If you’re preparing for CIMA exams, it’s natural to worry: Can I clear it or not? Checking CIMA exam pass rates helps you see which papers students struggle with, how results shift over time, and what kind of preparation actually makes a difference.
CIMA course pass rates represent the percentage of students who successfully pass each exam during a specific period. CIMA publishes these figures to give candidates transparency about exam difficulty and performance trends. They are reported on a quarterly basis for most exams.
Here’s the latest data on CIMA pass rates past performance across all levels:
CIMA Objective Test Pass Rates (Nov 2023 – Nov 2024)
| Subject | Pass Rate | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| E1 – Organisational Management | 83% | Easier |
| E2 – Project & Relationship Management | 81% | Easier |
| E3 – Strategic Management | 76% | Moderate |
| F1 – Financial Reporting & Taxation | 78% | Moderate |
| F2 – Advanced Financial Reporting | 47% | Very Challenging |
| F3 – Financial Strategy | 58% | Challenging |
| P1 – Management Accounting | 53% | Challenging |
| P2 – Advanced Management Accounting | 44% | Very Challenging |
| P3 – Risk Management | 63% | Moderate |
CIMA Case Study Pass Rates (Recent Sittings)
| Exam Window | Operational (OCS) | Management (MCS) | Strategic (SCS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2024 | 71% | 62% | 60% |
| November 2024 | 68% | 65% | 62% |
| February 2025 | 68% | 64% | 57% |
| May 2025 | 70% | 60% | 53% |
| August 2025 | 70% | - | - |
How Do CIMA Objective Test (OT) Exam Pass Rates Compare Across Papers?
Objective Tests (OTs) are computer-based exams taken on demand. Their pass rates differ because each paper tests a different skill set.
CIMA OTs are divided into three pillars:
- Enterprise (strategy, leadership, digital)
- Performance (costing, budgeting, performance management)
- Financial (financial accounting and reporting)
Let’s understand the trends of passing rates for each one in detail below.
What Are The Enterprise Pillar Objective Test Pass Rates (E1, E2, E3)?
The Enterprise pillar includes E1, E2, and E3. These exams have very impressive pass rates ranging from 75 to 85%.
This is because the content is more conceptual and less calculation-heavy. Topics like organizational behavior, project management, strategic analysis, and business ethics are relatable to real-world situations. Many students find these subjects easier to understand and remember.
What Are The Performance Pillar Objective Test Pass Rates (P1, P2, P3)?
The Performance pillar is known for lower averages.
- CIMA P1 pass rate and CIMA P1 exam pass rate are lower than Enterprise papers due to calculations.
- CIMA P2 pass rate is often one of the lowest because it is heavily math-based and application-driven.
- CIMA P3 pass rates remain challenging due to complex scenarios.
These pass rates change and swing with each sitting, mainly based on how well candidates practise questions and manage time.
What Are The Financial Pillar Objective Test Pass Rates (F1, F2, F3)?
The Financial pillar shows mixed results. The CIMA F1 pass rate is around 78%. However, F2 drops to 47%, and CIMA F3 pass rates recover somewhat to 58%.
Let’s understand the WHY behind these passing percentages:
- Most students find F1 manageable because it covers basic financial reporting and tax principles. So, people with a commerce background can easily catch up with concepts.
- F2 often records lower results due to technical depth. From group accounts, foreign currency, and detailed IFRS standards…students get caught off guard.
- At 58%, F3 is challenging but doable. By this level, you’ve got better exam technique, which helps offset the difficulty of strategic financial management topics.
What Are The Recent Trends And Examples In OT Pass Rates?
Looking at quarterly fluctuations (though now reported annually), certain patterns emerge:
Hardest OT subjects consistently:
- P2 (Advanced Management Accounting) at 44%
- F2 (Advanced Financial Reporting) at 47%
- P1 (Management Accounting) at 53%
Easiest OT subjects:
- E1 (Organisational Management) at 83%
- E2 (Project & Relationship Management) at 81%
- F1 (Financial Reporting & Taxation) at 78%
These trends show that:
- Strategic papers (E3, P3, F3) all improved year-over-year
- Second-level papers (E2, P2, F2) remain challenging, with P2 and F2 showing the worst performance
- First-level papers (E1, P1, F1) are relatively stable
How Do CIMA Case Study Exam Pass Rates Compare Across OCS, MCS, And SCS?
