Key takeaways

  • ACMA means Associate Chartered Management Accountant, the designatory letters used by Associate members of CIMA.
  • CGMA means Chartered Global Management Accountant, a management accounting designation from AICPA & CIMA.
  • When you complete the CGMA qualification, you are awarded CIMA membership at ACMA or FCMA level, so CIMA qualifiers hold ACMA or FCMA alongside CGMA.
  • To qualify you need to pass three levels, Operational, Management and Strategic, and complete at least 3 years of verified practical experience.
  • An Associate member with at least 3 years of senior, strategic or technical leadership experience can apply to become a Fellow and use FCMA.
  • You can use ACMA, FCMA and CGMA only while you are an active member; the right ends if membership lapses or is removed for disciplinary reasons.
  • CIMA members who want to work in public practice must hold a current CIMA practising certificate.

ACMA is the designation used by Associate members of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), and CGMA is the Chartered Global Management Accountant title awarded by AICPA & CIMA. If you qualify through CIMA’s CGMA Professional Qualification, you get both: CIMA membership at ACMA level and the CGMA designation. This guide uses AICPA & CIMA’s own pages, checked on 6 November 2026.

What does ACMA mean?

ACMA stands for Associate Chartered Management Accountant. It shows you are an Associate member of CIMA, the UK chartered body for management accountants.

CIMA’s designatory letters page sets three rules. Members may describe themselves as a “Chartered Management Accountant”. Associates may use ACMA. Fellows may use FCMA.

What does CGMA mean?

CGMA stands for Chartered Global Management Accountant. It is a management accounting credential run by AICPA & CIMA, the partnership between the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and CIMA.

AICPA & CIMA says over 230,000 people hold or are working towards the credential. It covers finance, operations, strategy and management, rather than audit or tax.

How do ACMA, FCMA and CGMA compare?

ACMA and FCMA are levels of CIMA membership, while CGMA is a designation held alongside them. Here is how the three fit together.

DesignationWhat it isHow you get it
ACMACIMA Associate memberComplete the CGMA qualification
FCMACIMA FellowACMA plus 3 years’ senior experience, then apply
CGMAGlobal management accounting titleCGMA qualification, or AICPA route

On achieving the CGMA qualification, CIMA awards membership at either ACMA or FCMA level. Its pages do not say what decides which level a new qualifier receives.

How do you qualify as ACMA, CGMA?

You qualify by passing all three levels of the CGMA Professional Qualification and completing CIMA’s practical experience requirement. The steps are:

  1. Register with CIMA. Start at the optional Certificate in Business Accounting if you have little accounting background, or enter at Operational Level with exemptions.
  2. Pass the Operational Level. Sit the objective tests, multiple-choice exams on the competencies at that level, then the Operational case study.
  3. Pass the Management Level. Objective tests, then the Management case study. You receive a diploma after each of the first two case studies.
  4. Pass the Strategic Level. Objective tests, then the Strategic case study, the final exam.
  5. Complete the practical experience requirement (PER). You need at least 3 years of verified, relevant work experience, signed off by a supervisor who knows your work.
  6. Apply for membership. Once approved you can use ACMA, CGMA.

Case studies run four times a year at Pearson VUE centres worldwide. AICPA & CIMA says the three levels take about four years by tuition or self-study, or 3 to 4 years through its online CGMA Finance Leadership Program.

When can you submit your practical experience?

You can submit your PER once you have passed the Management case study and have 3 years of relevant experience. Experience gained before you registered can count.

The qualification page says your submission is assessed on your finance roles, core work activities and professional skills and behaviours.

How do you become FCMA?

You become FCMA by applying for CIMA Fellowship once you are an Associate member. AICPA & CIMA says you need at least three years of senior, strategic or technical leadership experience.

Fellowship is not automatic. Once your application is approved, you can use FCMA in place of ACMA. AICPA & CIMA does not publish the Fellowship fee on the pages we checked.

Can AICPA members get CGMA without CIMA exams?

Yes, there is a separate route for AICPA members. The CGMA credential page lists these requirements:

  • AICPA membership in good standing
  • at least 3 years of relevant management accounting experience
  • the required CGMA programme learning
  • a pass in the CGMA strategic case study exam
  • compliance with the AICPA Bylaws and Code of Professional Conduct

This route gives CGMA but not ACMA, because ACMA is a CIMA membership level. CIMA also has pathway agreements with other bodies. AICPA & CIMA reported on 27 March 2024 that eligible members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) are exempt from 15 of CIMA’s 16 CGMA exams.

What rules apply once you qualify?

Once you qualify, you must keep your membership active and complete continuing professional development (CPD) every year. CPD starts when you are elected to membership. See our guide to CPD requirements for accountants.

ACMA, FCMA and CGMA can be used only by active members. If you let membership lapse, or CIMA removes it after disciplinary action, you must stop using the letters. Fully retired members of 20 years or more can keep using them.

Can an ACMA run an accountancy practice?

Yes, but CIMA members who want to work in public practice must hold a current CIMA practising certificate. Certificates are issued to individual members, not firms, and an assessment panel checks each application against CIMA’s Member in Practice Rules.

You will also need anti-money laundering supervision. See AML registration for accountants and licence requirements by body.

Which applies to you?

  • If you are studying CIMA, you will hold ACMA and CGMA together once you pass all three levels and your PER.
  • If you are ACMA with 3 years in a senior or leadership role, you can apply for FCMA.
  • If you are an AICPA member, you can earn CGMA through the strategic case study route without becoming ACMA.
  • If you want to offer accountancy services to the public, apply for a CIMA practising certificate first.
  • If you are still choosing a qualification, read is CIMA right for you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ACMA and CGMA?

ACMA shows you are an Associate member of CIMA. CGMA is a global management accounting designation from AICPA & CIMA that CIMA qualifiers hold alongside ACMA.

Is ACMA a chartered accountant?

ACMA is a chartered management accountant. CIMA allows members to describe themselves as a “Chartered Management Accountant”, which is a different title from ICAEW’s chartered accountant.

How long does it take to become ACMA?

AICPA & CIMA says the three levels take about four years by tuition or self-study. You also need at least 3 years of verified practical experience, which can run alongside your studies.

What is FCMA?

FCMA is the designation for CIMA Fellows. Associate members with at least three years of senior, strategic or technical leadership experience can apply.

Can I use ACMA if my membership lapses?

No. The letters can be used only by active members, except by fully retired members with 20 or more years of membership.

Sources

Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.