Does CIMA affect student finance?

I'm working towards completing the CIMA professional qualification through self-studying. Will gaining this qualification impact the availability of student finance for a full-time undergraduate degree?

Hi there, it can affect your funding if it's equivalent to a higher level qualification.

Google states that a CIMA is equivalent to a masters degree, if that is true then it can affect your eligibility for funding if you already have the equivalent of a masters qualification.
Thanks, Isaac

Hi thanks for getting back to me. I've read conflicting information on google. Does SFE have a definitive list of qualifications along with their exact level as recognised in the UK? If so, what is CIMA's recognised level on that list?

CIMA isn't on our list.

If it's an international qualification, you can convert it to a UK equivalent here https://www.enic.org.uk/
Thanks, Isaac

I only gain a qualification when I complete a set of exams. What happens if I hold off sitting my final exam and apply for student finance for an undergraduate full-time degree, get this finance approved, and after this approval of finance for the degree I then sit the remaining exam that I was holding off and gain the CIMA qualification. Will doing this come back to bite me when applying for finance for the following years of the undergraduate programme/affect financing for the degree at all?

I think it's hard to provide an answer because I'm unsure what a CIMA is equivalent to. You would need to apply and then our assessors will review eligibility and may ask for evidence to see what it's equivalent to.
Thanks, Isaac

I appreciate that. In more general terms - say I got funding for the first year of an undergraduate degree at Level 4, and during the course of study of this first year, I gain a separate qualification outside of this degree at Level 6. Would I have issues when applying for funding the second year of this undergrad programme since second year uni is Level 5 and therefore less than the Level 6 qualification already achieved?

From past experience, I don't think it affects anything. However I can't give 100% certainty, our assessors would need to decide.
Thanks, Isaac

So I can take the correct steps and not have an "after the fact" situation, how can I get a concrete answer? Just regular email/phone to SFE?

So I can take the correct steps and not have an "after the fact" situation, how can I get a concrete answer? Just regular email/phone to SFE?

I've had a senior assessor review this thread.

They have stated the CIMA is a vocational qualification and won't affect your entitlement and you don't need to declare that you have received the qualification when applying for finance.
Thanks, Isaac

Excellent. Thank you very much.