CIMA case study pass rates are generally more consistent than OT pass rates. However, it depends on the level and sitting:
- CIMA operational level pass rates (OCS) are the highest, ranging from 53% to 71%.
- Management Case Study (MCS) pass rates sit in the middle, around 60%
- CIMA strategic case study pass rate (SCS) is the lowest because they test senior-level thinking. The passing rates 53% to 62%
What Is The Pass Rate For The CIMA Gateway Exam?
The CIMA Gateway exam pass rate deserves special attention because it’s consistently the lowest among all CIMA assessments.
But first, what is the gateway exam all about? Gateway is designed for candidates with Master’s degrees who want to fast-track into CIMA. These students skip operational and management-level objective tests. Instead, they take what’s essentially a Management Case Study exam (now integrated into MCS pass rate reporting).
Earlier, the pass rates were 30 to 36%. Recently, CIMA gateway pass rates have shown some improvement with 35% to 41%. Still, the low passing marks are a result of:
- Lack of foundational practice: Gateway students jump straight into case studies without the gradual skill-building that comes from completing nine objective tests first.
- Underestimation: Many Gateway candidates assume their advanced degree means the exam will be manageable. They don’t prepare with the intensity required.
- Different Educational background: People from different backgrounds can apply through the gateway. Because of that, most students fail to learn CIMA-specific terminology and frameworks as they are not aware of them.
So, what can be done to improve your chances of passing on the 1st attempt? Here are some tips:
- Gateway candidates should treat the exam with extreme respect.
- Do mock paper exams, revision and crash courses for subjects.
- Practice writing case study responses extensively.
- Dedicate at least 3 to 4 months in preparation of all six papers (E1, E2, P1, P2, F1, F2).
How Difficult Is The CIMA Exam Compared To Other Qualifications?
CIMA is widely considered more application-focused than theory-heavy qualifications like BBA ACCA, B.Com, M.com etc. Instead of testing memorisation, it tests how well you apply knowledge in business scenarios. So, CIMA success rate is moderate to hard for application-level papers like P1, P2 papers.
However, the data suggest that persistence pays off. Students who continue retaking exams eventually pass at much higher rates than first-time pass rates suggest.
Are CIMA Exams On Demand And How Does This Affect Your Pass Rates?
So, are CIMA exams on demand? Yes, they are. All Objective Test exams are available on-demand through Pearson VUE test centers. You can book an exam for any available date and time that suits you.
Case Study exams, however, run on fixed windows four times a year in February, May, August, and November. Now this flexibility can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.
The plus side is that you get to prioritize your work commitments and apply for exams when you are ready. But because there is no fixed sitting date, many students delay revision, reschedule repeatedly, or sit the exam before they are fully ready. This uneven preparation is one of the main reasons why CIMA exam pass rates fluctuate.
So, here’s how you can maximize exam advantage:
- Create a structured study plan with a target exam date
- Complete all practice questions and mocks before booking
- Book your exam 2-3 weeks in advance to create accountability
- Treat it with the same seriousness as if it were a fixed sitting
- Don’t book until you’re consistently scoring 70%+ on practice tests
How Many CIMA Students Qualify Globally And What Does This Say About Pass Rates?
CIMA has 2,50,000 qualified members. In totality, there are 6,50,000 members, registered students, and professionals of CIMA. Findings show that CIMA is now leading at 28% popularity, beating ACCA at 22% globally.
Just like the ACCA qualification, CIMA is also accepted in 180+ countries of the world. With such a large international student base, CIMA maintains rigorous standards to ensure the qualification’s value. Afterall, hundreds of thousands of candidates from different education systems, work backgrounds, and languages sit the same exams. So, pass rates naturally become competitive.
How Does AICPA & CIMA Compare Their Pass Rates With CPA Exam Scoring?
AICPA & CIMA formed a joint venture creating the CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) designation, which both CIMA members and qualifying CPA members can earn.
