Once you have completed or received advanced standing for the CMA prerequisite studies, you are eligible to write the CMA Entrance Examination. This four-hour exam is held twice a year—in mid-June and mid-October—and consists of multiple-choice questions that test your knowledge of the CMA prerequisite studies topics.

To help you prepare for the Entrance Examination, CMA Ontario offers a comprehensive preparation program and study guide. For more information about these resources, contact the CMA Ontario Accreditation Department.

You must achieve a minimum grade of 60% in the CMA Entrance Examination to qualify for the CMA Strategic Leadership Program.

You can attempt the exam three times, and you must rewrite it within 13 months of your previous attempt.

The CMA Entrance Examination must be written in Ontario. The exam preparation program is offered only in Ontario; the study guide is available online.

Mutual Recognition Agreements

CMA Ontario has mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with the following international accounting bodies:

• the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
• CPA Australia (CPAA)

If you are eligible for advanced standing under a mutual recognition agreement, you are exempted from the CMA Entrance Examination requirement. See Your Path to Becoming a CMA for eligibility requirements.

Professional Advanced Standing Policy

CMA Ontario has professional advanced standing (PAS) policies for members of the following international accounting bodies:

• the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP)

If you are eligible for advanced standing under a PAS policy, you are exempted from the Entrance Examination requirement. See Your Path to Becoming a CMA for eligibility requirements.

If you are not eligible for advanced standing under an MRA or a PAS policy, you must complete the CMA Entrance Examination.