CMA exam format for 2027: questions, timing and CBQs
Each CMA part takes four hours: 100 multiple-choice questions in three hours, followed by two scenario sets in one hour. For 2027, most English sittings use CBQs, and Japanese-language exams introduce CBQs from January. Check your specific language and location before choosing scenario practice.
180 minutes · 100 MCQs
At least 50% needed to access scenarios. Leaving MCQs is final.
60 minutes · 2 sets
CBQs or applicable essays.
| Stage | Both exam parts | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | 100 MCQs · 3 hours | Average budget: 1.8 minutes per question. Complete this section before moving on. |
| Scenario section | 2 case-based sets · 1 hour total | CBQs are standard for most 2027 English-language sittings. |
| 2027 regional formats | Check language as well as location | For 2027, most English-language CMA sittings use case-based questions. IMA Japan announces CBQs for Japanese-language exams from January 2027. Mainland China, Taiwan and English-language Japan require a separate check of the current local registration and appointment format. |
| Section access | At least 50% on the MCQ section | This unlocks scenarios; it is not the passing standard. Once you leave MCQs, you cannot return. |
| Overall result | 360 on a 0-500 scaled score | A scaled score is not a percentage of questions correct. |
What a case-based question asks you to do
A case provides a business situation followed by structured tasks. IMA’s current enrollment page describes response types such as selecting, matching, entering calculations and filling fields. The work is to identify the requested output, select the relevant facts and respond in the stated unit.
Do not assume that a familiar MCQ method automatically prepares you for an unfamiliar response control. Rehearse reading the instructions, entering a value with the requested precision and checking that every required field is complete. For an essay sitting, rehearse a concise explanation and visible calculation instead.
A public practice tool is useful for learning, but its buttons and feedback are not a promise about the official interface or scoring. Use IMA’s current resources and your appointment instructions for delivery details. This page explains mechanics; the scenario guide supplies an original worked method.
Recover a slipping MCQ pace without abandoning the method
Use checkpoints to notice a problem while there is time to respond. A single long calculation is not automatically a problem, but repeatedly restarting similar calculations usually is. Identify the requested quantity before working and avoid solving for figures the question never asks for.
An average-time calculation does not prescribe the same limit for every item. Easy conceptual questions can leave room for harder work. During preparation, record where time was spent: reading, choosing a method, arithmetic or checking. Those causes require different repairs.
Original worked example
At 90 minutes you have answered 40 of 100 MCQs. How much average time remains per unanswered item within the 180-minute section?
90 minutes / 60 remaining questions = 1.5 minutes, or 90 seconds each, before any review buffer.
The checkpoint shows the pace has slipped. It does not tell you to guess every hard question. Practise a disciplined first attempt, mark unresolved work where the interface permits, and protect time to reach the remaining items.
Which scenario format applies?
The change is about the response format. It does not create a new set of syllabus weights. Confirm your location, language and booked sitting before buying format-specific practice.
| 2027 sitting | Language / location | Preparation consequence |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 English-language sittings, most locations | General English CBQ route | Two case-based sets after 100 MCQs. The May/June 2026 choice window has ended. |
| From January 2027 | Japanese-language exams in Japan | CBQs announced by IMA Japan. Do not apply the older blanket Japan essay exception. |
| Check the exact 2027 sitting | Mainland China, Taiwan and English-language Japan | Confirm the current local format and schedule before choosing essay or CBQ practice. |
A pacing checkpoint you can rehearse
The 180-minute MCQ allowance averages 108 seconds per question. That is a planning average, not a requirement to stop each question after exactly 108 seconds. Short conceptual items can make room for longer calculations.
| MCQs completed | Elapsed-time reference | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 45 minutes | Avoid spending the whole buffer on one calculation. |
| 50 | 90 minutes | Review flagged questions only if the remaining budget allows. |
| 75 | 135 minutes | Protect enough time to answer the final quarter. |
| 100 | 180 minutes maximum | Leaving this section is final; do not expect to return after scenarios. |
Section access and passing are different thresholds
The MCQ threshold determines access to the scenario section. The final result is a scaled score for the whole part, with 360 required to pass. Do not translate a sample percentage into a predicted official score or interpret 360/500 as a raw 72% requirement.
Original worked example
A candidate gets 4 of 5 practice MCQs correct. Has the candidate demonstrated an official passing score?
No. Four correct answers describe this five-item sample only.
A small, selected sample has different coverage, difficulty and scoring from an official exam. Review the reasoning and repeat with fresh material across all domains.
Common questions
- Can I return to MCQs after starting scenarios?
- No. The handbook says that leaving the MCQ section is final.
- Is 50% the passing score?
- No. It is the MCQ section-access threshold; the whole exam part uses a scaled score with 360 required to pass.
- Does Part 2 take longer than Part 1?
- Both parts have four hours of timed exam content. Travel, check-in and other appointment procedures require additional time.
Sources and editorial notes
Source check: . MiloPrep editorial team. Official facts and provider offer claims are identified below. Study schedules, examples and recommendations are editorial; they are not official questions, a required study-hour total or a passing guarantee.
- IMA CMA Handbook, March 2026 (PDF) ↗
Pages 4-6: certification deadlines; 7-9: format, windows, older registration cutoffs and appointment changes; 10-13: exam day, scoring and reports. The current CBQ purchase page describes a different, eight-month authorization period.
- IMA CMA frequently asked questions ↗
Retakes, reports and the fee section: $300/$545 professional; $225/$407 student or academic. A separate older retake paragraph lists conflicting prices. Verify the applicable member price at checkout.
- IMA Japan Chapter: January 2027 CBQ announcement ↗
Japanese-language CBQs announced from January 2027. The former campaign schedule now redirects; use the Japan Chapter and current local registration for dates. Do not generalize to English-language exams.
- IMA CMA enrollment and public prices ↗
Browser check on 11 October 2026: $300 entrance fee and $545 per part before member-category discounts; active membership required. Confirm the applicable purchasing page for your location and exam language.
MiloPrep is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by IMA or the providers discussed. Editorial methodology · About the editorial team.