The CPA Exam is scored on a scaled system from 0 to 99, with 75 as the pass mark. This score is not curved and does not represent how many questions you got right. Instead, it reflects whether you met an established standard of competence set by the profession.
CPA USA scoring is deliberately strict. Each candidate’s responses go through multiple quality checks, and scores are built using a weighted model:
- Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)
- Task-based simulations (TBSs)
For most CPA sections, the weight is 50% MCQs and 50% TBSs, with some variation. When you compare CPA vs CIMA pass percentage, you’ll notice a pattern. CPA sections typically sit between the low 40s and mid-60s, depending on the subject. This is close to what you see in tougher CIMA papers such as P2 or F2.
In fact, the EW Sells award is the CPA exam’s highest honor, given to top performers. CIMA doesn’t have an equivalent award structure, but both organizations maintain high standards.
What Are The Pass Rates For The CIMA Certificate In Business Accounting?
CertBA has 4 exam papers. The pass rates for Certificate in Business Accounting are as follows:
| Paper | Subject | Typical Pass Rate Range | Major syllabus covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA1 | Fundamentals of Business Economics | 70 to 79% | Macroeconomics, microeconomics, and business finance |
| BA2 | Fundamentals of Management Accounting | 54-67% | Costing, management accounting, and decision making |
| BA3 | Fundamentals of Financial Accounting | 70 to 75% | Principles of accounting, bookkeeping, and analysis of financial statements (balance sheet, cash flow, equity flow) |
| BA4 | Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law | 55 to 68% | Corporate governance, CSR, business ethics, contract law |
The Certificate level is your foundation for the entire CIMA qualification. Here is the exam pattern for CertBA exams:
- Exam length: 120 minutes
- Computer-based and available on demand
- BA1, BA2, BA3: 60 Objective Type questions
- BA4: 85 unique OT questions
As per the data above, CIMA BA2 pass rates and BA4 pass rates are lower compared to others. However, 2025-26 performance expectations are predicted to be more stable and positive.
How Should You Interpret CIMA Pass Rates To Improve Your Study Strategy?
To improve your scores, you need to interpret CIMA pass rates historically. Study the data and go beyond them to know why certain cima passing rates are low for certain papers and vice versa.
Here’s how to read CIMA pass rates past and present in a way that actually helps you pass.
- Start with context, not comparison
Most students see low exam scores and compare them with other papers. Like CIMA p2 pass rate is around 44-46% (as of 2025-26). Meanwhile, the CIMA F1 pass rate is between 73% and 84%.
Now, this doesn’t mean the paper is unfair. It usually means that certain papers:
- Test the application over theory
- Punishes weak exam technique
- Exposes gaps in core understanding
And with the right preparation, you can still pass such papers.
- Seasonal swings explain a lot
When you look at the CIMA pass rates historical data, it shows clear patterns:
- CIMA has made changes in the syllabus and exam difficulty pattern for some papers over the years.
- Some sittings attract better-prepared candidates than others
So, you need to understand the trend cycle and not just one exam sitting.
- OT exams can get unpredictable
OT exams are computer-based and available on demand, which makes their pass rates fluctuate more than Case Study exams.
- Different sittings can feel harder or easier
- Many students underestimate OT exams and prepare lightly
- Poor question practice directly impacts results
- Use Pass Rates To Guide Your Exam Order
If you’re motivated by early success, start with Enterprise pillar papers (E1, E2, E3) where pass rates are highest. This will build your confidence. Avoid starting with P1 or P2 unless you’re particularly strong in management accounting. Many students start with P1 because it’s “the first level” and end up discouraged by the 53% pass rate.
In short, the main lesson from interpreting CIMA pass rates is simple: they’re a useful context, but they don’t determine your outcome. Your preparation quality, study strategy, exam technique, and mindset matter infinitely more than the historical pass rate percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions About CIMA Exam Pass Rates
The pass rate for CIMA Gateway assessments varies by level, paper, and exam type.
The financial pillar shows mixed results: F1 usually has higher pass rates due to its basic accounting focus, F2 is consistently lower because of technical depth, and F3 varies based on candidates’ financial reporting experience.