CMA exam for international candidates
By Haresh Ratnagrahi, Founder, HiPrep (CPA, FCA, CMA (US), CISA, CRISC)
International candidates can take the CMA from many countries. You register with the IMA, have your degree accepted and sit each part at a Prometric centre. Check the IMA for current degree rules and test-centre availability in your country.
Key takeaways
- Register with the IMA online, like any other candidate.
- Whether your degree is accepted and what the IMA needs.
- Study with materials that explain US terms and conventions, not only definitions.
- Pick a centre you can reach easily, and book early for popular months.
- Choose a course with support hours that overlap your day, so doubts get answered while they are fresh.
How it works from abroad
Register with the IMA online, like any other candidate.
Submit documents to show your degree meets the requirement.
Book your exam at a Prometric centre near you.
Things to check
Whether your degree is accepted and what the IMA needs.
Centre availability and slot timing in your city.
Fees, which are in US dollars.
Preparing from abroad
Study with materials that explain US terms and conventions, not only definitions.
Practise in English, since the exam is in English.
Use a language you think in for first explanations of hard concepts.
Choosing a test centre
Pick a centre you can reach easily, and book early for popular months.
Time zones and support
Choose a course with support hours that overlap your day, so doubts get answered while they are fresh.
Exam facts at a glance
CMA (US) (Certified Management Accountant), overseen by IMA. 2: Exam parts. 4 hrs: Per part: 100 MCQs + 2 essays. 360: Passing score (0–500 scale). 3 yrs: To complete both parts from your first.
Part 1, Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics: Budgeting, performance management, cost management and controls. Main topics: External financial reporting decisions, Planning, budgeting and forecasting, Performance management, Cost management, Internal controls, Technology and analytics.
Part 2, Strategic Financial Management: Corporate finance, investment decisions, risk and ethics. Main topics: Financial statement analysis, Corporate finance, Decision analysis and risk, Investment decisions, Professional ethics.
The path from eligibility to certification
CMA (US): 1. Join IMA. IMA membership is part of registration. 2. Check entrance requirements. A bachelor’s degree, plus two years of relevant experience (before or within a window after passing). 3. Register and pay fees. Register for the exam through the IMA. 4. Book at Prometric. Schedule each part at a test centre near you. 5. Pass both parts. Within three years of passing your first part. 6. Complete the experience requirement. Then apply for your CMA certification.
Who it suits: Management accountants and cost accountants; FP&A, MIS and controllership professionals; Chartered and cost accountants adding a global credential; Finance graduates aiming for business-partnering roles. Careers it opens: FP&A and business finance; Controller and finance manager; Cost and management accounting; Strategy and corporate finance; CFO track.
Key terms explained
Prometric: The test-centre network where the CPA, CMA and EA exams are delivered, including centres in many countries outside the US.
CMA: Certified Management Accountant: the IMA credential for management accounting, planning and financial strategy. The exam has two parts and the passing score is 360 out of 500.
IMA: The Institute of Management Accountants: the US body that grants the CMA and runs its entrance requirements and fees.
More questions candidates ask
Which should I pick: CPA, CMA or EA? CPA suits audit, reporting and global accounting careers. CMA suits management accounting, FP&A and finance leadership. EA suits US tax and IRS representation, and is the quickest to complete. Our counsellors will map one to your background and goals for free.
Can I take these exams from outside the US? Yes. The CPA, CMA and EA exams are available at Prometric test centres in many countries, including India, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Eligibility and registration run through the relevant body: a US state board for CPA, IMA for CMA and the IRS for EA.
Do I need a commerce degree? It depends on the exam. CPA requires a degree plus accounting and business credit hours, which vary by state. CMA requires a bachelor’s degree plus experience. EA has no degree requirement. Book a free eligibility check and we will tell you exactly where you stand.
What are the passing scores? CPA: 75 on a 0–99 scale. CMA: 360 on a 0–500 scale. EA: 105 on a 40–130 scale. All are scaled scores, not percentages.
How HiPrep can help
HiPrep is an exam-prep provider for the CPA (US), CMA (US) and Enrolled Agent exams. Every answer is built step by step, cell by cell, so you see how a result is reached and not only what it is. Explanations are available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, and a mentor is behind the platform for doubts.
You get a Prometric-style simulator with tutor and exam modes, full-length mock exams with a scaled-score estimate and topic breakdown, layered books, one-page revision notes built from your mistakes, flashcards, an AI tutor that hints before it tells, and a study plan that adapts to your exam date and weekly hours.
Start with the free diagnostic: 45 minutes and a topic-by-topic report that shows where you stand before you spend anything.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CMA exam offered in languages other than English?
The exam is in English. Preparation can be in any language that helps you understand the concepts.
Do I need to visit the US?
No. Exams are taken at Prometric centres, including many outside the US.
Sources and official references
About the author
Haresh Ratnagrahi, Founder, HiPrep (CPA, FCA, CMA (US), CISA, CRISC). Haresh has spent 30+ years in corporate finance, M&A and teaching, including as a professor at Sydenham College of Commerce and as founder of the Finance & Accounts Learning Academy at EXL, where he trained more than 6,000 employees. He founded HiPrep to give CPA, CMA and EA candidates clear teaching, a real exam simulator and mentoring.