Whether to sit your CIMA exams remotely or in a test centre?

The ability to sit both the CIMA Objective Test (OT) papers and the CIMA Case Study papers remotely has created debate as to which is best, sitting these exams in a Pearson VUE Test Centre or sitting them at home.

One of the primary factors to consider when choosing between sitting your CIMA exams remotely or in a test centre is the level of distraction you are likely to face when choosing either option. The test centre provides a controlled environment. The risk of your dog or small children barging through the door mid-exam is nil. Test centres also have staff on hand to prevent other exam takers from making noise, which helps manage any chances for distraction.

To sit the exam remotely, you need to have some space for a computer or laptop, and you need to have sustained silence over a three-hour period. For some people, this is not possible. If you are sharing a room, or even sharing a house with people, you may find yourself somewhat uncertain as to whether they will remain silent for the duration of your exam. The test centre takes this stress away, and appeals to a much broader audience of students that may not have the luxury of a quiet house to sit their exam in.

If you are sitting the exam remotely, you need to have a stable internet connection. Although it may be common in some countries, many students will know that a fully stable internet connection is not a guarantee everywhere, especially in rural areas. Test centres generally have stable internet connections and use corporate lines instead of residential ones. This usually means that there is greater bandwidth and servicing, reducing the probability of internet-related issues impacting your exam.

One of the primary benefits of being able to sit the exam remotely is that you do not have to travel to a test centre. Thankfully, there are PearsonVUE exam centres in most cities, but not everyone lives in a city. As well, for some, it may be difficult to actually get to a PearsonVUE centre. Cost can also be a factor for some students who are on a budget and may have to do several long trips or even stay in hotels to do their exams in test centres in their respective countries.

Your own personal preferences are a significant factor in making the choice between sitting in a centre or remotely. For example, sitting remotely requires an online proctor to monitor you as you sit your exam. Some students find this quite uncomfortable. In a test centre, you are being watched typically through a one-sided glass screen, but this arguably is less intense than the remote option. That being said, some students might find it comforting to sit the exam in an environment they are familiar with, and that's a totally valid reason for choosing to sit it at home.

Generally, we recommend that students sit their CIMA Objective and Case Study exams in test centres. It takes a lot of variable factors away and we are conscious that not everyone will have the most optimal setup for sitting exams at home.