OpenExamsFREE PRACTICE — ANY EXAM

CIMA BA2 Fundamentals of Management Accounting — Information & Free Practice

150 free questions · Answer explanations · No signup required

Start free practice →

Exam Review

About CIMA BA2 Fundamentals of Management Accounting

CIMA BA2 Fundamentals of Management Accounting · GB

Key exam facts

Provider
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), part of AICPA & CIMA, owns the examination; Pearson VUE delivers computer-based assessments.
Format
On-demand computer-based objective test at Pearson VUE centres or remotely online where available. Styles include multiple-choice, multiple-response, number entry, hotspot and drag-and-drop; short scenarios may support one or more questions.
Exam questions
Total questions: 60.
Time limit
120 minutes of assessment time (two hours); check-in time is separate.
Passing score
Scaled score of 100 out of 150 represents a pass; this is not a raw percentage mark.
Exam fee
UK (Tier 1): GBP 123 per Certificate objective test from 1 January 2026; GBP 128 from 1 January 2027. Per-exam fee, separate from registration, subscription and study costs.

Topics covered

  • The Context of Management Accounting (10%)

    • Explain the purpose of management accounting and the role of the Management Accountant.
    • Explain the need for management accounting.
    • Explain the characteristics of financial information for operational, managerial and strategic levels within organisations.
    • Explain the role of the management accountant.
    • Explain the relationships between the management accountant and the organisation’s managers.
    • Explain the role of CIMA as a professional body for Management Accountants.
    • Explain the role of CIMA in developing the practice of management accounting.

  • Costing (25%)

    • Demonstrate cost identification and classification.
    • Explain the classification of costs in relation to output.
    • Explain the classification of costs in relation to activity level.
    • Calculate appropriate costs having identified cost behaviour.
    • Explain the classification of costs in relation to decisions.
    • Apply absorption costing and marginal costing.
    • Prepare overhead cost statements.
    • Calculate the full cost of products, services and activities.
    • Calculate the marginal cost of products, services and activities.
    • Reconcile the differences between profits calculated using absorption costing and those calculated using marginal costing.
    • Apply cost information in pricing decisions.

  • Planning and Control (30%)

    • Prepare budgets for planning and control.
    • Explain why organisations prepare forecasts and plans.
    • Budgeting for planning and control.
    • Explain budget statements.
    • Identify the impact of budgeted cash surpluses and shortfalls on business operations.
    • Prepare a flexible budget.
    • Calculate budget variances.
    • Apply variance analysis to reconcile budgeted and actual profits in a marginal format.
    • Explain why planned standard costs, prices and volumes are useful.
    • Calculate variances for materials, labour, variable overheads, sales prices and sales volumes.
    • Prepare a statement that reconciles budgeted profit with actual profit calculated using marginal costing.
    • Explain why variances could have arisen and the inter-relationships between variances.
    • Calculate appropriate financial and non-financial performance measures.
    • Explain the need for appropriate performance measures.
    • Calculate appropriate financial and nonfinancial performance measures in a variety of contexts.
    • Prepare accounts and reports for managers.
    • Explain the integration of the cost accounts with the financial accounting system.
    • Prepare a set of integrated accounts, showing standard cost variances.
    • Prepare appropriate accounts for job and batch costing.
    • Prepare reports in a range of organisations.

  • Decision-Making (35%)

    • Demonstrate the impact of risk.
    • Explain the concepts of risk and uncertainty.
    • Demonstrate the use of expected values and joint probabilities in decision-making.
    • Calculate summary measures of central tendency and dispersion for both grouped and ungrouped data.
    • Demonstrate the use of the normal distribution.
    • Demonstrate the use of appropriate techniques for short-term decision-making.
    • Apply breakeven analysis.
    • Demonstrate make or buy decisions.
    • Calculate the profit maximising sales mix after using limiting factor analysis.
    • Demonstrate the use of appropriate techniques for long-term decision-making.
    • Explain the time value of money.
    • Apply financial mathematics.
    • Calculate the net present value, internal rate of return and payback for an investment or project.

How to prepare

Work through the topics, read the explanation after each answer, and revisit the areas where you miss questions. Use the official outline and reference materials below to guide your study.

These independent practice questions are not actual exam items and do not guarantee a passing result.

Frequently asked questions

What is the exam format?

On-demand computer-based objective test at Pearson VUE centres or remotely online where available. Styles include multiple-choice, multiple-response, number entry, hotspot and drag-and-drop; short scenarios may support one or more questions.

How many questions are on the exam?

Total questions: 60.

How long is the exam?

120 minutes of assessment time (two hours); check-in time is separate.

What is the passing score?

Scaled score of 100 out of 150 represents a pass; this is not a raw percentage mark.

How much does the exam cost?

UK (Tier 1): GBP 123 per Certificate objective test from 1 January 2026; GBP 128 from 1 January 2027. Per-exam fee, separate from registration, subscription and study costs.

Official sources and references

Confirm current exam arrangements with the exam provider.