be sat at a Pearson VUE centre (available across the region) or online from home, subject to remote proctoring requirements. We recommend a centre where power or internet stability is a concern.
Sittings, the pre-seen cycle and how long it takes
The case studies run across four windows a year: February, May, August and November. CIMA shares a pre-seen across paired windows: May and August share one pre-seen, and November and February share another. Registering for the first window in a pair lets you treat the second as a backup attempt without learning a new industry. In the current cycle, the August 2026 window is the final sitting on the existing pre-seen; a new pre-seen begins with the November 2026 window and carries through February 2027. The current MSL cohort schedule and fees are at the top of this page.
How long it takes on the FLP
Working at 5–7 study hours a week, indicative timings are: Foundation 2–3 months, Operational 6–9 months, Management 6–9 months, and Strategic 4–6 months. With a strong background and steady effort, many candidates complete the qualification in one to two years. The case study windows are the only fixed milestones; everything else moves at your pace.
See the full 2026 CIMA case study exam calendar, all levelsTechnology built to improve your result
MSL Business School is Ghana’s clear technology leader in professional education, the first and only provider with multimodal AI for professional exam students. Our in-house AI has been trained on the entire CIMA syllabus, from the Operational level to the Strategic level, paper by paper. Stuck on a question on your FLP portal at night? Take a screenshot, send it to MSL AI on the app, and ask it to solve and explain. Every MSL student on the FLP has unlimited use of MSL AI, for any help they need, at any level of the programme.
The platform
- Same-day recordings of every live class
- Pre-seen analysis, notes and the MSL Study Pack
- Marked mocks and performance tracking
- SmartConnect peer collaboration with fellow candidates
- Multi-device access across Android, iOS and Windows
Embedded AI tools
- Photo-based question solving from your FLP screen
- Intelligent topic summarisation for E3, P3 and F3 theory
- Automated quiz and flashcard generation by paper
- Text-to-speech reinforcement for audio revision
- Multimodal input: text, voice and image
Technology at MSL is not decorative. It is built to improve examination outcomes.
Free to download · Android · iOS · Windows · Full study access once you register for CIMA with MSL
From passing your final case study to membership
Passing your final case study completes the examination requirement. Full ACMA and CGMA membership takes one further step: submission of your Practical Experience Requirement, three years of relevant finance experience in approved roles. Most established professionals will already have satisfied this through their careers.
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.
For an ICAG member, that means holding both the Ghana Chartered Accountant qualification and international CIMA membership, a combination that signals exceptional credentials in any finance market.
Why prepare with MSL Business School
The system that trained Ghana’s top-ranked professionals now serves CIMA candidates.
MSL is Ghana’s most awarded professional education institution.
MSL students have won 46 national awards across ICAG, CITG and CIMA, the same performance-driven preparation system now applied to the CIMA case studies.
The same method that produced those results now runs on a multimodal AI platform built to lift your case-study performance.
CIMA in Ghana: frequently asked questions
I have a first degree, not a professional qualification. Can I do CIMA?
Yes. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme is open to first-degree holders, master’s graduates and MBAs. If your degree is in accounting or finance, you typically start at the Management level. With a non-finance degree you may start lower; CIMA confirms your exact entry point once your qualification is assessed.
What is the difference between the FLP and the traditional pathway?
The syllabus and standard are the same. On the FLP you learn and are assessed on one digital platform and only visit an exam centre for the case studies. On the traditional pathway you sit every subject as an objective test at an exam centre. The FLP is more flexible, and is the route most MSL students choose.
How does the CA Accelerated Route work for ICAG members?
As a fully qualified ICAG member you receive exemptions across the Certificate, Operational and Management levels and enter at the Strategic level, sitting only the Strategic Case Study. You need a Letter of Good Standing from ICAG. Most candidates complete this route in roughly three to six months.
How long does the qualification take?
On the FLP at 5 to 7 study hours a week: Foundation 2 to 3 months, Operational 6 to 9 months, Management 6 to 9 months, and Strategic 4 to 6 months. Many candidates with a strong background complete the full qualification in one to two years. ICAG members on the CA route usually finish in three to six months.
How much does it cost?
For the FLP, graduates of partner Ghanaian universities pay GBP 720 within five years of graduating, or GBP 2,400 beyond five years, with other applicants confirmed by the AICPA & CIMA office. The CA Accelerated Route for Chartered Accountants is GBP 850. These are the Ghana rates arranged through the country office, and CIMA prices differ in other parts of the world. Each CIMA fee is a single package covering registration, all exemptions and exams. MSL tuition is GHS 1,350 for the Strategic Case Study and GHS 1,200 for the Management Case Study. For the November 2026 cohorts, one fee covers both the November 2026 and February 2027 sittings, which share one pre-seen; the August 2026 SCS cohort covers the August sitting, the final window on the May/Aug 2026 pre-seen. Fees are confirmed by CIMA and MSL at registration.
Do I register with CIMA myself, or through MSL?
You register with CIMA directly, but the partner-university discount and your exemption mapping are arranged through the AICPA & CIMA office, not by signing up online on your own. Send MSL your details and we route them to the office so the correct rate and entry point are placed on your account before you register. To complete registration you provide your certificates or transcripts, your Ghana Card, and an ICAG Letter of Good Standing if you are on the CA route.
What happens if I do not pass a case study?
You resit only the case study, at the exam-only fee (around GBP 303 for the Strategic Case Study), never the registration fee, because your exemptions are recognised in perpetuity. When you join an MSL cohort at the first window of a pre-seen pair, such as November 2026, your tuition already covers the paired February 2027 window, so you can prepare for the resit at no extra tuition cost.
Do I have to pay extra for exemptions?
No. CIMA does not charge separately for exemptions on either pathway. Your exemptions are included in the single registration fee, and they are recognised in perpetuity: if you ever resit a case study, you never repeat the registration fee.
What is a case study exam, and where do I sit it?
Each case study is a computer-based business simulation. You take a finance role inside a fictional company and respond to a pre-seen scenario by writing reports, emails and memos. You sit it at a Pearson VUE centre (available across the region) or online from home, subject to remote proctoring. We recommend a centre where power or internet stability is a concern.
When are the exams, and what is the pre-seen cycle?
Case studies run in four windows a year: February, May, August and November. May and August share one pre-seen; November and February share another. Registering for the first window in a pair lets you use the second as a backup attempt without learning a new industry.
Do you have a class for the FLP subjects, or only the case studies?
The FLP platform is your class for the individual subjects. MSL’s scheduled tuition focuses on the case studies, where coaching matters most: the Strategic Case Study, and the Management Case Study from the November 2026 cohort. If you need extra support on the Operational level or any FLP subject, reach out and we will arrange it. Every MSL FLP student also has unlimited use of MSL AI for help on any subject in the programme.
Will my CIMA qualification be recognised abroad?
CIMA is a truly global qualification recognised across more than 180 countries and territories, and it is generally easy to transfer to other bodies. No professional qualification overrides a country’s own licensing law, so local public-practice licensing may still apply, but for most roles, CIMA travels with you anywhere.
What designation do I earn?
On passing your final case study and submitting three years of verified practical experience, you become a CIMA member and use the letters ACMA, CGMA after your name. An ICAG member who completes the route holds both the Ghana Chartered Accountant qualification and international CIMA membership.
Page last reviewed and updated . Fees and examination dates are indicative and confirmed by CIMA and MSL at registration.
Welcome to world class.
Whether you are starting with a first degree, a master’s, or a full ICAG qualification, there is a route into the global ACMA + CGMA designation. Register with MSL, or message us and we’ll confirm your route and your fee.